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The Book of Enoch (also called First Enoch) gives
us quite a bit of information about a demon named Azazel. Regarding the
origin of the Book of Enoch, The International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia says:
First Enoch is obviously a composite work,
consisting of at least five different parts. . . .
Since Aramaic fragments of ten different MSS, representing four parts
of the book, have been found in the Qumrân caves, it is quite certain
that the book in its several parts was originally written in Aramaic
and then translated into Greek at an early date. Considerable
fragments of the Greek version have been found . . .
The Greek version was translated into Ethiopic. In 1773 a traveller,
James Bruce, brought three MSS in Ethiopic from Abyssinia to Britain.
We now possess twenty-nine MSS, but all of them more or less corrupt.
We have no materials to trace the history of the five parts of Enoch
as individual books or as a collection.
Few objective criteria exist by which to date
the production of these books and their collection. Most scholars
believe they were written between 165 and 64 B.C., but conclusions
vary considerably (vol. 1, p. 156).
Furthermore, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary
says of First Enoch:
Portions of the work were well known in
Christian circles. 1 En. 1:9 is quoted explicitly in the Epistle of
Jude (vv. 14-15) . . . The work was accepted as Scripture in various
early Christian writings (e.g., Barn. 16:5; cf. 4:3; Clement of
Alexandria Ecl. ii; Irenaeus Adv. haer. iv.16.2) . . .
(p. 337)
Clearly, the Book of Enoch was widely known and
used by early believers. It's apparent that Jude considered his quote
from Enoch to be genuine. Because the present version has suffered some
corruption while coming down to us through the centuries, it is not now
considered to be holy Scripture. However, it is reasonable to assume
that the original text did faithfully record the words of Enoch.
Since Jude quotes from the Book of Enoch, we can
also do so, if we are careful to ensure that what is used does not
contradict or conflict with the Bible. By combining what we are told
about Azazel in the Book of Enoch with what the Bible reveals, we can
come to better understand the ceremony performed on the Day of Atonement
and also end-time events.
Let's start with some background information from
the Book of Enoch about a very important event that is recorded in
Genesis 6:1-2, 4.
GENESIS 6:1 Now it came to pass, when men began
to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them,
2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were
beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.
. . . 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also
afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and
they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old,
men of renown. (NKJV)
This same event is addressed in much greater
detail in the Book of Enoch.
ENOCH 6:1 And it came to pass when the children
of men had multiplied that in those days were born unto 2 them
beautiful and comely daughters. And the angels, the children of the
heaven, saw and lusted after them, and said to one another: 'Come, let
us choose us wives from among the children of men 3 and beget us
children.' And Semjaza, who was their leader, said unto them: 'I fear
ye will not 4 indeed agree to do this deed, and I alone shall have to
pay the penalty of a great sin.' And they all answered him and said:
'Let us all swear an oath, and all bind ourselves by mutual
imprecations 5 not to abandon this plan but to do this thing.' Then
sware they all together and bound themselves 6 by mutual imprecations
upon it. And they were in all two hundred; who descended in the days
of Jared on the summit of Mount Hermon and they called it Mount
Hermon, because they had sworn 7 and bound themselves by mutual
imprecations upon it. And these are the names of their leaders:
Samlazaz, their leader, Araklba, Rameel, Kokablel, Tamlel, Ramlel,
Danel, Ezeqeel, Baraqijal, 8 Asael, Armaros, Batarel, Ananel, Zaqlel,
Samsapeel, Satarel, Turel, Jomjael, Sariel. These are their chiefs of
tens. 7:1 And all the others together with them took unto themselves
wives, and each chose for himself one, and they began to go in unto
them and to defile themselves with them . . . (The
Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, R.H. Charles)
The "sons of God" mentioned in Genesis
6:2, 4 are identified as angels in the Book of Enoch. This was the
commonly accepted understanding of this Scripture until the fifth
century A.D. For additional information on what the Bible teaches about
these sons of God, refer to "Genesis 6 - Who Were 'The Sons Of
God'?."
As you can see from the list of angelic chiefs
named above, Azazel was not one of the angels specified as having come
down on Mount Hermon. An angel named Semjaza is identified as the leader
of the small group of angels who lusted after human women. However, we
soon see Azazel appear in the antediluvian world.
