There's a new book out about dragons called Dragons or Dinosaurs? by Derek Isaacs.
It turns out that the dragons that are so often mentioned in the Bible are real after all! Here's what Mr. Isaacs says about them:
The Old Testament scribes wrote that they saw creatures, prowling, hissing, swimming, and even breathing fire. ... I will shine a spotlight for all to see that the Bible speaks of dragons as real. ... Because what is harder to believe, that dragons are real, or that Jesus Christ is the author of life and the Savior of all humanity?To help you with your decision about dragons (and Jesus), here's a list of all the verses in the King James Version that mention them. (Dragons, that is.)
But be careful. If you reject God's dragons, you'll probably also reject God's son. Because as Mr. Isaacs rightly points out, one is about as absurd as the other.
- Their wine is the poison of dragons. Deuteronomy 32:33
- And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well. Nehemiah 2:13
- I am a companion to dragons, and a companion to owls. Job 30:29
- Thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons. Psalm 44:19
- Thou breakest the heads of dragons. Psalm 74:13
- The dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Psalm 91:13
- Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons. Psalm 148:7
- Satyrs shall dance there ... and dragons in their pleasant palaces. Isaiah 13:22
- The LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. Isaiah 27:1
- It shall be an habitation of dragons ... and the satyr shall cry to his fellow. Isaiah 34:13-14
- In the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. Isaiah 35:7
- The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness. Isaiah 43:20
- Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Isaiah 51:9
- I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons. Jeremiah 9:11
- To make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons. Jeremiah 10:22
- The wild asses ... snuffed up the wind like dragons. Jeremiah 14:6
- Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons. Jeremiah 49:33
- Nebuchadrezzar ... hath swallowed me up like a dragon. Jeremiah 51:34
- Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons. Jeremiah 51:37
- Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers. Ezekiel 29:3
- I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons. Micah 1:8
- I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. Malachi 1:3
- There appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. Revelation 12:3
- The dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. Revelation 12:4
- There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels. Revelation 12:7
- And the great dragon was cast out. Revelation 12:9
- When the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. Revelation 12:13
- The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. Revelation 12:16
- And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed. Revelation 12:17
- The beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power. Revelation 13:2
- And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast. Revelation 13:4
- And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Revelation 13:11
- I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. Revelation 16:13
- And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years. Revelation 20:2
16 comments:
Creationists are my pet peev, actually let me clarify they are the bane of my life. I cannot believe intelligent people can believe this rubbi9sh, they are either all frauds or all idiots.
I think we're dragon this topic out a bit. ;-)
Steve Weeks
A 'dragon' in Scripture is generally used to describe anything from a lizard to a dinosaur.
What? You think dragons are boring, Steve?
I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons. Micah 1:8
The dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. Revelation 12:4
There was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. Revelation 12:7
I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. Revelation 16:13
There's nothing boring about that stuff. (It's amazing how interesting "lizards" and "dinosaurs" can be.)
The description of 'dragon' in Micah 1:8, Revelation 12:4, 7; 16:13 are obviously metaphorical.
Another good example of this is 1Peter 5:8 where 'lion' is used metaphorically.
"...because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."
And 'lion' is also used to describe a ruler or king.
"Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah [Christ]" Revelation 5:5
If you blokes did not spend all your energy running the Bible into the ground, you might have learnt something by now.
Bob said: "The description of 'dragon' in Micah 1:8, Revelation 12:4, 7; 16:13 are obviously metaphorical."
So... something in the bible is metaphorical. What standard do you use to decide what's metaphorical and what is literal? Try to be brief. ;-)
Steve Weeks
Stephen, you said,
"So... something in the bible is metaphorical. What standard do you use to decide what's metaphorical and what is literal? Try to be brief. ;-)"
Let Scripture interpret Scripture.
In other words, whether something is metaphorical/symbolic/allegorical/poetic or literal is determined by the commentary of the surrounding scripture, as demonstrated by the two above examples.
Another example is when God questions Job (38:4-6) with terms that are commonly used in the construction of buildings.
"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line [string line] upon it? To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone...?"
Bob, you said: "Another example is when God questions Job (38:4-6) with terms that are commonly used in the construction of buildings."
OK... so that's metaphor. Please explain the metaphor in 2 Kings 2:23-24. I'm interested in the context that would tell me it's not just another example of god's fondness for slaughter.
I've got my popcorn. :-)
Steve Weeks
"Please explain the metaphor in 2 Kings 2:23-24. I'm interested in the context that would tell me it's not just another example of god's fondness for slaughter."
There is no metaphor, it is just a direct historical account.
A gang of louts was on the verge of physically assaulting a servant of God who was going about God’s business, so God passed judgement on them.
bob, the Almighty could just as easily have teleported all those supposely dangerous kidlets into their beds without supper. And then followed it up with making *them* bald for a year. "See how you like it!"
Bill, that's what you would do if *you* were god. But our Boy loves a good bit of bloody carnage.
Come to think of it, I like you as god better than the Old Imaginary Guy himself... you have a sense of humor!
Steve Weeks
Bill,
"the Almighty could just as easily have teleported all those supposely dangerous kidlets into their beds without supper.”
‘Little children’ can refer to emotional, mental, intellectual, capacity rather than just physical age. It can also be meant in the sense of spiritual development.
For example, when John says “little children” (1John 3:7, 18; 5:21) he means in a spiritual sense even though he is talking to adults.
“And then followed it up with making *them* bald for a year. "See how you like it!"
He could have, but he didn't. And “mauled 42 of the youths” does not indicate that anyone was killed. The word can refer to an injury as minor as a cut. That two bears were able to injure so many indicates that the youths were fighting the bears, and didn’t scatter.
So what’s not "See how you like it!" about that?
Bob: And “mauled 42 of the youths” does not indicate that anyone was killed. The word can refer to an injury as minor as a cut. That two bears were able to injure so many indicates that the youths were fighting the bears, and didn’t scatter.
OK, Bob, you win the prize for being able to make up explanations for *anything* in the bible so it suits your agenda. I stand in awe of your talent... you are an apologist's apologist!
Steve Weeks
"Come to think of it, I like you as god better than the Old Imaginary Guy himself... you have a sense of humor!"
> Thank you. It's vital when you converse with Bible fans.
Stephen,
"OK, Bob, you win the prize for being able to make up explanations for *anything* in the bible so it suits your agenda. I stand in awe of your talent... you are an apologist's apologist!"
Thanks, but I should point out that there is nothing made up, and that the agenda is to discover what the text is actually saying.
All we read in the text is “some youths came up from the city and mocked him,” meaning they went out of their way to cause trouble, and we also read that there were at LEAST 42 of them. Then we read that God decided on a little poetic justice in the form of a couple of bears to give them a well-deserved hiding. The trouble makers only copped a good dose of what they intended for another, i.e. “See how you like it!”
If anything, in some respects it may have been a rather comical sight, with the youths coming off second best.
Whereas your ‘agenda’ immediately jumps to the conclusion or ‘makes up the explanation’ that some small innocent children were savagely murdered for no good reason; oh the poor little children! Boo hoo.
But in reality, if you yourself were being threatened by a mob of delinquents you might also ask God to sort them out by means of a good hiding, which, in the long run, would only do them the world of good anyway by humbling them and teaching them to respect their elders.
Just based on some quick Internet research, it appears that the Old Testament uses the word tannin, which can mean any kind of monster. And the mentions of a unicorn probably mean an aurochs. Kind of disappointing, really.
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