But it spoke like a dragon

“but it spoke like a dragon” Revelation 13:11

Plain and simple, the dragon is Satan, and the deceiver.

Revelation 20:2 NIV He (Jesus) seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

2 John 1:7 NIV I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

If this character speaks like a dragon, then he is speaking like Satan, fully representing him. Now how would we know what that would be like? Take a look at Luke 4:6. Here Satan is tempting Jesus by offering him all the wealth of the world.

Luke 4:6 NIV And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

Apparently Satan, with ease, offers up what looks good upon initial inspection, but scripture tells us that the world, and all that is in it, runs contrary to God. I find myself thinking about a show on television called “Holmes on Homes”. In it this man goes through homes that have been previously inspected and deemed good. On the outside they look fine, but serious problem begin to show up, and quickly; he points out the real problem. Isn't that the way things seem to happen when we play with the world?

Since God made the world perfect to begin with, then something had to have corrupted it. We know that as the fall of man. Man gave up his right to the earth when Adam committed treason, in the garden. Satan through deception became the owner / the one who now had dominion over it, and he immediately gained the right to disperse it however, and to whomever he chooses. Therefore Satan is not presenting himself as gloomy and poor, but glamorous and wealthy. Jesus, if you noticed, did not argue the point.

Revelation 20:7-8 NIV When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison (8) and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV (14) And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.