What is a scapegoat? Leviticus 16

 Good morning everyone!  God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement.

   Have you thought about what exactly is a scapegoat?  In modern society we use it as a way to blame someone else for a problem.  What is it in the Bible?

   First let's look at what it is in Hebrew - Azazel:  This is a combination of two words:  "ez - goat; and 'azal - to go away or depart.  Okay, here we go.

  In Leviticus 16 God is giving instructions on how Aaron, Moses' brother, is to enter the Holy of Holies.  A lot goes into this and if you want to read the whole chapter here it is - Leviticus 16.

  However, I am going to move on to the SCAPEGOAT part Leviticus 16:15-22.  The scapegoat is when, at Yom Kippur, 2 spotless goats with no blemish are brought to the priest, Aaron, and he casts lots before the goats.  This is to see which goat will be the blood sacrifice and which one will be the Azazel, or goat that will live.

   Now, as you read Leviticus 16 you will find there is a lot of ritual that has to take place before Aaron can go into the Holy of Holies.  He is told by God how to prepare himself to enter the Holy of Holies or he would die.

    Then he makes the blood sacrifices, first of a bull, then of the goat.  This is not a short quick let's go to church, play church, and then go home, eat, and watch football.  NO, this is a hallowed and sacred ritual and takes time, lots of time.  Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement lasts 25-26 hours. (this would upset the football fans if it happened in our churches today, lol)

    Okay, back to the 2 goats. The one goat, the Lord's goat, is to be sacrificed as a sin offering to cleanse the tabernacle and the altar from the uncleanness and rebellions of Israel.

  The second goat, the Azazel, the scapegoat, The high priest laid both hands on the head of the live goat and confessed over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the Israelites. 

   Then a person selected is to take the Azazel (scapegoat) to an uninhabited place.  Leviticus 16: 20-22 tells it better than can I.  20 “When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. 21 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. 22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

   How does this relate to us today? Here are some bullet points:

  1. The punishment for us was on Jesus, and we are healed by His wounds.

   2. Jesus was like the lamb led to the slaughter.

   3. Jesus was led to a cross outside the city walls, like the goat cast outside of the camp.

   4.  On the cross Jesus bore our sins, sanctifying us by his blood.

   5. Jesus' clothes were left inside the empty tomb, in the way the high priest left his tunic inside the Holy of Holies (Leviticus 16: 23 “Then Aaron is to go into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments he put on before he entered the Most Holy Place, and he is to leave them there.)

   I hope and pray you can see the significance of this sacrifice in Leviticus and Jesus on the cross.  Thank you for tolerating me today. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

p.s. after thought:  The goat went away to an uninhabited place, Jesus went away to prepare a place for us.  Your thoughts?

Jesus died for .......................

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Well, it has been 21 days since I have written anything.  A lot of Bible information has passed through my mind, and I just have not taken the time to pen it to you.

   Jesus came and we know little about his childhood.  His parents escaped to Egypt when he was an infant, then returned to Nazareth; at 12 He was missing and was doing His father's work, then at 30 he began his ministry.  And of course, at 33 He was tried, wrongly convicted, and crucified. (actually, he was rightly convicted so we would have eternal life, but that is for another time).

    Jesus did not come to die for you nor for me.  Jesus came to die for all mankind and provide a portal where all could rejoice and live within the kingdom of God.

    When Jesus was on that cross your name came across His mind.  He hung there specifically for you, for me, for everyone.  So often we don't think of it that way.  Just say the words: "JESUS DIED FOR (say your name) JOHNNY". 

   Praise God and amen.

Thank you for reading today.

Love y'all. 

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Oh, to be wise!! Job 13:5; Proverbs 24:5

 Good afternoon everyone!  God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

 Wisdom is more important than muscle.

   As I watch and observe it really became obvious how negative so many people are.  They will add little comments that are tacky or cutty to what a person said.

  I read a news article about a man who found a wallet that had been lost.  He found the man and returned or reunited the wallet with him after 51 years.  Inside the wallet was some personal info and a ticket to Hamlet.  The article noted that they had been reunited after all this time.

  Then a lady, Cindy, commented that it was not a reunion, it was simply a found wallet.  Now, in my mind, why would you want to make that comment. The man had a lost wallet returned, whether you say found, reunited, reunion, or what he got his wallet back with some memorabilia in it.

  Am I reading more into this than I should?  Then these bible verses came to mind:  

Job 13: 5 If only you would be altogether silent!

    For you, that would be wisdom.

  Proverbs 24: 5 "It’s better to be wise than strong; intelligence outranks muscle any day."

  It would be nice, no, wonderful, if people could see the positive and less negative.  Like the praise song says: "Let people see less of me and more of Jesus in me."

   Thanks for reading about my little rant. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Mark 3: 27 A strong man

 Good morning all.  God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!!

