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Day Of Atonement And The Mystery Of Azazel

I have found that understanding the "Day of Atonement" is crucial to understanding the event of the atonement. Can anyone explain what happened on the Day of Atonement or who Azazel is?

Azazel Mystery The Atonement Day

May I ask what you are referencing? I don't have the answer but am curious as to what you are referring to and the answers hopefully someone else has.

Day Of Atonement And The Mystery Of Azazel Studies Doctrine Mormon

According to the Jewish Enchyclopedia:

From what I can tell Azazel is Satan, or at least another fallen angel like Satan: Or one who chose to follow Satan after first chosing to come to earth and get a body.

I am not sure why you fell this is crucial to understanding the atonement. Could you elaborate on that?

Azazel Mystery The Atonement Day

The Great Day of Atonement happened once a year under the law of Moses and was symbolic of the atonement in which Yhwh or Jehovah who became Jesus Christ was slain for the sins of the world.

I once read the original unaltered biblical record which gave a number of key symbolic pieces that are either obscure or left out entirely from our current scriptures. I have sense found the remnants of these missing pieces in various references, but still have not found this mystery explained. However, there is more than enough information available to verify this information. Some have said that atonement is incomprehensible. And I believe without this information it is.

The Ordinance of the Day of Atonement Dot points are:
- Once a year it is performed
- The high priest offers various sacrifices to clean himself symbolically to be worthy of performing this most sacred of all ordinances under the lower law.
- Once cleaned, 2 goats, both without blemish were brought to the high priests.
- The high priest cast lots, (Rolled the dice so to say), to see which goat would play the symbolic part of Yhwh and which would play the role of Azazel.
- The goat "Yhwh" was taken into the Holy of Holies where his blood was spilt on the "mercy seat" of the Ark of the Covenant, while incense was burned as symbols of the prayers.
- Once that was finished, The high priest exited the Holy of Holies.
- The high priest then firmly grabbed the goat "Azazel" by the horns and began pronouncing all the sins of the people and placed those sins, "on the head of Azazel". The sins were actually given to, born by and placed on the head of Azazel.
- Once the high priest had pronounced all the sins on the head of Azazel, the scapegoat, the goat was sent into the wilderness to "destroy itself".
- It was very important that the goat not be killed by anyone, but its self via its own actions.
- A person or group of people were tasked with watching the goat and following the goat until it died, either of starvation, dehydration or other means, but it could not be killed by anyone directly, only by its own actions.
- When the goat died, a torch was ignited to announce the death of Azazel to a distant watcher who lit their torch to signal the next watcher which continued in a procession until the signal was received back in the city/camp.
- Once this signal was received, the people celebrated and rejoiced greatly because the atonement had been completed and the accountability for their sins had been removed from them.
- Because it could take days or weeks for the goat "Azazel" to die, the people began to lead the goat to a cliff and basically coax it off the cliff. They didn't thrown it, or push it, but coaxed it to jump off the cliff by its own volition. (How they coaxed it was not explained. I imagined that they surrounded it and frightened it or something.) This sped up the process and seemed to make everyone happier.

I think I summed up the Day of Atonement accurately. I will jump ahead because of the quotes provided. Thank you - Alskann for looking it up.

It you want detailed info of who Azazel is, a great site is, Link Removed. They have gone to great lengths to explain exactly who Azazel is, I guess it is always good to know your God.

Azazel is also mentioned in the Book of Enoch. Here are the main points:

Is this starting to make any sense? What thoughts have come to your minds as you have read the above? How does this begin to change your understanding of the atonement?

Although it was obvious who played the role of Yhwh in the final/actual Atonement, but who played the role of Azazel?

Azazel Mystery The Atonement Day

I am not sure where you are taking this. Perhaps I missed something. Here is what I know from Hebrew. (Although my Hebrew/yvret is rusty.) Azezel means literally "goat of departure" "ez" means goat and 'azel" means to go away. It is not a proper name in Hebrew rather a noun.

If Azezel is to be Satan, then were in scripture do we read that Satan becomes a scapegoat for our sin? Or that he will make some sort of Atonement for God's people (Lev. 16:10)?

Day Of Atonement And The Mystery Of Azazel

It is important that you understand that I am NOT saying that Satan made an atonement for us. Christ did as the sacrifice, but Christ did not take the punishment or justice for our sins, and he can't satisfy the demands of justice by taking our punishment. (I will explain this later.) My point is that Satan plays a role in the atonement drama that few have considered.

In the Hebrew, the name Azazel (za zel) is found in Lev. 16:8, 10 & 26, according to "Strongs Strongest Exhaustive Concordance". The KJV of the bible has translated this into the term 'scapegoat" which is more closely related to it's function or role. And as you have likely heard the term "Scapegoat", this is where it originated.

