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Leviticus 16 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
The goat chosen for Azazel shall be presented alive to the LORD and sent off into the desert to Azazel, in order to take away the sins of the people.
Leviticus 16:10 GNB
It’s a somewhat bizarre description. A goat will take the sins of Israel and carry them “to Azazel” in the desert. What does this mean?
The sins of Israel are transferred to the goat as the high priest places his hands upon its head. Then the goat is sent deep into a remote area of the wilderness which carries the nation’s sin far away. This was not a symbolic gesture. The sins were literally being carried away from the people on the goat. But who is Azazel?
There’s not a great answer. The most popular explanation is that Azazel was a demon living in the wilderness. Commentators specifically note that the goat was not a sacrifice to the demon, but rather, the sending of sin back to “where it came from.” The possible confusion of interpreting it this way has others believing this is not the right application. In fact, in the very next chapter of Leviticus, offering sacrifices to ‘satyrs’ (devils) is described as a horrific crime.
Another view is that it alluded to a rare Hebrew noun meaning ‘complete destruction.’ Still, a third view sees the term as representing a rocky ledge.
Whatever the case, the point is clear. The sins of the people could not remain with them if the presence of God were to dwell there. There had to be an atonement, or, removal of their sin.
What we find in the NT regarding this theme is pretty fascinating. Of course, we know that Jesus was the final sacrifice that carried our sins far away. But, if you consider the fact that during His suffering on the cross our sins were being placed on Him, it really makes this analogy come to life. It makes me think of when Jesus cried out to God as He felt the spiritual force of our sin upon His shoulders.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”
Matthew 27:46 NASB
Though we have no idea exactly what Jesus is experiencing, it makes you wonder if, like the goat which is being sent to a faraway place, Jesus felt a similar type of abandonment. We understand that He paid for our sins but have we considered the burden of being disconnected from His Father? There is no doubt that this was His most painful sacrifice: the separation from God. When we reflect on this incredible imagery, we are able to gain a deeper understanding of what was accomplished for us and the price that was required.