A belief in demons and devils exist in every culture and religious tradition. Whether they are called fallen angels, shedim, or evil djinn, they always exhibit the characteristic known as obsession: They go overboard in everything, creating all-consuming lusts instead of productive passions and spewing ungovernable rage rather than healthy anger.
Since they are so out of control, the traditional modes of combating fallen angels are faith, hope, and compassionate love; all of which seem to restore balance in place of hysterical extremes of behavior. In an attempt to understand and correct their effects, people throughout history have devoted countless hours to identifying and classifying the "Evil One" and his minions.
The Seven Ruling Devils and Their Corresponding Sins
In Christian tradition, the highest order of fallen angels was comprised of the seven devils. Each was associated with one of the Seven Deadly Sins enumerated by Pope Gregory the Great in the sixth century. Later, Thomas Aquinas regarded these sins as seven extreme appetites.
According to apocrypha, Lucifer was the first and most beautiful angel created by God. When he rebelled and was defeated by Michael the Archangel, he was cast out of Heaven and became forever associated with pride and anger. Satan is often pictured as a separate entity; however, most people assume that he and Lucifer are the same devil. Patience and humility are the virtues in opposition to Lucifer/Satan.
As Satan, Lucifer is generally thought to be the indisputable King of Hell. He appears in the Books of Numbers, Job, and Revelation; and in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, where he tempts Christ in the wilderness. In Luke 22:2, he enters into Judas Iscariot before the betrayal of Jesus. He has also been called Abaddon, Azazel, and Apollyon.
In Islam, he is named Iblis; his sin was to refuse to worship Adam at Allah’s command. Some Gnostics and neo-Pagans insist that Lucifer is actually a god, who used to be known as Pan or Apollo. In their belief system, he is still the Light-Bearer or Morning Star; representing knowledge, progress, and intellectual and spiritual enlightenment.
Greed is represented by Mammon, the Lord of Money, who delights in driving shopaholics into bankruptcy. No matter how many material things a person buys, Mammon will make sure he is never satisfied but will always crave more. Sufficiency routs Mammon every time.
Asmodeus stood for lust, and by extension, disease. He is often represented as a goat or an ass or pictured with the three heads of a ram, bull, and a hideous ogre. He was King of the Devils in ancient Hebrew legend, but apparently was demoted when Satan took over. He is sometimes known as the fallen angel Sammael. Chastity will defeat Asmodeus.
Named in the Book of Isaiah, Leviathan looks like a sea serpent and causes the sin of envy; only charitable actions will balance out his influence.
Mentioned by name in the New Testament, Beelzebub was once the Canaanite fertility god Ba’al Zebub or “Lord of the Flies.” Because Ba’al demanded human sacrifice, and the sacrificial victims were placed in his idol’s mouth, he symbolizes gluttony. Temperance is his opposing virtue.
In the Infernal Dictionary (Collen de Placy, 1863), Ba’al is pictured with three heads: a frog’s, a cat’s, and a perfect reproduction of the face of a noted attorney who practiced law during the time of the Inquisition. History does not record whether or not Ba’al took offense to this.
Belphegor is the slacker devil. Often depicted dozing or sleeping, he is symbolized by a donkey. Diligence is the antidote to Belphegor’s unbearable torpor.
The Higher Demons
Higher demons are less powerful than the great devils; they are allegedly former Thrones and Principalities (orders of angels) who fell from Heaven with Lucifer. They include Ashtoreth, Cedon, Uriel, Loray, Zabulon, Fleuretty, Botis, and Valifar.
If more than a few of these names seem silly or made up on the spur of the moment, keep in mind that the Inquisition extracted most of them from suspected sorcerers via the most excruciating tortures. Others, such as Theutus, Incubus, and Succubus, come from ancient, pre-Christian traditions.
In the 19th century, demonologist Francis Barrett made careful drawings of mid-ranking demons; most are ugly and stupid-looking, though some appear to be merely mildly drunken, heavily bearded men. Monsieur L. Breton provided further demonic portraits for the Infernal Dictionary, adding a few fresh up-and-comers like Eurynome and Amduscias.
During the 16th century, there was an attempt to assign official ranks to the devils and higher demons; these were listed in a book titled The Red Dragon. Lucifer was Emperor; Beelzebub, Prince; Fleuetty, Lieutenant-General; and so forth. For some reason, this idea never really caught on.
The Lower Orders of Hell
No one knows the names of the spirits that comprise the lowest ranks of hell. Twentieth century exorcist assistants Ed and Lorraine Newman claimed that demons who possess human beings are usually from this category of fallen angels; and have given names such as Freddie, Tommie, Zachary, and Gutter-Man. However, even the possessing spirits point out that they lie all the time; so they’re probably just making stuff up.
They seem inordinately obsessed with bodily functions and excretions; make loud, annoying barnyard noises; throw heavy furniture around; and are highly unlikely to ever get promoted beyond their current lowly status.
Although some segments of society still believe literally in devils and demons, the hierarchy of hell has mostly been replaced with more scientific concepts: addiction, inner demons, Freud’s Id, Jung’s Shadow, and even the elusive “quantum daimon,” said to represent the intricacies of the subatomic world. Of course, just because a concept is renamed does not make it any more comprehensible or any less alarming.
Perhaps it is best to heed the words of German theologian Martin Luther, who advised that laughter, a few beers with friends, and all other forms of fun will chase any pesky devil straight back to hell.
Sources:
Brittle, Gerald, The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren, Prentice-Hall, 1980.
De Givry, Grillot (Locke, J. Courtenay, translator), Witchcraft, Magic, and Alchemy, Dover, 1971 (original publication, 1931).
Mack, Carol K. and Mack, Dinah, A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels, and Other Subversive Spirits, Henry Holt, 1998.
Picknett, Lynn, The Secret History of Lucifer, Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2005.
Amy Sillup - I have a B.S. in Chemistry from Delaware Valley College and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. I have worked as a ...
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