The Two Goats of Leviticus 16

As far as I know, all of the various segments of the Church of God have continued to teach and believe the explanation concerning the two goats of Leviticus 16 that was passed down from Herbert W. Armstrong. And, that explanation is that the goat that was killed represented Jesus Christ and the one that was sent away into the wilderness pictured Satan. But, is that explanation Biblically accurate? Some of the “old” literature mentions that “some have seen this goat (the one sent away) as a symbol of Christ.” That explanation is ridiculed and the conclusion made that “based on all biblical evidence, it is logical to conclude that the scapegoat pictures Satan.” However, the booklet doesn’t present any “biblical evidence.” A reference is made to Revelation 20:1-2 with the comment that Satan is not bound by Christ but by an angel. After the briefest mention of Satan being bound the statement is made, “we have just seen the symbolism associated with the Azazel Goat.” This is not biblical evidence.

In looking at the information regarding the two goats as found in Leviticus 16 and connecting it to some very basic and clear Scriptures I must find that “all biblical evidence” doesn’t make it logical for me to conclude that the scapegoat or Azazel pictures Satan. Let’s look at some of the real “biblical evidence.”

God spoke to Moses and instructed him to tell Aaron that he wasn’t to come into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat at just any time. (Lev. 16:2) He was to come only once a year. We find later in the chapter that this was on the Day of Atonement. He was instructed on the animals for sacrifice, etc. One was a young bullock for a sin offering, which was for Aaron and his house, verse 6. A ram was to be brought for a burnt offering.

Aaron, of course, was a type of Jesus Christ. The ninth chapter of Hebrews clearly details this. Verse 7 mentions that the high priest “alone” went once every year into the “second” tabernacle, the Holy place. We are told in verse 12 that Christ entered into the Holy place by His own blood. And, verse 24 shows it wasn’t the “Holy place” in the tabernacle “made with hands” but into heaven itself.

And, relative to our study, Aaron was to “take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering,” verse 5. In verse 8 the instruction is for him to cast lots upon the goats. One lot it says was for the Lord, and the other lot for the “scapegoat.” The King James Version renders it scapegoat but many, if not most, of the newer translations leave it untranslated as “Azazel.” Although, the lexicon does indicate that the meaning is “dubious” it has the word defined both as “Azazel” and as “entire removal.” Green’s Literal Translation renders the last part of verse 8, “and one lot for a complete removal.” Young’s Literal Translation is similar. It reads, “and one lot for a goat of departure.” The Amplified Bible, a paraphrase, says, “the other lot for Azazel or removal.”

We find as we continue that Aaron is to offer the first goat for a sin offering, verse 9. We’ve seen and understood the symbolism and the significance of this. We know that Jesus Christ was made “to be sin for us,” II Cor. 5:21. Hebrews 10 tells us that “this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” verse 12. His supreme sacrifice, pictured by the goat being offered as a sin offering, was the ultimate “sin offering.”

We need to be careful we don’t miss the picture of the first goat that was killed. It’s blood, not the entire goat, was brought “within the vail” and was sprinkled upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. (Lev. 16:15) And, as verse 16 says, “he shall make an atonement.” What does that mean? The Hebrew word translated “atonement” means “to cover over, atone, propitiate, pacify” and is often translated “reconcile” or “reconciled.” We even see that in verse 20 of Leviticus 16, “And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place,...”

In the New Testament the Greek equivalent is katallage, “atonement,” and katallasso, “reconcile, reconciliation.” Romans 5:10 tells us “we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.” And, verse 11 then says in the King James Version, speaking of Christ, “by whom we have now received the atonement.” The margin shows “atonement” can be rendered “reconciliation.” The “atonement” was to reconcile us to God, to cleanse us from sin (1 John 1:7), and to forgive our sins (1 John 1:9). Jesus Christ is the “propitiation” for our sins (1 John 2:2), which is another word meaning “atonement” or “reconciliation.” By His blood it was now possible that we could be reconciled to God. Previously our sins separated us from God.

Verses 21 and 22 tell us what he was to do to this goat. He was to place both his hands upon it’s head and confess over him “all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins.” They, the iniquities, transgressions and sins were put upon the head of the goat, verse 21. This goat then was sent away. Notice verse 22. “And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities...”

