Jesus said in Jn 8:36" If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free
indeed."

The problem and Our challenge:

*Rom 3:25 "God presented him [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement" & Lev 16:10,22 .
. . the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before
the LORD, to make atonement. . . . . The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to
an uninhabited land

Our fellow Christians question how Azazel/scapegoat could be Satan. They say,
You are making Satan your savior. And we say, Heaven forbid!

Our goal: To show how Satan fits the description of Azazel and how this fits into
the everlasting Gospel. And, we will answer the question, How can we say that the
vile enemy of souls makes atonement!?

Let's look at, Lev 16:7-22
Lev 16:7 "He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door
of the tabernacle of meeting.
8 "Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other
lot for the scapegoat.
9 "And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer it as a sin
offering.
10 "But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive
before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into
the wilderness.
. . . . 20 "And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle
of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat.
21 "Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the
iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their
sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the
wilderness by the hand of a suitable man.
22 "The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he
shall release the goat in the wilderness.

Here are seven noteworthy matters in our quest to understand the meaning of the
symbolism of the goat for Azazel.

1. The meaning of Azazel/scapegoat: Most take it to be goat of departure; the
scapegoat. But others suggest something different. They say it means the goat god.
Here is how they come to this translation: *"Azaz" is goat (see Strong's number
5810) and "el" is god (see Strong's number 410). It is not a new idea that the angel
Lucifer would be referred to as a "god." For example the NT refers to Satan as the
god of this world (2 Cor 4:4). And, in Ps 8:5 we find some translations render the
word "elohim," "angels."

2. The sanctuary is not only an enactment of how Christ will save His children but it
also tells us what happens to the wicked: In Ps 73 the psalmist poses a common
delema in the minds of the righteous. Namely, Lord why are the wicked and the
violent so prosperous and the innocent and the righteous oppressed?

*Ps 73:12 This is what the wicked are like-- always carefree, they increase in wealth. .
. .14 . . . [but] I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. . . .16 When
I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of
God; then I understood their final destiny. (NIV)

*Rev 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to
proclaim . . . 7 He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the
hour of his judgment has come. . ." (NIV)

As we consider Azazel/scapegoat we need to realize that the gospel, and this
includes the gospel taught in the sanctuary, includes the truth of the judgment–even
a judgment day for the devil.

3. The fact that the focus of the Azazel/scapegoat ritual is on cleansing the
sanctuary of the sins of Gods people indicates that this is not a symbol of Christ's
death on the cross, because Jesus' death on the cross was for the sins of all
humanity. Jn 3:16

4. Some have said that because the Azazel goat makes atonement this can only be a
representation of Jesus taking our sins away. Here is the reason we can say with
certainty that the atonement accomplished by the Azazel/scapegoat ritual does not
mean Azazel/scapegoat could only be a representation of Christ: The Bible is clear
that the death of the evil ones also makes atonement. Yes, vengeance is part of the
atonement. (Deut 32:35a,39-40,41b,43 NIV)

*Deut 32:35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay. . . . 39 "See now that I myself am He!
There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I
will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. 40 I lift my hand to heaven and
declare: As surely as I live forever, 41 . . . I will take vengeance on my adversaries
and repay those who hate me. . . .

*Deut 32:43 Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his
servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land
and people. (NIV)

The day that God takes vengeance upon Satan it will be an atonement for Himself
and for us. Before heaven and earth can be forevermore "at one" Satan and all other
influences that keep sin alive must be eliminated

An example of this type of atonement is found in Num 25. In Num 25:10-18 we have
the conclusion of the account of the attempt of the Midianite's to beguile the
Israelites into immorality. The plan was to cause them to lose God's protection and
blessing by causing them to fall into sexual promiscuity and idolatry. Many of the
people fell as a result of this temptation. As a result, Moses orders the execution of
the rebellious. However, before the sentence is carried out, an Isralite man named
Zimri openly defies Moses by taking a Midianite woman into his tent and, once there,
begins to have sexual relations with her. Filled with zeal for God one of the priestly
family, Phinehas, enters Zimri's tent and with one blow kills both Zimri and the
woman. Suddenly, God's wrath is turned away from Israel. Phinehas' actions are
said to have accomplished this change (verse 11). In verse 18 the Lord includes
Zimri as one who sought to beguile Israel into sin. He and the woman defiantly
sought to rekindle the plan to tempt Israel to reject God's law. In verse 13 we learn
that in killing those two tempters Phinehas "made an atonement for the children of
Israel."

