Portland, Oregon Church  -  Affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association

SUBJECT:   Day of Atonement

 

QUESTION:  Who or what is the scapegoat?

 

ANSWER:

 

First, from our doctrinal statement on the Holy Days--The Day of Atonement"

 

Day of Atonement:  The 10th day of the 7th month had quite an elaborate ritual in Old Testament times and continued up until the destruction of the Temple.  It was a commanded fast day in which nothing was eaten or drunk for 24 hours, from the evening of the 9th to the evening of the 10th.  On the day itself, the ritual of the two goats was enacted as described in detail in Leviticus 16.  Two goats were selected.  By drawing lots, one was chosen to represent God and the other to represent "Azazel." In later literature "Azazel" was considered a name for the chief of the demons, i.e. another name for Satan (I Enoch 9:6. 10:4).  The high priest first sacrificed a bull for himself and entered into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat.  Then, he slaughtered the goat "for the Lord" and sprinkled its blood on the mercy seat, as he had done the blood of the bull.  In this way the high priest was the only person to ever go into the Holy of Holies, and then only on the Day of Atonement.  At all other times, and to all other people, it was off limits.  The goat for Azazel then had the sins of the people confessed over it by the high priest.  After that it was taken away live into the wilderness and turned loose, symbolically removing all the transgressions of the people away from the camp.  Thus, the Day of Atonement symbolized the reconciling of the Israelites to God.

 

Note:  This clearly indicates our belief that the goat set loose was the scapegoat.....and represents Satan.

 

The following is taken from the old correspondence course written by the Worldwide Church of God when they were still preaching and teaching the truth:

 

Goat Chosen for the LORD

 

On the Day of Atonement, the high priest took two young goats from the congregation of Israel (Leviticus 16:5, 7). The two goats, in physical appearance, were similar. But they were to portray two vastly different symbolic roles.
 

Leviticus 16:5, 7
5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

 

1. How was it determined which goat would represent which role? Leviticus 16:8. What happened to the goat on which the LORD'S lot fell? Verse 9.
 

Leviticus 16:8-9
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.

 

COMMENT: The LORD who dealt with ancient Israel, as we learned in previous lessons, is the member of the God Family who became Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). Therefore this goat, which was sacrificed for a sin offering and whose blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat for an atonement for all Israel, represented Jesus Christ.

 

Although the two goats appeared to be alike, one was to typify Christ. Men were utterly unqualified to determine which goat was suitable. Therefore it was necessary for God to decide.

 

A lot is a solemn appeal to God to supernaturally decide a matter (Proverbs 16:33). It is a sacred religious ceremony. Modern lotteries profane this ancient holy ceremony appealing to God.

 

Men, without God's supernatural intervention, are unable to determine who represents Christ. Most people who think they worship Christ are actually following ministers who are deceived by the devil (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Satan has so deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9) that mankind as a whole does not know who is God and who is the adversary.

 

2. Did the high priest sacrifice the goat representing Christ--the goat chosen by lot "for the LORD"--as a sin offering for all the people? Leviticus 16:15-16. What did the blood of the sin offering picture? Romans 3:23-26; Hebrews 9:12-14.
 

Leviticus 16:15-16
15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Romans 3:23-26
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Hebrews 9:12-14
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

COMMENT: The killing of the LORD'S goat and sprinkling its blood on the mercy seat pictured the method by which humans can be reconciled to God-- through the sacrifice of an innocent victim. Christ was that victim. He voluntarily took our guilt with Him on His cross, paying the penalty in full. Our guilt is expiated, atoned for; it ceases to exist if we accept Christ as our Savior and quit sinning.
 

The sins of the people were borne by the goat even as Christ bore our sins on His cross (Hebrews 9:28). But Christ rose from the dead, ascended to the throne of God in heaven and shall return.

 

3. Did the Aaronic high priest, after killing the goat representing Christ, enter the Most Holy Place behind the veil and sprinkle the goat's blood on the mercy seat? Hebrews 9:7; Leviticus 16:15-16. Was the Most Holy Place an earthly representation of God's heavenly throne? Leviticus 16:2; Exodus 25:21-22; Numbers 7:89.
 

Hebrews 9:7
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Leviticus 16:15-16
15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Leviticus 16:2
And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Exodus 25:21-22
21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.