The Hebrew word translated “bear” in Leviticus 16:22 is “nasa”, Strong’s #05375. Among the several definitions given in the lexicon are, “to bear, carry, to take, take away, carry off.” So, we are told that this goat was to “take away, carry off” all our iniquities which were put, or laid upon him.

Isaiah 53:4, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” The word “borne” is the same word used in Leviticus 16:22, “nasa.” And, this is a prophecy of Jesus Christ. Dropping down a couple of verses we read “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” It is Christ who has our iniquities laid, placed, put upon Him.

Remember the lexicon’s definition of “scapegoat?” Entire removal. Let’s look at another Scripture. Psalms 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” This again is speaking of “the LORD,” verse 1 and 2. We all are familiar with verse 3 of this chapter, where it tells us of Christ, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases:” The Hebrew words translated “transgressions” and “iniquities”here in Palsms 103 are the same words used in Leviticus 16.

Both goats in Leviticus 16 picture Jesus Christ. He shed His blood so that we could be atoned for our transgressions. As Hebrews 9:22 tells us “without shedding of blood is no remission.” And, then down in verse 28 of Hebrews 9 we read, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many,...” On down in chapter 10 and verse 4 it says, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” It was Christ that “bore our sins” and it was Christ that “took our sins away.” The Azazel or the “goat of entire removal” pictured that part of Christ’s sacrifice, He took upon Himself our sins and iniquities and took them away, removed them far from us.

As we study Leviticus chapter 16 in light of the numerous clear scriptures of the rest of the Bible many things become clear. We find Aaron, the high priest, symbolic of Christ, going into the “holy place” with the blood of a bullock for the atonement for himself and his household. Christ had no sin of His own and entered in with his own blood (Heb. 9:12), pictured by the blood of the first goat of Leviticus 16. The blood was for the atonement of the sins and transgressions of all people. It was to “cover”, make atonement, for all our sins. It was for the reconciling (Col. 1:20) of us to God. It was for the remission of our sins, for without the shedding of blood there is no remission, Hebrews 9:22. It was to cleanse us, 1 John 1:7. He washed us from our sins in His own blood it tells us in Revelation 1:5. Christ “purchased us” and “redeemed us” by His blood. (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12)

Although our sins were atoned for, covered, etc. the sins still had to be removed. And, Christ bore our sins in His body (1 Pet. 2:24). He bore them, took them away, removed them completely. This is pictured by the second goat, the Azazel, the goat of removal. This goat, if you will, pictured Christ’s body. Leviticus 16:21 says that after “putting” the sins and transgressions and iniquities of all of the people upon the head of this goat the high priest was to “send him away by the hand of a fit man.” Our previous understanding, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, identified this “fit man” as an angel that cast Satan into the bottomless pit. However, this does not seem to be the case. I had to ask, “Who took away the body of Christ, pictured by this Azazel goat?” We are familiar with the story of Joseph of Arimathaea going to Pilate and begging the body of Jesus. I find the descriptions of Joseph to be similar to the expression in Leviticus, “a fit man.” Mark 15:43 says he was “an honourable counseller.” Luke says of him in Luke 23:50, “...a counseller; and he was a good man, and a just.”

What does a “fit man” mean, as used in Leviticus 16:21? “Fit” is from the Hebrew ittiy, #06261 in Strong’s. This is the only place it is used in the O.T. The meaning is “timely, ready.” The word translated “man” means just that, a man. In the descriptions given and quoted above regarding Joseph, it says “he was a good man.” The lexicon shows the word “good” to be translated from the Greek huparcho, #5225 in Strong’s. The second definition is very revealing. “To come forth, hence to be there, be ready, be at hand.” (Emphasis mine.) Joseph was the “fit” man, the one that was ready to perform the necessary details of claiming the body of Jesus and preparing it for burial.

