Who is Belial?
Belial (or Beliar) is best known today as a demon, though sometimes the term appears as a synonym for the devil himself.
Though, Belial’s origin is not necessarily demonic. The term originated from Hebrew and is of unclear origins. It is typically taken to mean “worthlessness” or “wickedness,” and it wasn’t the name of a demon or for the devil. Only much later was the term personified and associated with Jewish and Christian apocalyptic traditions, most commonly as a demon or the devil himself.
Belial is noted in the Sibylline Oracles, a collection of pseudonymous prophetic poems attributed to Sibyls. In III.63-74, Belial makes an appearance, as a false-messiah figure who leads many astray before ultimately being destroyed by righteous judgment.
Belial would appear much later in various literary traditions. One notable appearance is in John Milton’s Paradise Lost, where he is portrayed as a deceptive fallen angel associated with corruption of priests and institutions.