@ Technosophic Universaeon

## Identity of Sorat: The Sun Demon and Adversary of Christ In Rudolf Steiner’s anthroposophical cosmology, **Sorat** (or **Sorath**) is identified as the **“Sun Demon,”** a powerful evil being who stands as the direct adversary of the Christ impulse ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=,Sorat%20is)) ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,to%20extinguish%20the%20human%20%27I)). Steiner notes that in occult tradition “every star has its good spirit — its intelligence — and its evil spirit — its demon,” and _“the adversary of the good powers of the Sun is called Sorat.”_ In this view, Christ is seen as the spiritual _“genius of the Sun”_ or Sun intelligence united with Earth, while Sorat is the opposing **demon of the Sun**, the being who _“thrusts back the force of the Lamb”_ (Christ) and strives to **prevent the future reunion of Earth with the Sun** in the spiritual evolution of humanity ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=,Sorat%20is)) ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,Sorat%20is)). Sorat’s goal is essentially to **bind humanity to material existence** – referred to as the _“Earth dross”_ or the dreaded _Eighth Sphere_ in occult terms – rather than allow humanity to spiritualize and follow the Christ path toward reunification with the Sun ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,Sorat%20is)). For this reason Steiner calls Sorat the _“greatest opponent of Christ”_, a kind of **Antichrist figure** in his esoteric interpretation of the Book of Revelation ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,Sorat%20is)). Steiner describes Sorat as an extremely exalted adversarial power – **“the spearpoint of evil”** – far more potent and destructive than the other well-known demonic beings in his cosmology, Lucifer and Ahriman ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20is%20the%20spearpoint%20of,more%20a%20matter%20of%20unbalances)). Whereas Lucifer and Ahriman represent two poles of imbalance or temptation in human nature (prideful illusion vs. cold materialism), Sorat is a **hostile spiritual entity of a different order**, one whose influence would utterly extinguish the human spiritual core. In Steiner’s words, Sorat’s objective is _“to extinguish the human ‘I’”_ (the individual ego or self) ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,to%20extinguish%20the%20human%20%27I)). This implies that Sorat and his hosts aim not just to lead people into error, but to **annihilate human individuality and freedom** at the most fundamental level. Anthroposophical commentators note that Steiner spoke only sparingly about this ultimate adversary; he gave extensive lectures on Luciferic and Ahrimanic influences, but **references to Sorat and the related beings called Asuras are relatively few** ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Rudolf%20Steiner%20commented%20extensively%20on,Rakshasas%20and%20their%20leader%20Sorat)). This reticence lends Sorat an air of deep mystery and dread in anthroposophical lore, as an adversary lurking largely in the shadows of Steiner’s teachings, yet recognized as a looming threat to human evolution. ## Sorat, Lucifer, and Ahriman: The Hierarchy of Adversarial Beings Steiner’s cosmology of evil distinguishes **three tiers of adversarial spiritual beings**. **Lucifer** and **Ahriman** are the two familiar forces that tempt and test humanity: Lucifer draws humanity toward egotism, false enlightenment, and ungrounded spiritual pride, while Ahriman (a name Steiner borrows from the Zoroastrian demon) pulls us toward materialism, mechanical intellectuality, and denial of the spirit ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=Lucifer%20encourages%20the%20tendency%20in,freedom%2C%20while%20the%20second%20helps)) ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=the%20being%20who%20tells%20us,we%20are%20physical%20beings%20only)). Steiner depicted these two as polar opposites – one overly “light” and other overly “dark” – with the **Christ** impulse as the balancing center between them ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=Both%20of%20these%20beings%20also,Steiner%20and%20the)) ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=English%20sculptor%20Edith%20Maryon%20produced,Lucifer%20above%20and%20Ahriman%20below)). Both Luciferic and Ahrimanic beings, in Steiner’s interpretation, even have a certain **necessary role** in human development (for example, Lucifer awakens human freedom and Ahriman sharpens intellect, albeit in one-sided ways ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=splitting%2C%20materialism%2C%20over,However%2C%20because%20Ahriman%20can%20work))). Sorat, however, represents a **third and far more malevolent force** beyond this duality. Anthroposophists often characterize Sorat as **Lucifer and Ahriman’s “master” or higher commander** – the **Sun Demon whom even those mighty fallen spirits ultimately serve or align with** ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=match%20at%20L117%20Sorath%2C%20the,nothing%20more%20about%20Sorath%20here)). In the words of one commentator, Steiner presents Sorat as _“a great evil power... far mightier than Lucifer or Ahriman”_ ([Sorath סורת - Lucifer is Sun demon, Rudolf Steiner - Ars Magine](https://arsmagine.com/others/sorath/#:~:text=Magine%20arsmagine,and%20he)). Where Lucifer and Ahriman work by seduction and imbalance (offering false light or deadening coldness), **Sorat works by outright opposition to the good and by destructive inversion of the spirit**. Steiner indicated that Sorat is actually the **leader of the “Asuras”** – a class of demonic beings even lower and more corrupt than Luciferic or Ahrimanic entities ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20is%20the%20leader%20of,other%20crimes%20can%20be%20compared)). In Hindu terminology adopted by Theosophy and Anthroposophy, _Asuras_ (or _Rakshasas_) are sun-demons or spirits of darkness; Steiner uses this term for beings that in the future will seek to **consume the human ego itself**. Sorat, as their leader, thus personifies the most extreme evil **“with which no other crimes can be compared” ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20mystery%20of%20666%20or,there%20appears%20on%20our%20horizon))**. This is the being _“behind the hidden secret of black magic”_, according to Steiner ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20mystery%20of%20666%20or,there%20appears%20on%20our%20horizon)). Unlike Lucifer and Ahriman – who tempted humanity in relatively comprehensible ways – Sorat is depicted as **utterly opposed to humanity’s spiritual evolution**: a being from _“other world-periods”_ who does not even properly belong to our solar system’s evolution ([Microsoft Word - THE MYSTERY OF SORATH - 2018-5-14.docx](https://kennethmdouglass.com/ssdl/library/articles/pdfs/koulias/mysteryOfSorath.pdf#:~:text=Rudolf%20Steiner%20tells%20us%20that,periods%20and%20has%20acquired%20the)). Steiner suggested that Sorat _“comes from other world-periods, has taken on the tendencies of other world-periods”_ ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=This%20being%20itself%2C%20which%20we,If%20this)), meaning this being originated in a prior cosmic cycle and entered our evolution as a hostile outsider. In esoteric terms, some have called Sorat an **“abnormal Spirit of Form”** – essentially a powerful spiritual entity that deviated from the normal creative hierarchies in ancient cosmic times ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=In%20Hyperborean%20times%20%2C%20the,enabling%20the%20Elohim%20to%20carry)). This background underscores that Sorat is not just another tempter, but a **cosmic antagonist** fundamentally alien to the progressive spiritual forces that guide humanity. Within this hierarchy of evil, **Lucifer and Ahriman can be seen as preparatory forces**, softening up humanity for Sorat’s more total influence. Steiner indicated that the **two-horned Beast** of Revelation (Sorat) works in tandem with the **“seven-headed Beast”**, which can be understood as the collective manifestation of human corruption (further explained below) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=opposing%20the%20sun%2C%20by%20Sorath,into%20the%20abyss%2C%20and%20the)). In essence, Luciferic and Ahrimanic influences might lead human beings astray – into pride, error, or materialistic delusion – but **Soratic influence would go so far as to strip humans of their “I” and make them into beings of evil**. Anthroposophical writers often stress that our task is to balance and redeem the Luciferic and Ahrimanic influences through Christ; by doing so, we also implicitly **arm ourselves against the far more devastating impulse of Sorat**. Steiner’s famous wood sculpture _“The Representative of Humanity”_ indeed shows Christ holding the balance between a figure of Lucifer above and Ahriman below ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=individuality%20has%20to%20so%20develop,Lucifer%20above%20and%20Ahriman%20below)), but **Sorat is notably absent from that tableau**, perhaps because Sorat’s full appearance is not a constant everyday influence but something that **looms in humanity’s future**. Steiner warned that Sorat’s presence would become more explicit in times to come – which is why spiritual development and vigilance are crucial. In short, **Lucifer and Ahriman are powerful adversaries within human nature, but Sorat is the ultimate adversary to humanity as a whole**, inspiring and commanding the others in the grand drama of cosmic evil ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=Sorath%2C%20the%20Sun%20Demon%2C%20who,nothing%20more%20about%20Sorath%20here)) ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20is%20the%20spearpoint%20of,more%20a%20matter%20of%20unbalances)). ## Esoteric Significance: Sorat in Revelation, the Number 666, and Black Magic Sorat’s significance in Steiner’s teachings is deeply connected to **esoteric Christian imagery, especially the Book of Revelation** (Apocalypse of John). Steiner interprets the cryptic symbols of Revelation as references to spiritual realities and beings. In this exegesis, **Sorat corresponds to the Beast described in Revelation with _“two horns like a lamb”_** – an image of a deceptively mild outward appearance with a demonic nature ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=In%20the%20Book%20of%20Revelation%3A)). This is the second beast of Revelation 13, who works great evil and opposes the _“Mystical Lamb”_ (Christ) ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=In%20the%20Book%20of%20Revelation%3A)). Steiner explicitly states: _“That which [John] describes: ‘It has two horns like a lamb,’ is the symbol of the Sun-Demon, which in mystery language is expressed by the word ‘Sorath.’”_ In other words, **the apocalyptic Beast is Sorat**, the Sun Demon and adversary of the Lamb ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=We%20have%20then%20to%20supply,demon%2C%20there%20was%20this%20sign)). The infamous **“number of the Beast – 666”** is, in Steiner’s view, a code that hides Sorat’s name. He explains that ancient initiates wrote this number in a concealed way: _“400 + 200 + 6 + 60,”_ which corresponds to the Hebrew letters _ת–ר–ו–ס_ (Tau–Resh–Vav–Samech) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=not%20the%20case,to%20rise%20to%20the%20higher)) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=We%20have%20then%20to%20supply,demon%2C%20there%20was%20this%20sign)). When supplying appropriate vowels, this yields the name “Sorath” (or Sorat) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=We%20have%20then%20to%20supply,demon%2C%20there%20was%20this%20sign)). Thus **“Sorath is the name of the Sun-Demon, the adversary of the Lamb,”** and Revelation 13:18’s riddle about the number of a beast “666” is understood as _“a very veiled way of expressing 666”_ to indicate Sorat ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=We%20have%20then%20to%20supply,demon%2C%20there%20was%20this%20sign)). Steiner notes that earlier interpreters (who guessed the number referred to “Nero,” for example) were missing the deeper occult key ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=number%20666%2C%20hit%20on%20the,been%20drawn%20into%20this%20mystery)) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=not%20the%20case,to%20rise%20to%20the%20higher)). According to Steiner, **John the Revelator encoded Sorat’s name** because knowledge of this being was traditionally kept secret – it was “wrapped in mystery” due to its fearsome nature ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=Now%20this%20666%20has%20always,of%20the%20remarkable%20people%20who)). In occult circles predating Steiner, _“Sorath has meant ‘Demon of the Sun’ since ancient times”_ ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=,Sorat%20is)), indicating that this interpretation was not entirely new but part of an esoteric Christian stream. Steiner revived and expanded on it, integrating it into his broader spiritual-scientific narrative. One of the most important esoteric points Steiner makes about Sorat is his connection to **black magic**. In _The Apocalypse of St. John_ lectures (1908), Steiner declares: _“In the