Numbers 7:89
And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

 

COMMENT: The altar, Tabernacle and mercy seat were considered defiled by their presence among the sinning Israelites. All through the year Israel's sins were symbolically transferred to the Tabernacle and its fixtures (Leviticus 4:2-7).  On the Day of Atonement this guilt was symbolically purged from the nation so God would continue to dwell with Israel.  The goat's blood symbolized the blood of Christ.

 

4. Did Christ, after His sacrifice and resurrection, enter behind the veil to the throne of God in heaven? Hebrews 6:19-20; 8:1; 9:24; 1 Peter 3:22. Was it His own blood that He presented as an offering for sin? Hebrews 9:11-12.
 

Hebrews 6:19-20
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Hebrews 8:1
Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

Hebrews 9:24
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

1 Peter 3:22
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

Hebrews 9:11-12.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

COMMENT: The high priest, symbolically taking the atoning blood to God's throne, represented and symbolically did the work of the risen Christ.

 

Both the high priest and the goat represented Christ. It was not possible for the high priest to die every year to picture Christ's death. That had to be symbolized by the goat. Nor could the goat--after it was killed--represent the risen Jesus Christ, our eternal High Priest. The human high priest represented the living, resurrected Christ. That is why he had to be symbolically cleaned so carefully before he could officiate.

 

5. What has Christ, our High Priest, been doing for more than 1,950 years? Hebrews 7:25; 4:14-16; 1 John 1:9; 2:1-2.

 

Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 4:14-16
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:1-2
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.


COMMENT: Christ is our living Savior. Christ's death has paid the penalty of all human sin. But that in itself did not complete the job of making atonement for all humans. Satan still rules this world, influencing everyone. The vast majority do not believe in Christ's sacrifice and do not obey God.

 

How will the job of atonement be completed? How will all mankind eventually be made at one with God the Father? The answer is revealed through the symbolism of the live goat.

 

  Goat Led Into the Wilderness

 

An unusual feature of the Day of Atonement rituals was the goat led alive into the wilderness. Who or what did this goat represent? Why wasn't it killed? What significance did the wilderness have?

 

When the priest went behind the veil into the Most Holy Place, he symbolized Christ ascending to God's throne in heaven.  The work he did in the Most Holy Place symbolized Christ's work for more than 1,950 years. When the priest came out, he symbolized Christ's return to earth. What did the high priest then do--and what will Christ do after He returns?

 

1. After the Levitical high priest had sacrificed one goat and completed his work inside the Tabernacle, did he seize the other goat? Leviticus 16:20. Did the priest symbolically place the sins of the people on the head of this goat? Verse 21.
 

Leviticus 16:20-21
20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:

 

COMMENT: Jesus Christ atoned for our sins when He took the penalty of our sins upon Himself by sacrificing His sinless life for us. When we repent of our sins, our past debt ceases to exist. The sins of the people were symbolically atoned for by the sacrificed goat (Leviticus 16:15). So what are the sins placed on the head of the live goat? The key to the explanation--and the symbolic meaning of this Holy Day--lies in correctly understanding who or what this goat represented.

 

2. The goat chosen by lot for the LORD represented Christ. Who was the other goat to represent? Verse 8. Was it to be banished? Verse 10.
 

Leviticus 16:8, 10
8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
10 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.

 

COMMENT: The English word scapegoat is not a correct translation of the Hebrew word God inspired. The original word was azazel. Azazel, among the early Semitic dwellers in the Sinai desert, referred to Satan the devil! James Moffatt therefore translated this as "Azazel the demon."

 

William Gesenius wrote this: "This name was used for that of an evil demon....The name Azazel...is also used by the Arabs as that of an evil demon" (Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, page 617). "The devil, named Eblis in the Koran, was once one of the archangels in heaven, and was called Azazil, but by disobedience fell" (J.W.H. Stobart, Islam and Its Founder, page 114).

 

Hermann Schultz wrote: "Azazel is...an Aramaic...name for an unclean and ungodlike power, which has its abode in the wilderness, in the accursed land outside the sacred bounds of the camp" (Old Testament Theology, translated by Paterson, 1892, vol. 1, page 405).

 

"The high priest...cast lots upon the two goats. One was to be for the Lord for a sin-offering. The other was for Azazel (the completely separate one, the evil spirit regarded as dwelling in the desert), to be sent away alive into the wilderness" (F. Watson, The Cambridge Companion to the Bible, 1893, page 161.)

