What is the role of Lucifer in the Heavenly realm?

Question

Lucifer means "bearer of light". Would this means that he bear Jesus who revealed himself as the Light or the scriptures are speaking of a different light?

Scriptures, Church Fathers and Saints teach that Lucifer is only a "cherub" but Book of Ezekiel chapter 28 described the beauty and intelligence of Lucifer plus mentioned that he was "anointed" (Ezekiel 28:14)

Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth

What is the role of Lucifer in the heavenly realms before his fall according to Catholicism?

Does the anointing given to him means additional role aside from bearing the light?

It may appear that I am inquiring numerous question, but the intention is simply to have a clear picture of the totality of Lucifer's role in the heavenly realm before his fall.

Answer 1

What is the role of Lucifer in the Heavenly realm?

First of all, the Church Fathers do not believe that the name of Lucifer is the proper name of the Devil. However in Catholic tradition the Devil has many names including Lucifer.

In any case this question deals with much speculation since the Church has yet to pronounce on anything concerning this subject in a definitive manner.

The name Lucifer originally denotes the planet Venus, emphasizing its brilliance. The Vulgate employs the word also for "the light of the morning" (Job 11:17), "the signs of the zodiac" (Job 38:32), and "the aurora" (Psalm 109:3). Metaphorically, the word is applied to the King of Babylon (Isaiah 14:12) as preeminent among the princes of his time; to the high priest Simon son of Onias (Ecclesiasticus 50:6), for his surpassing virtue, to the glory of heaven (Apocalypse 2:28), by reason of its excellency; finally to Jesus Christ himself (2 Peter 1:19; Apocalypse 22:16; the "Exultet" of Holy Saturday) the true light of our spiritual life.

The Syriac version and the version of Aquila derive the Hebrew noun helel from the verb yalal, "to lament"; St. Jerome agrees with them (In Isaiah 1.14), and makes Lucifer the name of the principal fallen angel who must lament the loss of his original glory bright as the morning star. In Christian tradition this meaning of Lucifer has prevailed; the Fathers maintain that Lucifer is not the proper name of the devil, but denotes only the state from which he has fallen (Petavius, De Angelis, III, iii, 4). - Lucifer (Catholic Encyclopaedia)

As for what the Devil did in the Heavenly Realm, the Catholic Encyclopaedia) may have at least a partial answer.

The language of the prophets (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28) would seem to show that Lucifer held a very high rank in the heavenly hierarchy. And, accordingly, we find many theologians maintaining that before his fall he was the foremost of all the angels. Suarez is disposed to admit that he was the highest negatively, i.e. that no one was higher, though many may have been his equals. But here again we are in the region of pious opinions, for some divines maintain that, far from being first of all, he did not belong to one of the highest choirs - Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones--but to one of the lower orders of angels. In any case it appears that he holds a certain sovereignty over those who followed him in his rebellion. For we read of "the Devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41), "the dragon and his angels" (Apocalypse 12:7), "Beelzebub, the prince of devils"--which, whatever be the interpretation of the name, clearly refers to Satan, as appears from the context: "And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? Because you say that through Beelzebub I cast out devils" (Luke 11:15, 18), and "the prince of the Powers of this air" (Ephesians 2:2). At first sight it may seem strange that there should be any order or subordination amongst those rebellious spirits, and that those who rose against their Maker should obey one of their own fellows who had led them to destruction. And the analogy of similar movements among men might suggest that the rebellion would be likely to issue in anarchy and division. But it must be remembered that the fall of the angels did not impair their natural powers, that Lucifer still retained the gifts that enabled him to influence his brethren before their fall, and that their superior intelligence would show them that they could achieve more success and do more harm to others by unity and organization than by independence and division.

