Demon of the Night – King Belial (Night Demon)
Dates: January 30th – February 8th (Connolly) (Tikaboo) (Night Time) Alternate Dates: February 24th – February (28th?)29th (Runyon) Direction: North/South Tarot: 6 of Swords Planet: Sun Metal: Gold Element: Fire (Earth) (Under Corson) Color: Yellow Plant: Mullein Incense: Frankincense Zodiac: Aquarius
Demonic Enn: Lirach tasa vefa welhc Belial
Belial is a mighty and powerful king as he was created right next after Lucifer and is of his order. His office is to distribute preferment of senatorships and to cause favor of friends or foes. He bestows excellent familiars and governs 80 legions of spirits. Whoever summons him must have offerings of gifts or sacrifices or he will not give true answers to their demands, but even then with will not spend more than one hour on the truth unless constrained by divine power or his seal, to be worn as a lamin by the person who summons him.
In The Martyrdom of Isaiah, Belial is a demon of lawlessness and "the ruler of this world." Belial is also the patron of secrets, domination, and seduction. He is a profane being, reveling in the pleasures and pains of the flesh. He resides in the city of Abriymoch in a palace of jagged obsidian built on one lip of the caldera.
Belial's name means worthless in Hebrew, and later came to represent the personification of the devil. In the Old Testament of the bible the word tends to be used to describe a class of people, for instance the sons of Belial. The New Testament introduces Satan as the ruler of evil, but prior to that, Belial was said to be his predecessor. In demonology, he is one of Lucifer's most notable demons sources recount. He was the demon that indirectly created the Vampire Nosferatu known as Count Orlox. He is also the father of the demoness Fierna and the cambion Rachel Roth.
Description
Before his fall from grace, Belial appeared in the form of a beautiful angel sitting in a chariot of fire and speaks with a comely voice. After his fall he became the demon of lies and guilt and is able to induce to any type of sins, especially those related to sex and lust. Sebastian Michaelis states that Belial seduces by means of arrogance and his adversary is St. Francis of Paola; in this sense his name is translated as "Lord of Arrogance" or "Lord of Pride" (Baal ial). Belial is associated with the immoral, atheists, magicians, or perhaps anyone going against the grain. Belial is the partner of the Demon Necromancer Nebiros and the uncle figure of Alice.
The name "Belial" means "'without a master'" and symbolizes true independence, self-sufficiency, and personal accomplishment. Belial represents the earth element, is the "Master of Mankind' and the "Champion of Humanity', and represents the carnal and base urges of humans, which is highly similar to Satan himself. Belial also means "Worthless", meaning that the children of Belial literal means the Children of worthless. The word is used, in a Hebrew context, to describe many debase concepts or persons such as those who support or encourage the worship of other gods, those who have committed sex crimes, or rabble-rousers.
History
War in Heaven
Belial was one of the many great angels, a Cherubim to be precise, that joined Lucifer's crusade against the Most High and the tyranny of Heaven. Being of Lucifer's order, Belial was a very powerful and respected angel and as a result was a formidable force during the War in Heaven, acting as first lieutenant alongside Gothmog. He was soon defeated and cast out alongside Lucifer and the other fallen angels into the Abyss which then became Hell.
Plans of Attack
After establishing a kingdom within Hell, Belial was among the fallen that was part of the Stygian Council. He and his devilish cohorts debated amongst each other on what to do to strike back against God. Belial is almost a caricature of the slimy politician. His words are honeyed, his appearance pleasing, and his arguments persuasive, but "his thoughts were low". He uses his oratorical gifts to counter Moloch’s arguments for an immediate attack upon Heaven, addressing each of Moloch’s points in turn. First of all, he asserts that the whole enterprise would be not just doubtful, as Moloch characterized it, but fundamentally hopeless. Whether they attempted to sneak into Heaven or launch a full frontal assault, the ultimate result would be the same.
