34. Lucifer: What's in a Name?


34. Lucifer: What's in a Name?



How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, morning star!
—Isaiah 14:12

Name: Lucifer aka Satan
Status: Fallen Angel and God of this World
Rank: Commander of the Fallen Angel Army

Though Lucifer is the most common name given to the fallen angel known as Satan, this is technically not his name. Lucifer is merely the Latin word for light-bearer, and in Latin versions of the Bible even describes Jesus.

Some Protestant Christians, presumably ignorant of this, have accused Catholic Christians of invoking the name of Lucifer at the Easter services because they annually sing a song about Jesus inspired by 2 Peter 1:19 in Latin.

2 Peter 1:19 (Latin version):
et habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem cui bene facitis adtendentes quasi lucernae lucenti in caliginoso loco donec dies inlucescat et lucifer oriatur in cordibus vestris
2 Peter 1:19 (English version):
we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.
In Isaiah 14:12, the king of Babylon is called Lucifer/the Morning Star. Many, but not all, Christians see a parallel in this passage to the fall of Satan, which explains the confusion over the names.

Note: the Hebrew word for lamp shining / light-bearer is Haylel, which is why I named him Lucifer Haylel in The Chronicles of Time—Lucifer for the familiarity and Haylel for the accuracy.*

So where does the idea of a parallel come from?

We'll check that out in the next post.

Were you familiar with the Latin version of 2 Peter 1:19? If not, what surprised you the most about it?
Share your thoughts at the 

*accurate IF the Isaiah passage does parallel the fall of Satan.
Photo Credit: Statuette of Baphomet (public domain)

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