The Day of Atonement includes a unique ritual involving two goats, as described in Leviticus 16, where the Hebrew word *azazel* is used for the second goat. The meaning of *azazel* is ambiguous, with Strong's Concordance defining it as "goat of departure," derived from roots meaning "goat" and "to go away" or "disappear," while Brown-Driver-Briggs suggests "complete removal." These definitions align with the instructions in Leviticus 16, indicating the goat's role in removing sins from view by bearing them to an uninhabited land. The notion of *azazel* as the name of a wilderness demon or fallen angel is not supported by Scripture, lacking a second or third witness to establish such a role in the atonement process. Instead, the two goats together form a single sin offering, with distinct roles: one goat is sacrificed to satisfy the Lord's justice, and the other, the *azazel* goat, is presented alive before the Lord to be sanctified and then sent away, symbolizing the complete removal of sin. The ritual's structure does not imply two personalities but rather two purposes within the compound atonement, focusing on payment for sin and its total departure from awareness.

The azazel goat in Leviticus 16 is central to understanding the Day of Atonement ritual. God's stated purpose for the azazel goat is to bear all the iniquities of the children of Israel to an uninhabited land, symbolizing the complete removal of sin from view. Leviticus 16:21-22 instructs the high priest to lay both hands on the azazel's head, confessing over it all the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the people, indicating a symbolic transference and substitution. This goat, designated as the goat of departure or complete removal, contrasts with the first goat, which cleansed the holy place, while the azazel bore the sins away entirely. The fulfillment of the azazel goat points to the Messiah, as Scripture states that our iniquity was laid on Him, He bore our sins, and He took them away, leaving no need for any other being to accomplish this. The casting of lots for the two goats, as described in Proverbs 16:33, ensured that God determined which goat would be sent away, emphasizing that He dictates the terms of worship and chooses between functions, not personalities. This process served as a reminder of the priest's fallibility and the necessity to look to God for direction in the ritual.

In the Day of Atonement ritual, the second goat, known as the azazel or the goat of departure, played a significant role in bearing the sins of the people out of sight. This act of carrying sins away aligns with the concept of complete removal, one of the meanings associated with azazel, reflecting the idea of sins being taken as far as the east is from the west. The azazel goat, bearing all the iniquities, was led to an uninhabited land, a place described as cut off, symbolizing a state of separation or forgetfulness akin to the grave, where sins are no longer a factor in God's view. This bearing of sins by the azazel parallels the ultimate removal and forgetting of transgressions, emphasizing a conscious divine choice to disregard them. Furthermore, the azazel was led away by a suitable man who required cleansing afterward, underscoring the symbolic purity needed in this act of removal. The focus remains on the complete removal of sin from view, highlighting the profound significance of this ritual act in restoring the relationship between God and His people.

In Leviticus 16, the live goat, referred to as Azazel, plays a crucial role in the removal of sin from the congregation. As described in verses 20-22, after the atonement for the holy place, the tabernacle, and the altar is complete, Aaron lays both hands on the head of the live goat, confessing over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the children of Israel, placing their sins upon the goat. This goat is then sent away into the wilderness by a suitable man, bearing all their iniquities to an uninhabited land, a place cut off, where the sins are figuratively removed from consciousness. The term Azazel itself is tied to the concept of complete removal, emphasizing the act of carrying sins out of sight and out of mind. The bearing of sins by Azazel parallels the work of the Messiah, as seen in Isaiah 53, where He is described as bearing the iniquities of many, lifting up and taking away sins in a manner akin to forgiveness and pardon. This connection is further reinforced in the New Testament, particularly in Hebrews 9:26-28, where Jesus Christ is said to have appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, canceling and bringing sin to nothing for those who repent. The language used in Hebrews, such as "put away" and "bear," mirrors the role of Azazel as the goat of complete removal, cutting off sin and removing it from consciousness, a task fulfilled by Christ's singular sacrifice. Moreover, the scriptures in Leviticus 16 clearly state that the sins borne by Azazel are human sins, with no indication of any connection to satan's guilt or responsibility. The idea of transferring human sins to satan lacks biblical support within these passages, as the focus remains on the substitutionary role of the goat for the nation's iniquities, not on any involvement of the adversary. The overwhelming emphasis in related scriptures, such as Colossians 2:13-14 and Hebrews 9 and 10, is on Christ's complete and sufficient work in bearing and removing sin, aligning directly with the symbolic role of Azazel as the agent of total removal, without any reference to satan's participation in this process.