Our enemies are often our tempters. They not only want to ruin our temporal peace
but also our eternal salvation. Jesus indicated that God holds accountable those
who tempt others to sin and hints that such persons are to be judged harshly; for,
He said, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it
would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were
drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matt 18:6, NKJ)

In the story of Phinehas and Zimri we see that the destruction of our tempter is
another aspect of our atonement. Therefore it is biblically sound to suggest that the
destruction of Satan is part of Christ's plan to make atonement for His children.

*Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without
shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of
things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Here in the Day of Atonement ritual there is one of the things not purified, or
cleansed with Christ's blood. God's place or God's method of saving us is to be
purged somehow in God's dealing with Satan.

So, this is why we can say that we do not make Satan our savior and say that the
scapegoat is a symbol of Satan: Atonement is not only what Christ does to save us,
it is also what God does to avenge and rid Himself, and us, of Satan's evil influence.
The scapegoat is sent out from the presence of God and His people into the
wilderness. This is a prophetic enactment a staged symbolic drama of what we read
in Rev 20. Satan is separated from the saints and eventually from God in Rev 20.

This is also indicated in the next point we raise in offering a Biblical interpretation
which identifies Satan with Azazel/scapegoat. The casting of lots imagery gives us
the same message.

5. The casting of lots and its meaning may be applied to Satan: Consider now
please what the Bible says about casting lots. Its use in Bible times gives us insight.

*Prov 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision [Hebrew: judgment] is
from the LORD. (NAS)
*Isa 17:14 . . . the portion . . .and the lot of them (meaning the future of the enemies of
God's people)
*Obad 1:11 cast lots for Jerusalem[‘s future]
*Josh 14:1-2 Israel inherited in the land of Canaan. . . . Their [the future] inheritance
[of the people of God] was by lot
*Isa 34:17 And he hath cast the lot for them. . . possess it for ever, from generation to
generation shall they dwell therein.
*Prov 18:18 The lot puts an end to contentions, and decides between the mighty.
(NAS)

Think of Jonah rebelling and running away from God. Remember how the sailors
said,
*Jonah 1:7 let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us.

Here is what this adds to an interpretation of the Azazel/scapegoat ceremony:
*The casting of Lots for Azazel/scapegoat is prophetic — For its every decision
[Hebrew: judgment] is from the LORD (Prov 16:33) concerning the future of the
enemies of God's people (Isa 17:14), for Jerusalem[‘s future](Obad 1:11), and for [the
future] inheritance [of the people of God] (Josh 14:1-2) to see who will possess it for
ever (Isa 34:17). But also means God puts an end to contentions (Prov 18:18)
between Himself and Satan in a manner that we may know for whose cause this evil
is upon us (Jonah 1:7).

Who has caused this evil that is upon us? The Azazel/scapegoat ritual points out
that the instigator bears blame of the sins of others he has inspired and is thus also
guilty of their sins.

That is why we read:
*Lev 16:22 "The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land . . .
Illus. Debra Rose is accused of kidnaping her son. If it is true, then even though she
did not herself beat up her ex-husband and kidnap her son, she is guilty of all that
the others did. She was guilty from the time she began to discuss the plot with those
who carried it out. She instigated it all and is clearly guilty of all she incited them to
do for her. So also Satan who instigated sin in us. He is guilty of all our sins with us.
Guilty of the sins of the saved. He sought to cause our ruin, but

*Ps 7:14 Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; yes, he conceives trouble and
brings forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit and dug it out, and has fallen into the ditch
which he made. 16 His trouble shall return upon his own head, and his violent
dealing shall come down on his own crown. (NKJ, Cf. Prov 26:27)

