It is broadly accepted among theistic Satanists and Demonolaters alike that many of the spirits contained within the various daemonic hierarchies were in fact former pagan gods and goddesses, who Abrahamic adherents slandered with new and often derogatory names and imagery. Far from being mindless agents of cruelty and evil, many of these so-called “demons” were in fact divine beings who were loved and worshipped by their ancient devotees.
The highest level of these beings are referred to as the Archons, which is ancient Greek for “rulers.” These are the 7 planetary powers who rule over the laws of the universe, and who the ancient mystics, gnostic and orthodox alike, sought to escape the influence of. Being world accepting and not world rejecting, however, Diabolists not only celebrate these powers but invoke and try to consciously work with them.
My intent in this essay is to remove the masks these beings have worn for the past couple millennia, so that Diabolists can know better the truth of who they are.
As an aside, different theistic Satanists place different beings at different places on the daemonic hierarchy. What follows is how the Brethren of the Morningstar understand these beings, their powers, and their purpose. It is based on unverified personal gnosis, etymology, and logical comparison of related mythologies. I don’t expect every reader will agree with every detail of what is presented, but hopefully parts of it will be edifying and useful.
The Sphere of the Moon
The Archon Asmodeus is the daemonic mask of YARAHUM, also known as Yarikh, the archon of the Moon. Some of YARAHUM’s titles are Lord of Wisdom, Brother of Earth, Father of the Gods, Calf of the Skies, and the Secret Hearted One. To the Sumerians he was known as Nanna, and to the Babylonians as Sin.
YARAHUM is the god of groves and fertility. His title of Father of the Gods is not a description of literal patrilineal descent. Rather, as explained in the book PLANETARY MAGICK by Denning and Philips, this is a nod to his rulership of the Astral Plane, the liminal realm where the “gods are clothed in the forms by which we know them.” Hermetically speaking, the lunar realm is where the foundation and blueprint of material existence is laid. We see this reflected in Asmodeus’ mythology as contained in the Testament of Solomon, in which the Judahite king compels him to oversee the construction of the Temple. The Temple here being an earthly representation of an underlying spiritual reality.
Likewise, Asmodeus’ association with marriage and fertility, or the denial thereof, reflects the Moon’s rulership of pregnancy, birth, and domestic life. YARAHUM presides over our animal and instinctual nature. This is reflected in Asmodeus’ association with extreme and primal emotions, particularly rage and lust. He rules blood and waves and the ocean of evolutionary history that swells at the bottom of our spirits. We seek YARAHUM’s beneficence so that we may tap into those bloody waters without being overwhelmed by them.
The Sphere of Mercury
The Archon Azazel is the daemonic mask of KOTHAR, also known as Kothar was Khasis, archon of Mercury. Their titles include Supreme Messenger, the Skilled and Wise, Divine Scribe, Divine Craftsman, and Far Traveler. To the Sumerians they were sometimes known as Tutu, and to the Babylonians as Nabu. They were the god of craftsmen, of scribes and fortune-tellers, of writing and invention, and a producer of abundance and riches.
We see KOTHAR’s position as the divine craftsman and messenger expressed in Azazel’s imparting unto humanity knowledge of the arts and sciences. As it says in 1 Enoch, “And Azazel taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures.”
Much as Astaroth mirrors many of the watery aspects of Babylon above her, so KOTHAR mirrors the most Faustian qualities of Lucifer. They are a restless wanderer, ranging the earth and heavens in search of knowledge and the light of experience. Recall that the offering given by the ancient Hebrews to Azazel took the form of a goat, forced out of civilization to wander its way through the wilderness.
The Sphere of Venus
The Archon Astaroth is the daemonic mask of ASTARTE, archon of Venus. Her titles include Queen of the Morning and Evening, Divine Lover, Giver of Life, Most Courageous Goddess, Giver of Victory. To the Sumerians she was known as Inanna, and to the Babylonians as Ishtar. She is the goddess of love, beauty, sex, artistic inspiration, and passion.
The argument for connecting Astaroth to ASTARTE is the most straightforward to make of the Archons so far, as their names are so obviously etymologically linked. In the occult world, this connection was popularized by the ceremonial magician Carroll “Poke” Runyon, who founded the Ordo Templi Astarte in the 1970s. Known best perhaps for his use of the black mirror as a scrying device for goetic invocations, Runyon was one of the first to recognize that many of the “demons” of the Western occult were previously gods and goddesses in the ancient world, and should be respected as such. In this way, he was the direct antecedent of what is known as Demonolatry these days.
ASTARTE is the epitome of the Divine Maiden archetype. She is seduction and thus embodies all the danger that comes along with that. As evidenced by her descent into the underworld, she is also willing to sacrifice much in pursuit of what she wants. Diabolists should remember even the gods have to pay a price to realize their desires.
The Sphere of the Sun
Belphegor is the daemonic mask of SHEMESH, archon of the Sun. His titles include Mighty Lord of Light, Judge of Heaven and Earth, and Lord of Judgment. To the Sumerians he was known as Utu. The Babylonians knew him as Shamash. He is a god of life, energy, light, knowledge, prophecy, and justice.
