How is it possible for Lucifer, a perfectly created being, become the father of sin?

Answer 1

Lucifer

Lucifer is a Latin word meaning "light-bearer" (from lux, lucis, "light", and ferre, "to bear, bring"), a Roman astrological term for the "Morning Star", the planet Venus. The word Lucifer was the direct translation of the Septuagint Greek heosphoros, ("dawn-bearer"); (cf. Greek phosphoros, "light-bearer") and the Hebrew Helel, ("Bright one") used by Jerome in the Vulgate, having mythologically the same meaning as Prometheus who brought fire to humanity.

That passage, Isaiah 14:12 (see below) referred to one of the popular honorific titles of a Babylonian king; however, later interpretations of the text, and the influence of embellishments in works such as Dante's Inferno and Milton's Paradise Lost, led to the common idea in Christian mythology and folklore that Lucifer was a poetic appellation of Satan.

In modern and late Medieval Christian thought, Lucifer is a fallen angel who is Satan, the embodiment of evil and an enemy of God. In Christian literature and legend, Lucifer is generally considered to have been a prominent archangel in heaven (although some sources (Book of Ezekiel 28:14) say he was a cherub or a seraph), who had been motivated by pride to lead a revolution against God, in "The War of Heaven". When the rebellion failed, Lucifer was cast out of heaven, along with a third of the heavenly host, and came to reside in the world.

In the Vulgate, an early-5th-century translation of the Bible into Latin by Jerome, Lucifer ("light-bearer") occurs in Isaiah 14:12-14 as a translation of the Septuagint Greek word heosphoros ("dawn-bearer"), an epithet of Venus. The original Hebrew text of this verse was הילל בן שחר (heilel ben-shachar), meaning "Helel (bright one) son of Shachar (dawn)". Helel, the morning star, was a Babylonian / Canaanite god who was the son of another Babylonian / Canaanite god Shahar, god of the dawn. Isaiah 14:12 is translated "How art thou fallen from heaven, O day-star, son of the morning!" in the American Standard Version translating Hebrew Helel as "day-star" and the Hebrew word ben as "son" and the Hebrew word shahar as "morning." The 21st Century King James translates it as "Lucifer, son of the morning".

In Isaiah, this title is specifically used, in a prophetic vision, to allude to the king of Babylon's pride and to illustrate his eventual fate by referencing mythological accounts of the planet Venus:

14:4 You will recite this parable about the king of Babylonia: How has the oppressor come to an end, the arrogance been ended?
14:10 They will all proclaim and say to you, "You also have been stricken as we were; you are compared to us.
14:11 Brought down to the nether-world were your pride and the tumult of your stringed instruments; maggots are spread out under you, and worms are your covers.
14:12 How have you fallen from the heavens, O glowing morning star; been cut down to the ground O conqueror of nations?
(Isaiah, Artscroll Tanakh)
The Jewish Encyclopedia reports that "it is obvious that the prophet in attributing to the Babylonian king boastful pride, followed by a fall, borrowed the idea from a popular legend connected with the morning star".[1]

In modern Jewish theology, Helel in Isaiah 14 is not equated with the Jewish concept of HaSatan (the adversary). Instead, the prophet is speaking of the fall of Babylon and along with it the fall of her false gods Helel and Shahar. There is satan which is a Hebrew word meaning "adversary" and in the Tanakh one will find many instances of the word used to describe human and angelic adversaries to man.

Later Jewish tradition, influenced by Babylonian mythology acquired during the Babylonian captivity, elaborated on the fall of the angels under the leadership of Samhazai ("the heaven-seizer") and Azael (Enoch, book vi.6f). Another legend, in the midrash, represents the repentant Samhazai suspended star-like between heaven and earth instead of being hurled down to Sheol.

It is noteworthy that the Tanakh does not at any point actually mention the rebellion and fall of Satan by name. The name Satan itself merely means "enemy", apparently more of a title. A passage in Ezekiel 28 contains a lament over an "anointed cherub" who was in the "holy mountain of God". The passage goes on to describe this being's expulsion from the "mount of God." In the literal sense, this passage refers to the King of Tyre. However, ancient Christian commentators would frequently interpret Scripture allegorically and anagogically, as well as literally, and it was common for them to extend the meaning of this passage beyond the literal sense, and see an allegory of the fall of Satan in it.

