A brief introduction about ‘Chinese Luna Year of Dragon’ - 2012

Feb 27, 2012 06:54 AM EST

A: Mythology of Dragon:

1- According to ancient Chinese mythological saying, some 5 thousand years ago, believing there are essentially 4 Giant Imaginary Beasts as the symbol of good luck. They are Dragon, Golden Pheasant, Unicorn/Moncero and long life Sea Turtle.

2- Among them, Dragon is believed to be a kind of special super spirit, which is able to fly in the sky without using wings: which might cause the cloud to rain and nourish the soil to grow crops again: which might explode and cause a disaster.

3- Especially, Dragon is sort of a figure---forming up out of 9 animals. Such as: deer horns, lobster’s eyes, caw mouth, dog nose, lion’s mane/neck hair, eel beard, fish scales, eagle claws and snake body and tail. (Note, in regarding to the claws there are three kinds: namely, 5 claws, 4 claws and 3 claws.)

4- The one which has 5 claws is called Golden Dragon, symbolizing wisdom, power and authority of the empire in ancient time. The crown, fur gown, chair and bed of the king were all the product of golden smith.

5- Other than that, ordinary people were only allowed to use blue dragon with 4 claws. And black dragon with 3 claws was only used by blackguards.

6- According to ‘Chinese Luna Year’ calendar, 12 animals were chosen and each one is representing a year in particular meaning symbolizing the human character for 12 years.

7- And each ‘60 years’ is set up as a section of one term, which goes around and around for over several thousand years.

8- Among 12 animals, 11 of them are real creatures. Nevertheless, only “Dragon is exceptional, figuring out from imagination, a mixture of some particular part are coming out of 8 kind of animals to form up a fiction (fable) feature. However, fortune tellers are abusing those symbols to interpret or predict good or bad luck.

B: The term ‘Dragon’ is also used in the Bible, but in sacred way:


Actually, ‘Dragon’ is simply an imaginational figure from archaic sculpture of a large serpent. According to Nehemiah 2:13, Isaiah 14:12 and 43:20, the term Dragon has been used, which is indicating to wild fox/wolf or flying serpent. From the book of Revelation 12:3-9, it has been called ‘giant animal/dragon’, old serpent as well as the Devil or Satan’.

However, according to Jesus, which is called “father of the liar”. (John 8:44), the prince of this world (John 12:31, 14:30) and the original source of evil (John 17:15). The apostle Paul calls it the ‘ruler of sin’ (Romans 5:21, 6:6), the prince of the power of the air, the evil spirit that misleads human being to disobedience against God. (Eph 2:2).

Thus, Paul said, “As by one man ‘sin’ entered into the world, and the ‘death’ by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (Roman 5:12)

On the other hand, however, Jesus said: ‘As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of man be lifted up……That whoever believeth in Him may have eternal life.’ Therefore, the symbol of serpent has been used as the sign of Redemption/Salvation as well as in the field of medical service for their budge/uniforms. Jesus said: “You should be wise as serpents, but be gentle/harmless as doves-“(Mathew 10:16).”

Conclusion:

Jesus expects all Christians to be the ‘salt and light of the world, bearing much spiritual fruit through the Holy Spirit that the Father may be glorified’. He says: ‘Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.’ So that we will be enable to enjoy our eternal lives with victory over the sins and Devil in our daily lives. Amen!