The mystery behind the azazel has become a longstanding issue in Christendom. Churches and apologists alike are contending in what seems to be a never ending debate on this matter. The issue of the azazel is said to be one of great mysteries; whereby only those who a spiritually matured enough can understand. Indeed the issue of the azazel is more than what meets the eye. That fact is undeniably true, but with the help of Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), I can emphatically state that the azazel typology is not as complicated as it is being portrayed. In fact, the mystery can be solved using one verse!
In a previous publication it was stated that the azazel may have actually been a representation of the devil who will be punished for unleashing sin into the world. This was the belief held by many churches and apologists (myself included) for quite some time. As time progressed, Yahweh fulfilled the promise made in John 16:13 and revealed His truth to us, showing that: (1) the typology is not as complicated as we once thought, and (2) the azazel is a representation of Yahshua the Messiah, and NOT the devil! This may come across as confusing to some, but really it is not!
The azazel was seen as a representation of the devil simply because it (the azazel) represented the finality of sin. The azazel, in the book of Leviticus, was destroyed along with the sins of Israel at the end of the atonement. This nature and character seem to fit perfectly in line with the deceiver as he will be destroyed in the end along with sin and death. It cannot be entirely correct however, to wrap this single statement into an entire scripture and build a doctrine out of it. Final destruction is not at all unique to the devil. The beast and the false prophets will be destroyed in the end as well (Rev.20:10). Human beings who reject the truth will also be destroyed (Re.20:15), even the heavens and this earth will be in the final destruction (Rev.21:1). In light of these facts one cannot say the devil is the fulfillment of the azazel simply because he was destroyed in the end. If one were to accept such a belief, then such a person would also have to accept that the beast, false prophets, sinners and the mass of creation are also fulfillments of the azazel. Each of these were destroyed in the end along with the devil. The mystery of the azazel can be solved using this one verse: Leviticus 16:5 - this shows that BOTH goats were selected for a sin offering, hence BOTH goats were the atoning sacrifice. Yahshua was our ONLY atoning sacrifice, hence both goats had to represent Yahshua. The azazel therefore, is in fact Yahshua our Messiah!
One of the hardest things to grasp in understanding this typology is that both goats were a representation of the same person. The rejection of this belief is aided by the fact that the goats had contrasting characteristics - namely: one lived and one died, and one was seen as "for Yahweh" whilst the other was apparently something else. Let us observe these contrasts and see if they really imply a difference in persona. In Leviticus 16:15 it is seen where Aaron sacrificed the first goat. Then in Leviticus 16:21 it is seen where he laid hands on the head of the second goat and confessed the sins of Israel. Admittedly there is an obvious difference in how the goats were utilized - one lived and the other was sacrificed. Observe however, the functions of the goats: One paid the penalty of the sins, whereas the other took the sins away. The functions do not conflict with each other, but rather, the functions compliment each other. The anti-type therefore (the fulfillment) cannot be conflicting, but MUST be complimenting. The devil in no way, shape or form compliments the Messiah, hence the devil can never be the fulfillment of the azazel. The devil is in direct conflict with the Messiah at all times. In fact, this was the first prophesy ever recorded in the Scripture (Gen.3:15). The conflict between the devil and the Messiah has always been inevitable! All the functions of the devil operates contrary to the Messiah. Satan seeks to unto or thwart what Yahshua has done or ought to do. It is for this very reason he could never be the azazel. The function of the azazel compliments the Messiah, this is the exact opposite of everything the devil has ever done. To say that the devil is the fulfillment of the azazel, is no different from saying that the devil has joined forces with the Messiah, as the function if the azazel is the completion of the work of the Messiah. As far as scriptures show, the Messiah acted alone - hence he alone fulfills the functions of the goats.
Leviticus 16:8 seem to draw a contrast between the goats when it stated that one goat was "for Yahweh" whereas the other was for the azazel. Despite popular beliefs, this verse does not convey a difference in nature, but rather, simply a difference in function. One goat was to be sacrificed unto Yahweh, whereas the other was to be led out into the wilderness. Leviticus 16:10 shows that the azazel was also presented before Yahweh, hence both goats were really for His purpose. The fact that Yahweh was the one who made the initial decision in Leviticus 16:8, shows undoubtably that both goats were for His divine purpose.
