Fall of Lucifer Gleanings 2

 

Koot van Wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD)

Visiting Professor

Kyungpook National University

Department of Liberal Education

Sangju Campus

South Korea

Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College

Australia

7 October 2012

 

Old Testament Prophets alluding to the Fall of Lucifer

           A number of prophets alluded to the controversy in heaven: Joel 2:7 describes the unfallen angels that they will act on the day of the Lord in the eschaton “like mighty men they run, like men of war they scale the wall, each one goes his ways, and they do not make their ways crooked”. In Amos 9:3 the prophet indicated that the Lord said that if people in the eschaton are trying to hide from Him in His glorious coming in mountains and on islands, “I will command the serpent, and it shall bite them”. If they give their finality over to Satan, God can command Satan to keep them since they are controlled by Satan to start with. The Middle Age Rabbis Redak, Mezudath David and Mezudath Zion thought that it is a reference to the Leviathan. In Obadiah 1:3 Edom of the Endtime scenario will do in the type of Satan: “the wickedness of your heart enticed you, who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says to himself: ‘Who will bring me down to earth?’” It is a nation despised by other nations at the Endtime. In Micah 4:1 describing the Investigative Judgment to start in 1844, the reverse of what Satan did in the Great Controversy in heaven is given, namely that the makon that is cast down and the establishment of his sanctuary by Satan in Daniel 8:11 [in the heart of the Antichrist or Little Horn of verses 10 and 12] is here the nakon which is God establishing His mountain at His Holy place because Satan caused trouble in heaven. From makon cast down through the Rebellion in Heaven Event the nakon is the setting up of it again through the Investigative Judgment to start in 1844 at the end of the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14. The Latter Rain scenario is also indicated by Micah in verse 6. Micah 7:12 the punishment meted out for Assyria is similar to that of Tyre in Ezechiel 28 and the punishment of Satan for the Rebellion in Heaven Event “And the land shall become desolate with its inhabitants from the fruit from their deeds” (Micah 7:13). In Nahum we have the wail hymn for the fall Niniveh (612 BCE). Other wail hymns for the fall of empire’s capitals are listed for the Ancient Near East: Ur 2004 BCE; Babylon wail hymn in the Nabonidus Chronicles 537-539 BCE; the Tyre wail hymn in Isaiah 14; Jerusalem Fall in Josephus during 70-73 CE; “Babylon” in Revelation 18 in the Endtime (not yet according to Ellen G. White).

In Zechariah 9:2-4 the destruction of Tyre is predicted in terms similar to Isaiah 14:12-14. Literal cities and their history are used to demonstrate the aspects of the Rebellion in Heaven Event and ramifications thereof. Lucifer becoming Satan phenomena are seen echoeing in Tyre’s attitude. In the context it wants to indicate that at the Endtime there will be a disintegration of these cities or they will be areas of violence.

 

Middle Ages concepts of the Fall of Lucifer and Ellen White

           A subject that interested me in the past and still do is a comparison of the Fall of Lucifer models in Ellen White compared to that of the Franciscan School of Dun Scotus, the Spanish Jesuit Suarez, the Thomistic school of Thomas Aquinas, and the Dutch and English Poets of the Post-Reformation period. The work of J. Vondel, Lucifer and the work of John Milton, Paradise Lost is applicable here. In Extra-biblical literature the motif is in the Book of the Secrets of Enoch XXV: 4-5 dated by modern scholars between 30 BCE and 70 CE. It is almost the same words as Isaiah 14:12-14 with an angel that is falling. Secrets XXXI: 4-5 says that he tempted Eve. There is also the information in Augustine’s De Civitate Dei XI, chapter 23 (II: 72-77). John Milton was of the opinion on the origin of evil that “when God suffers sin to be done, hee also wils it to be done” (John Milton, De Doctrina Christiana, Works XV.67 published in 1825 as one can see in Paradise Lost lines 212 and 366). The premise is that evil is by the permissive Good from the positive Will of God, as one can find in Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos XXXI:ii.26; in Ambrose, Epistolae XX:15 (Latin Fathers [1881]: 132); Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica (1911-1925) I.xxii.2(2). This view is against that of Thomas Sutton Lectures (1632): 149.

