Have you thanked God for your 'Azazel' today?

In Leviticus 16, specifications are given for how Aaron and the priests were to perform the annual ceremony of the Day of Atonement, a day where all the sins of the Israelites were repented of and forgiven.  There would be a bull sacrifice involved along with two goats - one goat would be killed as the sacrifice on behalf of the people's sin and the other goat, known as the scapegoat, would have all the people's sins transferred over to him (symbolically, by the priest placing his hands on the scapegoat's head) and be sent into the wilderness, away from the people, never to return.

That scapegoat, the one responsible for taking the people's sins outside the camp and into the distant wilderness was known as the 'Azazel.' 

The Day of Atonement, and everything else given in the Law of Moses, especially sacrifices, were to point the people (and us today) to the future Messiah who would come and atone for the sins of all, once and for all.  The Messiah of course was Jesus.

If you're a believer, saved by God's grace through Jesus, Jesus is your 'Azazel.'  Jesus not only took the place of the first goat of sacrifice (dying on the cross for our sins and shedding blood), but He also took the place of the scapegoat, removing our sins from us "as far as the east is from the west" (Ps. 103:12).  Jesus was/is our 'Azazel.'

Have you thanked God Almighty for your 'Azazel' today?

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