There is no need to discuss the view of some theologians who surmise that Lucifer was one of the angels who ruled and administered the heavenly bodies, and that this planet was committed to his care. For in any case the sovereignty with which these texts are primarily concerned is but the rude right of conquest and the power of evil influence. His sway began by his victory over our first parents, who, yielding to his suggestions, were brought under his bondage. All sinners who do his will become in so far his servants. For, as St. Gregory says, he is the head of all the wicked--"Surely the Devil is the head of all the wicked; and of this head all the wicked are members" (Certe iniquorum omnium caput diabolus est; et hujus capitis membra sunt omnes iniqui.--Hom. 16, in Evangel.). This headship over the wicked, as St. Thomas is careful to explain, differs widely from Christ's headship over the Church, inasmuch as Satan is only head by outward government and not also, as Christ is, by inward, life-giving influence (Summa III:8:7).

The following articles may be of interest:

• Is Satan a seraph or a cherub?
• Biagio da Cesena: “Pope Paul III joked that his jurisdiction did not extend to hell!”
• Angels: From the Teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas

Answer 2

TL;DR

This answer addresses what's both a cherub and Lucifer and then ends answering the questions based on that information.

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Cherub / Cherubim

[Do not mix with Cherub the Israelite who accompanied Zerubbabel to Judea (Ezra 2:59; Neh. 7:61)]

Adapted from The Bible Project: Angels and Cherubim:

Cherubim are described as hybrid creatures, a collage of different animals and, every time they do appear, they look a little bit different. They are supposed to be intimidating, standing guard at the boundary between heaven and hearth. The first time cherubim show up in the bible they are standing outside the garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24). They are responsible for guarding the secret space and carry God's throne.

According to Merrill F. Unger in The New Unger's Bible Dictionary:

From their position at the gate of Eden, upon the cover of the Ark of the Covenant, and in Rev. 4 are evidently connected with vindicating the holiness of God against the presumptuous pride of fallen man, who despite his sin, would "stretch out his hand and take from the tree of life" (Gen. 3:22). Upon the ark of the Covenant they looked down upon the sprinkled blood that symbolizes the perfect maintenance of God's righteousness by sacrifice of Christ (Ex. 25:17-20; Rom. 3:24-26). The cherubim seem to be actual beings of the angelic order. They do not seem to be identical with the seraphim (Isa. 6:2). The cherubim apparently have to do with the holiness of God as violated by sin; the seraphim with uncleaness in the people of God (read more about their difference here).

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Lucifer

Adapted from The Bible Project: Satan and demons:

In Genesis 3 we meet a creature that is in a state of rebellion against his creator (we're not told yet why or how he rebels but he's on a mission to ruin God's good world for other creatures). The prophet Ezekiel understood this figure as a spiritual rebel who didn't want to live under God's wisdom and authority, he wanted to be God. The biblical author offers subtle clues where this being is at work behind the scenes, animating division and hatred between humans. They also use a variety of images to describe this being; it is a snake, or a sea dragon, or a dark desert creature, or the king of death in the grave. He is also given many titles, like the "Tempter", or "The Evil One", or "The Devil" (which in Greek means "The Slanderer"). "Satan is another one of these titles which is why in Hebrew has the word "the" in front of it (The Satan, meaning "The Adversary" because he isn't for anything; rather he is anti-everything, working through lies to drag us back into darkness and disorder).

According to Merrill F. Unger in The New Unger's Bible Dictionary:

This designation [Lucifer], referring to Satan, is the KJV rendering of NASB, "star of the morning", that is, "bright star" (Isa. 14:12-14), probably what we call the "morning star" (so NIV). As a symbolical representation of the king of Babylon in his pride, splendor, and fall, the passage goes beyond the Babylonian prince and invests Satan, who, at the head of this present world-system is the real though invisible power behind the successive rulers of Tyre, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. This far-reaching passage goes beyond human history and marks the beginning of sin in the universe and the fall of Satan and the pristine, sinless spheres before the creation of man. Similarly Ezekiel (28:12-14), under the figure of the king of Tyre, likewise traces the fall of Satan and the corruption of his power and glory. In the Ezekiel passage Satan's glorious and splendid unfallen state is described. In Isa 14:12-14 his fall is depicted. In both passages representation is not of Satan as confined to his own person but working in and consummating his plans through earthly kings and rulers who take to themselves divine honors, and who, whether they actually know this or not, rule in the spirit and under the aims of Satan. Daniel 10:13 and Eph. 6:12 show that there are human as well as superhuman agencies in the world governments in the satanic world system.