The Helel-Lucifer (i.e. Venus) myth was later transferred to Satan, as evidenced by the first-century pseudepigraphical text Vita Adae et Evae (12), where the Adversary gives Adam an account of his early career,[2] and the Slavonic Book of Enoch (xxix. 4, xxxi. 4), where Satan-Sataniel (Sataniel/Satanel "The Keeper of Hell") (Samael?) is also described as a former archangel. Because he contrived "to make his throne higher than the clouds over the earth and resemble 'My power' on high", Satan-Sataniel was hurled down, with his hosts of angels, to fly in the air continually above the abyss.

Christian tradition of a literal fall from heaven drew upon the Homeric tradition, familiar to many.

"the whole day long I was carried headlong, and at sunset I fell in Lemnos, and but little life was in me" Iliad
Homer's description of the parallel supernatural fall relates the fall of Hephaestus from Olympus in the Iliad I:591ff; the fall of the Titans was similarly described by Hesiod. Through popular epitomes these traditions were drawn upon by Christian authors embellishing the fall of Lucifer.[citation needed]St. Jerome, with the Septuagint close at hand and a general familiarity with the pagan poetic traditions, translated Heylel as Lucifer in the Vulgate. This may also have been done as a pointed jab at a bishop named Lucifer, a contemporary of Jerome who argued to forgive those condemned of the Arian heresy.[citation needed] Much of Christian tradition also draws on interpretations of Revelation 12:9 ("He was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is also called the Devil and Satan"; see also 12:4 and 12:7) in equating the ancient serpent with the serpent in the Garden of Eden and the fallen star, Lucifer, with Satan. Accordingly, Tertullian (Contra Marrionem, v. 11, 17), Origen (Ezekiel Opera, iii. 356), and others, identify Lucifer with Satan.

In the fully-developed Christian tradition, Jerome's Vulgate translation of Isaiah 14:12 has made Lucifer the name of the principal fallen angel, who must lament the loss of his original glory as the morning star. This image at last defines the character of Satan, where the Church Fathers had maintained that lucifer was not the proper name of the Devil, and that it referred rather to the state from which he had fallen; St. Jerome gave it Biblical authority when he transformed it into Satan's proper name.

Many modern Christians have followed tradition and equated Lucifer with Satan, or the Devil. The King James Version of the Bible, which was enormously influential in the English speaking world for several centuries, retains the name "Lucifer" in Isaiah 14:12. In addition, a parallel description of Lucifer's fall is thought to be found in Ezekiel chapter 28 ("A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre"), which contains a lament over an "anointed cherub" who was in the "holy mountain of God". He is described as "perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." The passage goes on to describe this being's expulsion from the "mount of God", apparently because his "heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness." Afterwards the passage describes the eventual fate of this corrupted cherub: "therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more."

There is dispute between the accurate translations in Ezekiel 28 concerning who is being addressed and the description of the address itself. Ath-kĕruwb (את-כרוב) [Above Hebraic translation of "Thou [art] the cherub") breaks gender violations in the written language. Ath, as it is used in the previous translation, is feminine as a pronoun; while kĕruwb is a masculine noun. Ath can also be used as a genderless direct object of a verb, yielding its objective form. For these reasons, some translations interpret this passage as "The cherub I created for you (King of Tyre)." This distinguishes the fall of the man who was protected, and brought to great wealth by God's graces and overseeing hand (given the cherub he was appointed), from the cherub. In this translation, God's wrath was directed at the man who gave up his perfection for commerce and self-ratified intelligence. The cherub was both the agent of protection for the King and also facilitated the destruction of him. On the same platform, the use of Eden (עדן) as a proper noun is argued to be out of context, and most likely takes the descriptive form: pleasure, luxury, or delight.

In addition to Isaiah, Ezekiel, Job (in which Satan appears but his origin and purpose are not stated), and various Old Testament scriptures referring to occult powers such as witchcraft, more theological details about fallen angels can be found in the Pseudepigrapha, which are generally not considered canon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer

Answer 2

Actually, Lucifer was an atheist. He declared that the Universal Father didn't exist and everyone was a slave to a non-existent entity. He declared that all beings should be free to do as they wish. The link below is a paper about the Lucifer rebellion. It makes for an interesting read.

