Who or what is represented by Azazel? (The MJ perspective)

[Andyman_1970]

Hey guys and gals,

I saw a thread on the theology board regarding (of which from what I have read, I think I disagree with) Azazel (the Scapegoat) and what or who it represented.

I would be very interested in the MJ perspective on this.

I for one after doing some studying and listening to a few MJ'ish teachings think Azazel represents the Messiah........but I could be WAY off base on this.

Anyway, I was just curious and I look forward to your replies.

May you be covered in the dust of your rabbi................ :wave:

[visionary]

While I know everyone here is familiar with the Day of Atonement, that portion which is where the two goats are brought before the temple and one is declared Azazel needs to be studied and I am glad that Andyman_1970 brought it up for discussion.
First the high priest symbolically placed the sins of the nation on the head of the live goat. He did this by laying both of his hands on the goat’s head while confessing the sins of the people that had been in symbolically placed there by the blood of the lambs sacrificed over the year. Then, with the sins taken out of the temple they were placed on the head of the scapegoat, the high priest sent the Azazel (scapegoat) off into the wilderness. It was a dramatic picture of God’s willingness to separate His people from their sins forever. The great Jewish scholar Rashi asserted it to be the name of a mountain with a precipice, implying that the scapegoat (see below, Leviticus 16:8) was driven over a cliff in sacrifice.
According to the Book of Enoch and the Kabbalistic text The Zohar, Azazel was one of the leaders of the fallen angels who came to earth to mate with mortal women. He supposedly taught men the art of making weapons and introduced women to cosmetics, thus encouraging vanity. For revealing these secrets to humankind, God sent angels to bind and imprison Azazel in the desert — in a place called Dudael — where he is to remain until the Final Judgment.

"And Azazel taught men to make swords, and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the metals (of the earth) and the art of working them, and bracelets, and ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all colouring tinctures" (Book of Enoch 8:1).

Azazel is the chief of the Se'irim, or goat-demons, who haunted the desert and to whom most primitive Semitic (most likely non-Hebrew) tribes offered sacrifices. The Old Testament states that Jeroboam appointed priests for the Se'irim. But Josiah destroyed the places of their worship, as the practices accompanying this worship involved copulation of women with goats.

The Se'irim, or hairy demons as the word itself means, are mentioned in Leviticus 17:7 and 2 Chronicles 11:15 as "goat-demons". Isaiah 34:14 says that the "goat-demons" greet each other amoung the ruins of Edom along with Lilith and other wild beasts.

The name 'Azazel' may be derived from 'azaz' and 'el' meaning 'strong one of God.' It is thought that Azazel may have been derived from the Canaanite god, 'Asiz, who caused the sun to burn strongly. It has also been theorized that he has been influenced by the Egyptian god, Seth.

The name of Azazel (as supernatural power) means "goat-god".

The blood of the sacrificed goat was taken by the high priest Aaron and sprinkled on the atonement cover, or mercy seat, of The Ark Of The Covenant inside The Most Holy Place of The Tabernacle In The Wilderness once per year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:15-17). This depicts the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our "High Priest" (Hebrews 8:1) entering The Throne Room of God to make atonement for humanity once for all time (Hebrews 9:23-28).

This goat represents the condemnation of Satan (Old Serpent) for the Satan-inspired sins of all humanity, and his being put away in a spiritual wilderness (Revelation 20:3,10). The sending of the azazel goat out into the wilderness as done by the Old Testament high priest after he returned from inside The Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle is a ceremonial "preview" of Jesus Christ sending Satan into the abyss which will be done after His Return from the Throne Room of God The Father.



Also Azazil. A demon of the second order, guardian of the goat, described by Milton as the standard bearer of rebellious angels by this name (Paradise Lost, 1, 534).

[visionary]

ENOCH 10:1 Then said the Most High, the Holy and Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, 2 and said to him: 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name "Hide thyself!" and reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come 3 upon the whole earth, and will destroy all that is on it. And now instruct him that he may escape 4 and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the world.' And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening 5 in the desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide there for ever, and cover his face that he may 6,7 not see light. And on the day of the great judgement he shall be cast into the fire. . . .

[visionary]

ENOCH 54:3 And there mine eyes saw how they made these their instruments, iron chains of immeasurable weight. 4 And I asked the angel of peace who went with me, saying: "For whom are these chains being prepared? And he said unto me: "These are being prepared for the hosts of Azazel, so that they may take them and cast them into the abyss of complete condemnation, and they shall cover their jaws with rough stones as the Lord of Spirits commanded.

[visionary]

Demons do not like to cast into the abyss

LUKE 8:26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!" 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness. 30 Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.

[Andyman_1970]

Uuuuuuhhhhhhhhh, I thought that the Hebrew word "azazel" meant "goat of departure" and was not a proper name as used in Scripture.

[visionary]

There is a place where evil angels are kept. I think that the great day that Jude is speaking of is the Day of Atonement, when the son of perdition will be let out for a little while.

JUDE 6 And the angels who did not keep their own position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great Day. 7 Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which, in the same manner as they [the angels], indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. (NRSV)

II PETER 2:4 . . . God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; (NKJV)

The falling away, the one who lets will let, until He is taken away, the abomination of desolation, are all speaking of the Day of Atonement event when the two goats are brought before the temple.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

REVELATION 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. 2 And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man. 6 And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men's faces. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war. 10 And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months. (ASV)

REVELATION 9:11 They had for their king the angel of the abyss, whose name, in Hebrew, is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon, or the Destroyer. (NEB)

If you will recall, the primary sin for which Azazel was imprisoned was for teaching men how to create weapons and destroy one another through warfare. Undoubtedly, Azazel and Abaddon/Apollyon are the same being.

REVELATION 11:7 When they [the two witnesses] have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. (NASB)

REVELATION 17:8 "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. . . ." (NASB)

The scape goat is captured and by the strength of a strong man taken out to the wilderness.

REVELATION 19:19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who sits upon the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. (RSV)

ENOCH 10:7 . . . On the day of the great judgement he [Azazel] shall be cast into the fire

[Andyman_1970]

Visionary, I'm certainly not here to start a debate with you (maybe I'll also post these questions on the Theology thread).

First, you quote "Enoch 10:7" is this part of the Tanakh? I'm not familiar with that book.

I just did a search on the book of Enoch, which is considered extrant by the Jews

Second, isn't the Heabrew meaning of "azazel" the goat of departure? I know you are quoting where Azazel is a proper name of a demon, but this does not appear to be the case in Leviticus.

I would be interested in hearing some other points of view from my MJ brothers and sisters.

[visionary]

All my posts were never in the form of debate, but a gathering of info regarding what is understood and known about Azazel as you requested.

The Book of Enoch was a book that Jude mentions, though todays version of Holy Scriptures does not include it.

I am sorry you do not consider me on of the MJ's.

[visionary]

All my posts were never in the form of debate, but a gathering of info regarding what is understood and known about Azazel as you requested.

The Book of Enoch was a book that Jude mentions, though todays version of Holy Scriptures does not include it.

I am sorry you do not consider me one of the MJ's.

I would be interested in hearing some other points of view from my MJ brothers and sisters.

[Andyman_1970]

I am sorry you do not consider me one of the MJ's.

I apologize if you took that post to mean I didn't consider you an MJ sister. Notice I used the word "other" when referring to points of view on this subject.

Again, forgive me if it sounded like I was excluding you as an MJ, that was not my intent at all.

[visionary]

Since I am posting over in the theology general where this subject of Azazel is being discussed, I thought you might be thinking that I just followed you over here.

[By Grace]

Is this the info you were looking for?


The Two Goats

After purifying the holy place and the altar of burnt offering with the mingled blood of the bullock, the High Priest went to the eastern side of the court in front of the Temple. Facing him were two identical goats. Nearby was a lottery box especially designed for this ceremony. In the box were two tablets (lots). One bore the name “For God,” the other “For azazel” (the scapegoat). The high priest shook the box and withdrew the tablets, putting one tablet in front of each goat. The goat labeled “for God” was sacrificed. The priest laid his hands upon the goat’s head labeled “for azazel” and confessed over it the sins of Israel. The scapegoat symbolically bore the sins of the nation of Israel away from the people. This goat, commonly called the scapegoat (i.e. escape goat), was then driven into the desert.
In the same way Jesus was brought before Pilate and stood before the people just as He was about to be led forth, bearing the iniquities of the people. These two goats were required for one sacrifice (Lev 16:17, 21-22). Both sacrifices were fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua. How can resurrection be portrayed in a sacrifice? By using two animals, one killed, the other set free, representing Jesus’ death and resurrection.
And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness (Lev. 16:7-10).
And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness (Lev. 16:18, 22).
Tradition states that a cord of red wool was tied on the horn of the scapegoat, before it was let go in the wilderness. When the red wool turned white, it was a sign that God forgave the people’s sin. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isa. 1:18).

The Priests used to bind a shining crimson strip of cloth on the outside door of the Temple. If the strip of cloth turned into the white color, they would rejoice; if it did not turn white they were full of sorrow and shame (Tractate Yoma 67a).
Jewish literature explains the Shekhina glory of God left the Temple forty years prior to its destruction. Three signs occurred to show evidence of this: 1.) The western candle of the menorah refused to burn continually. 2.) The doors of the Temple would open of themselves. 3.) The red wool no longer turned white supernaturally. This is especially significant because it indicated that God was no longer forgiving the sins of His people. The people were sorrowful because they began to realize more and more that the sacrifice of Yom Kippur did not have the power to cleanse their sinful hearts. That very year Jesus started His ministry, the very year that the blood of bulls and goats was no longer accepted as a sacrifice for the atonement of sin!

[Andyman_1970]

Good stuff.............. :thumbsup:

Yeah that's what I was looking for the traditional Jewish understanding of what the azazel represented.

[visionary]

How can resurrection be portrayed in a sacrifice? By using two animals, one killed, the other set free, representing Jesus’ death and resurrection.
How traditional is this?