Lucifer

[
The poem uses the name "Lucifer" only three times, as against 72 mentions of "Satan"]
Gustave Doré's illustration for "Paradise Lost" by John Milton.] "Lucifer" is a name frequently given to Satan in Christian belief. This usage stems from a particular interpretation, as a reference to a fallen angel, of a passage in the Bible ( to translate the Greek word "Φωσφόρος" (Phosphoros), which has exactly the same literal meaning of "Light-Bringer" that "Lucifer" has in Latin; and once in , ).

The Tyndale Bible Dictionary states that there are many who believe the expression "Lucifer" and the surrounding context in Isaiah 14 refer to Satan: they believe the similarities among warrant this conclusion. But it points out that the context of the Isaiah passage is about the accomplished defeat of the king of Babylon, while the New Testament passages speak of Satan.

A passage quite similar to that in Isaiah is found in and once for the Greek word "φωσφόρος" (phosphoros) in for "שׁחר" (dawn, the same word as in . (In the latter case some Greek manuscripts have the adjective "ὀρθρινός" instead of " πρωϊνός".)

Astronomical significance

Because the planet Venus (Lucifer) is an inferior planet, meaning that its orbit lies between the orbit of the Earth and the Sun, it can never rise high in the sky at night as seen from Earth. It can be seen in the eastern morning sky for an hour or so before the Sun rises, and in the western evening sky for an hour or so after the Sun sets, but never during the dark of midnight.

It is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon. As bright and as brilliant as it is, ancient people couldn't understand why they couldn't see it at midnight like the outer planets, or during midday, like the Sun and Moon. It outshines the planets Saturn and Jupiter, which do last all night, but soon disappears. Some believe they invented myths that Lucifer wanted to take over the thrones or status of the gods Saturn and Jupiter, as a result of which Lucifer was cast out from heaven.

Non-Biblical use of the title "Morning Star"

"Morning Star" appears to have been used as a poetic description of Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros II in 968. Liutprand, bishop of Cremona, reported the greeting sung to the emperor arriving at Hagia Sophia: "Behold the morning star approaches Eos rises; he reflects in his glances the rays of the sun – he the pale death of the Saracens, Nicephorus the ruler." Also, in William Nicholson's 'Jango' novel, "Morning Star" is a name given to one of the main characters. [cite web|url=http://medieval.ucdavis.edu/20A/Luitprand.html|title=Liutprand of Cremona: Report of his Mission to Constantinople|accessdate=2007-06-27]

Alleged connection with Freemasonry

Léo Taxil (1854-1907) originated a perception that Freemasonry was associated with worshipping Lucifer. In what is known as the Taxil hoax, he claimed that leading Freemason Albert Pike had addressed "The 23 Supreme Confederated Councils of the world" (Taxil's invention), instructing them that Lucifer was God, and was in opposition to the evil god Adonai. Taxil also promoted a book by Diana Vaughan (actually written by him) that purported to reveal a highly secret ruling body called the Palladium which controlled the organization and had a Satanic agenda. As described by "Freemasonry Disclosed" in 1897::With frightening cynicism, the miserable person we shall not name here [Taxil] declared before an assembly especially convened for him that for twelve years he had prepared and carried out to the end the most sacrilegious of hoaxes. We have always been careful to publish special articles concerning Palladism and Diana Vaughan. We are now giving in this issue a complete list of these articles, which can now be considered as not having existed. ["Freemasonry Disclosed" April 1897] Despite the fraud having been revealed for over a century, Pike's spurious address and other details of the hoax continue to be quoted by anti-masonic groups. [cite web |url=http://www.masonicinfo.com/taxil.htm |title=Leo Taxil: The tale of the Pope and the Pornographer |accessdaymonth=14 September |accessyear=2006]

Arthur Edward Waite wrote an exposé of this hoax, titled "Devil-Worship in France", producing evidence that it was what today we would call a tabloid story, replete with logical and factual inconsistencies.

See also [http://www.freemasonry.bcy.ca/texts/LuciferandSatan.html "Lucifer and Satan"] at the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon website.

Occult beliefs

In the modern occultism of Madeline Montalban (died 1982) [ [http://www.sheridandouglas.co.uk/OMS.htm Madeline Montalban and the Order of the Morning Star] ] Lucifer's identification as the Morning Star (Venus) equates him with Lumiel, whom she regarded as the Archangel of Light, and among Satanists he is seen as The "Torch of Baphomet" and Azazel. In this modern occult teaching, an obvious appropriation of Christian soteriology, it is stated that it is Lucifer's destiny to incarnate in human form at certain key times in world history as a saviour and redeemer for humanity. A symbol for this process is the Tudor Rose. The Tudor Rose can be red, representing Lucifer, or white representing Lilith. The Tau cross or Mjolnir is also a symbol of Lumiel/Lucifer and his role as an avatar for the human race.

In the Satanic Bible of 1969 Lucifer is acknowledged as one of the Four Crown Princes of Hell, particularly that of the East. Lord of the Air, Lucifer has been named "Bringer of Light, the Morning Star, Intellectualism, Enlightenment."

Other meanings

As well as signifying the archangel cast from heaven for leading a revolt of angels, and the planet Venus in its appearance as the Morning Star, the word "lucifer" has been used in English with reference to a friction match.

Luciferin is a name given to five types of pigments found in various bioluminescent animals, including fireflies, bacteria, and deep sea fish. Luciferins produce an almost heatless, bluish-green light when oxidized in a reaction catalyzed by their corresponding enzymes, which are called luciferases.

ee also

*Luciferianism
*Devil
*Satan
*Christianity
*Hendrick Lucifer
*War in Heaven
*Luceafarul

Notes

Further reading

* Campbell, Joseph (1972). "Myths To Live By". A Condor Book: Souvenir Press (Educational & Academic) Ltd. ISBN 0-285-64731-8

External links