What is the meaning of dragon in the book of revelation in holy bible?

Answer 1

"And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red DRAGON..." (Rev.12:3 KJV).

The Literal Bible [LIT] says of the "Dragon": "DRAKON" -- "probably from an alternate form of derkomai (to look); a fabulous kind of serpent (perhaps as supposed to fascinate): KJV--dragon." (The Literal Bible with Strong's Definitions)

The "dragon" is an ancient and legendary figure among the nations and cultures of the world. As revealed in The Bible, the great red dragon is: "...that old Serpent [introduced to the woman in the Garden of Eden], called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out [of heaven] into the earth, and his angels were cast down with him." (Rev.12:9 KJV)

The modern concept of the dragon is a vicious fire-breathing flying serpent that terrorizes the villages and towns of the helpless people below.

But the Bible reveals him to be "more subtle"... sneaky... deceptive and conniving:

"Now the serpent was more subtil than any other beast of the field which God had made..." (Gen.3:1 KJV).

[NLT New Living Translation): "Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made...".

The Literal Bible says "snake," from the inspired word "nachash" [naw-khawsh']: "...a snake (from its hiss)..." (Strong's Definitions).

So, the "serpent" or "dragon," biblically, isn't how we picture it today... but more of a "fascinating, charismatic, subtle, whispering enchanter." The epitome of a successful "traveling salesman." A creature with the skills to coerce and "lead others astray" and to do his bidding.

The book of Revelation reveals the background of this creature in its inset chapter 12. And it prophesys of the Dragon's final ploy at the time of the end of man's rule on earth, to deceive the nations of the world, bringing them under a new world order [a one-world government - chapter 13] and then coerce and persuade them to join together at the last, to fight Jesus Christ when He returns with the Kingdom of God [chapter 16].

The meaning of "Dragon" in the book of Revelation [and throughout the Bible] is: "...that old Serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world...".