Reflections on Lucifer

Many Bible characters get featured for topical study and meditation. But not so much Lucifer.

Not hard figuring why. He is the antagonist of the story, the key villain, the “bad guy”. He embodies the greatest 'fall from grace' story we all know about - starting out as a beautiful Cherub, but ending up leading the rebellion that is eventually cast out from heaven to the abyss. So no one wants to associate with or even think about him.

But the Bible spends two passages in reflective consideration of this creature. And since the Bible is given for instruction, it cannot hurt to find out the real truth about Lucifer.

So who exactly is Lucifer? 

There are different names given to Lucifer in the Bible:

• the anointed Cherub that covers (Ezekiel 28:14), 
• the covering Cherub (Ezekiel 28:16), 
• son of the morning (Isaiah 14:12)

"You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you"

In reflecting on what is shared about Lucifer in the scriptures, two key areas instructive for us stand out:

1. the beauty

Popular depictions depict him as a monstrous creature, but this deviates from the information in the Bible. Nowhere is Lucifer described as ugly, in fact, he's the exact opposite. (Some folks might argue that the beauty was his original state and he became evil with his fall from grace, but there is no indication of this metamorphosis in the scriptures).

The following verses describe Lucifer's appearance:

"...You seal up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

You have been in Eden the Garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of your tabrets and of your pipes was prepared in you in the day that you were created" 

- Ezekiel 28:13

The above is how the Bible describes Lucifer, but it's really hard to find artwork that does justice to this description. A Google search on "accurate artwork lucifer" throws up several images that are nothing compared to the biblical description:

But this is the outflow of a world that seeks to paint beauty as good, and ugliness as bad. 

Lucifer's story teaches us that evil can exist in the midst of beauty. 

2. the pride

"For you have said in your 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: 

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High"

Isaiah 14:14

The heart of Luciferian thinking is self-exaltation. 

And if we reflect on that for a moment, every one of us should cringe. Because self-exaltation is the name of the game in our modern world. Many want to present as being better or more than what they currently are. Beauty filters, pictures with celebrities or influential personalities, or poses with luxury assets owned by others cultivate the image of life at an elevated position than what really is. The mantra of the moment is "Fake it till you make it". 

Very few are comfortable presenting as their true selves, in their true stations in life. The backdrop has to be glamourized, the photos need to be retouched before sharing, the moment has to be perfect.

The need to elevate the importance of what we do, the self-promotion (which is even taught as the way to get ahead on the career ladder) are all features of this mindset.

But Lucifer takes it up a notch by aspiring to be LIKE the Creator, the actual Most High. God. And even this should also make us cringe.

Because all that "I have divine energy inside of me, I manifest my positive vibrations..." talk that's becoming more mainstream (which is just New Age thinking) - does that ring a bell? This growing aspiration to be divine - even though we are not? Or how quickly folks that are experts (or maybe not) in a domain want to give themselves the [Domain]God label?

Some will want to chalk these up to expressions of English. That these words are used, but they are not meant in that devious, Luciferian, self-exaltation way. But the motivations tell a different story.

Are we not seeing a rise in the lust for God-like power? The need to dominate, to hold influence over the hearts and minds of many? The rejection of authority (institutional and otherwise), the desire to only be answerable to self and no other? The desire to be lords, not only over their lives but the lives of others?

There is clearly work to be done in our hearts, if we want to be honest. We must critically, continuously review our motives, to be sure they do not mirror that of Lucifer.