 

Modern commentaries often misunderstand this azazel goat. This is not too surprising, since Satan has deceived the whole world, and deceived many into thinking he does not exist. Some commentators claim that this azazel goat represents Christ. Such theories have no biblical or symbolic support.

 

Let's notice a modern Jewish commentary that makes it clear that the azazel goat represented _ Satan the devil: "Azazel...was probably a demonic being.... Apocryphal Jewish works, composed in the last few centuries before the Christian era, tell of angels who were lured...into rebellion against God. In these writings, Azazel is one of the two leaders of the rebellion. And posttalmudic documents tell a similar story about two rebel angels, Uzza and Azzael--both variations of the name Azazel. These mythological stories, which must have been widely known, seem to confirm the essentially demonic character of the old biblical Azazel" (Union of American Hebrew Congregations, The Torah--a Modern Commentary, page 859).

 

The word scapegoat carries a wrong connotation. Originally it meant "escape goat"--the goat that was allowed to escape. But today the word scapegoat signifies "one who bears blame or guilt for others." This is definitely not the meaning that God inspired. Azazel--Satan--bears his own guilt in deceiving mankind. Satan is not a scapegoat for another's sins. He will be punished for his own guilt.

 

The real cause--the actual author--of human sin is Satan the devil (John 8:42-44; Eph. 2:2). Satan is guilty of inspiring the sins of mankind. Christ paid the penalty for our part in every sin we Ye repent of. But He did not pay for Satan's part in these sins, or the sins of the other demons. Demons are not offered salvation, and they refuse to repent! So here, in this Levitical ritual, all of man's Satan-inspired sins were symbolically put back on Satan's head, where they belong!

 

When Jesus Christ returns, Satan's part of the blame for mankind's sins will be placed on him, and he will then be removed from the presence of man. Justice will be done.

 

3. Was the azazel goat sent away from all mankind carrying his sins with him? Leviticus 16:21-22. Does the wilderness to which the goat was taken represent the land of ruins that modern "Babylon" will become? Read Isaiah 13:19 through 14:23.
 

Leviticus 16:21-22
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
22 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.

Isaiah 13:19 -14:23
13:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
13:20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
13:21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
13:22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.
14:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.
14:3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,
14:4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
14:5 The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
14:6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
14:7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
14:8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
14:10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
14:11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
14:18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
14:19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
14:20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.
14:21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
14:22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
14:23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.


COMMENT: Satan, the instigator of sin, is guilty of inspiring our sins, and his guilt cannot be atoned for. His sins are placed on his own account, and then he and his sins are sent away--completely removed from the presence of God and God's redeemed children!

 

Satan's power over mankind is through deception and sin. Through Christ's redeeming sacrifice, we have been bought back, purchased, ransomed from the spiritual kidnapper. Satan has lost his claim to ownership, and he will be prevented from exercising that influence for 1,000 years. No longer will he be an adversary or an accuser of the brethren. Mankind as a whole cannot be fully atoned--"at one" with God--until this is done.

 

4. After coming in contact with the azazel goat, did the high priest have to wash himself again before coming in contact with the people? Leviticus 16:24. And did the man who led the goat away have to wash his clothes and bathe before coming into the camp? Verse 26.
 

Leviticus 16:24, 26
24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

 

COMMENT: The symbolism is certainly that of having come in contact with the devil!

 

5. Is the azazel goat pictured as remaining alive? Verses 10, 22.
 

Leviticus 16:10, 22
10 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.
22 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.

 

COMMENT: Satan is a spirit being and therefore immortal (Luke 20:35-36). To signify that, the goat was permitted to live. But notice that it was turned loose only when completely removed. This represents Satan being prevented from influencing mankind after Christ's return.

 

Notice the fulfillment of this part of God's Master Plan, as revealed in the book of Revelation.

 

6. What will be done to Satan after the Second Coming of Christ? Revelation 20:1-2. Where will he be cast? Verse 3. Also notice Revelation 18:1-2.
 

Leviticus 16:24, 26
24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

Revelation 20:1-3
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

Revelation 18:1-2
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

 

COMMENT: The "bottomless pit" or abyss was pictured by the desert wilderness where the azazel goat was banished. Satan and his demons will be chained by an angel of God (who was symbolized by the man mentioned in Leviticus 16:21). He will be completely prevented from further leading mankind into sin. No longer will Satan be able to broadcast his evil attitudes.

 
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Portland, Oregon Church  -  Affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God and the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association