Inanna/Ishtar, Queen Esther, Asherah, Shekhinah, the Feminine Deity, and Lucifer – Hidden Connections Through Light, Rebellion, and the Mystical Path

Inanna/Ishtar, Queen Esther, Asherah, Shekhinah, the Feminine Deity, and Lucifer – Hidden Connections Through Light, Rebellion, and the Mystical Path

Inanna (Ishtar) is one of the most mysterious goddesses of the Sumerian-Babylonian pantheon. She embodies love and war, heaven and earth, life and death. Her connection to the Morning Star (Venus) makes her a prototype of Lucifer – the "Light-bringer," the one who grants wisdom yet defies the supreme order.

1. Inanna and the Tree of Knowledge – The Serpent at Its Roots

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Inanna possesses a sacred tree, at whose roots lives a serpent, just like the one guarding knowledge in the biblical Eden. The tree is a symbol of power, wisdom, and dominion, and Inanna seeks to claim it – much like other mythological figures who dare to steal the light from the gods.

2. Inanna’s Ties to the Great Gods – Love, Wisdom, and Power Struggles

Granddaughter of Enki (Ea) – the god of wisdom who bestowed secret knowledge upon humanity. Like Lucifer, he is a bringer of forbidden wisdom, and Inanna becomes his heir.

An, the head of the gods, crowns her as "Queen of Heaven" – granting her immense power and divine status.

She is the official lover of Anu – ancient texts describe Anu visiting Inanna, indicating a special bond through which she gains her influence.

Her relationship with Enki – sometimes they are allies, sometimes rivals, but she clearly inherits his mystical knowledge.

3. Queen Esther – A Later Manifestation of Ishtar?

Her name, "Esther" (אסתר), derives from Ishtar – showing a direct linguistic connection.

She is chosen as a queen – just as Inanna was crowned "Queen of Heaven."

She uses cunning and strategy to save her people – much like Inanna, who employed intellect and charm to achieve power.

4. The Persecution of the Feminine Deity – From Asherah to Shekhinah

Asherah – the Canaanite goddess of fertility, later erased from Jewish tradition, just as Ishtar was removed from the pantheon after Babylon's fall.

Shekhinah – a later representation of the feminine divine in Judaism, though her role is hidden and softened, as if the memory of the Great Goddess remained but was veiled.

5. Inanna/Ishtar as a Demonic Force – Spirit of Destruction and Rebirth

Inanna is often depicted as a shedû (female demon) – an untamed force, a storm that sweeps away all boundaries.

She is ever-changing – sometimes a lover, sometimes a betrayer, sometimes a healer, sometimes a destroyer.

Like Lucifer, she accepts no authority, acting by her own will and refusing to bow even to Anu or Enki.

Conclusion – Rebellion, Fall, and Resurrection

Inanna/Ishtar represents the archetype of rebellious feminine power, bringing light and knowledge while challenging the established order. She falls, suffers humiliation, but always rises again. Her influence persists in the figures of Queen Esther, Asherah, and Shekhinah – all symbols of the persecuted yet undying divine feminine.