The Lord Jesus Christ the Bright Morning Star
Versus Allah the Greatest Deceiver of them all
One of the Muslim dawagandists whose articles appear on the website of the Islamic propagandist Sami Zaatari has produced a short article seeking to prove that Jesus is Lucifer according to the logic employed by Christians (*). He claims that the same line of reasoning that Christians apply to prove that Jesus is God can be used to show that Christ is actually the Morning Star referred to in Isaiah 14:12,
“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!” NIV
Now compare this to what Jesus says in Revelation:
“I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16
According to the author Isaiah 14:12 “is a reference to Lucifer. In fact, Lucifer means bright morning star, light bearer, king of Babylon and Satan. Refer to the KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon.”
He claims that “No other character in the entire Bible ever used or were given the title, ‘bright morning star’ save Lucifer and JESUS!”, and argues that since this is “an ascription uniquely [sic] used for Lucifer” Jesus must therefore be the Devil.
The point the writer is trying to make is that Christians are mistaken for assuming that Jesus claimed to be God in John 8:58 simply because he used the words “I AM,” which happens to be the name of God according to Exodus 3:14.
The purpose of this rebuttal will be to examine the assertions made by this dawagandist in order to see whether they hold any real merit or provide a solid objection against the Biblical witness to the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. From there we will then turn our focus to the Islamic corpus in order to see whether the logic employed by this propagandist can be used to prove that Allah is actually the Devil himself.
With that said we move to our next section.
Isaiah 14 in context
Here is the entire chapter of Isaiah 14 so that we can get an idea of the context and subject matter:
“The LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and aliens will join them and will cleave to the house of Jacob. And the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the LORD's land as male and female slaves; they will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them. When the LORD has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: ‘How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased! The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of rulers, that smote the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution. The whole earth is at rest and quiet; they break forth into singing. The cypresses rejoice at you, the cedars of Lebanon, saying, “Since you were laid low, no hewer comes up against us.” Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come, it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations. All of them will speak and say to you: “You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!” Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are the bed beneath you, and worms are your covering. How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.” But you are brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the Pit. Those who see you will stare at you, and ponder over you: “Is this THE MAN who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?" All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb; but you are cast out, away from your sepulchre, like a loathed untimely birth, clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the Pit, like a dead body trodden under foot. You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people. May the descendants of evildoers nevermore be named! Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities. I will rise up against them,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity,' says the LORD. 'And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the LORD of hosts.’” Isaiah 14:12-23
As the context itself shows the entire chapter is about God’s judgment upon the king of Babylon for all his wickedness, especially for arrogantly thinking that he could make himself like the Most High God. As such there is no explicit reference to Satan anywhere in the chapter.
However, it is quite possible that the passage is also referring to a spirit being who possessed or influenced the king of Babylon, one who desired to exalt himself over the rest of God’s spirit creatures, since the Bible makes it clear that human rulers are actually guided and controlled by spirits who rule over them:
“Then he said to me, ‘Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, so I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia… Then he said, ‘Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I am through with him, lo, the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.’” Daniel 10:12-13, 20-21
The Holy Bible also refers to God punishing both the hosts of heaven and the earthly kings:
“On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth.” Isaiah 24:21
This verse supports the view that the spiritual hosts of heaven are directly influencing the decisions and actions of the rulers of the earth, which explains why God punishes them both.
In light of the above one can contend that Isaiah 14 refers to both the human king and the spirit being that controlled or influenced him, e.g. the inspired prophet is speaking of the destruction that God would bring upon both the king of Babylon and the spirit that actually ruled the people through him. However, since the chapter nowhere mentions Satan by name or some other wicked unclean spirit one cannot dogmatically assert that Isaiah 14:12 refers to the Devil. It is an inference that can be drawn on the basis of the overall testimony of Holy Scripture, but it is not something explicitly stated within the text itself. Besides, it may have been some other wicked spirit that influenced the Babylonian ruler instead of Satan.
With the foregoing in perspective we can now address the assertion of this Muslim neophyte.
How many morning stars are there?
