Who is belial

Belial appears to have been a very early name for a pagan god, and the name soon became synonymous with Satan. Belial is translated "ungodliness" in 2 Samuel and Psalm The Hebrew expression, "the floods of ungodliness Belial ," that appears in those passages was sometimes used as a euphemism for pagan deities.

From the earliest days of Israel, Belial was a principal Hebrew name for Satan. Evil men are spoken of in several Old Testament passages as "sons of Belial" e. The sinful sons of Eli, who like their father were priests of the Levitical tabernacle, bore the key identifying mark of an unbeliever: They "were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord" 1 Samuel Among Bible language scholars there are three schools of thought on the origin of the name. Belial may stem from the Hebrew words beli , meaning "not," and ya l , meaning "over" or "of value.

A second possible derivation of Belial is from the Hebrew word beli , meaning "not," coupled with o l , meaning "yoke. A third possible origin of Belial is from beli "not" and yah-al , meaning "profit. Some linguists think that as the Hebrew language developed over time, all three meanings may have contributed to the identification of Satan by the name Belial. All three vividly describe Lucifer, whose heart was lifted up with pride Ezekiel , who said, "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God I will be like the Most High" Isaiah , and is continually devoted to evil.

Paul emphatically declares that the believer's relationship with the one named Belial is to be, in fact, a non-relationship. Righteousness has no fellowship with lawlessness. Light has no communion with darkness. Christ has no accord or "concord" in the KJV with Belial. The word translated "accord" or "concord" is symphonesis , from which comes our English word symphony.

The basic meaning of the word is "harmony or agreement of sound," and metaphorically, harmony or agreement of any kind.

There is no harmony or agreement, of sound or any other kind, between Christ and Belial. Jesus Christ is the Truth personified John , while Belial is a liar and the father of lies John Therefore, Paul declares, believers are to maintain a position of spiritual separation from those who are aligned with and in concord with Belial, whether in the organized church or outside it.

In addition to his appearance in the Book of Jubilees, Belial appears in other texts as well. Belial is also mentioned in the Fragments of a Zadokite Work which is also known as The Damascus Document CD , which states that during the eschatological age, "Belial shall be let loose against Israel, as God spoke through Isaiah the prophet.

The Fragments also speak of "three nets of Belial" which are said to be fornication, wealth, and pollution of the sanctuary. It was Belial who inspired the Egyptian sorcerers, Jochaneh and his brother, to oppose Moses and Aaron. The Fragments also say that anyone who is ruled by the spirits of Belial and speaks of rebellion should be condemned as a necromancer and wizard. Belial is also mentioned in the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs.

The author of the work seems to be a dualist because he presents Belial as God's opponent, not as a servant, but does not mention how or why this came to be. Simeon says that fornication separates man from God and brings him near to Belial.

Levi tells his children to choose between the Law of God and the works of Beliar Levi It also states that when the soul is constantly disturbed, the Lord departs from it and Belial rules over it. Naphtali , contrasts the Law and will of God with the purposes of Belial. Also, in , Joseph prophesies that when Israel leaves Egypt, they will be with God in light while Beliar will remain in darkness with the Egyptians.

Finally, the Testament describes that when the Messiah comes, the angels will punish the spirits of deceit and Belial and that the Messiah will bind Beliar and give to his children the power to trample the evil spirits Belial has been known to watch over young children especially teens known to be hypersensitives during sleep. In early Christian writings, Belial was identified first as a jinni of confusion and lust, created after Lucifer. Paradoxically, some apocrypha credit Belial as being the father of Lucifer and the jinn that convinced him to wage a rebellion in Heaven against God, and that Belial was the first of the Shayatins to be expelled.

In the New Testament the word is used to refer to Satan when asked by St. Paul as to how Christ and Belial can agree. The passage in the Bible NIV states:. Demonology Explore. Wiki Content. Perhaps an argument that Belial is the personification of wickedness and that the children, daughters, and men of it represents symbolism or a metaphor.

If one is a son of Belial they are a wicked or lawless person. However, the one instance we find in the New Testament does use Belial as a proper name for Satan 2 Corinthians So, we can argue that Belial both represents a name of the devil and an all-encompassing title of wicked, worthless men or women. As with every instance of the Apocrypha , because apocryphal writings do not make up a part of the biblical canonical text according to many Christian traditions, we do have to exercise discernment when we reach a portion of apocryphal text.

Nevertheless, we should mention that we find a different use of the word Belial in these texts. For instance, the Book of Jubilees seems to be another demon who follows Satan. Another text, from the pseudepigrapha, the Sibylline Oracles , appears to equate Belial with the Antichrist, whom we see doing works of lawlessness and wickedness in Revelation. As mentioned in the article linked above, even popular literature such as Paradise Lost seems to explore the ideas presented in the Book of Jubilees, making Belial out to be the last angel who fell away from heaven.

In either case, whether Belial truly is another demon or the Antichrist, we need to approach these works with caution and discernment and turn to the canonical Scripture for guidance. Why should we care about the name Belial? Why should we care whether it represents a being or just an adjective to describe lawless people? First, we should realize that the name Belial has negative connotations no matter how you spin it whether it refers to Satan, to lawlessness, or to another demon.

If we hear the name Belial, we should know that whomever it describes is not a person who is walking on the narrow path of righteousness. As Christians, we are sons and daughters of our heavenly father. Finally, we need to understand the reason why Paul uses the name for Belial in the New Testament.