The title Belphegor is a combination of the word Ba’al, meaning lord, and Peor, meaning opening or gap. Thus, literally he is Lord of the Gap or Lord of the Opening. The opening referred to here is the wide, open sky, which the sun is the visible ruler of. Qabalistically, Belphegor is associated with Tiphareth, the sephirot of the sun. Belphegor historically has also been tied to making discoveries, a further link to SHEMESH in his capacity as the great revealer whose eye, from his vantage point in the heavens, can pierce all shadows and hidden depths.
Peor is also the name of a mountain in Moab where Belphegor was specifically worshiped. In the Biblical book of Numbers, Mount Peor is where the prophet Balaam was summoned for a third time by the Moabite King Balak to curse the Isrealite nation, which was visible in the valley below them. The ties to Shamash—the burning eye who sees all from above, is associated with prophecy, and who pronounces judgment—should be obvious. This solar connection is clinched by the fact that later in the book of Numbers Jehovah commands that all Israelites who have aligned themselves with Ba’al Peor should be crucified in full view of the sun.
It should be noted that SHEMESH was at times also portrayed as a woman, in which case she was called by the name SHAPASH. Diabolists are welcome to view him/her however SHEMESH presents themselves to them.
The Sphere of Mars
Abaddon is the daemonic mask of ANAT, archon of MARS. She is the epitome of ferocity and destruction and was worshipped in Canaan and Egypt alike.
Abaddon in Hebrew means doom or place of destruction. It is a synonym of Sheol, which is the Hebrew name of Hades. Ritually speaking, Anat is often associated with Resheph, the Canaanite god of the underworld and plague. She is said to be so savage she murders Death himself and delights in the acts of war. A poet from the Canaanite city of Ugarit said of Anat:
She prepares seats for the warriors….
she makes great slaughter and gloats,
Anat cuts and thrusts and gazes on what
she has done, her heart swells with mirth,
her heart is filled with joy, the heart of
Anat with triumph.
ANAT is a virgin, at times overwhelmed by her own enthusiasm, and is intensely loyal. She is particularly protective of her brother BA’AL, whom she descends into the land of the dead to avenge. At her finest, she embodies all the laudable qualities of a warrior: courageous, determined, dedicated, and committed to protecting others. At her worst, she is bloodthirsty and reckless. Abaddon is truly a goddess to be treated with respect and fear.
The Sphere of Jupiter
Beelzebub is the daemonic mask of BA’AL, archon of Jupiter. As with Astaroth and ASTARTE, BA’AL, also known as Ba’al Zebul, is obviously the source of the later, derogatory Beelzebub. His titles include the Solar Calf, King of Heaven, Glorious Word of Power, Shepherd of the Gods, and Rider of the Clouds. To the Babylonians he was known as Bel Marduk.
BA’AL is of the same order of divine beings as Jehovah, who to the Sumerians was known as Enlil. Both are storm gods whose rain waters the plants of the earth and whose lightning can hold the forces of chaos at bay. The difference between them is that BA’AL does not succumb to delusion and overly authoritarian impulses.
BA’AL is both the merciful giver of rain, upon which all life on Earth depends, but also the arbiter of personal fate for all humans born into this world. Keep in mind, however, that while fate may set the bounds of our life what we make of those beginnings and constraints is what creates our destiny. This role of cosmic rule is further exemplified in BA’AL’s association with civic government. It is for this reason that many priests and poets of the ancient world overemphasized his authority, as it was the royal class who paid their bills.
Because of this, Diabolists should be careful to remember that governmental systems are instruments created by humans for human purposes, and that BA’AL ultimately serves their Lord as much as they do.
The Sphere of Saturn
Belial is the daemonic mask of DAGON, archon of Saturn. His titles include Lord of the Fields, Bringer of Fertility, and Divine Strength. To the Sumerians he was known as Ningirsu, and to the Babylonians as Ninurta.
Belial, at least since LaVey’s time, is widely considered the ruling spirit of the element of Earth. That is to say of farming, materiality, money, stability, inheritance, and tradition. This is a nod to DAGON’s Saturnian nature, which encompasses all of those areas. DAGON is a god of agriculture, hunting, and fishing. In other words, lord of the traditions primordial humanity depended on for food security and social stability. He is the traditional wisdom handed down from parent to child which ensures the continuation of the species.
While Diabolists may not depend on traditional structures in the same ways our forebears did, we nonetheless live in a world of iron laws which we ignore to our own peril. If our current economic structures were to falter, or worse fall, we would find ourselves quickly needing DAGON’s guidance more desperately.
He is also a god of time, space, and limitation, which we of course are still very much under the power of to this day. If BA’AL declares our fate, it is DAGON who puts those restrictions upon us. It is best to learn to respect this god’s power from an early age, for his patience is long, and though we may evade him for a time, he will not be denied.
These are the seven archons of the cosmos who serve Satan and Lilith, themselves known to the ancients as MELEK and ASHERAH, among other names. Diabolists are welcome to call these beings by whichever names and titles they personally feel most connected to. In my experience, however, the longer a person walks this path the more they feel the urge to connect to these deities’ pre-Christian identities. Theistic Satanism is truly both an ancient AND a modern faith, in the sense that it draws on both pre- and post-Christian sources of inspiration. To experience the fullness of this path it requires the aspirant to work with both aspects of the current. As the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn used to warn, “cling not to names and images.”