Also

Satan is also called the devil, the dragon, the evil one, the angel of the abyss, the ruler of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this world, Apollyon, Abaddon, Belial, and Beelzebub. But Satan and the devil are the names most frequently given. The term Satan is used in its generic sense in 1 King 11:14, "The Lord raised up an adversary [satan] to Solomon, Hadad the Edomite". It is used in the same sense in 1 Kings 11:23; 1 Sam. 29:4; Num. 22:22 (cf. 2 Sam. 19:22; 1 Kibgs 5:4; 11:25; Ps. 109:6).

And

Satan is mentioned first in the book of Job (1:6-12; 2:1-7). He mixes with the sons of God (angels), among whom he no longer has any rightful place; he arbitrarily roams about and seeks his own but is still used as a servant by God, on whom he remains dependent. His independent activity in this passage is mainly that of the spy of evil, of the accuser of man to God, especially the accuser of the pious, and he maintains the assertion that even their fear of God stems from personal interest. Job is delivered into the hands of Satan for testing. Satan's intention was to lead Job into apostasy and ruin; but the conduct of Job proves that disinterested fear of God may be a truth. The luster of fidelity and love that in the loss of all external goods regards God as the highest good is revealed by Job as a triumph over Satan.

Satan is mentioned as a personality in Zech. 3:1, where after the Exile he would hinder the reinstitution of the divine worship, asserting that Israel is rejected by the judgement of God and is not worthy of the renewal of the priesthood. But the filthy garments are stripped off the high priest, and he receives festal garments instead, with the declaration that his sins are taken away. The vision expresses that the restoration of the priesthood after the Exile is a victory of the gracious God over Satan. It also foreshadows the restoration of the nation in the future Kingdom age. Still in the OT Satan never appears openly as the enemy of God Himself. "Though he has his special purposes and aims, he is yet the servant of God for punishment or trial, the asserter or executor of the negative side of the divine justice" (Dorner, Christ. Doct., 3:79).

In the NT mention is made of a plurality of evil spirits, with Satan as their head (Matt. 8:28; 9:34; 12:26; Luke 11:18-29). They were endowed with high talents, power and knowledge (Matt. 8:29; Mark 1:24). Although Satan is used in the NT in figurative sense (Matt. 16:23), Jesus said the enemy is the devil (13:19; Mark 4:15), and the history of the temptation is no misunderstood parable (Matt. 4:10; cf. Luke 22:31). It is declared that Satan was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44), the enemy and falsifier of God's word (Matt. 13:19, 39); that he aroused hatred to Jesus and put treason into the heart of Judas (John 13:27, cf. 6:70; Luke 22:53); that the prince of this world is already judged by Christ, or, as Luke puts it, Satan falls "from heaven like lightning" (10:18), i.e., is inwardly and fundamentally vanquished. The whole history of the world subsequent to Christ is a struggle against the empire of Satan. Thus the Apocalypse especially depicts the history of Satan, particularly in the future as he affects the church (Rev. 2:9, 13, 24), the Jew, and the Gentiles (chaps. 4-19).

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Lucifer means "bearer of light". Would this means that he bear Jesus who revealed himself as the Light or the scriptures are speaking of a different light?

There are many terms used to define the devil. Here you're particularly interested in knowing what's behind the name Lucifer. The latin "bearer of light" is linked to "star of the morning", "bright star", "brilliant star". This was the title given to the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:12) to denote his glory and is «used symbolical representation of the king of Babylon in his pride, splendor, and fall».

