Alone in the Wilderness

Just as the Parsha for Yom Teruah (Bereshit 22:1) began with the birth of Yitzchak (Issac), the Parsha for Yom Kippur begins with the death of Aharon’s (Aaron’s) two sons. This in itself is significant because it represents how the sages of old viewed these two Feast days. The one, a Feast of joy representing birth and new beginnings while the other, a Feast of sadness representing death and an end. The fact is however, for those of us who believe in Mashiach Yeshua, these are both joyous Feast. The reason being, as I have commented in the past, one represents the hiding or carrying away of believers to a place of protection from the onslaught of tribulation to befall the earth and the other represents the return of Yeshua HaMashiach to set up His earthly Kingdom (Daniel 12:1-2). What could possibly be more joyous for those who belong to Yeshua HaMashiach? I say ‘belong to’ because it is not enough for you to know Yeshua, He needs to know you! The only sad part therefore for us is that many of our loved ones and a majority of the Jewish population are not known by Yeshua HaMashiach and they will be left behind, as were the residents of both Noach’s (Noah’s) and Lot’s generation, for judgement.

As interesting as this subject is, it is not what I would like to comment on this year for Parsha Yom Kippur. This is the Scripture passage which caught my attention:

Vayikra {16:21} and Aharon shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) , and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of an ish who is in readiness into the wilderness: {16:22} and the goat shall bear on him all their iniquities to a solitary land: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.

Although Scripture does not say so, it is taught that the goat upon which Aharon laid his hands, called the Azazel also know as the “Scapegoat,” was thrown off a cliff in the wilderness and died. During the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) times the Azazel was synonymous with HaSatan (Satan) and herein is the point I wish to make.

I find it interesting that HaShem instructed Aharon to send the Azazel into the wilderness because that is exactly where the Ruach HaKodesh brought Yeshua to be tempted by HaSatan:

Mattityahu (Matthew) {4.1} Then was Yeshua led up of the Ruach into the wilderness to be tempted of the HaSatan.

Is this just a coincidence or is there something significant we can learn here? The fact is there is something significant from this because we also are most tempted by Satan, when we are in the wilderness.

There are many times in a believer’s life when he spends time in the wilderness. You know what I mean, we have all been there, a place of emptiness, a place of barrenness, a place of loneliness, and a place where it seems that G-d has left you. It is at these times when you are most vulnerable to attacks by HaSatan and it is at these times when you are in the wilderness, that he attacks you the most.

The wilderness is a very dry place, there is no water, and there is no food. It is therefore a place where you must be totally dependant upon HaShem for your survival and now we are being told that the wilderness is where Azazel is roaming.

When you and I are in places of strength, places like at our congregations amongst other believers, we have no trouble fighting away the attacks of the HaSatan, but when we are all alone left by ourselves in the wilderness, we become most vulnerable. Now we know why, because that is where HaShem has banished the Azazel. The wilderness of our lives is his stomping ground! Could that be why Rav Shaul (Paul) told us?

Ivrim (Hebrews) {10.24} And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: {10.25} Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as you see the day approaching.

Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada.

Copyright 2004