I’m going through a 3-part sermon about shutting the door to Satan and his demons. Within this series, to which I hope you will listen, you will learn a lot about the origin of the bad angels called demons, and their leader The Adversary (that’s what “Satan” means). You’ll learn of our power over them granted to us by Yeshua who totally defeated Satan. You’ll learn HOW we overpower and defeat them.
Jews call their evil leader “HaSatan”. “Ha” in Hebrew simply means “the”. So they call him what he is – The Adversary, the Enemy.
One of the most common errors taught in the name of the Bible is this: “Satan’s original name was ‘Lucifer’.” You’ve heard that before, right?
Well, actually “Lucifer” never ever was Satan’s name before he rebelled. It’s very important you understand this. That name is not in the original Hebrew inspired version of Scripture. Did you realize that?
“But wait”, you say, “doesn’t Isaiah 14:12 call him ‘Lucifer?”
In our English Bibles, yes it does call him either Lucifer or “morning star” – which is what LUCIFER means. I used to be taught it meant “Light Bringer” – but that has more to do with his given Hebrew name. As I’ll show you, being called “Lucifer” is one of the greatest robberies Satan has pulled off: he’s taken a description that belongs to Yeshua, the TRUE Morning Star, and has inspired translators to use the LATIN word Lucifer that means “morning star” (or planet Venus) as his name in Isaiah 14:12.
Follow this carefully now. It’s very important. Names are very crucial to God.
The Bible was originally written in Hebrew with a smattering of Aramaic. We call the “Old Testament” -- “the Hebrew Scriptures” as they were written in Hebrew and were originally written for and by the Hebrew people – though it’s clear the Bible really is for all peoples.
In our English Bibles Isaiah 14:12 does say this:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!”
But the name LUCIFER comes straight as a borrowed word from Jerome’s LATIN Vulgate translation of the Bible. Jerome used the Latin word “Lucifer” instead of the original Hebrew word “Heylel”. And Latin speaking people called the planet we know as “Venus” – LUCIFER. It was their name for the Morning Star.
Here’s how Young’s Literal Translation more correctly puts it as we read about the former arch-angel, a 4-winged covering cherub who sinned:
Isaiah 14:12 –“How hast thou fallen from the heavens, O shining one (Heylel in Hebrew), son of the dawn!”
The name given there in Hebrew is “Heylel” meaning “shining one” or “brightness”. I used to be taught that it meant “Light Bringer” but “Shining one” is more accurate.
Click here on “continue reading” to learn more about this monstrous theft and to find out who was robbed! (It will only be temporary though).
Now here’s my point: Any Bible that uses the name “Lucifer” – is simply using Jerome’s Latin name he chose in his “translation”. Remember that “Lucifer” was their name for the planet Venus, the bright “star” in the heavens.
And any Bible that uses the term “morning star” or “Day star” in Isaiah 14:12 is simply translating the LATIN word Lucifer – instead of the Hebrew original word there, HEYLEL, which means “brightness”.
Lucifer does mean “morning star”, but the original word there was never “morning star” – but Heylel – which means “brightness, shining one.”
The original Hebrew name Heylel in Isaiah 14:12 has NO reference to “morning star” and should not be translated “morning star”!
WHY is this vitally important? Why should you care? What difference does it make? Why am I saying it over and over in different ways?
Because the title and name “Morning Star” belongs to Someone else!
Satan tried to STEAL a name and title that is not his and got many translators to use the LATIN name Lucifer, or even to translate “Lucifer” instead of “Heylel”.
The NET (New English Translation) and BBE (Bible in Basic English) have the NAME in Isaiah 14:12 right:
“Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn…”
BBE: “How great is your fall from heaven, O shining one, son of the morning!”
Satan attacked God Almighty in heaven thinking he could accomplish the greatest coup d’état the universe would ever see. But he failed miserably. Instead, he and the 1/3 of angels assigned to him who joined in his rebellion – experienced the “terror of God”. Satan has at least 33 to 50 million angels –turned-demons, maybe more. We know there are at least 100 million GOOD angels described as being in God’s presence.
Be sure to hear and read my sermons about defeating Satan and his demons.
Heylel – the Shining One – had been assigned to the earth, but attacked God Most High in heaven. You can read all about that in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 – and hear it in my sermons.
Several other scriptures seem to confirm this:
Jude 6 – “And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day”;
2 Peter 2:4 “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
Job 26:13 – contextually speaking of all God has done in the heavens – we have this intriguing verse: “With his Spirit he spreads the heavens; his hand pierces the fleeing serpent.”
Yeshua says “I saw Satan fall like LIGHTNING from heaven” (Luke 10:18).
We can love our religious enemies when we realize they are not our real enemy. Our real enemy is The Adversary, Satan – popularly falsely called* Lucifer (Ephesians 6:10-12). His real Bible name was HEYLEL – “Spreading brightness” or “Shining One”. HE is the one behind so much of the evil of this world. HE is the leader – along with his top demonic aides –of most or all of the countries of the world. Hear my sermon series on defeating Satan and his demons for more details on that.
Lucifer, a LATIN word (it’s not even Hebrew!) means “morning star” and Satan or even Heylel NEVER EVER was the “morning star”.
The title of “morning star” rightfully belongs to Yeshua, to Jesus Christ.
In Rev 22:16, Yeshua says, “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, [I AM] the BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.”
In fact he tells the 4th church of the 7 churches of Revelation 2-3, that to those who overcome, “I will give him the morning star” (Rev. 2:28) – meaning he will give them HIMSELF.
Peter says “…until the day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).
So “Morning Star” or “Day Star” is a title that rightfully belongs to Yeshua, to Jesus the Messiah. But Satan the Adversary is a thief and a robber and he likes to portray himself still as an angel of light and so he stole a title – Morning Star – for himself.
Satan’s real name – before he rebelled and attacked his Maker – was HEYLEL – shining one. He was never Lucifer, which refers to and points to the Morning Star or Day Star. Jerome’s error in his Latin Vulgate translation started and perpetuated a lie about the fallen cherub’s name.
LET’S REJOICE in the REAL DAY STAR, the rightful Morning Star – Yeshua!!