“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil…”[1. Hebrews 2:14 (ESV).] Today we begin a new series, He Saves Us, starting with our Hero’s victory over that dragon!

Episode sponsors

1. Enclave Publishing: Hybrid by Candace Kade
   
2. Changelings: Insurgence by Liam Corley
   
3. Realm Makers: 2024 writers conference
   

Mission update

• Our new Book Quest has begun through North! Or Be Eaten.
  
• Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild.
  

Concession stand

• Maybe you like fantasy dragons. Your can befriend, ride, or train them.
  
• Some dragons are even cute and cuddly. No shade on that imagination.
  
• Scripture itself portrays a sea-dragon, Leviathan, as God’s “pet” (Job 41).
  
• But here we will emphasize the traditional idea: the dragon as devilish.
  

Introducing guest Laurie Christine

Laurie Christine is an author, podcast host, certified Biblical Parenting Coach, Bible teacher, wife, and mom of four wild, loud, adventurous boys. Her podcast, Redeeming the Chaos, invites moms of boys to join her on the wild, wonderful, chaotic adventure of raising courageous boys and connecting them with Christ.  Her most recent book released last November, Rise of the Enemy, first in her Dragon Slayer Bible series.

• DragonSlayerBible.com
  
• LaurieChristine.com
  

Concession stand

• Maybe you like fantasy dragons that you can befriend, ride, or train.
  
• Some dragons are even cute and cuddly. No shade on that imagination.
  
• Scripture itself portrays a sea-dragon, Leviathan, as God’s “pet” (Job 41).
  
• But here we will emphasize the traditional idea: the dragon as devilish.
  

1. Slaying the dragons in modern storytelling

• Why do readers love dragon slaying stories so much?
  
• These mirror the ultimate dragons-slaying narrative in the Bible.
  
• Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit matches wits with the great dragon Smaug.
  
• Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings later defeats the dragon-like Balrog.
  
• A few other modern stories preserve the concept of dragons as evil.
  
• The original Godzilla, such as in Godzilla: Minus One (2023), is a destroyer.
  
• Harry Potter famously shows a hero confronting dragonlike monsters.
  
• Lord Voldemort himself is associated with satanic imagery and serpents.
  
• Other stories show dragons not as devilish, but morally neutral or good.
  
• Actual dragons in Harry Potter are just another kind of fantastic beast.
  
• The recent American films portray Godzilla as more of a hero/antihero.
  
• Many, many Christian-made books have different takes on dragons.
  
• Eustace Clarence Scrubb’s selfishness turns him into a dragon in VODT.
  
• Bryan Davis, “that dragon guy,” has children turning into/out of dragons.
  
• Many pre-Flood-set fantasy novels show dragons as originally good.
  

2. Slaying the dragons of ancient legends

• Beowulf does not just fight Grendel but Grendel’s mother and a dragon.
  
• “St. George and the Dragon” is one of the Western template stories.
  
• Of course, Eastern nations like Japan and China have rich dragon tales.
  
• But you will find dragons, winged serpents, wyverns, whatever name or variant the creature has, across all ancient culture and continents.
  
• Some Christians, such as at Answers in Genesis, think dragons were real.
  
• Stephen agrees with them; dragons once really existed on this Earth.
  
• And somehow along the way, they got associated with the top dragon.
  

3. Slaying that dragon, the Devil, in the Scripture

• Dragons get slain throughout the Bible, not just in Revelation 12.
  
• We can see the Genesis 3:15 promise in light of Revelation 12:9.
  
• Scripture often uses the terms “dragon” and “serpent” interchangeably.
  
• At this Easter, remember that our Hero, Jesus, is the Dragon Slayer.
  
• Explore what this truth means for us and for any of our children.
  
• One way to help you do that: The Dragon Slayer Bible Series.
  

Com station
Question: What are your favorite dragons in stories—good, evil, or neutral?
Mahina shared thoughts about ep. 202 and lockdown reading:

During Covid I helped take care of my 80+ year old grandma and we were scared. The two things we could actually do together physically and rule wise were go to the public pool to swim and go to the library. Those were the only outings for a while for grandma so that’s when I started getting back into reading. I loved reading in middle & high school but had stopped as an adult. I actually found Lorehaven after being disappointed with library books with hidden agendas and explicit content. Now my life is on a completely different course career wise and I love my God honoring stories. I find solace from the scrolling and can see God’s designs in fantastical fiction.

Amanda, also in the Lorehaven Guild, felt much the same way:

I was reading then, but I think being shut in for so long was one of the things that brought me to something of a meeting with God over some behavior in my life. Like the things I was reading (or watching) which were not good and definitely not healthy. Stories in principle are a gift from God, but certainly not all stories are good, and I had gotten sucked in by many of those. I think I’d spent too many years whacking my discernment with a hammer. So in the years since, it’s been a process of scraping away the bad, and I read different books now. Though I often still feel unsure about my choices, don’t want to fall into the same trap again.

Next on Fantastical Truth

When our hero Jesus died to atone for sin and resurrected Himself, He did not defeat only the Devil. He did this to “deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery,” says the author of Hebrews. Jesus our hero is “a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” He saves us from our own villainy!