After they had done their worst, "yet our great Enemy / All incorruptible would on his throne / Sit unpolluted", for even Hell has no power to destroy that which created the world. Of course, Moloch had himself allowed a strong possibility of defeat, but claimed that even this would be better than a life of exile. Belial dismisses these claims. He does not accept that to die, to be "swallowed up and lost / In the wide womb of uncreated Night", would be superior to continued existence under present circumstances. This is an arguable point, being as it is something of a value judgment. More compellingly, though, he notes that the devils’ present circumstance is hardly the worst that God could do to them if they angered Him again. Indeed, they have already experienced much worse. After Satan's victory in tempting man, Belial was among the devils that was turned into a serpent by God in retribution.
Belial's Rebellion
Thousands of years later, Belial attended the coronation of Mundus, the son of Lucifer and Lilith, crowned as the new Emperor of the Inferno whilst being aware of the fact that Mundus usurped the throne rather than inherit it outright. While Belial was content to not make any further action against God as he knew it was a hopeless endeavor, he was growing increasingly frustrated with Mundus's ways of ruling Hell and held the Dark Emperor in high contempt and disdain.
Throughout those years, however, Belial had gained an infamous reputation with demons calling him the Bright Fire of Hell or Evil's Brightest-Lit Match. During these years, he fathered the demoness Fierna with Agrat Bat Mahlat and a cambion girl that would come to be known as Rachel Roth in the modern days from a crow witch.
Inevitably, Belial reached his breaking point and declared that he would be under Mundus's rule no longer, sparking a civil war in Hell. Mundus knew that Belial posed a great threat to his rule, not just because of his power but also his influence as Belial was quite the powerful speaker and could coax numerous demons to his side, befitting of one who is a politician of sorts in the Stygian Council like other high-ranking demons. Moreover, Mundus was still in the early years of his reign and had not amassed enough control over the Inferno, and so resorted to having Beelzebub deal with the situation. Beelzebub gathered the Knights of Hell to fight back Belial's forces with great succession. Among these Knights was the Legendary Dark Knight himself, Sparda, who personally fought Belial in a titanic battle. After a long and hard-fought duel, Sparda defeated the mighty Devil King, before casting him into the Cocytus river.
Return and Revenge
After the Apocalypse, its effects reverberated across the realms and among them was Hell. Many barriers that held dangerous and powerful entities were weakened, and allowed these entities to leak out into the material world to threaten it once more. After Lucifer's defeat and Satan's imprisonment, a power vacuum was created in Hell with demons and fallen angels fighting for control over the throne. However, Belial was set free from the frozen lake of Cocytus, weakened from the effects of the Apocalypse, and was burning with a fiery vengeance against Mundus and Sparda.
Powers and Abilities
Being of Lucifer's order when he was an angel and later becoming a high-ranked demon of Hell, Belial is a monstrously powerful demon. In the distant past, Belial posed a large threat to even Mundus himself and his reign as a whole, which made Trish believe that Belial could have more than likely defeated Mundus even when the Dark Emperor was at his prime. As an angel, particularly of the Cherubim order, Belial was able to slay numerous angels during the war in Heaven and as a demon, slaughtered large demonic armies that attempted to move against him or any of the other seven great kings. He was even capable of fighting Sparda, who was also in his prime, for a long period of time before being defeated by the Dark Knight.
After his subsequent release from Cocytus, Belial's power and strength had not weakened nor was it hampered in any way as he remains just as powerful as he always was even after being imprisoned within Cocytus for thousands of years. His emergence from Hell to Earth created a tremor that was felt by supernatural psychics from miles away, and his first display of power was destroying New Mexico in a burst of Hellfire by simply flicking his index and ring finger upwards. He was capable of holding his own against multiple werewolves simultaneously, before effortlessly besting them, as well as defeating a Nero who had awakened his full Devil Trigger. Belial could even fight near evenly with Dante and Vergil, who both awakened their full demonic power through the Rebis.
