HOME / PROCLAMATION! MAGAZINE / 2010 / APRIL MAY JUNE / ASK THE PASTOR

April May June 2010
VOLUME 11, ISSUE 2

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D E P A R T M E N T S

Ask the PASTOR

Why do you object to the teaching that Satan is the scapegoat?
Dale Ratzlaff

 

Answer: First, its very origin is framed in gross error. James and Ellen White and Joseph Bates accepted Hiram Edson's cornfield vision and a paper written by Crosier and published in the Day Star Extra which reinterpreted the Great Disappointment of 1844. Endorsed by a vision from Ellen White, this explanation stated the following unbiblical points:

• Christ entered the Most Holy Place of the heavenly sanctuary for the first time on October 22, 1844.
• No atonement was made at the cross.
• Atonement is made by the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary.
• The blotting out of sins does not take place at the point of repentance and conversion.
• The atonement is not complete until Christ lays the sins upon Satan, who is represented by the scapegoat in the Levitical Day of Atonement.
• The atonement is not complete until after the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary which started October 22, 1844.

Further, Leviticus clearly implies that either goat could have served as the Lord's Goat, because the priest assigned the goats by casting lots. Jesus and Satan are not interchangeable.

To my knowledge, no other Old Testament sanctuary symbol represents Satan; why then, should Israel's most holy service include a "shadow of Satan"?

 

Two goats needed

While there is some evidence that there were certain "goat" ceremonies practiced by Israel's neighbors in Old Testament times that may have been dedicated to some desert demon, this does not mean that the Day of Atonement scapegoat represents Satan. Moreover, Jesus used the serpent, a biblical symbol of Satan, to represent His becoming sin for our justification:

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up (Jn. 3:14).

Moreover, when Paul referred to the old covenant holy days, which include the Day of Atonement services, he collectively called them a "shadow". In context, the shadow is of Christ and not Satan (Col. 2:16, 17). In fact, Hebrews includes the Law and all the sacrifices—including the scapegoat sacrifice—as "a shadow of the good things to come" (Heb. 10:1).

Importantly, the atonement of Christ carries such a vast load of truth that one sacrifice was inadequate to picture it. Therefore, the Old Testament used many sacrifices and symbols to point forward to Christ. The key truth of the Day of Atonement sacrifices and the two goats is that Christ not only died for our sins (first goat) but also carried them away, (scapegoat) never to be seen again (Ps. 103:12; Is. 44:22; Heb. 8:12; Ps. 51:9; Jer. 50:20; Rom. 8:33; Heb. 10:17-18).

 

Jesus is the only sin bearer

Finally, Christ is the only "sin bearer". Nowhere in Scripture is Satan represented as bearing the sins of the righteous.

I believe the teaching that Satan is the final sin bearer of the sins of the righteous exposes the "spirit" behind the Adventist movement. If one carefully examines the six points in Crosier's article that were the outgrowth of the "vision" of Hiram Edson and endorsed by a vision of Ellen White, it becomes evident that every one of them fly in the face of the gospel and the finished work of Christ! As Christ said so clearly, "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit" (Mat 7:18).

If one studies the history of the Adventist church it will become evident that the SDA church has fought the simple gospel of salvation by faith in Christ alone time and time again. Some Adventist pastors appear to be teaching truth. Most of them, however, are afraid to separate themselves from the historic cultic teachings of Adventism, such as their scapegoat theology, the investigative judgment, the necessity to keep Sabbath, and writings of Ellen G. White as a "source of truth." †

 

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Dale and Carolyn Ratzlaff have authored five books concerning Adventism: Sabbath in Christ—a volume that explains new covenant Sabbath rest, Cultic Doctrine of Seventh-day Adventism—explores the unique doctrine of a pre-advent judgment that decides eternal destinies, Truth About Adventist "Truth"—a little book that's perfect to give to Christians that need to understand Adventism, Truth Led Me Out—in which Dale Ratzlaff tells his own story of following Jesus, no matter the cost, and My Cup Overflows—Carolyn's autobiography. Each of these books is available at www.LifeAssuranceMinistries.com or by phoning 800-355-7073.

Dale Ratzlaff, the founder of Life Assurance Ministries and Proclamation! magazine