The next event of that day after the Sanctuary was cleansed, was putting all the iniquities and transgressions of the children of Israel upon the head of the scape-goat and sending him away into a land not inhabited, or of separation.
It is supposed by almost every one that this goat typified Christ in some of His offices, and that the type was fulfilled at the first Advent.
From this opinion I must differ; because, First , That goat was not sent away till after the High Priest had made an end of cleansing the Sanctuary, Leviticus 16:20,21; hence that event cannot meet its antitype till after the end of the 2300 days.
Second , It was sent away from Israel into the wilderness, a land not inhabited, to receive them.
If our blessed Saviour is its antitype, He also must be sent away, not His body alone, but soul and body, for the goat was sent away alive, from, not to nor into this people; neither into heaven, for that is not a wilderness or land not inhabited.
Third , It received and retained all the iniquities of Israel; but when Christ appears the second time He will be "without sin".
Fourth , The goat received the iniquities from the hands of the priest and he sent it away.
As Christ is the Priest the goat must be something else besides Himself, and which He can send away.
Fifth , This was one of two goats chosen for that day, one was the Lord's and offered for a sin-offering; but the other was not called the Lord's, neither offered as a sacrifice.
Its only office was to receive the iniquities from the priest after he had cleansed the Sanctuary from them, and bear them into a land not inhabited, leaving the Sanctuary, priest and 24 people behind and free from their iniquities.
Leviticus 16:7-10,22.
Sixth , The Hebrew name of the scape-goat, as will be seen from the margin of verse 8, is "Azazel".
On this verse, Wm.
Jenks, in his Comp.
Com. has the following remarks: "(Scape-goat.) See diff. opin. in Bochart.
Spencer, after the oldest opinion of the Hebrews and Christians, thinks Azazel is the name of the devil; and so Rosenmire, whom see.
The Syriac has Azazel, the angel, (Strongone) who revolted." Seventh , At the appearing of Christ, as