Roaring Lion, Fiery Red Dragon
“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 Jn 3:8). Jesus, “…made a public spectacle” of the evil powers and authorities, “…triumphing over them by the cross” (Co 2:15). Christians know this. We are able to see Satan and “…we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Co 2:11). But do we see him? Are we ignorant?
Roaring Lion. If the devil was a roaring lion, surely we would notice. Right? Wrong.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:7-9
The Spirit has to warn us through Peter that although the devil walks around like a roaring, hungry, dangerous lion we might not be paying attention enough to notice! We have to be sober, vigilant, and intentionally resist him. We CAN remain steadfast in the faith, but not without mindfulness, watchfulness, and resistance. Even mature Christians may let their guard down and not hear the roaring and put themselves in the path of the devourer. Jesus “made a public spectacle” of the lion, has shown him to be the life destroying, life taking devil, but it is still up to us to see it, accept it, and resist. We don’t have to fight the lion – Jesus did that and triumphed over him – but we do have to resist him, and in Christ we can.
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” James 4:7
Fiery Red Dragon (Rev 12). If the devil was a fiery red seven-headed horned dragon, surely we would notice. Right? Wrong.
"And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:7-9
There are many interpretations of this highly symbolic section of Revelation, but one thing is clear: God wants us to see Satan as a monster because often we don’t. We don’t see him, his followers, and his ways as being absolutely antithetical to all that is God, holy, righteous, good, and godly. Jesus unmasked him, but daily we have to see through the eyes of Jesus or Satan will destroy us now and in eternity. dd
“…Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” 2 Corinthians 11:14