Expert: Dr Don Howe - 7/26/2010

Question
1.Are Lucifer and Satan the same entity? I have done a considerable amount of research and I cannot find anything in the Holy Bible that directly links the two names. There are other books that could be considered Non-Fiction that directly links this (The Book of Enoch), but nothing in the Holy Bible is conclusive.

The two verses I have considered are Revelation 12:8-10 and Isaiah 14:12-15.

I have asked this question to four separate ordained ministers and their combined response, paraphrased, is "this is not relevant to our faith". I do understand why this isn't important to the faith but the question still remains.

Thanks for your time,
Chadwick Corbin

Answer
Chadwick, thank you for your question. It is easy for ministers to say “this not relevant to our faith” because they do not know the answer. They do not know do good historical-grammatical hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) of God’s Word. But if this area is important to you then it is important to me. Let’s rightly divide the Word of Truth ( 2 Tim. 2:15).

You stated “I have done a considerable amount of research and I cannot find anything in the Holy Bible that directly links the two names.” The answer to your question is yes and no. Yes, God does not say Lucifer that old Satan.. Nor does he say Satan another name for Lucifer. But it is obvious that God is talking about the same evil enmity that rebelled against Him.

WHERE DOES THE WORD LUCIFER COME FROM?

  The word “Lucifer” comes from the Hebrew word heylel  which means bright morning star. The word “Lucifer” is used only in the King James Version. The early translators could not find a English word for heylel so they followed what Jerome had translation of the Bible (A.D. 383-405) known as the Latin Vulgate and used the word “Lucifer.” Early Christian writers continued this identification of "Lucifer" with Satan. Tertullian ("Contra Marcionem," v. 11, 17), Origen ("Ezekiel Opera," iii. 356), and others, identify Lucifer with Satan, who also is represented as being "cast down from heaven" (Isa. 14:12). So Lucifer comes from the Latin Vulgate. But the evil spiritual enmity that rebelled against God is still the same in the person of Lucifer and Satan. So it logical to say the God is talking about the same evil being who rebelled against Him thinking he “was like the most high God” no matter if it is the Hebrew name heylel or Satan. But again God does not specifically call this evil presence Lucifer but the Latin Vulgate does, and bible translators followed tradition of the Vulgate.

  This type of thinking would be no different let”s say I called you Chadwick and your grandmother called you Chad. Even though Chadwick and Chad are not the same name, but refers to the same person. So it is with the name Lucifer (Latin) and heylel (Hebrew).

  Chadwick,  notice that before the fall of the evil one, God (Isa. 14:12) uses the word heylel or Lucifer in Latin, but uses Satan after the fall.

  Let’s look at Isa 14:12-15. Verse 12 states “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” Here God is telling us that  heylel or Lucifer, son of the morning was full of pride and wanted to be like the Most High God and was cut down to the ground and thrown out of Heaven. We can assume He is referring to Satan since Jesus speaks of the same event in Luke 10:18 which states “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” God is speaking of the same event of the evil one falling from the Heaven in Isa 14:12 and in Luke 10: 18, so we can assume that Lucifer  (Isa. 14:12) and Satan  (Lk. 10:18) are the same enity because God is talking about the same event. And Jesus saw this falling of Satan (Lucifer) from Heaven.
  Lucifer’s or Satan’s falling from Heaven had to take place by the second day of creation because he is present in Genesis Chapter 3, and he attempt Adam and Eve in the Garden.

  Some theologians believe this passage is speaking about the King of Babylon, and one could  make inference (literal fall) in this way but stretching it. They are specifically speaking of King Sennacherib, who was king of both Babylon and Assyria at the time of Isaiah. But Sennacherib did not ascend to Heaven and then got kicked out Heaven and thrown to the ground, which could only be Lucifer (spiritual).  

  Verse 13 states “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:.” Lucifer has pride in his heart and he wants to ascend into heaven and exalt his throne above that of God. This is the “exalt my throne above the stars of God.” He wants to “sit also upon the mount of the congregation.”
  If one goes the literal way, the King of Babylon thinks he so almighty and proud that he can exalt his throne above the stars of God. But again this is stretching things because mortal man can not be lifted up above God, but he can be influenced by Satan to be full of pride to think he can be above the stars of God.

  David Guzik states this pride in thine heart “Lucifer was certainly a glorious angel (day star, son of the morning, and also called the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty . . . the anointed cherub who covers in Ezekiel 28:12 and 14). Yet, there came a time when despite all his beauty and glory, he departed from the heart of God by wanting to exalt himself above his peers. Instead, the heart of Jesus says, “The status of equality with God is not something to hang on to. I will let it go. I will give up My reputation, be a servant, live humbly among men, and even die an excruciating and humiliating death.” (Philippians 2:5-8) When Lucifer departed from this heart, he fell from glory.”
  David Guzik asks an interesting question “Why did Lucifer rebel?”  He states “Perhaps because he rejected God’s plan to create an order of being made in His image (Genesis 1:26), who would be beneath the angels in dignity (Hebrews 2:6-7a; 2 Peter 2:11), yet would be served by angels in the present (Hebrews 1:14; 2:7-8; Psalm 91:11-12) and would one day be lifted in honor and status above the angels (1 Corinthians 6:3; 1 John 3:2). Satan wanted to be the highest among all creatures, equal to God in glory and honor, and the plan to create man would eventually put men above angels. He was apparently able to persuade one-third of the angelic beings to join him in his rebellion (Revelation 12:3-4; 7, and 9).”

  Verse 14 states “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”  Here Lucifer exhibit’s the extreme example of pride by stating he wants to be like the most High. He wants to be like God.

  Some theologians again would stretch things and say that King Sennacherib is one who “thinks” he can be like the most high God. But it can not be him.

  Verse 15 states “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Hell here is also known as Shoel. Here God is saying that Lucifer will be brought down from Heaven to pit of Hell. The indicative tense states this (shalt) has already been done.

  History proves that God is speaking of the fall of Satan or Lucifer. 2 Kings 19:37 tells of the fall of Sennacherib “And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his stead.”

  God’s Word also proves that this is not King Sennacherib, because Isa. 14:9 tells of how hell received King Sennacherib. So Isa. 14:15 is talking about Satan getting brought down to hell. Two separate events.

   Let’s look at Revelation 12:8-10  which states “And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”  
  Here John is speaking of Satan as a great dragon and his angels were cast down to earth. I do not feel this is the same event as Isa. 14:12-15 because that had to take place before the fall in Garden. But this is during the Tribulation period in Rev. 12:8-10, so this two different events.
  I feel in Isa. 14:12-15, the fall of Satan or Lucifer took place on the Second day of Creation, but Satan himself did not get cast out but remained, but his demons were on earth on the Second day. Because Ezk 29 calls Satan as anointed cherub that had access to God, but Satan was removed from the inner circle on holy mountain of God, but remained on the Holy mountain in Heaven to roam and had access to God (Job 1:6-12; Zech 3:1-2).
  Satan and his angels was kicked out heaven in Rev. 12:8-10. Again, this is what I think how things may have taken place. Only God really knows. But provides for a good bible study.

I hope this helps.

Blessings,

Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD