The Fall Of Lucifer

THE FALL OF LUCIFER

How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! Isaiah 14:12

This portion of Isaiah 14 is one of the most intriguing passages in all of the prophetic literature. Isaiah 14:12-21 begs the question “To whom does Isaiah refer?” Commentators have differed widely over the years as to the identity of this one called “Day Star” and the “Son of Dawn.” Some say this refers to Lucifer, the devil; others point to the king of Babylon; and still others see an allusion to the reality of evil in general. I would suggest that all three are true and all included in this poem.

The Church has long believed in the three great enemies of the soul: the world, the flesh and the devil. Isaiah 14:12-21 speaks of the fall of the world (Babylon and the godless world order; Revelation 17-18), of the evil residing in every human soul (“the flesh”) and of the father of all sin and evil; the prince of this world, the devil. Satan’s fall from heaven to earth, his corruption of humanity through sin, and his mastery over the world are well accounted for in Scripture. Read Revelation 12:7-13:18 for a clear synopsis of this fall.

J. Alec Motyer sets forth the idea that behind Isaiah 14:12-21 lies the old Canaanite myth of the “fall of Helel.” In Canaanite mythology, one named Helel (“shining one”) revolted against Baal, the chief god, and when his attempted coup failed, he was cast to earth, among men, with the loss of his divine status.¹⁶ We see in this pagan myth a glimmer of divine revelation. For just as in pagan creation stories or flood narratives there remains the kernel of truth from Genesis, passed down orally and with corruption through the centuries, so in this Canaanite myth the reality of Revelation 12-13 faintly shines through.

Satan fell––“I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven,” Jesus said in Luke 10:18. He fell like a shooting star––the “Morning Star” or “Day Star.” His fall was caused by his unimaginable pride, vocalized in his five famous “I will’s”:

• I will ascend to heaven; above the stars (i.e., angels) of God––I will become “the Lord of Hosts in heaven”.
• I will set my throne on high––my throne will be preeminent over all, even God’s.
• I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north––in old Canaanite and in Israelite poetry God always sat in the “far north” where the angels (gods) assembled together (similar to Mount Olympus in Greek mythology).
• I will ascend above the heights of the clouds––above the limits of creaturely habitation, where only God may go.
• I will make myself like the Most High––I will become God and I will replace Him!

Sound familiar? It should. This same fallen star said to our first parents, “You will be like God,” if you only eat the forbidden fruit! (Genesis 3:5). Such has been the LIE that has corrupted human nature (the flesh) and reordered human society (the world) ever since.

The king of Babylon bought into this lie. So do all the kings and kingdoms of this world (read Psalm 2). And every sinful soul harbors in its center a deeply-rooted desire to be its own god. Such is the essence of sin. So, you see, Isaiah speaks of the fall of all that is evil…the Devil, its prince; the world, its domain; the flesh, its accomplice. Who brings this triumvirate of evil crashing down around itself? Jesus Christ does. He is the true “bright morning star” (Revelation 22:16). He is the king of this world, and of all God’s creation (Revelation 11:15). And he alone possesses the perfection of human nature (Colossians 2:9 and Hebrews 4:15). Christ alone has the right to ascend above the angels, share the divine glory and sit at the Father’s right hand, in the assembly of the far north. For Jesus alone is like God, equal to God, is God. And this is why the Son of God became incarnate––took on human flesh, entered the world, crushed the devil: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). And so He has!

PRAYING FOR THE PCA

AC: Pray for the AC/SC office staff in these days remaining before the Assembly, that as they face the myriad of details involved, nothing will be overlooked and all will go smoothly.

CTS: Pray for students pursuing Master of Divinity (MDiv) degrees at Covenant Seminary, that their studies will spark fire in their hearts for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and inspire revived faith in the congregations to which the Spirit will one day lead them.

MTW: Pray for the continued growth and development of church-planting centers throughout the Muslim world, that our workers will help train and resource hundreds of indigenous church planters who will bring the light of the Gospel to needy areas.

RUM: Please pray for the Assistant Coordinators for Reformed University Ministries: John Stone, Assistant Coordinator for Pastoral Care and Training, and Clif Wilcox, Assistant Coordinator for Administration and Interns. Pray that they will oversee their areas of responsibility with wisdom and commitment to the Gospel.

RBI: The staff of RBI converse with many pastors, church staff and missionaries concerning benefits by informing, counseling and encouraging; please pray for wisdom and good advice in these conversations.