Sympathy for the Devil

Joh 8:44 - Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

According to Christian tradition, Lucifer, the Light Bearer (a.k.a. Satan, a.k.a. the devil), was one of God's archangels. Then at some point, he rebelled against God and was cast from Heaven to Earth. But John 8:44 says that the devil "was a murder from the beginning." So either God promoted a murder to the position of archangel, or the author of John's Gospel is wrong. Either God was unjust or the Bible is not The Inerrant Word of God -- or Lucifer is not the devil.

The Latin word, "Lucifer", comes from the Latin roots, "Lucerne" (light) and "Ferre" (to bear). Lucifer in turn is a Latin translation of the original Greek "Phosphorus." (phos means light, phoros means bearer). Phosphorus is the name of the Greek god, and Lucifer is the Roman name for the same god, who was responsible for the planet Venus - which they referred to as the "Morning Star." To the ancient Greeks, Phosphorus and Morning Star were synonymous. To the ancient Romans, Lucifer and Morning Star were synonymous.

2Pe 1:19 - We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star (Lucifer in the Latin Vulgate) arise in your hearts:

What does the Bible really say about Lucifer? 2nd Peter 1:19 is the only place in the entire Bible where the name Phosphorus (Lucifer) appears in the original Greek. In the King James version, the name Phosphorus in 2 Peter 1:19 is translated into English as "day star," but the Latin Vulgate correctly translates the same name as "Lucifer."

2nd Peter 1:19 clearly uses the name, Phosphorus (Lucifer) to mean Jesus; not to Satan.

The only place in the King James version of the Bible where the name Lucifer appears in the English translation is in Isaiah 14:12. The original Hebrew term is "Heylel ben Shakhar". Heylel (translated as Lucifer in the Latin Vulgate) literally means brightness or praiseworthiness, it is the root of the word, Hallelujah: "Yah is praiseworthy." Ben Shakhar means "son of Dawn." Heylel is also a term in Hebrew used to refer to the "Morning Star" or Venus. But the author of Isaiah is clearly speaking of an Assyrian King, not Satan, when speaking of Heylel ben Shakhar This becomes evident by reading Isaiah 14:12 - 14:25 -- here are some highlights:

Isa 14:12 - "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning (in Hebrew, "Heylel ben Shakhar", or "Day Star, son of the Dawn")! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!"

Still speaking of Heylel ben Shakhar:

Isa 14:16 - "They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;" Lucifer is a man, not an angel, not the devil.

Still speaking of Heylel ben Shakhar:

Isa 14:20 - "Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned." Heylel ben Shakhar is a man, a king, who will be denied burial. No one would bury angels or devils.

And finally:

Isa 14:25 - "That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders." Heylel ben Shakhar (Lucifer) is the Assyrian King.

Isaiah 14:12 is clearly uses the name Heylel, translated as Lucifer, to mean one of the Assyrian Kings of Babylon; not Satan.

Rev 2:28 - And I [Jesus] will give him [that overcometh ... and keepeth my works unto the end] the morning star.
Rev 22:16 - I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

There are other verses in the Bible that mention the "Morning Star" (a.k.a. Venus, a.k.a. Phosphorus, a.k.a Lucifer) but the original Greek word, Phosphorus, is not used. Instead, Rev 2:28 mentions "proinos aster" (the "Morning Star" in the King James version; "proinos" means "dawn", "aster" means "star") and Rev 22:16 mentions "orthrinos aster" (also "Morning Star" in the King James version, "orthinos" means "dawn" and is also an epithet for Venus, again "aster" is literally a "star").

But these verses clearly refer to Jesus; not to Satan.

In the Isaiah, Lucifer is the King of Assyria. In the New Testament, Lucifer is none other than Jesus. The Bible never equates Lucifer with Satan.