Ah, July. A time of picnics, barbecues, and the wriggling, crawling, and/or flying pests that accompany any outdoor feast. Appropriate, then, that our monthly hellmonster is none other than the Lord of the Flies himself. A warm hello and welcome to Beezlebub, Second Prince of Hell and the Demon of July.
This article is part of our twelve-part Princes of Hell miniseries.
For my usage policy on generative AI, click here.
Beezlebub Origin and Appearance
As with many in Hell’s landed gentry, Beezelbub began life as a celestial. Not an angel like Lucifer, but a god worshipped by the Philistines as Ba’al Zebub. But then monotheism came to town, and the good times ended. Ba’al was demonized and given the name Beezelbub, the infamous “Lord of the Flies.”
When in his true form, Beezlebub appears has red or purple skin, curled ram’s horns, and bug-like wings. He has a forked tongue and, occasionally, a long whiplike tail. He’s also able to take the form of a fly, adding another layer of “ewwwww” to his brand.
So, How Do the Flies Factor In?
This also stems from his stint as a good. The suffix zebub means “lord or prince,” which leaves ba’al to mean “fly,” right?
Mmm…maybe. Some sources indicate Ba’al consorted with the “cult of flies,” which were not actual flies, but people who the general population considered “pests” or “shiteaters.” Other sources translate the word to “high place” or even “heavenly dwelling,” suggesting this use of “fly” refers not to the bug, but the action. And what is another word for heavenly fliers?
That’s right–angels. Much like Lucifer the Lightbringer, it seems Ba’al Zebub suffered quite the fall from grace.
Powers and Abilities
Beezlebub is largely accepted as the highest ranking prince and lieutenant in Hell second only to Satan himself. Some even think they are one and the same, a theory we also put forth in a previous article. You don’t get to that level without having a pretty sweet resume, and Beezelbub’s is no exception.
Beezelbub made his bones in idolatry, tempting and damning those who would dare worship at the feet of a false god. Whether this is true, or simply an extrapolation of his own “false god” backstory is anyone’s guess. What made him the terrifying force he is today, however, is his affinity for possession. Indeed, many of history’s most famous possession cases feature an appearance by the Lord of the Flies.
As far as the sin over which he claims dominion, the record is a bit scattered. Envy and Gluttony appear to be the most common, followed by Lust and Wrath. Personally, I’m inclined to think he’s less focused on one sin in particular, choosing instead to invoke many at once and thereby indulging in his true passion: chaos. In conversation with the Lord, Solomon claimed the creature stated his purpose as follows:
To cause destruction through tyrants, to cause demons to be worshipped among men, to excite priests to lust, to cause jealousies in cities and murders, and to bring on war.
Testament of Solomon
In other words, whatever discord he can sow, Beezlebub is into it.
Defeating Beezlebub
My friends, I’m struggling with this one. Normally, I’d just tell you to avoid whatever cardinal sin the demon promotes and send you on your way. But I can’t do that this time, and here’s why:
- It’s unclear which cardinal sin Beezlebub adjudicates, so the whole concept falls apart right there.
- With a knack for possession, even the most vigilant of us may not be able to avoid him.
- I’m not sure how much of his legend we should believe.
Before you start building a fire and prepping the stake, let me explain. First, it’s pretty much resolved that Beezelbub used to be a god. Monotheism proclaimed him false eventually, as it did with a lot of pagan deities. In that regard, Beezlebub is/was no more a demon than Hermes or Cupid. Yet unlike the Grecian pantheon, Beezlebub has been implicated in some of the most horrific and high-profile demonic activity in history. Why?
Since I’m not a religious scholar, I can’t say for sure. However, here’s something worth considering–in addition to human possession, there are those that accused Jesus (yes, that Jesus) of consorting with Beezlebub in order to perform two of his miracles: casting out demons and healing the sick. How this aligns with Beezlebub’s skills, I also can’t say. What I do know is that connecting Jesus with not just a demon, but a former “false idol,” implies a harsh criticism about the proclaimed Son of God. And if you’re trying to discredit the Son, you’re going to need the vehicle of that discreditation to be a specter large and terrible enough to survive the centuries.
Nowadays, the rumor of the Hell-Heaven conspiracy has fallen by the wayside–I’d never even heard a whisper of it until now. Say what you like about Jesus, you have to admit he has a world-class PR team. No doubt they killed the story at The Earliest Possible Moment AD. But the legend of Beezlebub remains, and for the most obvious reason in the world: You’ll never go broke scaring the living hell out of people.
Happy Monday, monsters!
