BibleProject Podcast Series

Chaos Dragon

The Bible is full of words that describe a strange creature—a monster of the deep. But what exactly does this dragon represent? In this podcast series, Tim and Jon explore the theme of the chaos dragon and the human struggle to win power over it.
21 Episodes
Can We Be Agents of Chaos With Good Intentions?
Chaos DragonEpisode 21

Does the dragon always deceive humans into sinning? Can we become agents of chaos even when our intentions are good? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from the Chaos Dragon series. Thank you to our audience for your questions!

Chaos and the Cosmos: An Astronaut Interview
Chaos DragonEpisode 20

In this episode, Tim and Jon interview an expert with a unique vantage point on the chaos of the cosmos, NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson. Listen in as they discuss the intersection between ancient cosmology and scientific exploration of our universe.

The Dragon of Revelation
Chaos DragonEpisode 19

Like the conclusion of any good story, the book of Revelation brings together all the themes in the Bible, including the theme of the dragon. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the dragon in John’s Revelation.

The Dragon in Paul's Letters
Chaos DragonEpisode 18

In this episode, Tim and Jon look at how the Apostle Paul talked about death and disorder almost as if they were dragons, starting with Paul's letters to the Romans and the Corinthians.

The Only Way to Slay the Dragon
Chaos DragonEpisode 17

Jesus is God's dragon-slaying king, but the way he defeats the dragon is not what anyone expected. In this episode, Tim and Jon explore what it means to truly gain victory over the dragon.

A Human With Power Over the Dragon
Chaos DragonEpisode 16

Jesus triumphs over snake-like adversaries in the wilderness, subdues chaos waters with a word, and even has power over spiritual beings. In this episode, join Jon and Tim as they explore what it means for Jesus to be God’s anointed dragon-slaying king.

Daniel and the Four Monsters
Chaos DragonEpisode 15

Daniel 7 describes the prophet Daniel's apocalyptic dream of four chaos monsters and, not one, but two dragon slayers. In this episode, Jon and Tim explore the theme of the dragon in the scroll of Daniel.

Does the Dragon Sometimes Win?
Chaos DragonEpisode 14

The scroll of Job explores what happens when a righteous person, someone who should be experiencing God's Eden blessing, gets their life co-opted by the dragon instead. In this episode, join Tim and Jon as they explore the story of Job.

The Dragon Slayer in the Psalms
Chaos DragonEpisode 13

In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss two psalms that look back to the cosmic battle at the beginning of creation and also look ahead to a day when Yahweh will give his own dragon-slaying power to a human image of God.

What Does it Mean to be Evil?
Chaos DragonEpisode 12

Did God create disorder and chaos? And what does it actually mean to be evil? In this episode, Tim and Jon respond to your questions from the first half of the Chaos Dragon series. Thank you to our audience for your incredible questions!

Was the World Ever Perfect?
Chaos DragonEpisode 11

If God created a perfect world and humans messed it up, why would God allow the potential for chaos at all? In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss God’s goodness and the existence of evil, through the lens of the chaos dragon theme.

Jonah and the…Chaos Dragon?
Chaos DragonEpisode 10

The story of Jonah uses all the motifs of the theme of the sea dragon, except the story calls it a great fish! Join Tim and Jon as they discuss Jonah and the reality that even the belly of the beast is no match for Yahweh.

The Dragon-Like Behavior of Three Nations
Chaos DragonEpisode 9

In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the scrolls of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and their focus on the dragon-like behavior of three nations––Israel, Babylon, and Egypt––as well as God’s promise to bring about justice for each and every dragon in the end.

Isaiah and the Dragon
Chaos DragonEpisode 8

What happens when the entire nation of Israel consistently aligns themselves with the dragon? They themselves become a chaos monster Yahweh has to deal with. In this episode, Tim and Jon explore the theme of the chaos dragon in the scroll of Isaiah.

David and Goliath the Dragon
Chaos DragonEpisode 7

Goliath, one of the Bible’s most well-known bad guys, is depicted as having scaly armor like a snake and defying not just Israel, but Yahweh. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss the theme of the dragon in the story of David and Goliath.

Women Who Slayed Dragons
Chaos DragonEpisode 6

In Judges, Jabin, king of Canaan, and Sisera, the commander of his army, are depicted as serpents, and the humans who overcome these two dragons are two women, Deborah and Jael. Join Tim and Jon as they explore the dragon theme in the scroll of Judges.

Power Over the Dragon in Exodus
Chaos DragonEpisode 5

In this podcast episode, Tim and Jon discuss a human who the prophets frequently called a sea dragon: the Pharaoh who enslaved Israel in the scroll of Exodus. If Pharaoh is the seed of the serpent, who is the seed of the woman in Exodus?

The Creature Crouching at the Door
Chaos DragonEpisode 4

In this week's podcast episode, Tim and Jon discuss Genesis 3-4 and talk about what happens when humans themselves start to act like the chaos monster.

Ferocious Dragons and Rogue Stars
Chaos DragonEpisode 3

God creates dragons to inhabit the chaos waters, and in Genesis, one convinces the first humans to choose their own destruction. Why would God create these creatures? Join Tim and Jon as they talk about the literary function of dragons in the Bible.

The First Worldwide Meme
Chaos DragonEpisode 2

The dragon is a symbol humans have used for millennia to talk about chaos and death. Some might say it was one of the first worldwide memes. In this episode, Tim and Jon discuss ancient Near Eastern literature about dragons.

Dragons in the Bible
Chaos DragonEpisode 1

Are there monsters in the Bible? In this episode, Tim and Jon kick off a brand new theme study, the chaos dragon, with a look at the language the Bible uses to describe this creature.