There are several references in 1 Enoch about Azazel, such as 1 Enoch 8.1-3, 9.6, 10.1-9 and 13.1-2. We want to quote 1 Enoch 54.1-6 where it says, “Then I looked and turned to another face of the earth and saw there a valley, deep and burning with fire. And they were bringing kings and potentates and were throwing them into this deep valley. And my eyes saw there their chains while they were making them into fetters of immense weight. And I asked the angel of peace, who was going with me, saying, ‘For whom are theses imprisonment chains being prepared?’ And he said to me, ‘These are being prepared for the armies of Azazel, in order that they may take them and cast them into the abyss of complete condemnation, and as the Lord of the Spirits has commanded it, they shall cover their jaws with rocky stones.’ Then Michael, Raphael, Gabriel and Phanuel themselves shall seize them on that great day of judgment and cast them into the furnace (of fire) that is burning that day, so that the Lord of the Spirits may take vengeance on them account of their oppressive deeds which they performed as messengers of Satan, leading astray those who dwell upon the earth.”
1 Enoch 55.3-4 says, “When I would give consent so that they should be seized by the hands of the angels on the day of tribulation and pain, already I would have caused my punishment and my wrath to abide upon them-my punishment and my wrath, says the Lord of the Spirits. Kings, potentates, dwellers upon the earth: You would have to see my Elect One, how he sits in the throne of glory and judges Azazel and all his company, and his army, in the name of the Lord of the Spirits.” Now, remember, the name of Azazel is a term for Satan and the False Messiah. Next we are going to the article “Revelation” from the Jewish Encyclopedia, “Then the writer dwells, in 20.1-5, on the judgment passed in Heaven upon the dragon, Satan, the primeval serpent, who is, like Azazel, in Enoch, bound and cast into the abyss, there to be shut up for a 1000 years, the seventh millennium which the Messiah shall pass together with the elect ones. Here the original apocalypse probably told of the resurrection of the “saints” who had died in the Lord (14.13) and of the triumphal song they sang at the union of the Messiah, the Bridegroom, and the daughter of Zion, the Bride (15.2-4, 19.1-8).”
From the article “Apocalypse” from the Jewish Encyclopedia it says, “The idea of a final triumph of God and his Heavenly hosts over the evil spirits also followed naturally, and kept pace with the development of the Jewish angelology. The “guardian angels” of Dan 9-12, and the punishment of the “fallen stars” which occupies so much space in the Enoch literature, are only elaborations of beliefs which had already received distinct expression; compare Isa 24.21, 27.1; Deut 32.8; Psa 82; Job 38.7. The appearance of the evil spirit “Azazel” in Lev 16.8 is proof that the names of angels and demons were in common uses before the days of Daniel and Enoch.”
This article is about a style of writing used around 200 B.C., but it was not invented then. It is there in the Torah. There are “apocalyptic” portions in the Tanak. To understand this style becomes very important. Daniel, 1 Enoch, Revelation, Zechariah and other writings are written in this apocalyptic style. This belief in Azazel as a demon did not come around in the latter days or late Second Temple Period, but it goes back to the Book of Job, the oldest book in the Bible.
There is a book in the Pseudopigrapha called “The Apocalypse of Abraham” and the Jewish Encyclopedia says, “Under the guidance of Yahoel, and assisted by many other angels, Abraham offers up his sacrifice (Gen 15), but not without being disturbed by Azazel, the fallen Archangel and seducer of mankind, as he is characterized in the Apocalypse (in agreement with the Midrash Abkir). In the form of an unclean bird he swoops down upon the carcasses” (Gen 15.11), and speaking with a human voice tries to persuade Abraham to leave the holy place.” So, Azazel appears in the Apocalypse of Abraham, along with the Scriptures, Mishnah, Talmud, Tosefta and 1 Enoch.
Continuing with the article on the Apocalypse of Abraham in the Jewish Encyclopedia, it says “But Abraham was not the man to be seduced by Satan (Sanhedrin 89b). Yahoel spoke to Azazel, saying ‘Listen thou evil adviser, leave this man alone, thou canst not lead him astray; thou canst not tempt the righteous.’ According to Bava Batra 17a, Abraham was one of the three righteous ones over whom Satan (the evil spirit) had no power. Yahoel then adds that the celestial garments which Satan had worn now belong to Abraham; which is expressed in Pirke Rabbi Eliezer 20, and in Targum Yonaton Gen 3.21, where it is said that the garments of light (Gen Rabbah 20.29) of the first two human beings were made out of the skin of the primeval serpent. The Apocalypse understands Azazel’s sin to have consisted in ‘scattering the secrets of Heaven upon the earth’ (compare the Book of Enoch 8.1) and in devising rebellion against the mighty one; compare also Gen Rabbah 9 and Pirke Rabbi Eliezer 13.”
Now, let’s sum up a few things about Azazel. Throughout the Jewish writings, his judgment will be on a great Day of Judgment (Yom Ha Din). He is synonymous with Satan and ruler of the rebellious in the latter days (Acharit Yamin). Azazel is a term that everyone “on the street” knew.
Now we are going to get into another term for Satan that will be also a term for the false Messiah and their followers. This term is “Beliel” and it is found throughout the Scriptures. The Jewish Encyclopedia says, “A term occurring often in the Old Testament and applied, as would seem from the context in 1 Sam 10.27; 2 Sam 16.7, 20.1; 2 Chr 13.7; Job 34.18, to anyone opposing the established authority, whether civil, as in the above passages, or religious, as in Judges 19.22; 1 Kings 21.10, 13; Prov 16.27, 19.28; Deut 13.14, 15.9; 2 Sam 23.6. A somewhat weaker sense, that of “wicked” or “worthless” is found in 1 Sam 1.16, 2.12, 2517, 30 22. The use of the word in 2 Sam 22.5 is somewhat puzzling. Cheyne explains it as “rivers of the underworld” while more conservative scholars render it “destructive rivers.” The etymology of this word has been variously given. The Tamlud (Sanhedrin 111b) regards it as a compound word, made up of “Beli” and “ol” (without a yoke). This derivation is accepted by Rashi (on Deut 13.14) and Gesenius finds the derivation of “Beli” and “yoil” (without advantage, worthless). Ibn Ezra (on Deut 15.9) without venturing on an etymology contents himself with the remark the “Beliel” is a noun, and quotes the opinion of someone else that it is a verb with a precative force, “May he have no rising.” Cheyne (“Expository Times”, 1987, p. 423) seeks to identify Beliel with the Babylonian goddess “Belili” (Jastrow, “Religion of Babylonia” p.588-589).
Hebrew writers according to this view, took up “Belili” and scornfully converted it into “Beliel” in order to suggest “worthlessness.” Hommel (“Expository Times” 8.472) agrees in the equation Beliel=Belili, but agrees that the Babylonians borrowed from the western Semites and not vice versa (we agree). In apocalyptic literature, Rabbinical and Apocraphal literature: In the Hasidic circles from which the apocalyptic literature emanated and where angelologic and demonologic lore was faithfully preserved, Beliel held a very prominent position, being identified altogether with Satan. In the Book of Jubilees (1.20), Beliel is, like Satan, the accuser and father of all idolatrous nations: ‘Let not the spirit of Beliel (“Beliar” corrupted into “Belhor”) rule over them to accuse them before thee. The uncircumcised heathen are the Sons of Beliel (15.32).” Here we have Beliel as a term for the worthless, one without a yoke (lawless, Torahless) and a term directed to Satan and those who follow him.
In Part 18, we will pick up with more information about the term Beliel.
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