In order for this Muslim neophyte’s conclusion that Jesus is the same as the morning star mentioned in Isaiah 14:12 to be logically valid he must first demonstrate that the Bible teaches that there is only one such figure. He must show that the morning star is an exclusive title used for a specific entity which is non-transferable. At the very least he must demonstrate that the New Testament writers were using this phrase in the same sense that Isaiah used it since this is the only way his objection to the connection between Jesus’ I AM statements and Exodus 3:14 will carry any weight. As we have already documented elsewhere (*; *) Jesus uses the I AM in the same sense that Yahweh does all throughout the OT, specifically the books of Deuteronomy and Isaiah.
The dawagandist must also prove that both Isaiah 14:12 and Revelation 22:16 use the same words, otherwise he fails to make his case.
However, if there happens to be more than one morning star or if the passages in question use different words then the neophyte’s entire case collapses and his objection against the Deity of Christ is shown to be without merit.
With that just said let us turn to the verses themselves to see whether the inspired authors employed the same words:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O shining one/day star, son of the morning (helel ben shachar)! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world.” Isaiah 14:12
The word helel literally means “light-bearer” or “shining one.” The Greek version (the Septuagint [LXX]) renders the name given to the Babylonian king as ho heosphoros ho proi anatellon. Let us contrast that with the words of the risen and glorified Christ:
“I Jesus have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, the bright morning star (ho aster ho lampros ho proinos).” Revelation 22:16
As the readers can see the words are not even the same! How, then, could this neophyte argue that Jesus must be the same morning star mentioned in Isaiah 14:12? Is he that desperate to undermine the Biblical witness to the perfect Deity and manhood of the Lord Jesus Christ that he must resort to such slander and fallacious reasoning?
Now the Islamic propagandist may still insist that he is right and contend that even though Isaiah 14:12 doesn’t use the same words found in Revelation 22:16 they are still speaking of the same thing. He may wish to argue that the writers were using terms that are actually synonymous with each other. After all, the Greek version of Exodus 3:14 doesn’t use the exact same words found in John 8:58 and yet this still doesn’t stop Trinitarians from arguing that Jesus claimed to be God.
In case he does raise this objection the dawagandist will be left with the dilemma that Lucifer isn't the only morning star according to the inspired Scriptures:
“Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: 'Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up your loins like a man, I will question you, and you shall declare to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, when the morning stars (kowkabe boqer) sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?’” Job 38:1-7
“When the stars (astra) were born, all my angels (pantes angeloi mou) praised me with a loud voice.” Job 38:7 LXX
We are even told that Christ will give all true believers the morning star:
“He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father; and I will give him the morning star (ton astera ton proinon).” Revelation 2:26-28
Therefore, it does not follow that Jesus is Lucifer solely because they both share a common name since there are many morning stars according to the Holy Bible. Clearly the Muslim dawagandist is guilty of several fallacies, specifically the fallacy of false analogy and hasty generalization.
It is now time to turn the tables on this neophyte.
Evidence that Allah is Satan
According to the Holy Bible Satan is a murderer and the father of lies, being the one who deceives the whole world:
“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44
“And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world--he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” Revelation 12:9
However, the Quran boasts that it is actually Allah who is the best deceiver/schemer/conniver/cheat/trickster/scammer there is:
But they (the Jews) schemed/connived, and Allah schemed/connived, for Allah is the best of deceivers (Wamakaroo wamakara Allahu waAllahu khayru al-makireena)! S. 3:54; cf. 8:30
Here is how Allah schemed against Muhammad’s enemies according to the earliest extant source on Muhammad’s life:
Then he reminds the apostle of His favour towards him when the people plotted against him 'to kill him, or to wound him, or to drive him out; and they plotted and God plotted, and is the best of plotters.' i.e. I DECEIVED them with My firm GUILE so that I delivered you from them. (The Life of Muhammad: A Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, with introduction and notes by Alfred Guillaume [Oxford University Press, Karachi, Tenth impression 1995], p. 323; capital emphasis ours)
Allah’s scheming and deceit is such that no one is safe from it, not even the believers!
Are they then secure from Allah's deception (makra Allahi)? None deemeth himself secure from Allah's s deception (makra Allahi) save folk that perish. S. 7:99
In fact, Allah claims that all scheming and deceit belongs to him!
Those who were before them schemed/connived (makara); but all scheming/conniving is Allah's (falillahi al-makru jameean). He knoweth that which each soul earneth. The disbelievers will come to know for whom will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home. S. 13:42
As if this weren’t shocking enough, the Muslim scripture further teaches that Allah corrupts, perverts, and misleads people just like Satan!
