Lucifer is the name of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. Originally stemming from a son of the personified dawn, the goddess Aurora, in Roman mythology, the entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christian folklore as a name for Satan. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passage where the Ancient Greek figure's name was historically used (Isaiah 14:12) as "morning star" or "shining one" rather than as a proper name, Lucifer.[2]

Planet Venus in alignment with Mercury (above) and the Moon (below)

As a name for the Devil in Christian theology, the more common meaning in English, "Lucifer" is the rendering of the Hebrew word הֵילֵל‎ (transliteration: hêylêl; pronunciation: hay-lale)[3] in Isaiah[4] given in the King James Version of the Bible. The translators of this version took the word from the Latin Vulgate,[5] which translated הֵילֵל by the Latin word lucifer (uncapitalized),[6][7] meaning "the morning star, the planet Venus", or, as an adjective, "light-bringing"

Who Is Lucifer, Why Did He Rebel?

Our text tells us that this king was a created being and left the creative hand of God in a perfect state (Ezekiel 28:12,15). And he remained perfect in his ways until iniquity was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15b). What was this iniquity? We read in Ezekiel 28:17, “Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor.” Lucifer apparently became so impressed with his own beauty, intelligence, power, and position that he began to desire for himself the honor and glory that belonged to God alone. The sin that corrupted Lucifer was self-generated pride.


As a name for the planet in its morning aspect, "Lucifer" (Light-Bringer) is a proper name and is capitalized in English. In Greco-Roman civilization, it was often personified and considered a god[9] and in some versions considered a son of Aurora (the Dawn).[10] A similar name used by the Roman poet Catullus for the planet in its evening aspect is "Noctifer" (Night-Bringer).[11