Thus began the War in Heaven, the story of which was greatly
embellished by Jewish and Christian theologians in the early centuries
after Christ. Satan, the Devil, was conceived as having
originally been a great angel in Heaven. He was given the
pre-Fall name of Archangel Lucifer, based on a misinterpretation of a
passage in Isaiah. One version of Lucifer's story tells that he
was God's favorite angel, the most radiant in heaven (Lucifer
means "lightbearer" ), who refused God's command to bow down and
honor Adam, the first man, as the image of God. Another version says
that Lucifer was so proud that he seized an opportunity to sit upon
God's throne. The incorruptible Archangel Michael took up arms
against him at once, whereupon he withdrew and gathered the support of
a third of the angels of Heaven.
The titanic battle that followed led to the rebellious angels being thrown into the abyss as devils and demons.
