A Fire Breathing Dragon in the Bible
The Bible, says that there was an animal called Leviathan (a Hebrew word). Based on the passage in the book of Job 41, this creature appears to be a fire breathing dragon.
“Out of his mouth go burning lights; sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes. His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth” (Job 41:19-21).
The “leviathan” was a real animal around the time of Job. Some believe it to be a crocodile, others, a sea monster. This creature was mentioned six times in the Old Testament (Job 3:8; 41:1-34; Psalms 74:13, 14; Psalms 104:26; Isaiah 27:1).
Isaiah 30:6 mentions this fire breathing dragon in this manner:
“The burden against the beasts of the South. Through a land of trouble and anguish, from which came the lioness and lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent…”
Also, Isaiah 27:1 gives more details:
“In that day the Lord with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; and He will slay the reptile that is in the sea.”
Other places in Isaiah 27; 30; 31, “leviathan” stood as a symbol of pagan Egypt (Ezekiel 29:3). The psalmist, mentioned the fall of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. He wrote that the Lord cut “the heads of leviathan in pieces” (Psalms 74:13, 14). A many-headed crocodile was a proper symbol for Egypt for crocodiles lived in the Nile River.
Nature
It is not strange to believe that a fire breathing dragon has existed in ancient times. For today, we have similar characteristics in some of God’s creatures. For example, fireflies produce light, eels produce electricity, and the bombardier beetle can produce fire. This beetle has a canon near its rear end where it can blast its enemies with chemicals. When blasted, those chemicals can reach up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit which is as hot as boiling water. This beetle has parts in its body where it stores fiery chemicals.
If a tiny beetle can produce such a complex system in its rear, then couldn’t a dinosaur or dragon? It’s not hard to imagine an extinct creature having a similar ability that would allow him to be a fire breathing dragon.
In fact, some of the dinosaurs have parts of their heads that are connected to their nasal passages. For example, the Tyrannosaurs Rex had a head the size of a car but his brain was the size of a baseball. The rest of his head was full of chambers connected to his sinuses. If he had these special chemicals stored in these sections, it is possible that he could have been a fire breathing dragon.
Legends and History
Legends of the existence of a fire breathing dragon have been recorded around the world throughout history. They are seen in artwork and mentioned in books. Almost all cultures have dragon legends despite having had no contact with each other.
A Canaanite myth says, “leviathan” was an evil serpent with seven heads that fought against the the forces of good. Texts from Ras Shamrah (see Vol. I, pp. 128, 129) also speak of a monster with seven heads called “Lotan.” This too, is thought to be the same name as the Bible’s “leviathan.”
Satan – The Dragon of the Bible
Satan originally used the serpent to deceive mankind. And he continues to fight against the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15). The book of Revelation pictures him as “a great red dragon, having seven heads” (Revelation 12:3). It declares that “Michael and his angels fought against the dragon.” But “the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:7, 9). The good news is that the Lord will ultimately slay this evil dragon when He “comes out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity” (Isaiah 26:21).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
