The Supreme Being is a center of Light whose rays or emanations pervade the Universe; for that is the Light for which all Masonic journeys are a search, and of which the sun and moon in our Lodges are only emblems: that Light and Darkness, chief enemies from the beginning of Time, dispute with each other the empire of the world… Lucifer, the Light-Bearer!
Strange and mysterious name to give to the Spirit of Darkness! Lucifer, the Son of the Morning! Is it he who bears the light, and with its splendors intolerable blinds feeble, sensual or selfish Souls? Doubt it not!”
Pike was a modern exponent of the ancient Gnostic Tradition, the pagan doctrines of antiquity that revered Lucifer as the beneficent god who gifted mankind self-consciousness: that is, the “Light-Bearer” (Greek: “Eosphoros”) who is the “God” of most true religions and creeds.
The Greeks knew Lucifer as the Titan, Prometheus (“he who has foreknowledge”). Here, Prometheus wishing to help and preserve mankind brought the divine fire (“higher consciousness”) and bestowed it upon men. Thus, Prometheus, the true friend of man, stole the divine fire from Olympus and gave it to mankind, thereby gifting to men all the crafts, as well as showing them the rich ore and precious stones buried in the earth.
This was the first enlightenment of mankind. For these countless benefactions conferred on humanity by Prometheus the jealous spirits who claim to be true gods combined against him and wronged him. Therefore, Zeus was angered and punished Prometheus by hurling him into the depths of Erebus and chaining him to a rock where an eagle gnawed at his liver until Hercules rescued him.
Thus, the “creator god,” Zeus (the Yahweh of the Old Testament) wants to keep mankind bound to him and his “natural laws” which he has set up, but a rebel figure, Prometheus (Lucifer) befriends man and brings him the means to effect his freedom. That is, the Great Rebel brings man the means to become one of the gods: “ye shall be as gods” (Gen. 3:5).
Ain Soph Aur - Patrick Gaffiero