The Lord of Light and Light Bearer, Lucifer

The Lord of Light and Light Bearer, Lucifer, is the most maligned and misunderstood angelic being in Judeo-Christian civilization. For us to get anywhere in understanding and participating in Earth’s visionary geography, we will have to get past this formidable bugbear of Lucifer in out path. There is no way around it, under or over it, because the emerald is his. The emerald is our Heart within the Heart, it is the essence of the Earth’s spiritual body, and it is from the crown of the Lord of Light.

Lucifer is the theological Shadow we have devoted lifetimes to suppressing. Yet Lucifer is the high celestial redeemer being who “fell” solely on our behalf, and he awaits our recognition and reaffirmation to reverse his fortunes. Yes, it’s shocking, but it is also liberating. It is also an unavoidable task. Judeo-Christian culture has blinded us to the true nature of this high celestial being, regarded as God’s chief archangel and cherub, his history and relationship with humanity, and his role in Earth’s visionary topography. I say “high celestial being” because according to conventional Judeo-Christian belief, Lucifer started out that way. Then everything got bad.

According to Jewish sources, Lucifer was originally God’s chief archangel and cherub; on the third day of Creation, he “walked in Eden amid blazing jewels, his body a-fire” with the light of precious stones, all set in pure gold. These jewels included carnelian, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, carbuncle, and emerald. God had made Lucifer Guardian of All Nations. He was Lucem ferre, from the Latin for “bringer or bearer of light.” He also had something to do with the planet Venus, which was anciently known as Phosphorus or Lucifer; Venus is also the “last proud star to defy sunrise.”

Lucifer was Helel ben Shahar, Venus (Helel), Son of the Dawn (Shahar), Lord of Light, the Shining One, Dawn Bringer, Light Giver, and Light Bringer— Lucifer, the Morning Star. Then, the story goes, Lucifer’s pride got the better of him. He wanted to enthrone himself on Mount Saphon, the Mountain of the North, also called Mount of Assembly or Mount of God, and thereby be God’s equal. God wanted Lucifer to serve the newly created humanity, but he was not interested. Instead, he organized a revolt of the angels against God’s intentions.

It’s said of Satan (“the Opposer,” his name is used interchangeably for Lucifer in Christian theology) that he foresaw the Earth would be populated with God-worshippers, and he wanted that worship for himself. He went into competition for the worship of humans and used all his wiles to secure that worship attention. Lucifer’s alleged rebellion is clearly illustrated in his Islamic guise as Iblis, also called Shaytan (an early form of Satan) in the Qur’an. Iblis is a spirit of fire and refused to follow God’s commandment to bow before and serve humans, mere creatures of earth (clay). Iblis was outraged that God wold ask him to prostrate himself before such a lowly creature as Man. “The essence of his sin was rebellion against God provoked by pride.” God curtailed Lucifer’s ambitions and cast him out of Heaven to the Bottomless Pit of Sheol, along with his fellow rebellious angels. As he fell from grace he was said to shine like lightning but was reduced to ashes on impact; only his spirit flutters blindly and ceaselessly in the deep gloom of Sheol.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning,” wrote Isaiah (14:12) summarizing the situation. Once he was imprisoned in Sheol, whether he was ashes, spirit, or full-bodied, Lucifer became identified with Satan, the Adversary or Devil, also known as the Prince of Darkness and Prince of the Power of Air. As Satan, Lucifer’s theological profile became demonized; Satan’s deeds represent Lucifer’s doings after the Fall. The Judeo-Christian belief holds that as Satan Lucifer was able to continue to interfere with human affairs and oppose God and the angelic hierarchy. Satan of course was the Serpent in the Garden of Eden who tempted Eve to eat the forbidden apple of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, thereby precipitating the expulsion of the primal heavenly couple from Paradise.

Even Satan began pure. He was said to be twelve-winged, originally called ha-Satan, the chief of the Seraphim, wearing the nine hierarchic orders of angels “as a garment, transcending all in glory and knowledge,” according to the century Pope, St. Gregory the Great (540-604). Nor would he be “evil” forever. According to Church fathers and apologists Jerome, Gregory of Nyssa, Origen, Ambrosiaster, and others, one day Satan would be reinstated in his “pristine splendor and original rank.” In the meantime he had a job to do as the Devil.