The Beast and Satan: Their Natures and Forms

Traditional depictions of Satan the Devil portray him in two distinctly different ways: as a cloven-footed, goat-headed Horned God, and as a wily but powerful red Serpent-Dragon. Often these two figures are confused, as in the standard depiction of a red devil with a goat’s head, cloven feet, and horns – but also with a dragon’s tail and serpent’s fangs!

Confused indeed. Such mixed images reflect a common misunderstanding of not one, but two evil 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 he and his seven heads have sought to rule by force upon the earth. Satan turned his heart primarily to spiritual authority, and so has sought to establish his dominion over both the heavens and earth.

The Beast

The Horned God Azazel is epitomized by the rank beastliness of a billy goat: obnoxious sexuality, uncleanness, offensive smell, and aggressiveness – all attributes of a personality devoted to its carnal desires. (Az/azel literally means Harsh Strength [or Goat]/Gone Away.) Azazel was condemned by God to a greater degree than his fellow fallen Watchers –

Enoch 10:12 All the earth has been corrupted by the effects of the teaching of Azazel. To him therefore ascribe the whole crime.

– because of the two great carnal sins he cultivated in mankind: 1) teaching men the weapons and tactics of warfare, and 2) teaching women the devices and arts of harlotry:

Enoch 8:1 Azazel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and 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 carnal sins are personified in Revelations 17’s Beast and Great Whore. However, among believers in paganism and some Satanic cults, they are idolized as a libidinous Horned God, generally taking the form of a satyr, and as an eroticized Earth Goddess. For these cults, hedonism is imputed to be sacred, and the worship of God is imputed to be profane. And thus all those of this spirit “call evil good, and good evil.” Is. 5:20

Satan

The angelic spirit Satan, on the other hand, did not succumb to a carnal desire to take a human wife, and therefore avoided condemnation to the Abyss when the Watchers were bound and cast there. On the contrary, in Job 1-2 Satan is seen in the heavenly “presence of God.” His access to the realm of heaven has continued even up to the present Latter Days, for not until the Archangel Michael-led “war in heaven” will “the great dragon…that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan…[be] cast into the earth, and his angels…with him. Rev. 12:7, 9; see Dan. 11:40; 12:1. Because Satan had never before yielded to carnal desires. Rather, his intent has been to rule over heaven itself:

Isaiah 14:13 For thou has said in thine heart, “The heavens I will ascend, 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.”

The personality of Satan has been that of the classic power-broker, who from behind the scenes manipulates others to carry out his evil ends, while he retains an appearance of blamelessness. (Sound like any politicians you know?) Deception, lies, and manipulation have been his primary tools; he has left the shedding of 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 Times events of Revelation 12 and Daniel 11:40 – 12:1, however, Satan’s culpability will be everlastingly exposed, and he and his remaining angelic host are to be cast to the earth, where he is to have but “a short time.” Rev. 12:12