Should one place the scriptures under scrutiny, it would be realized that there is no real difference between the functions of the goats. The act of paying the penalty for sins and the act of removing sins, is one of the same. In other words, it is really just one action! The only reason two goats were used, was simply because one goat could not have demonstrated both functions. A similar act to this is the cleansing of leprosy. The leper is required to take two living birds to the priest (Lev.14:4). Of those two birds, one is to be killed (Lev.14:5), whereas the other is to be kept alive and dipped in the blood of the sacrificed bird (Lev.14:6); then set free out into the fields (Lev.14:7). As it is that two birds were required to fulfill this single act of cleansing leprosy, so is it that two goats were required to fulfill the single act of atonement. Yahshua fulfilled our atonement (1 John 2:2) - he and he alone - hence both goats were representations of Yahshua the Messiah - no one else!
The idea of the azazel representing Yahshua and not the devil is really not as complicated it some may cause it to appear. Yahshua IS our atonement - that is an established fact. Being our atonement, everything that happens on the day of atonement should point back to Yahshua. The bull that was sacrificed was a type to Yahshua (Rom.3:25). Aaron as High Priest was a type to Yahshua (Heb.4:14). The blood that was sprinkled was a type to Yahshua (Eph.2:13). The goat that was sacrificed was a type to Yahshua (1 John 2:2). It would only make perfect sense if the azazel goat was also a type to Yahshua (John 1:29). Evidently the devil has no part to play in any of this!
It can be arguably stated that Yahshua did not literally bear the actual sins of the world, but rather, he bore the penalty of sins. Such a statement can be supported by the fact that sin still exist in the world today, contrary to what [symbolically] happened in Israel on Yom Kippur. Isaiah 53:4-5 supports this claim. Yahshua did in fact bear the penalty of our sins, but that does not annul the fact that he also bore our actual sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 shows undoubtably that Yahshua did not only bear the penalty for our sins, but bore the actual sins as well. The difference between Israel then and the world now, is that Israel accepted the atoning sacrifice! The world today has not done that, hence sin is still in the world. For those who have accepted the atoning work of Yahshua, their sins have already been taken away - not by the devil, but by Yahshua the Messiah, hence Yahshua is in fact the fulfillment of the azazel. The remaining sin in the world is not in wait to be pronounced on the devil, but rather it is in wait for the guilty (man) to accept what Yahshua has already done and be deemed guiltless by having their sins taken away by the Messiah (1Jn.1:9).
Yahweh has never been in the business of casting blame or repaying evil for evil. On that note it would be anti-biblical to say that Yahweh will place the sins of the world on the devil. The devil has his own sins to account for. As seen in Genesis 3:14 the devil will in fact be punished for unleashing sin into the world. That was his sin, and he will have to face his penalty. Note that the devil's punishment did not nullify the woman's punishment in Genesis 3:16. This shows that the devil will NOT be punished for our sins. The devil therefore is guilty for offering sin, but man is also guilty for accepting it. Both parties are guilty, so what justice would there be in removing sin from one guilty party and placing it on the next? Both man and the devil had sins to account for, so none could have helped the other. For this reason a third party came into play. This "third party" is Yahshua the Messiah. He had no sins to account for, and decided to account for man's sin. He took our sins and carried them to the grave. When Yahshua was resurrected from the dead, sin was not resurrected with him, as he was a "new creation". We symbolically demonstrate this in baptism as we die as sinners with him in a "watery grave", and then raise with him as new creatures, pure and sinless before Yahweh (2Cor.5:17, Rom.6:4). The Messiah therefore, in every sense, fulfills the function of the azazel. He is the true anti-type, and Yahweh would have it no other way.
Matching the Typology
One of the hardest things to grasp in understanding this typology is that both goats were a representation of the same person. The rejection of this belief is aided by the fact that the goats had contrasting characteristics - namely: one lived and one died, and one was seen as "for Yahweh" whilst the other was apparently something else. Let us observe these contrasts and see if they really imply a difference in persona. In Leviticus 16:15 it is seen where Aaron sacrificed the first goat. Then in Leviticus 16:21 it is seen where he laid hands on the head of the second goat and confessed the sins of Israel. Admittedly there is an obvious difference in how the goats were utilized - one lived and the other was sacrificed. Observe however, the functions of the goats: One paid the penalty of the sins, whereas the other took the sins away. The functions do not conflict with each other, but rather, the functions compliment each other. The anti-type therefore (the fulfillment) cannot be conflicting, but MUST be complimenting. The devil in no way, shape or form compliments the Messiah, hence the devil can never be the fulfillment of the azazel. The devil is in direct conflict with the Messiah at all times. In fact, this was the first prophesy ever recorded in the Scripture (Gen.3:15). The conflict between the devil and the Messiah has always been inevitable! All the functions of the devil operates contrary to the Messiah. Satan seeks to unto or thwart what Yahshua has done or ought to do. It is for this very reason he could never be the azazel. The function of the azazel compliments the Messiah, this is the exact opposite of everything the devil has ever done. To say that the devil is the fulfillment of the azazel, is no different from saying that the devil has joined forces with the Messiah, as the function if the azazel is the completion of the work of the Messiah. As far as scriptures show, the Messiah acted alone - hence he alone fulfills the functions of the goats.Leviticus 16:8 seem to draw a contrast between the goats when it stated that one goat was "for Yahweh" whereas the other was for the azazel. Despite popular beliefs, this verse does not convey a difference in nature, but rather, simply a difference in function. One goat was to be sacrificed unto Yahweh, whereas the other was to be led out into the wilderness. Leviticus 16:10 shows that the azazel was also presented before Yahweh, hence both goats were really for His purpose. The fact that Yahweh was the one who made the initial decision in Leviticus 16:8, shows undoubtably that both goats were for His divine purpose.