When I read this originally from the bible, I had never heard of it or the name "Azazel" before. One night while studying, my LDS standard works were changed to include a number of extra passages and a number of references to "Azazel" the scapegoat. After learning about this and writing down the information, my standard works became standard again, and I could never find the original text again. Even via word searches. I later did various other searches for this information and found that what I read was accurate. (This is my witness by experience.)

You can look up Azazel or search it in Google and find plenty of people who will confirm what I am saying.

It does seem surprising as we generally do not see Satan's part in the atonement. However, without understanding his role, we cannot understand the atonement. The principle behind Azazel taking the accountability/responsibility for our sins is actually very sound and is found in an unlikely place. Notice from the following verse how this same principle works;

So in this case, the parents neglect to teach their children correct principles and the sin is on the heads of the parents and the children become innocent. In the case of Satan or Azazel we are not talking about neglecting to teach truth, but intentionally teaching error. How much more just is it then to ascribe the sin to the father of lies?

Also, notice that justice must be met. It cannot be denied. And Christ could not suffer the penalty for our sins as that would not be justice. This is clearly taught in the Book of Mormon, but not understood"¦

We tend to say, "Well, a man cannot suffer the penalty for another and meet the demands of justice, But a God could." This defies logic and makes the atonement impossible to comprehend. Christ is the "Brother". "Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his innocent brother, Christ? I say unto you, Nay."

So the Infinite and Eternal atonement must be something more than degrading Christ to a personal whipping boy.

It says that a law was broken and justice must be satisfied on the head of the guilty, not the innocent. Somehow we think that this magically would satisfy the demands of justice. But, "The law requireth the life of him who hath murdered". And the sin cannot be placed on the head of any innocent being, animal or Man or God.

Taking this into account, we can see that the parents who do not teach their children the gospel are accountable or responsible for their children not accepting it. And justice is satisfied on the heads of the parents, not the children. Justice now being satisfied, the children are free to experience the full measure of mercy.

In the same way, the atonement utilizes the same principle to place justice on the head of Azazel by ascribing to him the full measure of the penalty of the law thus satisfying the demands of Justice making mercy available to us.

So Justice is now satisfied, and mercy becomes available. The atonement is also infinite and eternal.

Infinite means that is covers an infinite range, number or in this case sins of the repentant people no matter how many there may.
Eternal means that it covers all time, both eternally forward as well as eternally backward. Few people consider that we actually sinned in the pre-mortal world and required a redemption there as well. This is mentioned only in Alma 13:3 and is called the "preparatory redemption".

How is the atonement infinite and eternal? If the sins are placed on the head of Azazel or the scapegoat, then what role did the goat "Yhwh" play in facilitating the atonement?

It is late and I am very tired, so I am not sure if I made any errors while not thinking clearly. Advanced apologies if that is the case.

Message Edited... Persephone: Please use the Quote Tags here. When you do not use these tags source material that is not your own may appear to be yours when it is not. See our Constructive Posting Policy.

Day Atonement The Mystery Azazel

From above,

Now that is convenient. I wish I could have my scriptures give 'extra' answers when I needed it. This looks like one of those mingled with scripture theories you find on apologetic sites.

Day Atonement The Mystery Azazel Mormon Doctrine Studies

Actually, it was quite annoying when I went back to find it and couldn't. I didn't know it wasn't really there until I went back to reference it. I was on my mission at the time and couldn't search the scriptures using technology, so I was sure it was there and that I just didn't know how to find it.

Later when I had the ability to really look into it, I found that it wasn't there the way I read it. So I looked to see if Azazel even existed and found that he did and it all fit. Later again, while I was reading the Book of Enoch I found the quotes and story I shared which again fit what I had read.

If you will focus on the principles you will find that they are sound. For example: You cannot discount the concept that the accountability or sin can be placed on the heads of others for our actions. This happens with parents taking the sins of their children who are not taught the gospel, military leaders who send their troops into an unjustified war, and other situations. That is the main principle behind Satan or Azazel being credited for the corruption of mankind. However, this does not remove the need for us to repent. I am speaking from the view point of the Aaronic priesthood now.

There comes a point in which a child's sins can no longer be placed on the head of the parent. And repentance is required to place it on the head of Satan who continues to teach falsely.

I am not aware of anyone who teaches this about the atonement. I am not saying that others do not believe it, only that I have never read it taught or discussed. Pieces yes, but not the entire concept.

Granted we haven't explored all the questions and this has thus far not completed the picture. And I am sure that this will sound like it completely contradicts what is taught in general Christianity no matter what church you belong to.

That being said, of course this is the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. As is anything taught by anyone until you receive the inner witness from the spirit which makes it scripture, or unless the spirit teaches you directly. We BELIEVE ALL THINGS, and are taught the truth of ALL THINGS by the Holy Ghost. In other words, this is my opinion as are the words of anyone else until the Holy Ghost provides it's witness.

JB, you might want to move this topic to the mature forum as it now fits the criteria for that forum, IMO"¦

Edited: Amonhi on 3rd Oct, 2008 - 5:45pm