He [Iblis] said: Now, because Thou hast sent me astray (aghwaytanee), verily I shall lurk in ambush for them on Thy Right Path. S. 7:16 Pickthall
[Iblis (Satan)] said: "O my Lord! Because you misled me (aghwaytanee), I shall indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on the earth, and I shall mislead (wa-laoghwiyannahum) them all. S. 15:39 Hilali-Khan
What makes this last reference rather interesting is that Satan promises to do to mankind what Allah did to him, namely pervert/deceive/mislead people from the path!
And lest this neophyte argue that these are the lies of Satan and that the Devil was simply slandering Allah, here are a few texts that pretty much confirm that Iblis was right since Allah does pervert/deceive/mislead people from the way:
And my sincere counsel will not profit you, if I desire to counsel you sincerely, if Allah desires to pervert you (yughwiyakum); He is your Lord, and unto Him you shall be returned.' S. 11:34 Arberry
Then what is the matter with you that you are divided into two parties about the hypocrites? Allah has cast them back (to disbelief) because of what they have earned. Do you want to guide him whom Allah has made to go astray? And he whom Allah has made to go astray, you will never find for him any way (of guidance). S. 4:88
And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. Then Allah misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. S. 14:4
There is another point of similarity between Allah and Satan. The Quran says that Allah’s throne is located on water,
And He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was upon the water - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. ... S. 11:7
The ahadith reiterate this point:
Narrated Imran bin Husain:
I went to the Prophet and tied my she-camel at the gate. The people of Bani Tamim came to the Prophet who said "O Bani Tamim! Accept the good tidings." They said twice, 'You have given us the good tidings, now give us something" Then some Yemenites came to him and he said, "Accept the good tidings, O people of Yemen, for Bani Tamim refused them." They said, "We accept it, O Allah's Apostle! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations)." He said, "First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His Throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth." Then a man shouted, "O Ibn Husain! Your she-camel has gone away!" So, I went away and could not see the she-camel because of the mirage. By Allah, I wished I had left that she-camel (but not that gathering). (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Number 414)Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'Spend (O man), and I shall spend on you." He also said, "Allah's Hand is full, and (its fullness) is not affected by the continuous spending night and day." He also said, "Do you see what He has spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? Nevertheless, what is in His Hand is not decreased, and His Throne was over the water; and in His Hand there is the balance (of justice) whereby He raises and lowers (people)." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 6, Book 60, Number 206)Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-'As reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water. (Sahih Muslim, Book 033, Number 6416)
However, according to the same so-called authentic narratives Satan has a throne located over/upon the water!
Abu Sa'id reported that Allah's Messenger met him (Ibn Sayyad) and so did Abu Bakr and 'Umar on some of the roads of Medina. Allah's Messenger said: Do you bear testimony to the fact that I am the Messenger of Allah? Thereupon he said: Do you bear testimony to the fact that I am the messenger of Allah? Thereupon Allah's Messenger said: I affirm my faith in Allah and in His Angels and in His Books, and what do you see? He said: I see the throne over water. Whereupon Allah's Messenger said: You see the throne of Iblis upon the water, and what else do you see? He said: I see two truthfuls and a liar or two liars and one truthful. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Leave him He has been confounded. (Sahih Muslim, Book 041, Number 6992)
Jabir reported: I heard Allah's Messenger as saying: The throne of Iblis is upon the ocean and he sends detachments (to different parts) in order to put people to trial and the most important figure in his eyes is one who is most notorious in sowing the seed of dissension. (Sahih Muslim, Book 039, Number 6754)
Jabir reported that Allah's Messenger said: Iblis places his throne upon water; he then sends detachments (for creating dissension) ; the nearer to him in tank are those who are most notorious in creating dissension. One of them comes and says: I did so and so. And he says: You have done nothing. Then one amongst them comes and says: I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a husband and a wife. The Satan goes near him and says: 'You have done well. A'mash said: He then embraces him. (Sahih Muslim, Book 039, Number 6755)
It is vitally important to note that no other character in the entire Quran or hadith literature is ever said to have a throne upon the water except Satan and ALLAH! Since this is an ascription uniquely used for Allah Satan must therefore be Allah, Muhammad’s god. The only way the neophyte Ibn Anwar can avoid this conclusion is to provide references from either the Quran or hadiths that expressly say that Allah and Satan are not the only ones that have thrones situated upon water.