mystery of 666 – or Sorat – is hidden the secret of black magic”_ ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20mystery%20of%20666%20or,there%20appears%20on%20our%20horizon)). He calls **black magic the _“most fearful crime”_** of Earth’s evolution, a spiritual offense _“with which no other crimes can be compared”_ ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20mystery%20of%20666%20or,there%20appears%20on%20our%20horizon)). By this he means that the conscious misuse of spiritual forces to harm or control (the essence of black magic) aligns a person directly with Sorat’s influence. The **two-horned Beast/Sorat is the great _“tempter to black magic”_** ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20mystery%20of%20666%20or,there%20appears%20on%20our%20horizon)). Steiner even outlines the _“ABC of black magic”_ – the beginner’s steps of deliberately torturing and killing living beings to feel bliss in their pain – as the path by which an individual _“approaches the two-horned beast”_ ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=%E2%80%9EOnly%20when%20a%20person%20has,bad%2C%20but%20the%20essence%20of)) ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=systematically%20cuts%20into%20the%20flesh,horned%20beast)). While such extreme evil is rare in the present, he warns that **this danger will increase in the future** as Sorat’s influence grows ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=If%20one%20goes%20down%20the,will%20become%20greater%20and%20greater)). In essence, **Sorathic evil is characterized by an anti-life, anti-spirit impulse so strong that it finds joy in destruction and suffering**. It stands in absolute opposition to the Christ impulse, which is aligned with selfless love and the fostering of life. Steiner’s apocalyptic vision portrays **Sorat as the driving force behind the forces of anti-spirit** in the end times. He describes a scenario in which, when the Earth nears its reunification with the Sun (at the close of Earth’s evolution), two groups of beings will emerge: those who have taken in the Christ principle and can ascend, and those who **“thrust the sun away”** – i.e. reject the spiritual – and thus are **“opponents of this union”** ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=with%20two%20possibilities,also%20the%20genius%20of%20the)) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=earth,when%20the%20earth%20is%20united)). The latter will be **cast into the abyss** symbolically described in Revelation. Steiner interprets **Revelation’s two “beasts” and the “dragon”** as representing this end-of-evolution drama: The **“dragon”** (the primordial serpent, cast down from heaven) represents Luciferic powers that by then will be discarded to a lower realm; the **seven-headed Beast from the sea** represents the **collective of human souls who have given themselves over to evil (the “animal men”)**, retaining only hardened, sub-human astral forms ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=%E2%80%9EWhen%20the%20Sun%20will%20have,and%20the%20apocalyptic%20says%20in)) ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=old%20serpent%20and%20the%20first,Revelation%2012%3A3%E2%80%9313)); and the **two-horned Beast from the earth is Sorat himself**, the ultimate demonic being who claims those fallen souls as his own. _“In the time when the Earth is united with the Sun,”_ Steiner says, _“there will be excluded...that which is symbolized by the beast with seven heads and ten horns,”_ as well as the opposing Sun-Demon and his hosts ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20human%20race%20is%20thrust,when%20the%20666%20is%20fulfilled)). All that is Soratic in nature is _“destined to disappear into the abyss when the 666 is fulfilled.”_ ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20human%20race%20is%20thrust,when%20the%20666%20is%20fulfilled)) In other words, **when the full cycle signified by 666 comes to pass, Sorat and the soratic humans will be separated from the main evolutionary stream**, effectively forming a kind of “hell” (or Eighth Sphere) outside of normal progress ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=,Sorat%20will%20be%20its%20regent)) ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,Sorat%20is)). This esoteric understanding gives the figure of Sorat immense weight – he is not only a threat in the present, but the **architect of a potential future tragedy