The term azazel, used exclusively in Leviticus 16 to describe the second goat in the Day of Atonement ceremony, appears only four times in Scripture, leaving its meaning shrouded in uncertainty. Without a defining verse, understanding azazel requires careful consideration of various starting points, none of which provide a definitive foundation due to the lack of multiple scriptural witnesses. One interpretation suggests azazel derives from roots meaning "the strength of God," combining 'azaz (to strengthen or prevail) and El (a title of God), though this does not clearly connect to the second goat's role. Another view posits azazel as a location east of Jerusalem, a difficult and accursed place where the goat bore the nation's sins, yet this is problematic since Leviticus 16 was given in the wilderness with no fixed camp location. A third perspective breaks azazel into 'ez (goat) and 'azal (to go away), suggesting "goat of departure" or "entire removal," aligning with the goat's action of being sent away, though some scholars debate the root for "goat." A fourth interpretation views azazel through a negative lens, combining 'azal (removal) and 'az (strong) to mean "the strong and obstinate one destined to go away," implying a derogatory name, but this relies on selective meanings since 'az can also describe neutral or positive strength. Finally, a traditional view holds azazel as a type of satan, rooted in historical teachings from certain groups, though this lacks direct scriptural support and often leans on external sources or sequential symbolism that selectively interprets elements of Leviticus 16. Focusing on the actions described in Leviticus 16, the azazel goat has the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of the people laid on its head and bears them into the wilderness, away from God's presence. These actions find clear fulfillment in Messianic prophecies, such as Isaiah 53:6, where the Eternal lays our iniquities on the Messiah, mirroring the high priest's act of transference. Isaiah 53:11-12 further confirms the Messiah bearing sins, as does Hebrews 9, which presents Christ as fulfilling the Day of Atonement by bearing sins, with no mention of satan's involvement. Peter also attests that Christ bore our sins in His body on the tree, aligning directly with the azazel's role of substitutionary bearing of sin during prolonged suffering outside the camp, as Christ suffered outside the gate. Paul's statement in II Corinthians 5:21 that God made Christ to be sin reflects the azazel becoming sin through the transference of guilt, a role underscored by Christ becoming a curse for us, as seen in Galatians 3:13 and Deuteronomy 21:23, paralleling the cursed state of the azazel when sent away. Additional verses like Psalm 103:12, Colossians 2:14, John 1:29, and I John 3:5 reinforce Christ's role in removing and bearing away sins, matching the azazel's function. In contrast, Scripture provides no record of sins being laid on satan or satan bearing sins, highlighting that the azazel's essential roles point to Christ's work alone.

On the Day of Atonement, as described in Leviticus 16:5, two goats were central to the unique offering for the sins of Israel. The second goat, known as the azazel or the goat of departure, had all the sins of the people laid on its head, bearing them to an uninhabited land, a land cut off. This ritual symbolizes the complete removal of sins from the community, taking them to a place of forgetfulness. The releasing of the azazel into the wilderness has been linked by some to the binding of satan, yet this connection is problematic. The account in Revelation 20:1-3 makes no mention of sins being placed on satan's head; instead, his binding is to prevent deception of the nations for a thousand years, not to provide expiation. The ceremony of the azazel, as detailed in Leviticus 16:21-22, involves the sins of the people, not of satan, emphasizing the removal of human transgression. In the broader context of atonement, the role of the azazel aligns with the work of Jesus Christ, who is shown to bear the sins of many, as prophesied in Isaiah 53. Hebrews 9 and 10 provide extensive evidence of His fulfillment of this role, describing how He put away sin by His sacrifice alone, canceling and bringing sin to nothing for those who repent and come under His blood. Hebrews 10:4 uses terminology that mirrors the azazel, describing Christ's sacrifice as necessary and sufficient to remove sins completely, bearing them to a land cut off, and cleansing the consciences of those who accept Him. Scripture remains silent on any involvement of satan in bearing human sins, offering no support for such a role in the atonement process. The focus remains on Christ's completed work, as He by Himself purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, indicating that the bearing and removal of sins, as typified by the azazel, are fully accomplished through Him.