So, scriptures are speaking of a different light.

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What is the role of Lucifer in the heavenly realms before his fall according to Catholicism? / Does the anointing given to him means additional role aside from bearing the light?

From Ezekiel we read that Lucifer was Eden (Ezekiel 28:13 KJV):

Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God;

And that he was a high ranking cherub (Ezekiel 28:14 KJV):

Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth;

From that, we can infer that he was responsible for guarding the secret space.

Answer 3

What is the role of Lucifer in the Heavenly realm?

ANSWER

Lucifer is the "anointed cherub", the word Lucifer is not a literal name taken from the Latin Vulgate translation of the word "morning star", it is a "title or a role" given by God to a chosen angel to fulfill His Will.

The role given by God to the "anointed cherub" is to guard the Holy Mountain by expanding his wings that can cover whatever is there in the Holy Mountain.

Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekile28:14)

Looking at the picture can we infer what will be the problem, if only one "anointed cherub" will guard it? Lucifer will expand his wings to cover the "Ark of the Covenant"? Lucifer will position himself at the center of the ark and then will spread his wings like eagle to cover the "Ark of the Covenant". What is the problem with that position? Angels instead of worshipping the "Ark of the Covenant" they see first Lucifer and the angels are bowing not to Lucifer but to the Holy One in the Holy Mountain. After the Fall of Lucifer, the Ark of the Covenant is now visible because the two anointed cherubs that guard it now position themselves at two sides.

But, why God would Will that the "Ark of the Covenant" be covered or hidden from the angels in the Holy Mountain of God?

St.Paul words reveals that God conceal from the angels the "hidden Wisdom of God". And that "Jesus became the Wisdom of God".

"It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." (1Corinthian1:30)

God concealed "His Wisdom on Man's Salvation" that's why when Lucifer was cast out and take a new role of Satan an opposer of the Will of God, Satan did not know that the "hidden Wisdom of God" is the Jesus Christ suffering and dying At the Foot of the Cross.

"Wisdom is the Cross and the Cross is Wisdom" (St.Montfort)

In closing, the "anointed cherub" did not fulfill the "Will of God" as "light bringer or Lucifer" in the Holy Mountain, but instead had shown "Pride & Disobedience". That's why St.Jerome depiction of Isaiah14:12-ff attributing the translation of Hebrew word "morning star" to "Lucifer" in Latin carries the key word "Will of God" vs. the "I Will" of Lucifer.

Lucifer the chosen angel cherub is the "light-bringer" he was "anointed to fulfill the Will of God to bring the Light of God to all the angels. Lucifer bear the Light of God externally only and failed in his role that lead to his downfall.

While in contrast, the chosen Woman, that would "bear the Logos" in Her pure womb had embraced the "Will of God" and successfully bring Jesus Christ as the Light of God in the whole world, saying the famous 'Fiat;

" And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. (Luke1:38)

FURTHER EXPLANATION

First of all, we need to answer where does the name of Lucifer came from?

Lucifer (UK: /ˈluːsɪfər/ LOO-si-fər; US: /-sə-/; 'light-bringer') is a Latin name for the planet Venus in its morning appearances, and is often used for mythological and religious figures associated with the planet. Due to the unique movements and discontinuous appearances of Venus in the sky, mythology surrounding these figures often involved a fall from the heavens to earth or the underworld. Interpretations of a similar term in the Hebrew Bible, translated in the King James Version as "Lucifer", led to a Christian tradition of applying the name Lucifer, and its associated stories of a fall from heaven, to Satan. Most modern scholarship regards these interpretations as questionable, and translates the term in the relevant Bible passage (Isaiah 14:12) as "morning star" or "shining one" rather than as a proper name, "Lucifer".1