Despite his tremendous skill with demonic energy and Hellfire manipulation, Belial prefers to engage via physical combat. He was fast and strong enough to be able to surprise and effortlessly kick Dante through a wall and clear out of the street with a single kick. He was also more than skilled enough with his Stygian Staff to hold his own against both Nero, Vergil, and Trish. When in Devil Trigger, Belial's physical and demonic prowess skyrocketed. He was able to effortlessly defeat the wolf pack of the Order of the Silver Cross, and Hellboy in a single blow each and was even able to quickly out-maneuver Dante in a sword fight. Using his bare hands, weapons, and powers he was able to contend against Dante and Vergil in their enhanced Devil Triggers as well as wielding his sword to their full effect. However, it was not until that the Sons of Sparda assumed their Sin Devil Triggers that Belial found himself significantly overwhelmed.
Myths and Legends
Dead Sea Scrolls
In the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Angel of Light and the Angel of Darkness are mentioned. God is cited as the Angel of Light, and Belial the contrary. The demon was said to bring guilt and wickedness to man. The source also recounts a dream of Amram, the father of Moses, where Belial is described as the King of Evil or Prince of Darkness.
Original text from the Ars Goetia:
“The Sixty-eighth Spirit is Belial. He is a Mighty and a Powerful King, and was created next after LUCIFER. He appeareth in the Form of Two Beautiful Angels sitting in a Chariot of Fire. He speaketh with a Comely Voice, and declareth that he fell first from among the worthier sort, that were before Michael, and other Heavenly Angels. His Office is to distribute Presentations and Senatorships, etc.; and to cause favour of Friends and of Foes. He giveth excellent Familiars, and governeth 50 Legions of Spirits. Note well that this King Belial must have Offerings, Sacrifices and Gifts presented unto him by the Exorcist, or else he will not give True Answers unto his Demands. But then he tarrieth not one hour in the Truth, unless he be constrained by Divine Power. And his Seal is this, which is to be worn as aforesaid, etc.”
Original text from the Dead Sea Scrolls:
“But for corruption thou hast made Belial, an angel of hostility. All his dominions are in darkness, and his purpose is to bring about wickedness and guilt. All the spirits that are associated with him are but angels of destruction.”
From Tikaboo
“He is a Mighty and a Powerful King, and was created next after LUCIFER. He appeareth in the Form of Two Beautiful Angels sitting in a Chariot of Fire. He speaketh with a Comely Voice, and declareth that he fell first from among the worthier sort, that were before Michael, and other Heavenly Angels. His Office is to distribute Presentations and Senatorships, etc.; and to cause favour of Friends and of Foes. He giveth excellent Familiars, and governeth 50 Legions of Spirits. Note well that this King Belial must have Offerings, Sacrifices and Gifts presented unto him by the Exorcist, or else he will not give True Answers unto his Demands. But then he tarrieth not one hour in the Truth, unless he be constrained by Divine Power.”
From the Luciferian Goetia by Michael Ford
“He Governs 50 Legions of Spirits, who are of the Infernal and Celestial/Luciferian realms of the earth. Belial also initiates into the Solar and Lunar Gnosis of being, that of Vampyres and Wolves. King Belial demands sacrifice, which is of a sexual nature. A powerful Will is required to restrain and hold this force in the Evocation circle or Black Mirror, from which then the sorcerer should immolate the self in this Daemonic Force – the isolated and immortal psyche.”
From the Daemonolatry Goetia by S. Connolly
“In the Dukante Hierarchy, Belial is seen as the representative Daemonic force of earth. In this aspect, he is the destructive earth force. This makes invoking this aspect apt for execrations and necromancy, not to mention business endeavors that require aggressive measures.”
From Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (Liber officiorum spirituum) by Johann Weyer
“The exorcist must consider, that this Beliall doth in everie thing assist his subjects. If he will not submit himselfe, let the bond of spirits be read: the spirits chaine is sent for him, wherewith wise Salomon gathered them togither with their legions in a brasen vessell, where were inclosed among all the legions seventie two kings, of whome the cheefe was Bileth, the second was Beliall, the third Asmoday, and above a thousand thousand legions. Without doubt (I must confesse) I learned this of my maister Salomon; but he told me not why he gathered them together, and shut them up so: but I beleeve it was for the pride of this Beliall. Certeine nigromancers doo saie, that Salomon, being on a certeine daie seduced by the craft of a certeine woman, inclined himselfe to praie before the same idoll, Beliall by name: which is not credible. And therefore we must rather thinke (as it is said) that they were gathered together in that great brasen vessell for pride and arrogancie, and throwne into a deepe lake or hole in Babylon. For wise Salomon did accomplish his workes by the divine power, which never forsooke him. And therefore we must thinke he worshipped not the image Beliall; for then he could not have constrained the spirits by divine vertue: for this Beliall, with three kings were in the lake. But the Babylonians woondering at the matter, supposed that they should find therein a great quantitie of treasure, and therefore with one consent went downe into the lake, and uncovered and brake the vessell, out of the which immediatlie flew the capteine divels, and were delivered to their former and proper places. But this Beliall entred into a certeine image, and there gave answer to them that offered and sacrificed unto him: as Tocz. in his sentences reporteth, and the Babylonians did worship and sacrifice thereunto.”
Belial is one of the most important and evil Demons, who is deceptively beautiful in appearance and soft in voice, but full of treachery, recklessness, and lies.
The 68th of the 72 Spirits of Solomon, Belial is dedicated to creating wickedness and guilt in humankind, especially in the form of sexual perversions, fornication, and lust.
Saint Paul considered him to be chief of Demons.
Belial’s name may be derived from the Hebrew term beli ya’al, which means “without worth.” In Hebrew lore, Belial was the next angel created after Lucifer and was partly of the order of angels and partly of the order of virtues.
He was evil from the start, one of the first to revolt against God. After his fall from heaven, he became the personification of lies and evil. Belial’s name is sometimes a synonym for Satan or the Antichrist. In the Old Testament, the phrase “sons of Belial” refers to worthlessness and recklessness.
In the Testament of Solomon, a pseudepigraphical text, Belial danced before King Solomon and was among the Demons who worked under the king’s command, ruled by Solomon’s magical ring.
In the Dead Sea Scrolls, Belial is described as the leader of the Sons of Darkness, the chief of all devils, dedicated to destruction.
In a Qumrun text called the Testament of Amran (Q543, 545–48), Belial is one of the Watchers, whose three titles are Belial, Prince of Darkness, and King of Evil. He is empowered over all darkness and his every way and every work are darkness.
Johann Weyer said Belial commands 80 legions of Demons and serves as an infernal ambassador to Turkey.
According to the magical grimoire the Lemegeton, sacrifices and offerings are necessary to invoke him. He appears as a beautiful angel riding a chariot pulled by firebreathing dragons, and he speaks sweetly. He will break his promises to magicians, but those who manage to gain his true favor are handsomely rewarded with good Familiars and other favors, such as preferences for senatorships or political offices.
From “The Goetia: The Lesser Key of Solomon the King” (1904) Written by S.L. MacGregor Mathers
Belial. – The Sixty-eighth Spirit is Belial. He is a Mighty and a Powerful King, and was created next after Lucifer. He appeareth in the Form of Two Beautiful Angels sitting in a Chariot of Fire. He speaketh with a ComelyVoice, and declareth that he fell first from among the worthier sort, that were before Michael, and other Heavenly Angels. His Office is to distribute Presentations and Senatorships, etc.; and to cause favour of Friends and of Foes.