The concept of Azazel within the context of the Day of Atonement ritual in Leviticus 16 has been subject to various interpretations, often influenced by external traditions. Some views, rooted in Jewish mythology and carnal traditions, suggest that Azazel is a name for satan or a lesser demon. One perspective holds that the live goat, designated as the Azazel, represents satan, with the sins of mankind to be placed on his head in the future through his binding. Another variation posits that the Azazel goat bears satan's own sins, though Leviticus 16 specifically mentions only the sins of the children of Israel being confessed and borne by the goat. A third interpretation, found in some modern translations, suggests the goat is not called Azazel but is sent to a demon named Azazel, an idea stemming from Jewish folklore rather than the scriptural narrative. However, the ritual's focus remains on the sins of the nation, not on any demonic entity. The casting of lots in Leviticus 16:8 determines the roles of the two goats—one for the LORD, for cleansing and atonement of holy objects, and the other for Azazel, for the complete removal of sins. There is no indication that the lots assign representation to opposing personalities. Instead, the goat for Azazel serves as a substitute for the people, bearing their iniquities away, just as the second bird in the leprosy ritual symbolizes removal without implying a connection to satan. The scriptural emphasis is on the removal of human sin through a sacrificial substitute, fulfilled by Jesus Christ, who bore the sins of many and became a curse to reconcile us to God.

The concept of Azazel, as the goat of departure in the Atonement sin offering, has been linked by some to the binding of satan as described in Revelation 20:1-3. However, this connection is not supported by any scriptural evidence showing that satan's binding serves as an expiation of sin. The purpose of satan's binding is to prevent his deception of the nations during the Millennium, a temporary measure that does not address the final justice or the true reconciliation between mankind and God. The role of Azazel, as part of the Atonement ritual, has already been fulfilled through the finished work of Jesus Christ, who alone provides the legal satisfaction and removal of guilt necessary for atonement. Furthermore, the idea that satan's removal or binding could achieve atonement overlooks the fact that even during the Millennium, when satan is bound and unable to influence, people will still sin. The presence of sin, not the presence of satan, is what separates humanity from God, and only through Christ's work can this separation be bridged. In the context of the Day of Atonement, the only work permitted was by the high priest and the man who led the Azazel goat away, both of whom required atonement themselves, symbolizing that human effort is useless in achieving true atonement.

The recent revelation of the azazel goat's identity, as the second goat of the Atonement offering sent into the wilderness, brings to light that not all long-held beliefs are entirely accurate. Even church leaders with God's Spirit can be mistaken until He chooses to reveal the truth. For decades, the misunderstanding of the azazel goat's identity persisted, relying on human reasoning from ancient Jewish texts, apocryphal literature, fictional Jewish works, and Arabic/Islamic traditions, which proved to be unreliable sources tainted by opposition to God. God's timing in unveiling this knowledge now raises questions about His purpose, possibly to test loyalties to Him and His Word over tradition and human reasoning, to humble us by showing that truth comes only through revelation by His Spirit, or to warn even the elect against deception. This misunderstanding serves as a reminder to redouble efforts in checking the foundation of all beliefs and practices, ensuring they are built on the Rock, Christ and His Word.