As a name for the Devil, the more common meaning in English, "Lucifer" is the rendering of the Hebrew word הֵילֵל‎ (transliteration: hêylêl; pronunciation: hay-lale)[2] in Isaiah (Isaiah 14:12) given in the King James Version of the Bible. The translators of this version took the word from the Latin Vulgate,[3] which translated הֵילֵל by the Latin word lucifer (uncapitalized),[4][5] meaning "the morning star, the planet Venus", or, as an adjective, "light-bringing".[6]

As a name for the planet in its morning aspect, "Lucifer" is a proper name and is capitalized in English. In Greco-Roman civilization, it was often personified and considered a god[7] and in some versions considered a son of Aurora (the Dawn).[8]

In classical mythology

Lucifer (the morning star) represented as a winged child pouring light from a jar. Engraving by G.H. Frezza, 1704 In classical mythology, Lucifer ("light-bringer" in Latin) was the name of the planet Venus, though it was often personified as a male figure bearing a torch. The Greek name for this planet was variously Phosphoros (also meaning "light-bringer") or Heosphoros (meaning "dawn-bringer").[23] Lucifer was said to be "the fabled son of Aurora[24] and Cephalus, and father of Ceyx". He was often presented in poetry as heralding the dawn.[23]

The Latin word corresponding to Greek "Phosphoros" is "Lucifer". It is used in its astronomical sense both in prose[25] and poetry.[26] Poets sometimes personify the star, placing it in a mythological context.[27]

In Christianity(Background)

In the Book of Isaiah, chapter 14, the king of Babylon is condemned in a prophetic vision by the prophet Isaiah and is called הֵילֵל בֶּן-שָׁחַר (Helel ben Shachar, Hebrew for "shining one, son of the morning").[19] who is addressed as הילל בן שחר (Hêlêl ben Šāḥar),[37][38][39][40][41] The title "Helel ben Shahar" refers to the planet Venus as the morning star, and that is how the Hebrew word is usually interpreted.1[42] The Hebrew word transliterated as Hêlêl[43] or Heylel (pron. as Hay-LALE),[44] occurs only once in the Hebrew Bible.[43] The Septuagint renders הֵילֵל in Greek as Ἑωσφόρος [45][46][47][48][49] (heōsphoros),[50][51][52] "bringer of dawn", the Ancient Greek name for the morning star.[53] Similarly the Vulgate renders הֵילֵל in Latin as Lucifer, the name in that language for the morning star. According to the King James Bible-based Strong's Concordance, the original Hebrew word means "shining one, light-bearer", and the English translation given in the King James text is the Latin name for the planet Venus, "Lucifer",[44] as it was already in the Wycliffe Bible. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer

So, from wikipedia we can summarize that the name "Lucifer" is a translation of the word "morning star" into Latin, and it also means in Hebrew as the "shining one, light-bearer".

We can see that from the description, the Latin word "Lucifer" is not a "name" literally but a "description or a title".

Now, if Lucifer is a name that denotes a role, title or a description, who gave him that title? Definitely God in the Heavenly Realm is the only one who have the right to gave each angel their name because He is the Creator, just like when Adam named all the creatures because God gave him the authority to name them. God is the Supreme, Eternal Authority as Creator of Heaven & Earth.

The question now is, when was God gave the title or role to the beautiful angel who was described in Ezekiel28:12 as perfect in beauty and full of wisdom?

Like the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary it was God who named them in eternity, and their names implied a "role or anointing" for them to fulfill the "Will of God". The other names in the realms of angels that scriptures identified in Hebrew word are Michael. Gabriel and Raphael and these three angelic names connotes each a description of their "power and role" to fulfill the "Will of God".

Now, in Ezekiel28:14 God has "anointed" a "cherub". We know that when God "anointed" a creature the purpose is for that creature to fulfill His Will.

What is the role or the "anointing" given by God to the "cherub" who already was bestowed upon a gifts of perfect beauty and full of wisdom? Let's look at Ezekiel words;

Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekile28:14)