Should one place the scriptures under scrutiny, it would be realized that there is no real difference between the functions of the goats. The act of paying the penalty for sins and the act of removing sins, is one of the same. In other words, it is really just one action! The only reason two goats were used, was simply because one goat could not have demonstrated both functions. A similar act to this is the cleansing of leprosy. The leper is required to take two living birds to the priest (Lev.14:4). Of those two birds, one is to be killed (Lev.14:5), whereas the other is to be kept alive and dipped in the blood of the sacrificed bird (Lev.14:6); then set free out into the fields (Lev.14:7). As it is that two birds were required to fulfill this single act of cleansing leprosy, so is it that two goats were required to fulfill the single act of atonement. Yahshua fulfilled our atonement (1 John 2:2) - he and he alone - hence both goats were representations of Yahshua the Messiah - no one else!
The idea of the azazel representing Yahshua and not the devil is really not as complicated it some may cause it to appear. Yahshua IS our atonement - that is an established fact. Being our atonement, everything that happens on the day of atonement should point back to Yahshua. The bull that was sacrificed was a type to Yahshua (Rom.3:25). Aaron as High Priest was a type to Yahshua (Heb.4:14). The blood that was sprinkled was a type to Yahshua (Eph.2:13). The goat that was sacrificed was a type to Yahshua (1 John 2:2). It would only make perfect sense if the azazel goat was also a type to Yahshua (John 1:29). Evidently the devil has no part to play in any of this!
The Sins of the World
It can be arguably stated that Yahshua did not literally bear the actual sins of the world, but rather, he bore the penalty of sins. Such a statement can be supported by the fact that sin still exist in the world today, contrary to what [symbolically] happened in Israel on Yom Kippur. Isaiah 53:4-5 supports this claim. Yahshua did in fact bear the penalty of our sins, but that does not annul the fact that he also bore our actual sins. 2 Corinthians 5:21 shows undoubtably that Yahshua did not only bear the penalty for our sins, but bore the actual sins as well. The difference between Israel then and the world now, is that Israel accepted the atoning sacrifice! The world today has not done that, hence sin is still in the world. For those who have accepted the atoning work of Yahshua, their sins have already been taken away - not by the devil, but by Yahshua the Messiah, hence Yahshua is in fact the fulfillment of the azazel. The remaining sin in the world is not in wait to be pronounced on the devil, but rather it is in wait for the guilty (man) to accept what Yahshua has already done and be deemed guiltless by having their sins taken away by the Messiah (1Jn.1:9).
Yahweh has never been in the business of casting blame or repaying evil for evil. On that note it would be anti-biblical to say that Yahweh will place the sins of the world on the devil. The devil has his own sins to account for. As seen in Genesis 3:14 the devil will in fact be punished for unleashing sin into the world. That was his sin, and he will have to face his penalty. Note that the devil's punishment did not nullify the woman's punishment in Genesis 3:16. This shows that the devil will NOT be punished for our sins. The devil therefore is guilty for offering sin, but man is also guilty for accepting it. Both parties are guilty, so what justice would there be in removing sin from one guilty party and placing it on the next? Both man and the devil had sins to account for, so none could have helped the other. For this reason a third party came into play. This "third party" is Yahshua the Messiah. He had no sins to account for, and decided to account for man's sin. He took our sins and carried them to the grave. When Yahshua was resurrected from the dead, sin was not resurrected with him, as he was a "new creation". We symbolically demonstrate this in baptism as we die as sinners with him in a "watery grave", and then raise with him as new creatures, pure and sinless before Yahweh (2Cor.5:17, Rom.6:4). The Messiah therefore, in every sense, fulfills the function of the azazel. He is the true anti-type, and Yahweh would have it no other way.
The Voice of Yahweh has spoken ... He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches!
Very interesting and thought-provoking article. Neesd some more time for analysis and commentary. Will post one soon, my brother.
ReplyDelete