ENOCH 8:1 And Azazel taught men to make swords,
and knives, and shields, and breastplates, and made known to them the
metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets, and
ornaments, and the use of antimony, and the beautifying of the
eyelids, and all kinds of costly stones, and all 2 colouring
tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed
fornication, and they 3 were led astray, and became corrupt in all
their ways. . . . (The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of
the Old Testament, R.H. Charles)
Although Azazel is not initially listed among the
rulers of the 200 angels who came down to earth to mate with human
women, he appears soon after this event. Later in the book (Enoch 54:4),
Azazel is shown to be the ruler of this host of rebellious angels.
Azazel, a powerful, high-ranking evil angel, apparently sought to take
advantage of the lawless environment in the period of angelic rebellion
before the Flood to wreak havoc on humanity. He accomplished this by
teaching mankind how to make weapons and the art of warfare, among other
things. This displeased the Eternal God greatly, and Enoch shows that He
decreed a stiff punishment for Azazel's sins.
ENOCH 10:1 Then said the Most High, the Holy and
Great One spake, and sent Uriel to the son of Lamech, 2 and said to
him: 'Go to Noah and tell him in my name "Hide thyself!" and
reveal to him the end that is approaching: that the whole earth will
be destroyed, and a deluge is about to come 3 upon the whole earth,
and will destroy all that is on it. And now instruct him that he may
escape 4 and his seed may be preserved for all the generations of the
world.' And again the Lord said to Raphael: 'Bind Azazel hand and
foot, and cast him into the darkness: and make an opening 5 in the
desert, which is in Dudael, and cast him therein. And place upon him
rough and jagged rocks, and cover him with darkness, and let him abide
there for ever, and cover his face that he may 6,7 not see light. And
on the day of the great judgment he shall be cast into the fire. . . .
8 . . . the whole earth has been corrupted 9
through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin.
(The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, R.H. Charles)
We see from the excerpt we just read that Azazel's
punishment was to be bound and cast into an opening made in the desert
and sealed up there, covered by rough and jagged stones in darkness. He
was to remain in this place until the time of his judgment, when he
would then be cast into the fire. When we examine the punishment later
decreed for the remainder of the angels who sinned before the Flood, we
get a little more information about this place where Azazel and the
other demons were imprisoned.
ENOCH 54:3 And there mine eyes saw how they made
these their instruments, iron chains of immeasurable weight. 4 And I
asked the angel of peace who went with me, saying: "For whom are
these chains being prepared? And he said unto me: "These are
being prepared for the hosts of Azazel, so that they may take them and
cast them into the abyss of complete condemnation, and they shall
cover their jaws with rough stones as the Lord of Spirits commanded. 6
And Michael, and Gabriel, and Raphael, and Phanuel shall take hold of
them on that great day, and cast them on that day into the burning
furnace, that the Lord of Spirits may take vengeance on them for their
unrighteousness in becoming subject to Satan and leading astray those
who dwell on the earth." (The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the
Old Testament, R.H. Charles)
As the Book of Enoch shows, the hosts of Azazel
were bound in chains and cast into the abyss, to be covered with rough
rocks just as Azazel had been. It's logical to conclude that this abyss
is the same place into which Azazel was earlier cast.
The Bible gives us some information about this
place of restraint for the demons. First, let's look at an incident
during the ministry of the Messiah that Luke records.
LUKE 8:26 Then they sailed to the country of the
Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on
the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for
a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in
the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him,
and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus,
Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!" 29 For
He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had
often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and
shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the
wilderness. 30 Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"
And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.
31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into
the abyss. 32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the
mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.
And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and
entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place
into the lake and drowned. (NKJV)
As the Scripture above shows, the demons who
inhabited this man were terrified of being banished by Yeshua into the
abyss. Evidently this is the same place of restraint where Azazel and
his host of fallen angels were being kept, and the demons who had
possessed this man definitely did not wish to join them there in their
prison.
Clearly some demons are free to spawn evil in the
physical world. However, there are Scriptures which demonstrate that a
portion of the evil angels are currently restrained in darkness and
chains, as the Book of Enoch details.
