It can be traced back to old Italy and it was used as a hand gesture to put a hex on someone and to ward off the "evil eye". Even before then it was used in many ancient religions signifying different gods or goddesses. The Catholics used it to represent the virgin Mary. The significance behind it is always in reference to a magical power or the pagan gods and goddesses. Here we can see several statues, paintings, pages from old books depicting this hand gesture.
Even further back, the sign can be traced to ancient Babylon and the worship of Baal, the horned bull god of the sun. The horns were symbolic of Baal's power over the hearts of men. It was used in Imperial Rome during Caesar's reign in reference to the sun god. The Knights Templar used the sign to signify their worship to Baphomet, the horned goat god, otherwise known as Lucifer. There are many that think there is no connection to Lucifer in any of these gods. Christians know that satan does not prance around in horns and a tail like many picture him, in truth he was one of God's most beautiful angels. The reasoning behind the horned devil images is because it all began with the false god of Baal in the Old Testament, and since Baal is a horned bull god, it all stems from that. Satan is who convinces people to worship anything other than the true God. Any god that is made, worshipped, prayed to, does not come from God, it comes from Lucifer. The depictions of other religions using the horns in their statues of their gods and goddesses is because they believe in the magical powers the gods can wield with their symbols and gestures. Again we can see the occult and magical uses in these symbols, something we have been over and over before, that it is something that God warns us to stay away from as they are abominations to Him.
"He made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger." - 2 Chronicles 33:6
"You shall have no other gods before me." -Exodus 20:3
"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out before you." -Deuteronomy 18:10-12
It does not matter if, when using this hand gesture, your thumb is extended or not, it is still the same. Take for instance Helen Keller, the woman who invented sign language. She was a very well known occultist and theosophist, an avid follower of Helena Blavatsky, a key leader in Lucifer worship. Keller wrote a book that was published in 1927 called My Religion. in it she goes on talking about God, the Bible and the stories and how she could not understand them, she felt a void when she heard the words of the Bible, and she takes many things out of context. She claims that the gift of seeing and writing and using her hands came upon her as an experience of "another mind" within her own. She had been dealing with the spiritual planes, messing with spirit entities and forming God into what she thought He was. This is very dangerous, and knowing that she was a follower of Helena Blavatsky, one can only assume that her experiences were of a demonic nature. They are the ones who showed her the hand signs to use. And knowing now that the horned hand sign came WAY before she ever dreamed up the I love you sign, you can see how the demons used her to continue the deception.
Here is an excerpt from Blavatsky's own book The Secret Doctrine showing what she taught about God and Lucifer:
* “It is but natural – even from the dead letter standpoint – to view Satan, the Serpent of Genesis, as the real creator and benefactor, the Father of Spiritual mankind. For it is he who was the “Harbinger of Light,” bright radiant Lucifer, who opened the eyes of the automaton created by Jehovah, as alleged; and he who was the first to whisper: “in the day ye eat thereof ye shall be as Elohim, knowing good and evil” – can only be regarded in the light of a Saviour. An “adversary” to Jehovah the “personating spirit,” he still remains in esoteric truth the ever-loving “Messenger” (the angel), the Seraphim and Cherubim who both knew well, and loved still more, and who conferred on us spiritual, instead of physical immortality – the latter a kind of static immortality that would have transformed man into an undying “Wandering Jew”.” (Vol. 2, p. 243)
So as you can see, this esoteric teaching is that Lucifer is the hero of the story because he gave Adam and Eve the knowledge of good and evil and to be like God (original sin). How can a person who follows this sort of teaching, receive gifts from God? Where then does it come from? If she was channeling spirits, it is clear she got her ideas from demons.
Wiccans use this same gesture to symbolize the "horned god" or also for the "moon goddess".
In the picture below you can see a Wicca Warlock using the hand gesture during an invocation of the god and goddess.
of course we can't get by talking about this symbol without referencing Anton LaVey, the founder of the church of satan.
(the new high priest of the church of satan)Here is the video where he tells you in his own words the use of the horned hand.
https://youtu.be/kK6sItVnr7E
The entire interview can be viewed here, I would recommend watching it because I am getting pretty tired of people saying that Satanism and the Church of satan do not believe in an actual devil or that the only god they serve is themselves, here is LaVey's own words, he tells you that they believe in satan and that he is a god.
https://youtu.be/_bsAnXPhCOA
It is not a harmless gesture, as with all these signs and symbols, you must look at the history of it. It is not a new thing created with innocent intentions.
"That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun." -Ecclesiastes 1:9
It is said that the first use of the horned hands in heavy metal music was done through a member of Black Sabbath back in the seventies. No one can really give you a proper confirmation of when it began to be used because we can also see the Beatles use this symbol and they were in no way connected to heavy metal. But we can see the connection of music and demonic symbolism by way of the beast himself, Aleister Crowley. Satan has always had a hand in the music industry, we can see way back in 1936 the blues artist Robert Johnson had his legendary meeting with the devil at the "crossroads" where he obtained his talents. And so Satanism in music is most definitely not a new occurrence.
Of course it isn't limited to musicians.
Even children's cartoons aren't safe, and forget comic books, they are loaded with symbology.
Anyone who has ever worked in the entertainment industry can tell you that nothing is placed in scenes without intention and approval. Think before displaying this hand gesture. It is not innocent no matter how much you will it to be. God brings the deceit to light and it is up to us to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us toward and understand it. If it lines up with scripture, it is truth. If it contradicts anything in the word, stay away from it people of God! I say this with love and compassion, not with anger and judgment. God bless you as you search for God's truth.
"Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?" -Isaiah 29:15
