I have a question concerning a reference in the book of Isaiah to the “Morning Star”. I have yet to understand it, but I do know from reading that people think this passage describes the fall of Lucifer. Can you explain all of this to me?
Isaiah 14:12-14 reads:
“How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
This prophecy of Isaiah refers to the King of Babylon. However, the nature of Old Testament prophecy often includes a dual reference or fulfillment. For example, the prophet Hosea wrote, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” – Hosea 11:1. This refers to Israel, but it was also a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ. We see the confirmation of this in Matthew 2:14-15, “So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Concerning the prophecy in Isaiah 14, it refers to the King of Babylon, but also to Satan. It perfectly describes Satan when he was a “great light” in heaven, but became lifted up with pride and rebelled. He thought he could be like God, but was mistaken and was cast down to the earth. The connection between the “Morning Star” and “Satan” has to do with Bible translation. The original Hebrew means, “the brilliant one, son of the morning”. The Greek translation of the Old Testament (Septuagint or LXX), translates it “Morning Star” or literally “bringer of the dawn”. It was Jerome’s translation into Latin where the word “Lucifer” came from. Lucifer comes from two words – “lux” meaning light and “fere” meaning “to carry or bring” making “light bearer”.
A similar dual reference to Satan is found in the prophecy of Ezekiel:
“Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “‘You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. Your settings and mountings were made of gold; on the day you were created they were prepared. You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for so I ordained you. You were on the holy mount of God; you walked among the fiery stones. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings. – Ezekiel 28:12-17.
Once again, this refers to an earthly king, but God compares him to Satan in his prideful rebellion. The reference to “Eden” refers to Satan as the serpent in the Garden of Eden. Also, Eden could not be referenced to the King of Tyre since Tyre is located in Israel on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and Eden is in the Mesopotamian Valley (present day Iraq). Finally, the king of Tyre could not be referred to as an “anointed cherub” (angel) since he was only a man. Instead, it describes the height of earthly power and prosperity of the King.
In conclusion, we see that both prophecies have a dual reference; each to an earthly king and to Satan himself.