Here is a brief summary of what we have discovered concerning the connection between Allah and Satan,
- According to Jesus, Satan is the father of lies. However, Allah boasts that he is the best deceiver/schemer/conniver/cheat of them all. This means that Allah is Satan according to Jesus!
- Allah, like Satan, perverts/misguides/misleads/corrupts people.
- Allah, like Satan, has his throne on water.
These points of similarity present a rather powerful case that Allah is actually Satan, and that Muhammad was therefore influenced and inspired by the Devil who deceived him into thinking that he was God.
One renowned Muslim scholar explained these similarities between Allah and Satan in the following manner:
Have you read the book by James Redfield, it’s very appropriate to what you’re talking about, The Celestine Prophecy?
I actually have read that. I think that’s exactly what I’m talking about. It’s this kind of new-age religion that’s being promoted - which is Dajjalic in its nature because it’s looking at certain spiritual truths and it’s distorting them. Iblis is the mimicker, right, I mean Allah says that his throne is on water, so Iblis made his throne on water. Iblis is the great mimicker; he’s the mocker. And so the pseudo religion always will mimic true religion, and unfortunately when you don’t have people that have the ability to discern and distinguish between truth and falsehood, then they spend their life being misled and groping in darkness. (Interview with Sheikh Hamza Yusuf by Nuh Ha Mim Keller; underline emphasis ours)
The problem with Hamza Yusuf’s explanation is that it fails to take seriously what his own scripture says concerning Allah being the best deceiver who corrupts and perverts people. Such a depiction is blasphemous and unbefitting to the majesty and glory of the holy and pure God of the true prophets of Israel and the blessed apostles of the risen and immortal Lord Jesus Christ:
“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” Deuteronomy 32:4
“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.” Job 34:10
“to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” Psalm 92:15
“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” Habakkuk 1:13
“He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” John 7:18
“in the hope of eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,” Titus 1:2
“Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.” Hebrews 6:17-18
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5
Moreover, when we further add the testimony of the NT that Satan masquerades as an angel of light to deceive people into believing a different Jesus and another Gospel,
“I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if some one comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you submit to it readily enough… For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 13-15
And that an antichrist is one who denies both the Father and the Son,
“Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out, that it might be plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life. I write this to you about those who would deceive you; but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.” 1 John 2:18-23
It becomes all the more certain that Muhammad’s Allah is the Devil since Muhammad preached a radically different message from Jesus and his followers, denying that Allah is the Father or that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross and rose from the dead (cf. Q. 4:157; 9:30; 19:88-93).
Therefore, in light of the evidence it is clear that Satan deceived Muhammad into believing that he was a distinct person from Allah when in reality Allah was none other than Satan’s alter ego, one that he used to dupe both Muhammad and his followers into following his path to destruction. There is simply no getting around this.
We now come to the conclusion of this part of our rebuttal. Since Ibn Anwar made reference to both John’s Gospel and Revelation we will examine what these inspired canonical writings have to say concerning the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Related Articles
http://answering-islam.org/authors/cornelius/makr.html
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/allah_best_deceiver.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/allah_deceiver.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Quran/Contra/command_evil.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Authors/Wood/deceptive_god.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/preserved-crucifixion.htm
The neophyte Ibn Anwar has also written an article trying to prove that Yahweh is a deceiver like his false god Allah (*). Since he hasn’t raised anything new for us to rebut we will simply link to the following articles which have already thoroughly refuted such pathetic attempts of impugning the holy and pure character of Yahweh:
http://www.tektonics.org/lp/lyingghosts.html
http://www.christian-thinktank.com/godlies.html
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/does_god_deceive.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/zawadi_paul_deceiver.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Shamoun/q_2cor4_4.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/smith_mixed_bag.htm
http://answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/smith_mixed_bag2.htm
Ibn Anwar is operating under the mistaken assumption that if he can prove that Yahweh is deceptive and misguides individuals then Christians have no business criticizing his false god and that this somehow makes it perfectly legitimate for him to worship a god who makes the Devil himself look righteous and honest!
We have also started replying to another dawagandist’s feeble attempts of explaining away the plain and explicit testimony of the Quran that Allah is the greatest deceiver and conniver there is (*). Lord willing, that rebuttal shall appear shortly.