Since the goat is such an ancient symbol depicting such a sacred thing, it is consistent with the character of the devil to attempt to pervert it. As the people of Elohim (God) fell into apostacy and wickedness, then in common with other beasts of the field and the heavenly bodies, so goats and rams came to be worshipped in many cities of Egypt thousands of years ago. Today the goat has, as a result, become synonymous with satanism and apostacy, the horns representing the horned gods and goddesses. Goats came to represent fertility in many different cultures as far back as ancient Sumeria.

In Egypt Ptah, the Egypian god of magick, knowledge and wisdom, was one of Satan's many aliases. The Enemy has always associated himself with the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and is indentfied with it by Yahweh. In Babylon, Satan represented himself as the goat-god Ea, 'He of vast intellect and lord of the sacred eye', giver of knowledge and bringer of civilisation - he was also (surprise, surprise) represented as a snake. (Incidentally, unlike the lion and goat which have dual symbolisms, the snake is exclusively negative in the Bible and exclusively positive in occultism and satanism - in the latter the Luciferic snake-like 'Kundalini' energy of the psyche). In the satanist's mind, Satan is viewed as the god bringing knowledge in contrast to Christianity's/Messianism's supposedly cultivated 'ignorance'. This is, in truth, simply a twisting of words and concepts, for what satanism loathes the most is innocence - however, innocence is by no means ignorance, as we are being asked to believe by satanists, and satanism is not the 'original religion' which Christianity has somehow 'inverted'.

Yahweh created the goat, not Lucifer, and made it the symbol of the strength of the Lamb of Elohim (God). Yah'shua (Jesus) was, and is, both perfectly innocent, perfectly knowledgeable, and perfectly strong. It is the removal of innocence - which Satan lost because of his rebellion, and has since forced from his deceived devotees - that perverts knowledge and strength. As believers we are called to be filled with knowledge, to be strong, and to be innocent - devoid of sin and guile, as was Uri the son of Hur:

"I (Yahweh) have filled him with the Spirit of Elohim (God), in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge.." (Ex.31:3, NKJV.)

Satan represents himself as the counterfeit of the Pesach Lamb and the Yom Kippur goat. By twisting the emet (truth) he creates a fear of, and revulsion against, the very blood that saves by murderously spilling the blood of his victims, and labels the Christian/Messianic doctrine as 'primitive' in the eyes of those who have no idea what he and his cult are actually promoting or doing.

All of these things being scripturally true, have you ever wondered if you could be a 'goat for Messiah'? Sounds strange, doesn't it, because our English language associations. And yet, by accident or design, we call our children 'lambs' and 'kids', don't we? We wouldn't have done that in a Christian/Messianic cultural context if we had for one moment thought of them as in any way 'bad' concepts. We may, in moments of anger, call our children 'brats', 'imps', 'snakes' (just as John the Baptist and Yah'shua/Jesus called the Pharisees 'vipers') and other negative terms, but we never use the word 'kid' negatively, do we?

I have to confess that that I long had a linguistic aversion to calling children 'kids' until I saw the scriptural connection. We call them 'lambs' and 'kids' because of their innocence...even long after they have lost that virtue (sadly) and started behaving like other symbolically less complimentary beasts.

As adults we are called 'sheep' in a most complimentary way. Speaking of His talmidim (disciples) Yah'shua (Jesus) said:

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal chayim (life), and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28, NKJV).

It's admittedly a little unfamiliar, but what should I, as an 'ez or goat of Messiah, be like, and what behavioural symptoms should I watch out for as an 'ez or goat not under His control?

We saw in Part I that the goat is a great asset, providing milk, meat (as a kid, i.e. in innocence), clothing, etc.. I can reflect Messiah as a good goat by providing nourishment to His flock and providing a covering through prayer and godliness. Goats are very hardy and can live under adverse conditions in difficult landscapes strewn with thornbushes, an essential spiritual requirement of the talmid (disciple) in the unforgiving and harsh climate that is the world system. We need to know how to endure, just like the goat. It can live on a simple and unpretentious diet and thrive, just as we are required to, when the world is feeding on dainties and ruining its spiritual health.

The goat is a ruminant, which means it shews the cud, swallows to digest a bit, and then regurgitates and chews some more. That is a pretty good picture, in my mind, of how we are to digest Yahweh's Davar or Word - it can't be digested all in one go but must be carefully studied again and again, and applied to daily life again and again, until we have got it right and it has become a naturally, absorbed part of our being. In short, chewing the cud like a goat means the gradual churning over of emet (truth) in our mind and lev (heart), living it out, until it has transformed our character and made us more like Messiah. We learn by trying it out and relearning (as necessary) again and again until we no longer need further instruction in a principle.

The goat, like a cat, is a very clean animal indeed, as we should be too, inwardly and outwardly. They won't scavange or eat dirty food, or food that's rotting, as the unkosher pig does - it is particular about what it eats, as we should be. It also doesn't do too well alone but needs a companion, testifying that we do best in marriage. And of course, unless a goat is 'married' it can neither be productive in milk (just as we cannot productive in grace without being in union with Messiah) nor can it multiply lambs and so become fruitful.

Only when we are thus productive in grace (churning out undeserved loving-kindness or unmerited favour to others) and are fruitful in Torah-works for the Kingdom of Elohim (God), can we begin to reflect our Owners. Then the little branch becomes profitable for the Gardener by virtue of being properly and fully owned by the Big Branch, and in turn by the Vine. Full ownerships equals maximum fruitfulness.

Finally, but not least, a goat can give an enemy a good butt! We need to know how to engage successfully, persistently, and unyieldingly in spiritual warfare. Such a goat has real backbone. Solomon named his large sea port on Israel's southern coast (Gulf of Eilat/Aqabar) 'Ezion-Geber' which means 'backbone of a mighty one'. I think that is a pretty good description of what a Christian 'ez or goat ought to be - strong in Yah'shua (Jesus).

What do goats do when they wander away? They cause great destruction by trampling and consuming vegetation. Lost sheep harm only themselves as a rule but lost goats tend to harm the labour and produce of others instead of being productive themselves. They think they have the right, like godless, self-worshipping Marxists, to appropriate (steal) for themselves, or otherwise destroy, the works of those who won't condone their thievery.

There seems to me, then, to be every advantage to being a goat for, and in, Messiah! The goat complements the sheep side of the talmid's (disciple's) nature in Messiah precisely because it reveals another side of Messiah too! We are both metaphorical sheep and goat, lamb and kid!