He giveth excellent Familiars, and governeth 50 Legions of Spirits. Note well that this King Belial must have Offerings, Sacrifices and Gifts presented unto him by the Exorcist, or else he will not give True Answers unto his Demands. But then he tarrieth not one hour in the Truth, unless he be constrained by Divine Power. And his Seal is this, which is to be worn as aforesaid,etc.
From the “Pseudomonarchia Daemonum” ( 1583 ) Written by Johann Weyer (Johann Wier)
Some saie that the king Beliall was created immediatlie after Lucifer, and therefore they thinke that he was father and seducer of them which fell being of the orders. For he fell first among the worthier and wiser sort, which went before Michael and other heavenlie angels, which were lacking. Although Beliall went before all them that were throwne downe to the earth, yet he went not before them that tarried in heaven. This Beliall is constrained by divine venue, when he taketh sacrifices, gifts, and [burnt] offerings, that he againe may give unto the offerers true answers. But he tarrieth not one houre in the truth, except he be constrained by the divine power, as is said. He taketh the forme of a beautifull angell, sitting in a firie chariot; he speaketh faire, he distributeth preferments of senatorship, and the favour of friends, and excellent familiars: he hath rule over eightie legions, partlie of the order of vertues, partlie of angels; he is found in the forme of an exorcist in the bonds of spirits. The exorcist must consider, that this Beliall doth in everie thing assist his subjects. If he will not submit himselfe, let the bond of spirits be read: the spirits chaine is sent for him, wherewith wise Salomon gathered them togither with their legions in a brasen vessell, where were inclosed among all the legions seventie two kings, of whome the cheefe was Bileth, the second was Beliall, the third Asmoday, and above a thousand thousand legions. Without doubt (I must confesse) I learned this of my maister Salomon; but he told me not why he gathered them together, and shut them up so: but I beleeve it was for the pride of this Beliall. Certeine nigromancers doo saie, that Salomon, being on a certeine daie seduced by the craft of a certeine woman, inclined himselfe to praie before the same idoll, Beliall by name: which is not credible. And therefore we must rather thinke (as it is said) that they were gathered together in that great brasen vessell for pride and arrogancie, and throwne into a deepe lake or hole in Babylon. For wise Salomon did accomplish his workes by the divine power, which never forsooke him. And therefore we must thinke he worshipped not the image Beliall; for then he could not have constrained the spirits by divine vertue: for this Beliall, with three kings were in the lake. But the Babylonians woondering at the matter, supposed that they should find therein a great quantitie of treasure, and therefore with one consent went downe into the lake, and uncovered and brake the vessell, out of the which immediatlie flew the capteine divels, and were delivered to their former and proper places. But this Beliall entred into a certeine image, and there gave answer to them that offered and sacrificed unto him: as Tocz. in his sentences reporteth, and the Babylonians did worship and sacrifice thereunto.
Original Text: Regem Belial aliqui dicunt statim post Luciferum fuisse creatum, ideoque sentiunt ipsum esse patrem and seductorem eorum qui ex Ordine ceciderunt. Cecidit enim prius inter alios digniores and sapientiores, qui præcedebant Michaëlem and alios cœlestes angelos, qui decrant. Quamvis autem Belial ipsos qui in terram dejecti fuerint, præcesserit: alios tamen qui in cœlo mansere, non antecessit. Cogitur hic divina virtute, cum accipit sacrificia, munera and holocausta, ut vicissim det immolantibus responsa vera: At per horam in veritate non perdurat, nisi potentia divina compellatur, ut dictum est. Angelicam assumit imagine in impense pulchram, in igneo curru sedens. Blande loquitur. Tribuit dignitates and prælaturas