On the Day of Atonement, a unique sin offering for the congregation involved two goats. Through the casting of lots, one goat was designated for the LORD to satisfy or appease Him, and its blood, untainted by the record of sin, was used to cleanse the objects nearest to the Lord. The second goat, known as the azazel, had all the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of Israel confessed over it, symbolically taking them away. This live goat received the defilement of the people, bearing their sins as a representation of removal. In fulfillment of this type, Jesus Christ bore the sins of many, as Isaiah 53:6 states that the LORD laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Scriptures such as Isaiah 53:11-12, I Peter 2:24, and Hebrews 9:28 affirm that He Himself bore our sins in His body, was offered once to bear the sins of many, and accomplished what the blood of bulls and goats could not—taking away sin.

The Day of Atonement features a unique ritual involving two goats, central to its meaning of atonement for sin. One goat is chosen for the Lord and sacrificed, its blood sprinkled by the high priest on the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. The other, known as the azazel goat, remains alive; the sins of the people are laid on its head, and it is led into the wilderness to be abandoned. This ritual embodies the essence of atonement, opening the possibility of unity with God. The azazel goat is often thought to represent satan, suggesting through the Atonement ritual how God addresses the issue of satan's rebellious influence on humanity. However, this view is incorrect, as satan cannot bear away or remove human sin, a role reserved solely for Christ, the Lord. The dual aspects of Christ's work—paying for sin through His sacrifice and removing sin through forgiveness—are symbolized by the two goats, excluding any involvement of the devil in this divine initiative to resolve human sin.

Scripture records Christ's unambiguous fulfillment of the second goat, the azazel, through His bearing and taking away sins. Isaiah 53:6 declares that the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all, just as the high priest laid Israel's sins on the azazel each year. Christ likewise bore our sins, fulfilling another function of the azazel. Jesus Christ is the only Being who could fulfill the role of the azazel and did so perfectly.

In the Day of Atonement ritual involving two goats, the Hebrew text refers to the living goat as azazel (Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26), often translated as scapegoat. The New King James Version (NKJV) states that the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat azazel into the wilderness, describing the role of the goat as bearing the nation's sins for complete removal. In contrast, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) translates it as the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel, suggesting it is sent into the wilderness to a personality named Azazel. Some scholars interpret azazel as a name, influenced by Jewish folklore between the testaments that invented a lesser demon named Azazel, blamed for all human sin. A millennium after Leviticus 16, many Jews intertwined Scripture with folklore, viewing the live goat as a gift to Samael, the Devil, blended with their myth of Azazel. However, if the Israelites sent a sacrificial animal to Azazel at God's command, it would imply gross idolatry, which is directly prohibited in Leviticus 17:7 and other scriptures. God did not enshrine the name of a demon in the instructions for this solemn day, nor did He intend His people to acknowledge or placate a false god with a sacrificial animal. Instead, He commanded an Israelite to lead a substitutionary animal bearing the nation's sins away from the camp, calling that animal azazel, signifying complete removal.

The identity of the Azazel goat has long been a point of curiosity regarding the Day of Atonement. Initially, it was understood among early desert dwellers in the Sinai that the name Azazel referred to satan, the devil. However, a more recent understanding reveals that Jesus Christ plays a dual role in this single sacrifice. The sins of all mankind, past, present, and future, were laid upon Him, as seen during the darkness over the land at His crucifixion, when He cried out, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" meaning, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" This act represented the Father disconnecting from His beloved Son due to the burden of sin. Scriptures such as Isaiah 53:6 confirm that the Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all, highlighting Jesus as the goat of departure who became sin for us, bearing our iniquities in obedience to the Father.

Among the faithful Christians who observe the Day of Atonement, many hold that the azazel goat, often called the scapegoat, represents satan. From this follows the conclusion that satan's eventual binding is somehow involved in the atonement for our sins, skewing the focus of this holy day away from Jesus Christ's atoning work. The high priest performed a unique ceremony involving two goats on the Day of Atonement, together comprising a single offering for sin. The Hebrew text calls the second goat azazel, which could mean goat of departure or entire removal. When we root out all vestiges of apocryphal myths and hold fast to the inspired text, it becomes clear that the Day of Atonement is about the complete cleansing of sin through the work of Jesus Christ alone. Satan, the adversary, plays no part in the removal of our sin, nor can his eventual binding expiate either our sins or his. Scripture itself says the ceremony was only for the sins of the people, for which satan is not responsible and for which he cannot provide a solution. In the ceremony, the high priest left the azazel goat alive and confessed all the nation's sins onto its head before sending it into the wilderness. Christ fulfilled all the actions of this second goat as well, for the Scriptures give obvious testimony that our iniquities were laid on Him, He bore our sins, and took them away. The Day of Atonement is about what Jesus Christ has done to remove sin and provide atonement.

