I've recently heard it said, that because the dragon is used as a symbol for Satan, that means that writers should never attempt to portray dragons in a positive light. It's an interesting argument and a little bit more nuanced then it sounds at first. The argument isn't that animals such as snakes, lions and wolves have to be evil because they are represented as such in the Bible, but rather that the concept of a dragon, in and of itself was a form that was made by Satan. If this is true, then it would make sense that one could never portray a dragon in any way that could be considered 'good'.
Of course, here we're getting into highly theoretical and not very practical theology. It's pretty much one step above discussing how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. However it's been what I've been discussing these days with a friend of mine, and since it involves two of my passions. Theology and Dragons!
So, to counter this incredibly unpractical but interesting claim, I am going to make my own incredibly impractical but interesting claim.
There are dragons in heaven.
Now before you pick up stones and proceed to throw them at me let's take a moment and study the topic in the book of Isaiah. In this book we have the Seraphim. Now, it should be noted that the word Seraphim in Hebrew appears several other places in scriptures. It appears in Numbers and Deuteronomy. All and all the word 'Seraphim' appears seven times in the old testament. And it always means the same thing. Snake.
And not only just a Snake, but a 'firey serpent'. The word Seraphim is used when God smites the Israelites with a plague of poisonous snakes. Every time except in Isaiah 6 it s used a synonym for 'serpent'. Not to mention the fact that they have wings. In fact there is no evidence to suggest that the Seraphim are not dragons. In fact every serious source who has studied to topic of the Seraphim has come to the conclusion that they are dragons.
Can't wait to meet them in heaven.
My mouth actually dropped open when you said there were dragons in Heaven. But it sorta makes sense...boy, you've just given me something to think about.
ReplyDeleteThanks Una! :D Glad it did.
ReplyDeleteBut if we both manage to get to Heaven and you're wrong...I'm going to be disappointed. :)
DeleteI love this post! :D
ReplyDeleteThere's also the argument that dragons are based on mankind's encounters with dinosaurs, and the Old King James has all kinds of mentions of dragons (as in dragons will inhabit the desolate places). The word is either tannin or tannyin (can't remember), always used of one kind of animal. Translators don't know what it is, so today it's translated jackals or something. Dragons have always just been considered a kind of nasty animal you don't want around your town, like lions or bears. Comparing Satan to one is appropriate.
ReplyDeleteBehemoth in Job (whose description best fits an apatosaurus), is called "chief in the ways of God". Since behemoth is known as a dragon in other places, isn't it weird that God is speaking so highly of an animal used to represent Satan?