   A short word of caution, or maybe you might say a rant.  We need to be diligent in the word of God.  The WORD helps make us strong against attacks by satan and his demons.

  Often people may say, "Oh, I believe, I read my Bible, but I don't go to church." Okay, but how do you become stronger?  Steel sharpens steel, and studying the word of God with others helps make us stronger.

  If I am weak physically, I can be pushed around. However, if I am strong then chances of me getting pushed around are less.  So, we need to be with others who are in the word, talk about God's word, discuss and grow stronger in HIS WORD.

  This verse strikes a chord with me and should with many others: 

Mark 3: 27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.

    If our knowledge of the word is weak, we can be deceived easily. But, if our knowledge of God's word is strong, then we can see through the deceit. We have the power of Jesus and only need to tell satan and his demons to "flee from me in the name of Jesus."

   Encourage people to join a Bible study somewhere; somewhere the true word of God is being taught.

  Stay strong my friends, don't get tied up in the deception of the enemy.  Love y'all. Thanks for reading with me today.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Galatians 6:7-10

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

   Well, today is the last Sunday in September and here we are about to meet October..  How time flies.  Okay, to the Bible study.

   When Job was hit with all the devastation what did he do?  What did his friends do?  Job did not understand as he was a very Godly man.  His friends came and sat in silence with him for 7 days.

   So often we do not understand what or why something is happening.  We can only trust that God is in control.  However, how quick are some people to point out the errors in your life.  Well, if you would have........... You don't have enough faith, if you had then XXX would not have happened.  it is so easy to point fingers.

   Job's friends came and good at first, then started telling him what he must have done, what he should do, they were not encouraging.  It is easy to tell you what you did wrong, but I don't want to hear what I did wrong.  If a person is having a hard time, come, listen, cry with them; but don't correct or point fingers.

  Galatians 6: 7-10  

Verse 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.    We have heard this saying for years.

verse 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.    The first part should really ring a bell with us all - living by the flesh.  However, the second part should encourage us - sow to please the Spirit and reap eternal life.

Verse   9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.     Don't be weary, don't give up, a good harvest is to come.

Verse  10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.   Here is the question you need to ask yourself: Am I doing good to all people, especially my family of believers?  

   We need not be as the friends of Job, but be beacons of light to those around us, those we come in contact with, and praise God for the ability to do so.

  Thanks for letting me come into your mail. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Does wisdom leave us or the worldly lure grab us?

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.

HE HAS RISEN, INDEED, HE HAS RISEN!!

   We may ask who is the wisest man in the world?  The natural answer is Solomon, King David's son.  There is a difference between wisdom and being intelligent.

   Solomon was wise and probably best known for the 2 women who claimed the baby was theirs. When he said take a sword and cut the baby in to 2 pieces, the real mother did not want to see the baby killed and said to give it to the other.

   Solomon was very wise, however, the lust of the world became his downfall.  He married other women of royalty from other countries to make ties, HOWEVER, he started allowing them to bring their false gods in and Solomon even started building places for them to worship.

  All this led to his falling away from God, allowing false idols to come into the kingdom.  How often do we do this in our lives?

   In 1 Kings 3 Solomon asked for wisdom and God lengthened his days. It is a good read, click here.

      My prayer for all of us is that we continue to follow God, when we sin ask forgiveness, and continue to follow and share the word of God's great grace and love.

   Sorry, I may have rambled somewhat, but pray you get the idea I am trying to convey. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny

Proverbs 22:1 A Good name

 Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good. TO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!!

  My friend Sam sent me a Bible verse that rings so true I felt the leading to share. Proverbs 22:1 A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

   This is something that seems to have been lost in society. The Nike motto JUST DO IT!!  This started in 1988 and is still going today. So often it is taken to the extreme to "Just Do It" at all costs.

   A good name - years ago a man's word and a handshake was a deal.  Today .... well ........ Yeah!

   We can look around and see many places where a persons "good name" is not as important as the end result.  You know--- I want it and I'm going to get it no matter what."

   Politicians will lie or stretch the truth; athletes play the blame game; adults are not always truthful with their children, family or friends.  

   Who cares about their name?  When I grew up my parents had 2 businesses and stressed how I should behave because it would have a direct reflection on them and the businesses.             Soooo, I was a "good" boy growing up. Yeah! I kind of swayed in adult life until I had a relationship with Jesus, but the name was important.

  I hope my rambling relates to someone out there. Thank you for reading. Below are the first 4 verses of Proverbs 22: 

A good name is more desirable than great riches;

    to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

2 Rich and poor have this in common:
    The Lord is the Maker of them all.

3 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
    but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

4 Humility is the fear of the Lord;
    its wages are riches and honor and life.

  I hope this helps you or someone you can share with. Love y'all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny