Throughout scripture we see how our Maker employs physical objects and animals to point to something spiritual. So we have different animals that were suitable for animal sacrifice – and each one pictured something different about the Messiah. The bull, goat, sheep and dove all represent different virtues. Our Creator didn’t just pick one animal – but different ones to more completely teach us about our Savior.
On the Day of Atonement, we tend to think of the two perfect goats – without spot or broken bones or any blemish – that served different purposes on this solemn day of Coverings. “Yom Kippur” means day of covering, and there were actually several coverings, so it’s often called Yom Kippurim by some. But besides the two goats, there was a bull, a ram, 7 sheep and so on. See Numbers 29:7-11. Were you aware of that? We hardly talk about them. Most sermons I’ve heard on Atonement don’t even say much about the goat which was killed and whose blood was sprinkled in the Holy of Holies. It seems all the attention goes to the azazel – the goat of removal.
So the controversial sacrifices were the two goats. It’s been taught in some circles for decades that the 2 goats were critical to the day. One goat, we were told, pictures Christ, and one goat pictures Satan. That’s right, on the day of ATONEMENT of all days – somehow Satan worms his way in there! Over the years, the entire sermon about the Day of Atonement was often all about the goat of removal – from the Hebrew word “azazel”. And azazel was capitalized, like this – Azazel - like it was a name of someone important, rather than keep it as a simple word meaning “removal”. The word “azazel” is a function, not a name.
Why were there 2 goats? And is there an example in scripture of 2 other identical animals that were part of a ceremony to show what God was doing?
Click on “Continue reading” to hear the rest of this teaching.
Yes, there is! In Leviticus 14, we read about the cleansing of the lepers. Two DOVES were used in the cleansing ceremony in this case. One was killed and its blood sprinkled around, and the other dove was set free to fly away. Both pictured beautiful things happening to the leper. The first: that he had been healed, and the second – that he had been freed from the terrifying, painful and ugly scourge that is leprosy.
Leviticus 14:5-7 “And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. 6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. 7 And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field.”
TWO doves were used to pronounce the leper cleansed and to illustrate different aspects of what was happening. One dove couldn’t depict the whole story.
In the same way, TWO goats are employed on Atonement to show the huge work that our Savior does when He atones for sin. One goat can’t picture it all.
For the complete in-depth account, be sure to hear my sermon from Sept 18, 2016. There are about 130 sermons – and growing-- remember, on our website. If you heard one every week, it would take you several years to hear them all.
http://www.lightontherock.org/index.php/message/the-true-exciting-meaning-of-azazel-and-atonement
Here are some key elements to remember:
*** NEVER, not a single time, in all of scripture, will you find a single verse that says Satan atones for our sins, or all our sins are placed on Satan or that Satan takes away our sins. Nowhere in scripture! If our sins were to be placed on Satan’s head, or if he takes away our sins, then he shares in the atoning process, which to me, is almost blasphemous. And if our sins are placed on Satan’s head, and HE takes away our sins – surely there would be at least ONE VERSE somewhere that says it, wouldn’t you think? But – there’s NONE.
*** But over and over and over we read about how our sins are placed on YESHUA’S HEAD (Jesus Christ). He who was without sin is the only one ABLE to accept the sins of others and to die in our stead. It comes down to – will you believe tradition from your church, or the clear scriptures that all say Yeshua is the Savior of the world, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” – John 1:29. We sure you hear my sermon on it.
*** In all of Leviticus 16 and in all the chapters of the book of Hebrews which deal with this very day, when the High Priest once a year entered the Holy of Holies in behalf of the nation, nowhere in all those chapters is Satan even ever mentioned! And indeed shouldn’t be!
So why TWO goats? Remember several key points about these goats:
*** BOTH goats had to be without blemish or fault. Does that sound like Satan – or Christ? They both were being presented before the Creator. I know, I know, Satan tries to appear as an angel of light, but it doesn’t take long to see through his filthy disguise.
*** They BOTH, together, were considered as ONE sin offering. Be sure to read all of Leviticus 16. Now focus on verse 5.
Leviticus 16:5 “And he (Aaron) shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel TWO kids of the goats as A SIN offering [singular], and one ram as a burnt offering”. They are BOTH a part of ATONEMENT as verse 10 will say.
The two goats together depicted what happens when our sins are forgiven.
*** One was to be killed and its blood sprinkled around the Mercy Seat in the holy of Holies (Lev 16:15), which pictures God’s throne of grace. The other goat was to have all the sins of the nation transferred over to, and pronounced over and on its head, and then that second goat was led out far away from the camp. That second one was the azazel goat – the goat of removal. It shows us that when our past is forgiven, our Maker takes those sins, ALL of them, FAR AWAY—out of sight, gone, away from us!
There’s so much more to say about all this. Be sure to hear the whole sermon on it from Sept 18, 2016.
Now, look at Leviticus 16:10:
v. 10- the azazel goat is presented alive before YHVH, “TO MAKE ATONEMENT UPON IT” and to “let it go as the azazel (goat of departure) into the wilderness.”
So the goat that was killed as the sin offering was for YHVH and atonement. We all get that. We don’t all get that verse 10 clearly says the LIVE goat, the other goat, the azazel goat, was ALSO for atonement as it was presented before YHVH. Are you getting this? The azazel goat was for atonement. Satan – in no way or form – can be involved in atonement. But this azazel goat was supposed to be for ATONEMENT – so it CAN’T picture Satan!!
Let’s read verse 10 from various translations.
Young’s Literal translation:
Leviticus 16:10 'And the goat on which the lot for a goat of departure [azazel in Hebrew] hath gone up is caused to stand living before Jehovah to make atonement by it, to send it away for a goat of departure into the wilderness.”
Here are some of the scriptures that remind us that our sins are placed on the head of the Son of God, praise YHVH! – that we can be seen as sin-free going forward. I also have a sermon about the “Totality of Christ’s Sacrifice” – how he took on himself ALL the wrath our sins incurred, all the guilt, all the penalty, all the shame, all the disgrace, and being cut off from God, and more – for us! Hear that sermon too and you’ll appreciate your Maker more, who died for you.
John 1:29 “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
WHO takes away the sins? WHO? It’s real clear, isn’t it? So why are some of you preachers still preaching that it’s Satan who takes away the sins? Come on, be honest with Scripture!
And on whose head are all our sins placed? Isaiah 53, and the end of Isaiah 52 – is ALL ABOUT our Saviour. All about HIM.
Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And YHVH has laid on HIM [the suffering Messiah] the iniquity of us all.”
Can it be any plainer?
Isaiah 53:12 “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And HE bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.”
Hebrews 9:26-28 “He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so CHRIST was offered once to BEAR THE SINS of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
There’s NO scripture that says our sins are placed on Satan’s head, but lots of them say they are put on Yeshua’s head.
Talking again about Christ, look what Paul says:
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
PRAISE YOU, Messiah! Praise you! And praise you Holy Father, for your wonderful plan of Redemption. And we pray you boot Satan out of the discussion of this day completely!!
LET ME ASK AGAIN: WHO takes our sins away? Can it be any plainer?
Psalm 103:11-12 “For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west, SO FAR HAS HE [and HE ALONE!] REMOVED our transgressions from us.”
So why 2 goats:
*** the first one was killed and its blood splattered around the mercy seat of God’s Presence. The first goat pictures how your sins are forgiven in the blood of Christ.
***The second goat? It pictures how when we’re forgiven, ALL our sins are placed on Christ’s head and ALL your sins are taken far, far away from you – BY Yeshua!
We just read the scriptures that say that. If you still resist, then show me all the scriptures that say our sins are placed on Satan’s head. Oh, you won’t find any. It’s a lie. It’s Satan’s lie. Don’t listen to it. He has no part in atoning or removing sin.
I’ll leave it with that. Be sure to hear the full sermons. And spread the word! Satan is OUT of the Day of Atonement!!! It’s all to the glory of the Christ! Have a wonderful and truthful day of Atonement, and be sure to give 100% of the glory of atonement – to the Son of God.
** **** ***
If this teaching has blessed you, please tell others about this topic and our free website. Thank you.