As we see how the lot was used, and the inspired wisdom concerning its use, we
get a picture of how the casting of lots for the goat for Azazel/scapegoat symbolizes
God dealing with Satan: According to Scripture, God controls the decision arrived
at; hence, He is sovereign in the process. We might say that in this way He is the
judge who determines the outcome of the contest–just as Christ is the ultimate
judge and is in charge of the outcome of the judgment of all creation. In the end the
New Jerusalem will be at the center of the battle for control of the earth and the
place of final judgment. The lot is symbolic of the time when the final decision over
who will inherit the Holy City and the whole earth and possess it forever. The lot is
used to put an end to contentions. In this way the casting of the lot is prophetic of
the day that the conflict between Christ and Satan is brought to and end. In harmony
with this is the way the lot symbolizes the judgment of God revealing the one who is
the cause of evil. There comes a day when Satan is unmasked as one who has run
away from God and worthy of being "cast over the side." His ejection calms the
storms of conflict completely.

*ATONEMENT AT-ONE-MENT AT ONE WITH GOD EVER AFTER THEN AND ONLY
THEN WE ARE FREE INDEED.

John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (KJV)

Illus The old miner raised a slave girl above the level of being considered no more
than an animal, but she did not have the same potential for success in society as a
contemporary white woman? It would be anther 100 years that our society faced the
fact that African Americans had a right to the same place on the bus, the same
voting rights. Oppression exists all over this earth today. In many lands Christians
are not free of civil oppression. But even if every land were as free as we are in the
USA, real freedom will not come until we are completely free of Satan's influences.
We are not free of him until he is unable to afflict us, tempt us, distract us, etc. The
Azazel/scapegoat ritual on the Day of Atonement is an enactment that prophecies
that some day we will be 100% free at last from our enemy! Thank God Almighty we
will be free at last.

6. Another indication, which is related to the previous point, that affirms that Azazel
represents Satan not Christ is found in the book of Revelation.

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and
Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his
angels were cast out with him.

Remember Azazel being sent out of the sanctuary and the camp as we explore one
more reason that Satan fits live-goat enactments of the day of atonement. First the
goat for Azazel was taken out of the sanctuary (a symbol of heaven). Next he was
led through and then out of the camp to be forever cut of from it. This was the fate of
apostates and lawless persons (Lev 10:1-5; Lev 23:30; Lev 18:29) the leper and the
unclean (Lev 13:46; Lev 7:20-21) the one who desecrates what is holy (Lev 19:8),
and "...anyone who sins defiantly" (Num 15:30, NIV). Each of these is a fitting
representation of the enemy of souls in his relationship with God and humankind.

Now when the goat for Azazel was led out into the desert, do you think he stayed
willingly? Mainly the food but also the company of the other goats and the treat of
being killed by other beasts urged him to return. So, I cannot believe that the live
goat for Azazel was just taken out and left there I imagine a few stones were needed
to get it to get the idea it was no longer welcome. That goat was forced to leave and
stay away. This fits the prophecy about Lucifer given in the book of Revelation. In
fact, the ritual is carried out in the same order as the prophecies in Revelation. First
Satan is sent out of heaven (symbolized by the earthly sanctuary) and made to stay
out (Rev 12:9). Then, in fulfillment of the goat being led through and out of the camp,
in Revelation 20 he is separated from the people (Rev 20:2,3) and in completion of
the day of atonement's prophetic enactment it is outside the camp, on the final day
of judgment, that he meets his eternal sentence of unending separation from God
and His redeemed (Rev.20).

In six ways we have seen that identifying the goat for Azazel as a representative of
Satan is perfectly biblical. Other proofs which lead to this conclusion are given in
the writings of others.

7. So, as a seventh support for out contention that Azazel we would refer you to
them. Adventists are hardly alone in their interpretation of the Azazel symbol. Others
have conculded that identification of Azazel with Satan is a reasonable explanation
based on contextual considerations. Sources which list non-SDA authorities that
acknowledge the reasonableness of assigning to Azazel the meaning of a personal
evil being such as Satan are: Questions On Doctrine, Review and Herald Publishing
Association. c. 1957, pp. 391-395, and Francis D. Nichol, Answers to Objections,
Review and Herald Publishing Association, c. 1952, pp. 720 - 727. For an excellent
recent study of the history of this matter see also, Williams Shea, Azazel in the
Pseudepigrapha, Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, vol. 13, number 1
(Spring 2002), pp. 1-9, for an explanation of four centuries of Jewish statements,
spanning the second century B.C. through the first century A.D., concerning Azazel