The traditional identification of the azazel goat as Satan stems not from Scripture but from the apocryphal Book of Enoch, where Azazel is named as a wilderness demon upon whom human sin is placed. This identification is problematic because the Hebrew word azazel never appears in the Bible as a demon's name. Instead, it is formed from two roots meaning "the goat of departure," describing a function rather than naming an entity. By importing this extra-biblical concept, the Day of Atonement has been mistakenly transformed into a day about the Devil, when Scripture presents it as being entirely about the cleansing of sin, in which Satan plays no part. Leviticus 16:5 makes clear that the two goats together constitute a single sin offering. One goat is sacrificed as a propitiation, symbolically paying the death penalty for sin, while the second goat—the azazel—is sent away alive after the sins of the nation are symbolically placed on its head, illustrating the complete removal of sin from view. Both goats typify the work of Jesus Christ: He pays the penalty for sin, and as living High Priest, He also cleanses the conscience so that sin is entirely removed. Satan cannot fulfill this role, since the goat of departure had to be unblemished, representing complete innocence, and Satan is never depicted in Scripture as bearing the sins of mankind. That responsibility belongs to Christ alone. Scripture consistently teaches that each sinner is accountable for personal sin, so if Satan already bore humanity's sin, the ritual of transferring sin onto an innocent representative would be meaningless. Furthermore, mankind's estrangement from God stems from sin itself, not from Satan's presence, since even during the Millennium, when Satan is bound, people will still sin. This correction raises a further question: if the Day of Atonement pictures the payment and removal of sin, does the Passover teach the same thing? The answer is no. Passover is not a sin offering but a form of the peace offering, also called a thanksgiving or fellowship offering. Unlike the sin offering, which was performed outside the camp, the peace offering was a sweet-smelling sacrifice eaten in fellowship, symbolizing that the relationship between God, the priest, and the individual is harmonious and satisfying. This pattern appears in Melchizedek's blessing of Abraham, where fellowship and God's favor—not sin—are emphasized. It appears again in the Exodus Passover, where the meal celebrates deliverance and favor already secured through the blood as a sign, and once more in Christ's final Passover, where He speaks of fellowship, joy, union, and indwelling with the Father, without mentioning the disciples' sins. Thus, there is no duplication between the two festivals. The Day of Atonement pictures the payment for sin and its total removal, while Passover celebrates the resulting fellowship and intimacy believers now enjoy with God through Christ's completed work as Savior and living High Priest.