The following points came up:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.     <!--[endif]-->Luficer was jealous when he heard that humans will be accepted by God which was the view of Petavius in De Theologia Dogmatica III and in De Angelis I, 1-2.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.     <!--[endif]-->That the incarnation made Lucifer angry as one can find in the Vita Adae et Evae xii-xvii (see R. Charles, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha). It was the view in the Middle Ages between 1160-1300.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.     <!--[endif]-->Cornelius a Lapide in Commentarii in Sacram Scripturam part VI.229B (edited in 1860) provides commentary at Isaiah 14:12 by saying that Lucifer was blinded by his own beauty, became proud and critical when he heard of the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.     <!--[endif]-->Josef Vondel in his Epic drama Lucifer in 1654 says that it is difficult to find a key source.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.     <!--[endif]-->Ellen White in Patriarch and Prophets indicate that he desired the honor with which the Father has honored Christ. He was blessed with the biggest power and beauty.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.     <!--[endif]-->Ellen White says nothing of a testing period. But the Franciscan school in Duns Scotus, Philosophia Naturalis and Suarez in De Angelis Lib VIII c. 13.as and De Inc. Disp. V sect. 4 as well as Thomas Acquinas do speak of a testing period for Lucifer.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.     <!--[endif]-->Ellen White says nothing that God revealed to Satan His plan to let Christ become a human but the Franciscan school in Duns Scotus, Suarez the Spanish Jesuit and the Thomistic School of Thomas Aquinas had this view.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->8.     <!--[endif]-->Ellen White said that Lucifer was unhappy because he was limited by God and could not enter the decisions of God. It was also said by Duns Scotus, Suarez, and Aquinas. The poets were quiet on this issue.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->9.     <!--[endif]-->Ellen White says that Lucifer’s Fall was because he did not subordinate himself under Christ. Josef Vondel in 1654 also said that in his Epic Lucifer lines 221-231; 494-496; 1197. It was also the view of Duns Scotus, Suarez, and Aquinas.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->10. <!--[endif]--> The superiority of Christ was to be accepted with joy, says Ellen White in Patriarchs and Prophets. The Franciscans were arguing that the incarnation was independent from the Fall of man. Christ would become human and then Savior. It was the views of Rupertius van Deutz in 1135; Petrus Lombardus in 1160; Alexander van Hales in 1245; Albertus de Grote in 1280. Aquinas said in his Summa Theologia III Qu.1.a.3 that the incarnation was because of the fall of man. The Incarnation remains the model, cause, end goal of Predestination.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->11. <!--[endif]-->Ellen White does not answer the question whether Christ would have become a human without the Fall. But that is the view of the Franciscan School and the Jesuits of Suarez.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->12. <!--[endif]--> Ellen White says that humans were created by the goodness of God. Not much is said by the others.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->13. <!--[endif]--> Ellen White says that no one except Christ can work together with God the Father. Christ is the chief. It is also the view of the Franciscans, Jesuites, Aquinas but Vondel did not mention anything about it.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->14. <!--[endif]--> Just as Japp in his lecture indicated, the fall was periodical. It is the similar concept of Ellen White. Lucifer is seen by Ellen White in Patriarch and Prophets that God tolerated Lucifer that He gave him a chance to repent. This means that the Fall was periodical. The Franciscans indicated three periods: a. the natural state, b. supernatural state, c. testing period. Aquinas said that pride was the origin, jealousy the result and then the fall. One also find in Vondel three periods, I about the incarnation, II-IV the jealousy and V the fall. Also in lines 1455-1655 of Lucifer Vondel indicated in 1654 that some angels sinned before Lucifer to give him promptings (prikkels). The view also came from the Franciscans. Ellen White says nothing of this.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->15. <!--[endif]-->The controversy was public and that was the view of Ellen White but also the Franciscans (utilizing Revelation 12) and Josef Vondel in his Epic.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->16. <!--[endif]--> Ellen White indicated that pride about his glory led to a desire for power and jealousy about Christ. That pride led to jealousy was also the view of Augustine in De Civitatae Dei XIV.13. In 1602 is published the sermon of Miles Smith preached at Worcester that “there is no sinne almost but pride doth participate with it” (Miles Smith, Sermon preached at Worcester [Oxford: 1602], 15). The dissenting view was that of Joseph Hall, The Invisible World (1659): 140. Josef Vondel in Lucifer said in 1654 in the second Part first word that pride leads to jealousy and is a spring for rebellion. Ellen White indicated that Satan claimed that the beauty is his own, he did not receive it as a gift from God. He desired honor that was due to God.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->17. <!--[endif]--> Ellen White indicated that the angels were concerned about the desire of Lucifer.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->18. <!--[endif]--> Ellen White said that the angels tried to stop Lucifer and that is also the view of Josef Vondel in 1654 in Lucifer.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->19. <!--[endif]--> Ellen White said nothing that the battle in heaven was with helmets and military gear. The Franciscans and the Dutch poet Vondel supported this view based on Revelation 12. Thomas Heywood, The Hierarchie of the Blessed Angells (1635): 341 said that there were no lances or swords.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->20. <!--[endif]--> Ellen White describes that there are higher and lower rank angels. This is also the view of the Franciscans and Aquinas. Vondel said nothing.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->21. <!--[endif]--> Lucifer was a lightbearer said Ellen White. It is probably what one find also in Tobias 12:15 based upon Matthew 18:10 and Revelation 8:2.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->22. <!--[endif]--> That a third of the angels fell from heaven is expressed in Revelation 12:4. It is also by John Milton in Paradise Lost and Talmud gives the number as 301 655 172.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->23. <!--[endif]--> A list of the sins of Lucifer is given by scholars like John Trapp, A commentary upon the Epistles (1647): 659; Edward Leigh, A Systeme or Body of Divinity (Oxford, 1654), 280f.; Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews. Vol. I, translated by Henrietta Szold (Philadelphia, 1909-1938) : 62-64.

 

Ancient Near Eastern Evidence of the Fall of Cities Hymns

In ancient times there were wailing hymns for the falling of Nippur, Ur, and  Lagash. The following excerpt is from a text that was found in the library of Nippur.

H. Radau, “Miscellaneous Sumerian Texts” Hilprecht Anniversary Volume 62 (Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs’sche Buchhandlung, 1909): 435.

Reverse

21. “That thy father's days be prolonged, thy city mountain like arise,

22. That the su-ri(?)-du-tim's days be prolonged, thy city mountain like arise,

23. To thy Father the eyes of thine, to Enlil, oh, lift them up,

24. My city is destroyed, in weeping I am before him recite!

25. Nippur, E-kur, Ki-ur are destroyed, in weeping I cry;

26. Girsu (and) Lagash are destroyed, in weeping I cry:

27. The city which is destroyed, for (by?) thee may it be restored to its place . .”

One should bring this extra-biblical evidence together with the biblical Fall of Nations and Cities descriptions. Many other texts are available for this genre.