It’s Genesis 3. The world is young and innocent. So is humanity.
Then, from the shadows of the forbidden tree, a monster emerges— a sneaky, slithering reminder that order is never a given.
The serpent.
Genesis 3 says that this serpent is crafty, and bent on devouring the image-bearers of God.
The serpent that emerged in the Garden of Eden is thought to be Satan himself, deceiving Adam and Eve and drawing their hearts away from God.
But this serpent is also an image—a repeated motif found throughout the Bible—the “Chaos Dragon.”
This serpent symbolizes the ancient "Chaos Dragon," a creature of darkness using cunning and temptation to drag humanity back into the void of disorder. This dragon imagery is found all throughout the Bible.
The Philistine god, Dagon.
Pharoah, the rebellious King of the Nile.
The fish that swallows up Jonah.
Even Goliath, with scaly armor and a tongue of venom against The Creator.
These dragons, in their many forms, embody the very essence of chaos and destruction.
They remind us that the forces of disorder are not only external but also internal, tempting us to mirror their violent ways.
And yes, even when the dragon’s allure is almost too tempting to resist (like a crisp, juicy apple apparently), there’s a counterpoint that never fails: hope.
In Genesis 3, the Serpent successfully convinces Eve to take the forbidden fruit. But his victory is short-lived.
After the Serpent deceives Adam and Eve, God makes a promise. That one day, a descendent from Eve would rise to crush the head of the Serpent.
This prophesied curb-stomper is Jesus, the ultimate dragon slayer!
Jesus confronts these forces not with brute force alone, but by embracing a power that defies expectations.
Jesus walks over stormy seas.
Jesus resists the temptations of the wilderness.
Jesus willingly steps into the belly of the beast (the grave).
Jesus trades blows with death and chaos, but it’s not even a fair fight.
He crushes the Serpent’s head, but he doesn’t do it in a way anyone would expect. Instead of playing the Serpent’s game of pride and power grabs, Jesus lays down his life.
Sacrifice. Selflessness. Love. These are the weapons Jesus uses to slay the dragon!
CONSIDER THIS:
Have you been trying to beat the enemy at his own game? Have you been fighting lies with more lies, gossip with more gossip, and hate with more hate?
So, as you face your own dragons—be they fear, anger, or the lure of self-destruction—remember that you’re invited to follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
Resist the tempting shortcut of violence or despair and instead wield the weapons of Jesus: truth, love, and self-sacrifice.
Embrace Christ’s power, and know that no matter how fierce the dragon, the victory has already been won.
In every moment of internal turmoil or external chaos, trust that you have the strength to stand firm. Let your heart be emboldened by the quiet, unyielding truth that even in the darkest corners, light—and order—always prevails.
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