for part of humanity**, the fallen portion symbolized by the apocalyptic Beast. ## Influence on Human Evolution: Historical Manifestations and Future Destiny Although Sorat’s **full impact lies in the future**, Rudolf Steiner believed that this being’s influence has touched human evolution at certain critical moments in history – roughly every **666 years** – and will intensify as we approach the culmination of the current age ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20there%20is%20also%20an,Reference%20is%20made%20to)). Steiner pointed to a pattern of Sorat’s **cyclic assaults** on human spiritual development, marked by the number 666. Each occurrence presents a temptation or attack intended to divert humanity from its proper path: - **~666 AD – The Academy of Gondishapur (Persia):** In the 7th century, a powerful Soratic impulse worked through a center of learning in the Persian Empire ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20there%20is%20also%20an,Reference%20is%20made%20to)). Steiner indicated that the **intent of Sorat around the year 666** was to _“deluge humanity with a knowledge and a culture which the [gods] had intended for men only in the third millennium”_, i.e. to force an premature development of intellectual powers ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=%2A%20666%20,consciousness%20soul%20prematurely%20on%20Man)). At the **Academy of Gondishapur**, Arabist-Persian scholars had gathered and preserved Greco-Roman knowledge. According to Steiner, Sorat sought to use this academy to **prematurely bestow the _“consciousness soul”_** (advanced intellectual consciousness) upon humanity out of season ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=%2A%20666%20,consciousness%20soul%20prematurely%20on%20Man)). Such a premature illumination would have made humans brilliant but overly hardened and proud, **side-tracking normal soul evolution**. In Steiner’s view, this Soratic attempt was thwarted to an extent – the academy’s influence waned after the rise of Islam, delaying the full unfolding of rationalism to its proper time in the late medieval and modern period. Nevertheless, **around 666 AD Sorat was active “behind the scenes,” working through Arabism**, and _“initiates could see him”_ even if he did not yet appear openly ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=%2A%20,GA346%29%20%2A%202%2A666%20%3D%201332)). - **~1332 AD – The Fall of the Templars:** The next great Sorat intervention Steiner identifies occurred roughly 666 years later, in the early 14th century ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20there%20is%20also%20an,Reference%20is%20made%20to)). He linked **1332** (i.e. 666×2) to the tragedy of the **Knights Templar** ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=,around%20the%20year%201998)). The Knights Templar were a Christian esoteric knighthood who, according to Steiner, guarded occult wisdom and a positive spiritual impulse connected to the _“Holy Grail”_. Their sudden persecution and brutal destruction (1307–1314, under King Philip IV of France and Pope Clement V) is seen as a manifestation of Sorat’s forces attempting to extinguish an important bearer of spiritual light. Steiner stated that by this second 666-year mark, Sorat **“already showed himself in the thinking and feeling of the tortured Templars.”** ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=match%20at%20L184%20%2A%20,GA346%29%20%2A%203%2A666%20%3D%201998)) In other words, the **horror and torment of the Templars’ demise bore the mark of Sorat’s activity**, and the forces of accusation, betrayal, and cruel execution at that time were an expression of the Sun Demon’s growing influence in human affairs. This period sowed fear and materialism in Europe (as the loss of the Templars’ spiritual stream was followed by the rise of more secular powers). Steiner saw Sorat’s hand in the ensuing spread of a soulless, anti-spiritual atmosphere after 1332, foreshadowing modern materialism. - **1998 AD – The Twentieth-Century Climax:** The third manifestation of Sorat was foreseen by Steiner to occur **in the late 20th century**, around 1998 (666×3) ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20there%20is%20also%20an,Reference%20is%20made%20to)). He predicted that _“before the end of [the 20th] century [Sorat] will show himself by appearing in numerous people as that being by which they are possessed.”_ ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=%E2%80%9EAnd%20before%20the%20end%20of,what%20is%2C%20so%20to%20speak)) Steiner spoke of **“Sorat people”** arising – individuals in whom Sorat’s influence would be so strong that they lose the essence of their humanity. _“One will see people coming up of whom one will not be able to believe that they are real human beings,”_ he warned ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=%E2%80%9EAnd%20before%20the%20end%20of,what%20is%2C%20so%20to%20speak)). He described these Sorat-infused individuals in striking terms: _“They will be outwardly intense, strong natures, with furious features… a countenance in which one will see an animal-like face. They will mock everything in the most terrible way and will want to fight everything of a spiritual nature, pushing it into the cesspit.”_ ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=coming%20up%20of%20whom%20one,Bolshevism%20today%2C%20how%20this%20will)) ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=concentrated%20in%20a%20narrow%20space,the%20execution%20of%20the%20antagonistic)) In short, **Sorat people would display brutal anti-spiritual tendencies**, extreme aggression, and a demonic cruelty. Steiner saw the **“rage against the spiritual”** already germinating in his time – for example, he cited the violent anti-religious impulses in **Bolshevism** as a _“first germ”_ of what would become a much larger wave of evil by century’s end ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=concentrated%20in%20a%20narrow%20space,the%20execution%20of%20the%20antagonistic)). The year 1998, in Steiner’s vision, marked the loosening of Sorat’s influence on a broad scale: _“at the end of this century Sorat will be loosed again,”_ leading many souls to consciously **“strive to sweep away everything spiritual.”** ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=concentrated%20in%20a%20narrow%20space,the%20execution%20of%20the%20antagonistic)) While 20th-century history is full of war and atrocity, anthroposophical commentators look especially at the **late 20th and early 21st centuries** for signs of Sorat’s impulse – from the nihilistic violence of certain regimes and terror movements to subtler phenomena like the rise of technologies or social trends that debase human dignity and spirituality. Steiner’s prophecy of _“Sorat people”_ serves as a dramatic **warning of the kind of dehumanization and brutality** that could become widespread if humanity succumbs to materialistic hatred of the spirit. According to Steiner, these historic Soratic impulses are **tests or inflection points in human evolution**. Each time, humanity is challenged either to succumb to an evil influence or to overcome it and progress. The **ultimate influence of Sorat** will come to fruition in the future “**War of All Against All**,” a term Steiner uses for a great upheaval that will conclude our present age (the Post-Atlantean epoch) before humanity moves on to a more spiritual condition in the _Future Jupiter_ stage. During that climax, those human beings who have embraced egoism, hate and anti-spirit impulses will turn violently against those striving for spirituality. The result, as described earlier, is a separation: **a portion of mankind “irretrievably falls away”** into a kind of sub-human realm (the _Eighth Sphere_ ruled by Sorat) while the rest advance forward in evolution ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=,Sorat%20will%20be%20its%20regent)). In Steiner’s words, _“when the Earth reunites with the Sun, those who have received the Christ-principle will…rise…; those who have received the possibility of evil will be excluded.”_ ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=with%20two%20possibilities,also%20the%20genius%20of%20the)) Sorat’s **ultimate impact is to precipitate this split** – effectively claiming the “fallen” souls as his own kingdom. However, anthroposophy also emphasizes that **humanity is not doomed to fall**; Steiner presents these scenarios as **warnings and admonitions**. The future is being shaped in the present: _“All that lies in the future is already being prepared now,”_ he said ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=later%2C%20when%20not%20only%2066,a%20high%20degree%20of%20evil)). By recognizing Sorat’s methods (e.g. the allure of destructive power, the scorn for all spirituality) and **consciously countering them**, individuals