Leviticus 16: 22 says that the goat, the Azazel, was to bear upon him all the iniquities “unto a land not inhabited.” Does this represent the grave, the tomb, the sepulcher of Jesus Christ? I believe that it does. Notice some items of interest here. The Hebrew word translated “land” is used in a number of ways in the O.T., generally as land, earth, country, etc. But, I did find that in the lexicon definitions one listing under “land” is “Sheol, land without return,...” Sheol as we know is the Hebrew word often translated “hell” or the grave. The word translated “inhabited” in the phrase “not inhabited” is zerah, #01509 in Strong’s. This is the only place it is used in the entire O.T. It means “a separation, a separate place.” It is rendered as “a land cut off” in Green’s Literal Bible and in the Jewish Publication Society’s Holy Scriptures. Darby’s Translation has it “to a land apart [from men];” The last portion of Leviticus 16:22 says the Azazel goat was to be let go by the fit man “in the wilderness.” The word used for “wilderness” is defined as “wilderness, pasture, uninhabited land, large tracts of wilderness (around cities)...” What could be better defined as a “land” or area that is “uninhabited” and “cut off” than the grave?

I believe that the indications become even stronger that the wilderness is symbolic of the grave when we link it with baptism. Romans 6 speaks of us being buried with Christ by baptism, that we have been “planted together in the likeness of his death” (verse 5). Then verse 6 says, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed,...” Christ “bore” our sins in His body. It was His body that was taken by the “fit man”, Joseph of Arimathaea, unto a “land not inhabited,” the grave. Our sins and the sins of the world were carried away, borne away, by Jesus Christ in His body.

Additionally I see a tie in with baptism in the instructions given in Leviticus 16:23-24 for the high priest to “wash his flesh with water in the holy place.” And, the “fit man” that took the Azazel goat into the wilderness was to “wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water,” verse 26. Also, the individual that had the job of burning the bullock and the goat whose blood had been brought in to make atonement was also to “wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water,” verse 28. Hebrews 10:22 is also interesting in this connection. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

As quoted above, the Azazel goat was to be “let go” in the wilderness. Some commentaries state that it became the custom for the man taking the goat into the wilderness to push the goat over a cliff resulting in it’s death. But, Scripture says specifically it was to be “let go.” The Hebrew word here is shalach, #07971 in Strong’s. The lexicon defines it specifically as “to send, send away, let go...” Additional definitions include “to let loose”, “to send off or away or out or forth” and “to let go, set free.” Why was the goat to be set free? Since we see the indications that it was picturing the sins of all being borne by Christ’s body to the grave why wasn’t it also killed as was the first goat? I believe the answer lies in the fact that Jesus was resurrected and came out of that tomb. No analogy is 100% accurate all the way through. The goat was not killed and then resurrected as Christ was. There appears to be a second analogy or picture seen here. The Azazel goat was allowed to remain alive picturing the resurrected Christ. I believe we see this revealed in Romans 5:10. “ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” We were reconciled, the atonement of and by the blood of Christ. Our sins were borne away by the body of Christ BUT we “shall be saved by His life.” It was through His resurrection and His entering into the Holy place in heaven as our High Priest that we can receive salvation.

As mentioned above, some commentaries and Bible dictionaries mention the custom that developed of pushing the Azazel goat over a cliff, resulting in it’s death. Apparently, after being “let go” in the wilderness the goat would find it’s way back to the camp. This would not be unusual for a domesticated animal. The picture that the priests and Levites apparently saw was a “sin laden” goat returning. And, they took it upon themselves to kill the goat contrary to the clear Scriptural instructions. I submit that the picture that should have been drawn was of the resurrected Christ having left all of those sins behind, buried once and for all.

This brings us to another picture from Leviticus 16. We have seen that there were two goats, each depicting a part of Christ’s sacrifice, one for the shedding of blood for the atonement, the covering of our sins, and the other carrying our sins away. It has been suggested by one individual, and I believe it can be demonstrated , that the two goats are also symbolic of the two comings of Jesus Christ. The first goat, which was killed, pictures Christ’s first coming and His sacrifice. The second goat, the Azazel, would picture His second coming. As we have demonstrated from Scripture, we do see the picture of our sins being carried away by the body of Christ. However, the totality of this has not yet occurred.

Romans 3:25, speaking of Christ, says “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;” (Emphasis mine.) Christ’s shed blood atoned for our past sins. Those past sins were carried away. By and through His resurrection we can receive atonement for those sins we continue to commit and can have those carried away as well. BUT, there is still sin. There will continue to be sin until the last enemy, death is destroyed (1 Cor. 15:26). It is at Christ’s second coming that He will begin that final part of His ministry, to restore all things and to finally carry away ALL sin.

