Life, and Intelligence can be material. This Dragon stands for the sum total of human belief, called Animal Magnetism, — belief that organic animal life produces sin, sickness, and death.
The Revelator lifts the veil from this embodiment of all evil, and beholds its character. He sees a great red Dragon at the couch of the ideal deliverer of this present age, causing her sore travail. The Revelator sees that old Serpent whose name is Devil, or Evil, holding untiring watch, that he may bite the heel of Truth, and devour the offspring of the spiritual Woman, who is prolific in health, holiness, and immortality.
Revelation xii. 4. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth. And the Dragon stood before the Woman, which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
The ten horns of the Dragon typify the belief that matter has a mind of its own, and that by means of this mind it can break the Ten Commandments. The serpentine form stands for subtlety, winding its way throughout all evil, but doing this in the name of good. Its sting is spoken of by Paul, when he refers to “spiritual wickedness in high places.” It is the animal power of mortal minds over each other, casting out devils through Beelzebub.
As of old, evil still charges the loving Master with its own nature and methods. This malicious animal-power (of which the Dragon is the type) seeks to kill his fellow-mortals, morally and physically, and then to charge the innocent with his crimes. This last infirmity of sin will sink in a night without a star.
I am solemnly convinced that the accusations against