The discussion of Azazel serves as a case study illustrating Paul's warning to Timothy that all Scripture, not human tradition, must be the foundation for doctrine. The booklet Pagan Holidays or God's Holy Days Which?, published by the Worldwide Church of God, builds its explanation of the Day of Atonement on the claim that understanding the meaning of Azazel is the key to the whole ritual of the two goats. To support this, the booklet cites the Comprehensive Commentary, which states that Spencer and Rosen, following old Hebrew and Christian opinions, thought Azazel was the name of the Devil, and that the word "scapegoat" signifies the goat that went away. This quotation, however, merely reports the opinions of other scholars rather than offering an explanation drawn from Scripture itself. Despite this weakness, the excerpt has been repeatedly re-quoted by various churches that emerged after the WCG's breakup as foundational support for identifying Azazel with Satan. Investigation into the source reveals that no other WCG literature references the Comprehensive Commentary, suggesting its writers did not have direct access to it. The quotation's earliest known appearance is in an 1846 article by O.R.L. Crosier, a figure who shaped early Adventist views of Satan as the scapegoat. It appears again in a work by J. N. Andrews, who also drew heavily on Charles Beecher's Redeemer and Redeemed, a book that itself relies on Jewish fables, including the apocryphal Book of Enoch and the Zohar, sources of the very kind Paul warned Timothy and Titus to avoid. Tracing the actual source, identified as William Jenks's Comprehensive Commentary on the Holy Bible (1837), exposes a critical omission by Crosier and Andrews. Digital scans of the original work show that Jenks was merely surveying diverse viewpoints on Leviticus 16:8, not endorsing the Satan interpretation himself. In his subsequent notes on pages 412 and 413, Jenks argues zealously that the azazel actually prefigures Jesus Christ. He explains that the two goats together formed one offering symbolizing Christ, that God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all as foretold in Isaiah, that Christ bore sin and its punishment in His body on the tree, suffering outside the camp, and was made sin for us. Just as the azazel carried Israel's iniquities into a land of forgetfulness, so Christ takes away the sin of the world by bearing it Himself. This portion of Jenks's commentary, grounded in clear scriptural cross-references, was conveniently omitted by those who quoted only the earlier passage listing human opinions. This selective quotation, whether an honest mistake or a deliberate effort to prop up preexisting belief, demonstrates precisely why Paul's admonition to Timothy remains urgently relevant. The Azazel example shows how a doctrine can be built upon human commentary detached from Scripture and then propagated uncritically across generations and denominations. It underscores the necessity of testing all things, prioritizing Scripture as the true standard, since only God's Word is like silver purified seven times, while human interpretations, however longstanding or widely repeated, must be rigorously examined and discarded if found wanting.

The Day of Atonement ritual in Leviticus 16 provides the framework for understanding one of the most challenging aspects of Christ's sacrifice. In that ceremony, Aaron laid his hands on the head of the live goat—the azazel—confessed over it all the iniquities, transgressions, and sins of Israel, and sent it into the wilderness to bear those sins away. This ritual finds its fulfillment in Isaiah 53, where the Messiah is described as bearing griefs and sorrows, being wounded, bruised, and chastised, with the Lord laying on Him the iniquity of all. Just as the high priest laid hands on the azazel and confessed Israel's sins upon it, God the Father laid humanity's iniquities on Christ, making the goat the type and the Messiah the antitype. Isaiah's prophecy reveals that sin required more than death alone—it demanded suffering, disfigurement, and agony, since sin itself produces grief, shame, and corruption of God's image in humanity. First Peter 2:24 confirms that Christ bore sins "in His own body on the tree," meaning this bearing was not a mere legal abstraction but a real, prolonged experience of suffering during His hours on the cross, prior to and distinct from His death. This mediated suffering allows believers to receive chastening that is bearable, since Christ absorbed the full measure of justice in their place. A significant point of resistance arises when considering that Christ, like the azazel, became a representative of sin itself. Some argue that Christ bore the penalty for sin without becoming sin's representative, fearing the implication that He could not have fulfilled the goat's role. Yet Paul directly states in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that God "made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us." This connects to the Hebrew sin offering terminology, where the same word denotes both "sin" and "sin offering," showing that the sacrificial animal symbolically became sin itself—just as the azazel did when Israel's sins were placed on its head. Further resistance appears regarding the idea that Christ became cursed, yet Galatians 3:13 explicitly states that Christ "became a curse for us," fulfilling the very role of the azazel, who bore the people's sins into the wilderness, outside the camp. This geographical detail matters: unlike the first goat, sacrificed at the tabernacle, the azazel was led away alive to be cursed elsewhere. Similarly, Christ suffered "outside the gate" (Hebrews 13:12), likely across the Kidron Valley rather than at the temple itself, remaining alive for hours as He bore sin, culminating in His cry of abandonment in Matthew 27:46. Accepting this typology requires acknowledging the full, distasteful reality of what Christ endured—becoming sin and a curse—so that healing, both spiritual and physical, and reconciliation with God might be possible.