Is Azazel a spiritual being?
Question:
In the Holy Bible, is Azazel a spiritual being? Why is an animal given to him, which bears people's sins, instead of being given to God? I'm confused.
Thanks.
Answer:
"Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat. Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat. ... When he finishes atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. ... The one who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; then afterward he shall come into the camp. But the bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be taken outside the camp, and they shall burn their hides, their flesh, and their refuse in the fire" (Leviticus 16:6-10, 20-22, 26-27).
Azazel is the Hebrew word for "scapegoat." Its literal meaning is "goat gone away." Just as the one goat selected for sacrifice was a physical goat, so was the other goat given the name Azazel. The goat selected for sacrifice became a sin offering to God. The live goat was released into the wilderness to symbolize the carrying away of Israel's sins. The name Azazel cannot be the name of a demon because "the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the LORD." The living goat is dedicated to God, not a demon.
Many see the two goats as a type of Christ. "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. ... But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:5-6, 10-11).