The King of the Abyss and the Unholy Trinity continued Confused indeed. These mixed images reflect a nearly universal misunderstanding of not one, but two angelic spirits: the Horned God Azazel, and �the great dragon...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan� (Rev. 12:9). These two spirits, while having in common their rebellions against the will of God, differ greatly in their characters, goals, and spheres of influence. Azazel turned his heart primarily to carnality, and tried to establish his rule upon Earth. Satan turned his heart primarily to power, and has tried to establish his dominion over both the heavens and Earth. The Horned God Azazel is epitomized by the rank beastliness of a billy goat: overblown obnoxious sexuality, uncleanness, offensive smell, and aggressiveness. Sex, fight, eat, sleep, stink; i.e., all the attributes of a person-ality devoted to carnal pleasures. Azazel was condemned by God to a greater degree than his fellow fallen Watchers � All the earth has been corrupted by the effects of the teaching of Azazel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime. Enoch 10:12 � because of the two great carnal sins he cultivated in mankind: 1) teaching women the devices and arts of harlotry, and 2) teaching men the weapons and tactics of warfare: 8:1 Moreover Azazel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, the use of stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered. 2 Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways. These two evils are epitomized in Revelation 17�s Great Whore and Beast. In paganism and some Satanic cults, they are portrayed by the Earth Goddess and the Horned God, the latter taking the form of a satyr. Hedonism is imputed to be sacred, and the worship of God is imputed to be profane. The angelic spirit Satan, on the other hand, did not succumb to a carnal desire to take a human wife, and he therefore avoided condemnation to the Abyss. On the contrary, in Job 1-2 he is seen in the heavenly �presence of the LORD� (1:12). His access to the realm of heaven has continued even up to the present Latter Days, for not until the �war in heaven� will �the great dragon...that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan...[be] cast out into the earth, and his angels...with him� (Rev. 12:7, 9). For Satan has never yielded to carnal desires; his intent has been to rule over heaven itself: Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. While this is not the place to go into details about angelology, suffice it to say that Satan has ever been de-scribed as a top-ranking angel. The Watchers were of a much lower order; therefore, the rebels among them fell under the sway of Satan himself: Enoch 53:5 ...the host of Azazel... 6 ...became ministers of Satan, and seduced those who dwell upon earth. The personality of Satan is that of the classic power-broker, who from behind the scenes manipulates others to carry out his own evil ends, while he retains an appearance of innocence. Deception, lies, and manipulation are his primary tools; he leaves the shedding of innocent blood to his dupes. By these means he has continually built up the ranks of those under his sway, while (so far) maintaining his access to the heavens. During the End Time events described in Revelation 12, however, Satan's culpability will be everlastingly exposed, and he and his re-maining angelic host are to be cast to Earth, where he is to have but �a short time.� The Apostle John was shown a vision of this End Time war in heaven between the archangel Michael and Satan: And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon...and his angels, [who] prevailed not... And the great dragon...called the Devil, and Satan...was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ... And the dragon...went to make war with...[those] who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. And he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns... Rev. 12:7-9, 17; 13:1 ["Seven heads and ten horns": this is therefore the same "beast that...shall ascend out of the Abyss" foretold in Rev. 17:3, 7-8f., cited earlier in this article.] Many expositors believe this fall of Satan, and ascension of the Beast/Azazel, is foretold also in Rev. 9: And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star having fallen [literal Greek, speaking of an event prior to the fifth angel] from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. And he opened [it]... 9:1-2 At this time Satan�s old servant Azazel, the King of the Abyss, is released with his fellow demons. (See Rev. 9:11, 11:7, and 17:8, all cited earlier.) Upon his ascension, ...the dragon...[will give] him his power, his throne, and great authority. Rev. 13:2 Satan at this time turns over to Azazel (Apollyon, the Destroyer) the kingdoms of this world that Satan has seduced over the ages; even as he once offered them to Jesus to tempt him: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Matthew 4:8 Revelation 13: 11f. thereafter describes the False Prophet (cf. Rev. 19:20) �coming up out of the earth,� who assists the Beast in his conquests and depredations. This sorcery-spouting spirit who �speaks like a dragon� may well be Semhazai, as we saw earlier: Enoch 9:6 Semhazai also has taught sorcery, to whom you have given authority over those who are associated with him. Continue Previous Page Return to Index |