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LUCIFER

"HOW ART THOU FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, O LUCIFER, SON OF THE MORNING".

The name "Lucifer is found only once in the Scriptures, as quoted above, from Isaiah 14:12, and the popular belief held by many is that this is a reference ONLY APPLICABLE TO THE DEVIL. Over many centuries, people have been taught that this mysterious personage was once in heaven, but was cast out because of rebellion against God. Why such a belief should be held, is hard to understand, as will be seen from the following. Here is the complete verse.

"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.....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." (Isaiah 14:12-13).

IS LUCIFER THE DEVIL?

If the popular view is held, that Lucifer is "the Devil" and was cast out of heaven, then these two verses contradict each other, for why would LUCIFER want to "ascend into heaven?" How could he exalt his throne above the "stars of God" seeing that a REBEL in heaven is an impossibility? God is supreme and always has been. Again, how could LUCIFER "weaken the nations" and "be cut 0down to the ground". Would he not have much less power over anyone after being "cut down to the ground"? Why would he wish to sit upon "the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north?"

WHAT ARE THE "SIDES OF THE NORTH?

Study what is meant by "the sides of the north". The answer is to found in Psalm 48:2, "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, IS MOUNT ZION, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king" So LUCIFER desired, for some reason, to have control of Jerusalem. Then in verse 15 he was told he would be "brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit". Thus he would be buried, and if so, he should not still be troubling the nations. Verse 16 goes on to say..."Is this THE MAN that made the earth to tremble?" So....he was A MAN. Verses 18-20 tell of his end and compares it with the other Kings of the nations who were laid in the grave in glory. Then, still dealing with this 'so called Devil', imagined to be LUCIFER, verse 21 says...."prepare slaughter for his children".

WHAT IS THE SIMPLE TRUTH OF THE MATTER?

This whole record is concerned with the King of Babylon. "For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and cut off from BABYLON the name, and remnant, and son and nephew, saith the Lord." So Lucifer's people, son and nephew, name and remnant, were to be "cut off". Thus, if Lucifer's children would be slain, he also would be involved, and this miserable end mentioned in verse 20, could not be applied to the DEVIL, supposed to be an all powerful spirit being with horns and hooves and supposed to torture people eternally .

It is not reasonable for anyone to believe that LUCIFER of Isaiah 14:12-19,21 could be a fallen angel with magical powers, but yet be "cut down"......."cast down like an abominable branch"......"thrust through with a sword" and his children destroyed. Who was this person and what had he done to bring such retribution upon himself? Why not study the WHOLE CHAPTER, instead of taking out just two verses, and weaving around them the story of a mystical character with extraordinary powers?

With this thought in mind, look at the start of Isaiah 14. "For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they (the strangers) shall cleave to the House of Jacob. And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the House of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were and they shall rule over their oppressors."

THE KING OF BABYLON:

Now note carefully the words of the following verses....." AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow ........that thou shalt take up this proverb AGAINST THE KING OF BABYLON, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!" (Is.14:3-4) Then the story continues and pictures the ultimate breaking of the power of Babylon and it's King; and then, in cynical vein, pictures him in words of sarcastic symbolism.......how he had fallen from his high estate as the First World-Ruler, and how he had been brought low.

Anyone reading Daniel's wonderful interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:37) will see what a proud position this King had held, for God had given him the greatest of all empires up to that time. He had been used as a scourge against Israel, but retribution was to come, for this great King was driven from his throne by seven years of madness. This was an enormous "come-down" for a great King who had caused all the nations "to tremble". His fear was upon all nations and one after another they fell before him. No wonder the Prophet said of him...(Isaiah 14:16-17)..."Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms: that made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of the prisoners?"

These words do not fit the character of a supposed Devil power. Here was a Dictator, one who had conquered Israel with a great slaughter by God's will. He had taken them to Babylon...he had conquered Syria, Egypt, Moab, Ammon, and Arabia and many other lands. His pride and arrogance knew no bounds, and one day, in the Palace of Babylon, he made the boastful speech....."Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" (Dan 4:30) Even as the last words were upon his lips, a voice from heaven passed judgement upon him and he was driven from his throne...(Daniel 4:31). Do you not see in this impious speech, the same outline as Isaiah speaks of .." I WILL ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL be like the most high." (Isaiah 14:14).

ISRAEL BLESSED:

But note again the words of Isaiah 14:1-4. God was to return and bless Israel and to bring them back to favour again, even though they were about to go into captivity. Israel DID return from Babylon, but the prophecy, in it's fullness, has not been completely fulfilled. Then note the words...."It shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou was made to serve, THAT THOU SHALT TAKE UP THIS PROVERB AGAINST THE KING OF BABYLON......How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!."

The City of Babylon DID CEASE, and it truly is desolate. But Israel, the people whom Nebuchadnezzar oppressed, are back in their land. The parable is yet to be taken up against their many destoyers, who all sought to bring fear and dread upon Israel. Yet they are relieved of this fear and dread by the Father. As we read..."The Lord will give thee rest from thy sorrow". (Is.14:3)

The Lucifer of Isaiah 14 was not a fallen angel.....HE WAS THE KING OF BABYLON
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