| The King of the Abyss and the Unholy Trinity [The following is written for people mature in their faith. It contains much non-biblical information, most of it from the Book of Enoch. That book, which describes the fall of some of the angelic host prior to the Noahic Flood, is quoted in Jude 14-15, and alluded to in Jude 6, 2 Peter 2:4, and Genesis 6:1-4f. Enoch records that a group of angels of the class called Watchers conspired to come to Earth, take wives of mankind, and father a hybrid race of �giants� (Gen. 6:4), literally Nephilim. Because of these forbidden unions, and because these rebellious angels taught mankind sorcery and other corrupting practices, God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth...for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah...I do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh... Gen. 6:5, 12-13, 17 Either just prior to, or at the time of the Flood, God sent archangels to bind the rebellious Watchers and cast them into the Abyss (a.k.a. Bottomless Pit): God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to Tartarus...but saved Noah... 2 Peter 2:4 [Tartarus was the term used in Greek mythology for the lowest pit of Hades, wherein the Titans (rebellious gods of old) had been cast.] And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, [God] hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Jude 6 Below is a summary of the deeds of the most evil one of these angels, followed by a look forward to his soon-coming end in �the judgment of the great day,� as foretold in the book of Revelation.] The Story of the Fallen Watchers Book of Enoch, Chapter 7:1 It happened after the sons of men had multiplied in those days, that daughters were born to them, elegant and beautiful. 2 And when the angels, the sons of heaven, beheld them, they became enamored of them, saying to each other, Come, let us select for ourselves wives from the progeny of men, and let us beget children. [Compare Genesis 6:1-2.] 3 Then their leader Semhazai said to them; I fear that you may per-haps be indisposed to the performance of this enterprise; 4 And that I alone shall suffer for so grievous a crime. 5 But they answered him and said; We all swear; 6 And bind ourselves by mutual execrations, that we will not change our intention, but execute our projected undertaking. 7 Then they swore all together, and all bound them-selves by mutual execrations. Their whole number was two hundred, who descended in the days of Jared on the summit of mount Hermon. 8 That mountain therefore was called Hermon [derived from the Hebrew word herem, a curse], because they had sworn upon it, and bound themselves by mutual execrations. 9 These are the names of their chiefs: Semhazai, who was their leader...Azazel... [18 leaders named]. 10 Then they took wives, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees. 11 And the women conceiving brought forth giants... 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. ... 9:1 Then Michael and Gabriel, Raphael, Suryal, and Uriel, looked down from heaven, and saw the quantity of blood which was shed on earth, and all the iniquity which was done upon it, 3 ...Then they said to their Lord, the King, ... 5 You have seen what Azazel has done, how he has taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all the secret things which are done in the heavens. 6 Semhazai also has taught sorcery... 10:1 Then the Most High, the Great and Holy One spoke: 4 ...all the earth shall perish; the waters of a deluge shall come over the whole earth, and all things which are in it shall be destroyed. 5 And now teach [Noah] how he may escape, and how his seed may remain in all the earth. 6 Again the Lord said to Raphael, Bind Azazel hand and foot; cast him into darkness; and opening the desert which is in Dudael, cast him in there. 7 Throw upon him rough and jagged rocks, covering him with darkness; 8 There shall he remain for ever [perpetually]; cover his face, that he may not see the light. 9 And in the great day of judgment let him be cast into the fire. [Cf. Jude 6: (God) hath reserved (them) in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.] 10 Restore the earth, which the angels have corrupted; and announce life to it, that I may revive it. 11 All the sons of men shall not perish in consequence of every secret by which the Watchers have destroyed, and which they have taught their offspring. 12 All the earth has been corrupted by the effects of the teaching of Azazel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime. ... 13:1 Then Enoch, passing on, said to Azazel: You shalt not obtain peace. A great sentence is gone forth against you. He shall bind you; 2 Neither shall relief, mercy, and supplication be yours, on account of the oppression which you have taught; 3 And on account of every act of blasphemy, tyranny, and sin, which you have dis- covered to the children of men. 4 Then departing from him I spoke to them all together; 5 And they all became terrified, and trembled... 15:1 ...[The Lord] spoke and said: ... 8 Now the giants, who have been born of spirit and of flesh, shall be called upon earth evil spirits, and on earth shall be their habitation. Evil spirits shall proceed from their flesh [when they die], because they were created from above; from the holy Watchers was their beginning and primary foundation. Evil spirits shall they be upon earth, and the spirits of the wicked shall they be called. The habitation of the spirits of heaven shall be in heaven; but upon earth shall be the habitation of terrestrial spirits, who are born on earth. 9 The spirits of the giants shall be like clouds, which shall oppress, corrupt, fall, contend, and bruise upon earth. 10 They shall cause lamentation. No food shall they eat; and they shall be thirsty; they shall be concealed, and shall not rise up against the sons of men, and against women [before the Last Days]; for they [shall] come forth during the days of slaughter and destruction. Azazel the Scapegoat The next historical use of the name Azazel is found in Leviticus 16, which prescribes the Mosaic Law offer-ings to be made on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Aaron and each subsequent high priest was to 16:5 ...take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering... 7 and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for Azazel [Hebrew: most transl., for the scapegoat]. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD�s lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to Azazel, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go to Azazel into the wilderness. Continue Return to Index |