The princess and the dragon
Michael Roy
An allegory of coming events
The fair young princess was deeply in love. Though she'd never met her beloved face to face, the loving words he had written her from afar had won her heart and filled her life with song. She had already accepted His proposal of marriage, and in her heart she knew that she belonged to him and that one day she and the Prince of Light would live happily ever after in the wonderful place he was preparing.
But while she waited for him to come for her, the prince's arch-rival, the Ruler of Darkness, tried everything he could imagine to win the princess away from her lover. He offered her riches, fortune, and fame, but she could not be bought. To the princess, nothing could ever compare to the love she had received from her prince.
In a final desperate attempt, the Ruler of Darkness devised his most cunning scheme. He would disguise himself as the Prince of Light and make a sudden appearance, declaring that at last her lover had returned. Thus he hoped to win her hand, take over her realm, and steal the place of the Prince of Light.
This man who claims to be the Prince of Light is an impostor!
When the deceiver rode majestically into the princess's realm, many were convinced that at last the great Prince of Light had returned, and it wasn't long before he had won the hearts of the people by bringing a new era of peace and prosperity to the realm.
At first he showed a great deal of patience in courting the princess, but she sensed that something was wrong and refused to give herself to him. She searched the many love letters the Prince of Light had sent her, looking for a clue, and found something that made it all clear. "The day of my return will not come until my enemy, the Ruler of Darkness, shall come in my name and deceive many. But do not fear, my love, because shortly thereafter I will return for you."
The princess sent out a warning: "This man who claims to be the Prince of Light is an impostor! He's our mortal foe, the Ruler of Darkness! Have nothing to do with him!" A great uproar followed, and there was a division in the realm between those who believed the princess's warning and those who remained deceived.
When news of the princess's denunciation reached the Ruler of Darkness, he could not contain his rage. He dropped his mask and was revealed to be the monster he had been all along—a horrible, serpent-like red dragon. No longer would he try to win the princess. He would destroy her!
The dragon went on a rampage after the fleeing princess, but just when he was about to catch her, she was miraculously given wings like those of a great eagle and escaped into the wilderness.
This so infuriated the dragon that he demanded that everyone in the realm pledge allegiance to him or be killed.
After searching for many months, the dragon and his forces caught up with the princess. "At last I've got you!" he roared.
He opened wide his foul mouth, bared his fangs, and was about to devour her, when suddenly a blinding flash of light and the thunderous blast of great trumpets from the heavens froze him in his tracks. His beady eyes shot skyward and registered his horror. There in the clouds the Prince of Light was returning to save the day! With a mighty shout he called his love, his bride for whom he had come, and he swept her up to his palace in the sky. At last the princess was safe in the arms of her true love!
The prince and the princess were wed amid the grandest celebration ever held, while the dragon's forces were destroyed and he was cast alive into a bottomless pit.
* * *
This plotline is not taken from a book of legends or fables, but from the Bible. According to the Bible, Jesus is the "Prince of Peace" and "Light of the World,"1 and those who believe in and receive Him are His bride.2 Although He is not with us physically now, we can know Him very well through His words, which are like love letters.3
The Ruler of Darkness is Satan, the great deceiver, who seeks to turn Jesus' bride away from Him.4 Satan, whom the Bible likens to both a great serpent and an infanticidal dragon,5 will soon possess a man known as the Antichrist, who will then become a powerful world leader and rule for seven years. For the first three and a half years he will deceive many into believing that he is their savior. But during the second three and a half years, he will demand that all the world worship him and him alone or be killed.6 This last half of his reign is known as the Great Tribulation because of the persecution he will bring against the people of all faiths.7 But God has promised to protect, provide for, and empower those who stay true to Him during this time.
At the end of the Antichrist's reign of terror, Jesus Christ will return "in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory"8 to rescue His bride.9 The saved from all ages will be whisked away to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb,10 where Jesus will bestow on His bride eternal "crowns of life."11 This party will be held in the heavenly, clear-as-crystal, golden city of God.12
Footnotes
1. Isaiah 9:6; John 9:52. Romans 7:43. John 6:634. John 8:44; 14:30; Ephesians 6:125. Revelation 12:9,46. Revelation chapters 12-137. Matthew 24:218. Matthew 24:29-319. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-1710. Revelation 19:6-911. Revelation 2:1012. Revelation chapters 21-22
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