JUDE 6 And the angels who did not keep their own
position, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal
chains in deepest darkness for the judgment of the great Day. 7
Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which, in the
same manner as they [the angels], indulged in sexual immorality and
pursued unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment
of eternal fire. (NRSV)
II PETER 2:4 . . . God did not
spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered
them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; (NKJV)
I PETER 3:19 . . . He [Christ]
went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were
disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of
Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight
souls, were saved through water. (NKJV)
The Scriptures above confirm what we have seen in
the Book of Enoch. Jude specifically states that it was those angels who
committed sexual sins with human women that were being kept in
age-lasting chains in darkness. These same angels are referenced by
Peter in his second epistle. We are even told that the preincarnate
Christ went and preached to these imprisoned spirits in the days while
Noah was preparing the ark.
Azazel in the Bible
By combining what we have seen from the Book of
Enoch with the Bible, we can understand who Azazel is and why he is
currently imprisoned. Now let's see what the Bible tells us about Azazel
and his host of demons at the end of the age.
In the book of Revelation, John gives us a
prophecy regarding the unsealing of the abyss and the release of the
evil spirits imprisoned there. This event, symbolized by the sounding of
the fifth trumpet, is part of God's wrath on an unrepentant mankind.
REVELATION 9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and
I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to
him the key of the pit of the abyss. 2 And he opened the pit of the
abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a
great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the
smoke of the pit. 3 And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the
earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have
power. 4 And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass
of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such
men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And it was given
them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented
five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when
it striketh a man. 6 And in those days men shall seek death, and shall
in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth
from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses
prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto
gold, and their faces were as men's faces. 8 And they had hair as the
hair of women, and their teeth were as teeth of lions. 9 And they had
breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their
wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war. 10
And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their
tails is their power to hurt men five months. (ASV)
The "star" which falls from heaven to
earth is an angel who has the key to the pit of the abyss. This angel
opens the abyss and releases the demons imprisoned there to torment
humanity. God uses them for five months as an instrument of His wrath;
they are allowed to torment those on the earth who don't have God's seal
on their foreheads (Rev. 7:2-8).
REVELATION 9:11 They had for their king the
angel of the abyss, whose name, in Hebrew, is Abaddon, and in Greek,
Apollyon, or the Destroyer. (NEB)
In Revelation 9:11, the mysterious angelic
"king" of the abyss is called by the names Abaddon and
Apollyon. Both these names mean "destroyer." If you will
recall, the primary sin for which Azazel was imprisoned was for teaching
men how to create weapons and destroy one another through warfare.
Undoubtedly, Azazel and Abaddon/Apollyon are the same being. Although
not specifically mentioned by these names elsewhere in the Bible, Azazel
plays a major role in the events at the end of this current age. For
additional information on this powerful demon and his activities in the
end-time, see my article "Who Is The 'Destroyer'?"
In Revelation 9:11, Azazel is identified as the
king of the demons who is released from the abyss. This point identifies
him throughout the rest of the book of Revelation. Twice Azazel is
specifically referred to as the "beast" who will come up out
of the abyss.
REVELATION 11:7 When they [the two witnesses]
have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the
abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. (NASB)
REVELATION 17:8 "The beast that you saw
was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to
destruction. . . ." (NASB)
Going back to the ceremony performed on the Day of
Atonement, we saw that the sins of the people were placed on the head of
the goat for Azazel. Then this goat was led into the wilderness and was
eventually pushed over a cliff backward to its death, carrying with it
the sins of the people. The Bible records a very similar fate for
Azazel.
REVELATION 19:19 And I saw the beast and the
kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him
who sits upon the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was
captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked
the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the
beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive
into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. (RSV)
This precise destiny for Azazel is confirmed in
the Book of Enoch.
ENOCH 10:7 . . . On the day
of the great judgment he [Azazel] shall be cast into the fire. . . .
(The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, R.H. Charles)
As both the Bible and the Book of Enoch record,
Azazel/Abaddon will be cast into the lake of fire at the end of this age
of mankind. His defeat will inaugurate the reign of the Messiah on the
the earth for a thousand years.
CONCLUSION
The religious ceremony performed by the high
priest on the Day of Atonement had great figurative significance. The
reality of Azazel's eventual vanquishment was portrayed symbolically for
hundreds of years through this ritual. Just as the goat "for the
LORD" in this ceremony pictured the sacrifice of Yeshua the Messiah
for the cleansing of our sins, the fate of the goat chosen by lot
"for Azazel" on the Day of Atonement depicted Yeshua's
soon-coming triumph over Azazel and the forces of evil at the end of
this age.
Bryan T. Huie
Updated: October 11, 1998
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