and cultures can pass these tests. Thus, Sorat’s influence, dark as it is, also serves to **galvanize human free will** – we are forced to choose between the most extreme evil and the good. In meeting the Soratic impulse with moral courage, compassion, and spiritual insight, humanity can ensure that **Sorat and his hosts ultimately “disappear into the abyss”** without dragging multitudes along ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20human%20race%20is%20thrust,when%20the%20666%20is%20fulfilled)). ## Anthroposophical Interpretations and Modern Context Steiner’s few but potent remarks on Sorat have been further elaborated by **anthroposophical scholars and commentators**, who see Sorat’s specter in various aspects of modern life and the future. As noted, Steiner himself rarely named Sorat outright outside of his apocalyptic and esoteric history lectures ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Rudolf%20Steiner%20commented%20extensively%20on,Rakshasas%20and%20their%20leader%20Sorat)). This has led later writers to piece together the **“mystery of Sorat”** from scattered references. For instance, the anthroposophical researcher G. A. Koulias (Kenneth M. Douglass) emphasizes that Steiner did not even specify Sorat’s rank among the hierarchies, except to say **he is not from our evolutionary stream** ([Microsoft Word - THE MYSTERY OF SORATH - 2018-5-14.docx](https://kennethmdouglass.com/ssdl/library/articles/pdfs/koulias/mysteryOfSorath.pdf#:~:text=Rudolf%20Steiner%20tells%20us%20that,periods%20and%20has%20acquired%20the)) ([Microsoft Word - THE MYSTERY OF SORATH - 2018-5-14.docx](https://kennethmdouglass.com/ssdl/library/articles/pdfs/koulias/mysteryOfSorath.pdf#:~:text=to%20say%20that%20he%20does,with%20the%20Sun%20Sphere%20or)). This has given rise to the idea that **Sorat is a “supra-human” or even “cosmic” being of evil**, one whose origin may precede the formation of our solar system. Some anthroposophists speculate that Sorat could be a high fallen spirit from a prior creation, now intruding into our world as the ultimate adversary. Such interpretations highlight Sorat’s **outsider status** – unlike Lucifer (a fallen angel) or Ahriman (a hardened archangelic being), Sorat might not have a legitimate role at all in Earth’s divine plan, appearing only as a destroyer. Writers within the anthroposophical tradition have also looked at historical and current events through the lens of Sorat’s influence. **[[Bernard Lievegoed]]**, a 20th-century anthroposophist, wrote in [[The Battle for the Soul (Dutch, 1993)]] about the late 20th century being a critical time when **Ahrimanic and Soratic forces would surge** and humanity would face a great decision. He and others pointed to phenomena such as the world wars, totalitarian atrocities, and the threat of nuclear annihilation as partly **Luciferic/Ahrimanic evils amplified by Soratic hate**, attempting to extinguish human dignity and conscience. The **year 1998** (give or take a few years) was seen as a threshold; indeed, soon after, the early 21st century saw global terrorism, technological crises, and social fragmentation that anthroposophists like Margarete and Ernsta Molt or Sergei O. Prokofieff have discussed in relation to the **Sorathian impulse**. Prokofieff, for example, identified Sorat as the inspiring force behind trends that _radically deny the spirit_, and he urged the cultivation of Michaelic consciousness (aligned with Archangel Michael, the guardian of the current epoch) as a counterforce. Anthroposophical authors also underscore Steiner’s point that **Sorat’s onslaught does not remove human freedom** – rather, it _confronts_ it. Even the dire prophecy of “Sorat people” is often cited with a hopeful counter-image: Steiner always balanced his descriptions of evil with indications of how to overcome it. To counter Sorat, anthroposophists stress the importance of **spiritual training, moral development, and community**. For example, **Judith von Halle**, a contemporary anthroposophist, writes that deepening one’s connection to Christ and _“descending into the depths of the earth”_ (a metaphor for understanding and redeeming the lower layers of existence) is part of the path to nullify Sorat’s grip. The **Archangel Michael** is also seen as a leading heavenly figure opposing Sorat in modern times – Steiner spoke of Michael as the radiant being fighting the _“dragon”_ of darkness, and since Sorat’s emergence