If you don't want to read the whole thing, scroll down to The Lucifer Manifesto 53:3.

Answer 3

I guess it's like everyone that says we are created in Gods image, how can we have become such a sinful beings. Lucifer, perfect example, pride and arrogance, thinking he was equal to or greater than God- became father of sin.

Answer 4

Are you sure you know who Lucifer is?

The name Lucifer occurs once in the Scriptures and only in some versions of the Bible. For example, the King James Version renders Isaiah 14:12: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”

The Hebrew word translated “Lucifer” means “shining one.”

The expression “shining one,” or “Lucifer,” is found in what Isaiah prophetically commanded the Israelites to pronounce as a “proverbial saying against the king of Babylon.” Thus, it is part of a saying primarily directed at the Babylonian dynasty. That the description “shining one” is given to a man and not to a spirit creature is further seen by the statement: “Down to Sheol you will be brought.” Sheol is the common grave of mankind—not a place occupied by Satan the Devil. Moreover, those seeing Lucifer brought into this condition ask: “Is this the man that was agitating the earth?” Clearly, “Lucifer” refers to a human, not to a spirit creature. Isaiah 14:4, 15, 16.

Satan the Devil, originally one of God’s heavenly sons, fell to opposing and slandering Jehovah. Satan’s purpose was to turn humankind away from God, so as to serve Satan’s selfish ends. The Devil’s course of action makes it apparent that he called into question the truthfulness of God, as well as mankind’s need to depend upon Jehovah and look to him for continued life and happiness. Implicit in Satan’s course is his questioning God’s right to rule and his manner of ruling.

Answer 5

Years ago at school we had to do a study of this kind of stuff (it was a Catholic school) and I was surprised to find that Lucifer is erronously equated with Satan - that Lucifer (meaning "Light Giver") was a fallen angel and not the devil.

It's not my belief by the way, that's personal to me, it's just what I read about back then.

Answer 6

free moral agent, why did adam and eve sin? was there a flaw in God's design? He cultivated a desire to be worshipped he envied or coveted what Jehovah had, thus he went about trying to get it, he told the first lie, he commited the first sin once he started to go astray in his heart.

Adam and eve were free moral agents they could decide they didn't want to serve Jehovah, and thus they deviated, the defect was there own. Jehovah's ways are righteous and true, he could never be a party to wrongdoing nor could he have failed as a parent either, he is perfect doens't make mistakes.

free will is so important for Jehovah to preserve that he didn't interfere with their decisions to turn against him. he could of made them robots if he had wanted to.

RRRRR

Answer 7

By Lucifer, I take it you mean Satan. Ezekiel tells us that unrighteousness was found in him, specifically pride. Satan was cast out of heaven to earth and took a third of the angels with him. Interestingly, this all happened while Adam and Eve were still in the Garden of Eden.
Also, Michael and Gabriel are the only known Seraphim, the highest order of angels who are strong, just above the cheubim, for which Satan was one. According to Jude, I think, Michael threw Satan out of heaven.

Answer 8

Lucifer wanted to be the father of sin. That was his choice, now what is yours? Heaven or Hell

Answer 9

Hi ya

I wondered the same question. In another way, we could ask ourselves how come evil existed at time of creation, before turning Lucifer into what he is.
Maybe, Lucifer and God are the same thing, just another side of the "coin", as day and night, male and female, right and left, hot and cold. We just choose the way we heading, being responsible for our choice of thought and actions.
We might see the face of the devil more than we see the "face" of God, but if one exist, the other surely does also.
The same Energy opposed polarities, because like you I cannot conceive that a being as pure as an angel could turn this way, as I cannot conceive the fact that God created evil, as it as to come from somewhere, and without evil, we cannot understand what good is.

Answer 10

The only perfection belongs to God.

He is God because He is the only one that is Perfect.

I suppose people meant Lucifer was a beloved creature when they say he was 'perfect'.

But they dont realize that Perfection is only Gods. No one else. and surely none of any one who is created.

Answer 11

A perfectly created being? I am sure this is your own ad-lib. The bible just says that God gave satan the "full pattern" . It says nothing of being perfect. Yet another atheist proselytizing.