A passage that helps us to understand is found in Luke. Luke 4:18-19 “ The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” I submit that the “acceptable year” will be the ultimate fulfillment of the year of jubilee which, if you remember from Leviticus 25, began on the Day of Atonement. The year of jubilee was a time of forgiveness of all debts and a total restoration. (We have felt for years that the Feast of Trumpets pictures the return of Jesus Christ. It is another study for another time but, it seems that the trumpet that was sounded on the Day of Atonement to begin the year of Jubilee is truly symbolic of the “the last trumpet” at which Christ sets foot on the earth. That will be the “acceptable year of the Lord.”)

One may also note that Isaiah talks about "a fast, and an acceptable day to Jehovah" - where “yowm” ("day") can also mean "time" or "year." (Isa. 58:5) The Fast (the day of Atonement) and liberation go hand in hand. In Isaiah we read: "Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?" (Isa. 58:6) That is just what was to be done on Atonement when it was a year of release of jubilee - all debts were to be cancelled, and all slaves, all in bondage were to be let free.

All of that was and is just a symbol of the real liberation and cancelling of debts which will take place on the real jubilee when Jesus comes, when that Atonement trumpet sounds. People will be forgiven, and ALL sins will be carried away. The finality will be when all are made spirit and there will be no more sin.

Above we mentioned that the individual that burned the bullock and the goat whose blood was brought into the tabernacle was to wash his clothes and bathe his flesh. Also, in that verse, verse 27, it tells us that they were to be carried “forth without the camp” to be burned. In reference to this Hebrews 13:11-12 tells us something significant. “For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.” It was by “His own blood he entered in once into the holy place.” (Heb. 9:12) The blood was for the atonement for our sins and iniquities. Our sins were carried away outside the camp. The suffering was outside the gate. “Sin” was not taken into the holy place. Even the Father forsook Christ when He took our sins upon Himself. Isaiah 59:2 tells us that sins separate us from God. The Tanakh, the new JPS translation of the Holy Scriptures, renders this verse this way: “But your iniquities have been a barrier between you and your God, your sins have made Him turn His face away and refuse to hear you.”

Throughout the Bible fire is used as a type of trials. Some see the burning of the animals symbolic of the “fiery trial” that Jesus endured, the trial he “suffered without the gate.” Peter makes a statement that seems very fitting with this understanding in 1 Peter 4:12-13, “ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” He equates “fiery trials” with us as “partakers of Christ’s sufferings.”

As I’m sure we all have noticed, the emphasis at Passover and at Atonement is similar. At Passover a lamb was killed and it’s blood was placed on the lintel and the door posts. It was the presence of the blood that caused the death angel to “pass over” the Israelites. The “body” of the lamb was roasted and consumed. We have seen the blood as a type of the shed blood of Christ and the roast lamb a type of the body of Christ. At the final supper with his disciples Christ told them the wine was His blood of the new testament and the bread was His body. He said, “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28) Remission of sins, for an atonement. He stated that the bread was His body. Paul quotes what Jesus stated in 1 Corinthians 11:24, “And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.”

An interesting statement is made, “which is broken for you.” Nowhere in the instructions in Exodus regarding Passover or in Leviticus 16 relating to Atonement is there mention of the “body” being broken. The lamb was not beaten nor was the Azazel goat. Leviticus 16 simply tells us that our sins, transgressions and iniquities were to be placed upon the Azazel goat. It is only when we come to the prophecy of Isaiah 53 do we see that something else was “borne” by Christ. Notice again Isaiah 53:4, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” The King James hides the true understanding. The word “griefs” is the Hebrew choliy, #02483 in Strong’s. It’s one and only definition in the lexicon is “sickness.” The word “sorrows” is makob in Hebrew, #04341 in Strong’s, and is defined as “pain.” It is in verse 6 that we read that “the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” But, verse 5 reveals why Christ’s body was “broken for” us. Isaiah 53:5, “But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” And, of course 1 Peter 2:24 tells us again, “ Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” Christ bore our sins in His body AND He willingly went through the scourging for our physical healing. That is another study.