works through sub-earthly forces, Michaelic wisdom and courage are called upon to meet it. Even simple spiritual practices are recommended: the anthropopper blog, reflecting an anthroposophical view, advises that _“prayer is the most important deterrent against the forces of evil in the world today”_ ([Sorath | anthropopper](https://anthropopper.com/tag/sorath/#:~:text=closer%20to%20Sorath%2C%20his%20antagonist)), emphasizing that conscience and devotion can ward off Sorat’s influence on one’s soul. In summary, **Sorat in anthroposophy represents the esoteric culmination of evil** – a being who stands in direct opposition to Christ and the divine plan for humanity. Rudolf Steiner situated Sorat within a vast cosmological and evolutionary narrative: from the **dawn of Earth history** (when Sorat’s hardening forces helped precipitate the separation of the Sun and Earth) ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=In%20Hyperborean%20times%20%2C%20the,enabling%20the%20Elohim%20to%20carry)), through pivotal historical epochs (each 666-year interval bringing Sorat’s “beat” upon civilization ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20there%20is%20also%20an,Reference%20is%20made%20to))), and into the **future victory or tragedy** that awaits humanity. Sorat’s **role and relationships** with other beings (like Lucifer and Ahriman) show a kind of **“division of labor” in evil**, with Sorat as the ultimate antagonist that emerges when other temptations fail to derail humanity from its true course. His **esoteric significance** is encoded in Christian scripture and occult symbols (the Beast 666, the Sun-Demon sign), and Steiner’s lectures shed light on those mysteries to prepare humanity. Finally, **Sorat’s influence on human evolution** is both destructive – inciting war, tyranny, and spiritual darkness – and paradoxically catalytic, in that overcoming this influence leads to the **strengthening of human “I” and spiritual resolve**. Anthroposophical scholars continue to study and meditate on Sorat’s meaning, viewing our present cultural challenges through this lens. Steiner’s central message is cautionary but empowering: **by recognizing Sorat and his methods, and by aligning oneself with the forces of love, freedom and spiritual truth (the Christ impulse), humanity can withstand even the greatest evil**. In Steiner’s apocalyptic vision, the Sun Demon is ultimately cast into the abyss ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=Sorath%E2%80%94666%E2%80%94must%20first%20be%20expelled,down%20into%20the%20abyss%2C%20is)) – a fate that depends on human beings **awakening to their spiritual identity** and refusing to give their “I” away to subhuman impulses. Thus, the **“mystery of Sorat”** serves as both a warning of dire possibilities and a profound reminder of the significance of each human soul’s choice in the unfolding cosmic drama ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=opposing%20the%20sun%2C%20by%20Sorath,into%20the%20abyss%2C%20and%20the)) ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=concentrated%20in%20a%20narrow%20space,the%20execution%20of%20the%20antagonistic)). **Sources:** Rudolf Steiner’s lectures _The Apocalypse of St. John_ (GA 104, 1908) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=the%20mystery%20of%20666%20or,there%20appears%20on%20our%20horizon)) ([Lecture 11 - GA 104. The Apocalypse of St. John - Rudolf Steiner Archive](https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA104/English/APC1958/19080629p01.html#:~:text=We%20have%20then%20to%20supply,demon%2C%20there%20was%20this%20sign)), _Apocalypse and the Work of the Priest_ (GA 346, 1924) ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=%E2%80%9EAnd%20before%20the%20end%20of,what%20is%2C%20so%20to%20speak)) ([Sorat people - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat_people#:~:text=concentrated%20in%20a%20narrow%20space,the%20execution%20of%20the%20antagonistic)), and other lectures; anthroposophical resources and commentaries ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,to%20extinguish%20the%20human%20%27I)) ([Sorat - AnthroWiki](https://en.anthro.wiki/Sorat#:~:text=Sorat%20,Sorat%20is)) ([Sorat - Anthroposophy](https://anthroposophy.eu/Sorat#:~:text=,Sorat%20is)), which compile and interpret Steiner’s insights on Sorat and the adversarial beings. #anthroposophy #rudolfsteiner #steiner #technosophy #ahriman #christ #lucifer #sorat