senatorias, gratiam item amicorum, and optimos famulos. Imperium habet octoginta legionum, ex ordine partim Virtutum, partim Angelorum. Forma exorcistæ invenitur in Vinculo Spirituum. Observandum exorcistæ, hunc Belial in omnibus succurrere suis subditis: Si autem se submittere noluerit, Vinculum Spirituum legatur, quo sapientissimus Salomon eos cum suis legionibus in vase vitreo relegavit: Et relegati cum omnibus legionibus fuere septuagintaduo reges, quorum primus erat Bileth, secundus Belial, deinde Asmoday, and circirer [*circiter] mille millia legionum. Illud proculdubio à magistro Salomone didiciste me fateor: Sed causam relegationis me non docuit, crediderim tamen propter arrogantiam ipsius Belial. Sunt quidam necromantici, qui asserunt, ipsum Salomonem quodam die astutia cujusdam mulieris seductum, orando se inclinasse versus simulacrum Belial nomine. Quod tamen fidem non meretur: Sed potius sentiendum, ut dictum est, propter superbiam and arrogantiam, relegatos esse in magno vase, projectos in Babylone in puteum grandem valde. Enimvero prudentissimus Salomon divina potentia suas exequebatur operationes, quæ etiam nunquam eum destituit: propterea simulachrum non adorasse ipsum sentiendum est, alioqui divina virtute spiritus cogere nequivisset. Hic autem Belial cum tribus regibus in puteo fuit. At Babylonienses ad hæc exhorrescentes, rati se thesaurum amplum in puteo inventuros, unanimi consilio in puteum descenderunt, detegeruntque and confregere vas, unde mox egressi captivi, in proprium locum porto sunt rejecti. Belial vero ingressus quoddam simulachrum, dabat responsa sibi immolantibus and sacrificantibus, ut testatur Tocz in dictis suis: Et Babylonienses adorantes sacrificaverunt eidem.
From the “Dictionnaire Infernal” (edition of 1863 ) Written by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy
Original Text : Bélial, démon adoré des Sidoniens. L’enfer n’a pas reçu d’esprit plus dissolu, plus crapuleux, plus épris du vice pour le vice même. Si son âme est hideuse et vile, son extérieur est séduisant. Il a le maintien plein de grâce et de dignité. Il eut un culte à Sodome et dans d’autres villes ; mais jamais on n’osa trop lui ériger des autels. Delancre dit que son nom signifie rebelle ou désobéissant. — Wiérus, dans son inventaire de la monarchie de Satan, lui consacre un grand article. « On croit, dit-il, que Bélial, l’un des rois de l’enfer, a été créé immédiatement après Lucifer, et qu’il entraîna la plupart des anges dans la révolte : aussi il fut renversé du ciel un des premiers. Lorsqu’on l’évoque, on l’oblige par des offrandes à répondre avec sincérité aux questions qu’on lui fait. Mais il conte bien vite des mensonges, si on ne l’adjure pas, au nom de Dieu, de ne dire que la vérité. Il se montre quelquefois sous la figure d’un ange plein de beauté, assis dans un char de feu ; il parle avec aménité ; il procure les dignités et les faveurs, fait vivre les amis en bonne intelligence, donne d’habiles serviteurs. Il commande quatre-vingts légions de de l’ordre des Vertus et de l’ordre des Anges. Il est exact à secourir ceux qui se soumettent à lui ; s’il y manquait, il est facile de le châtier, comme fit Salomon, qui l’enferma dans une bouteille avec toutes ses légions, lesquelles font une armée de cinq cent vingt-deux mille deux cent quatre-vingts démons. Il fallait que la bouteille fût de grande taille.
Mais Salomon était si puissant que, dans une autre occasion, il emprisonna pareillement six mille six cent soixante —six millions de diables qui ne purent lui résister. — Des doctes racontent encore que Salomon mit la bouteille où était Bélial dans un grand puits, qu’il referma d’une pierre, près de Babylone ; que les Babyloniens descendirent dans ce puits, croyant y trouver un trésor ; qu’ils cassèrent la bouteille, que tous les diables s’en échappèrent, et que Bélial, qui avait peur d’être repris, se campa dans une idole qu’il trouva vide, et se mit à rendre des oracles ; ce qui fit que les Babyloniens l’adorèrent.
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