Scripture:
Leviticus 16:20-22 ESV
[20] “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. [21] And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness. [22] The goat shall bear all their iniquities on itself to a remote area, and he shall let the goat go free in the wilderness.
Observation:
One time a year Aaron was required to make atonement for all of Israel. Not in case they had sinned, but because they had sinned. His job as high priest was to not only atone for the people but the tent of meeting as well. Now here’s how that was done. He would take a goat place both of his hands on its head and confess the sins of the nation over it. That goat would then be taken into the wilderness far away from the people and let go. Therefore carrying the iniquity of the people away. It was the scapegoat.
Application:
Now you might be thinking that goat is getting away with sin… Didn’t you? It’s always good to draw a line between the Old Testament to the New Testament. This goat did much like Jesus did on the cross. HE took the sin of the world on HIS shoulders and carried them away. Jesus was our scapegoat. I can only imagine how it must have felt after doing all that HIS heavenly Father asked of HIM to have nails in HIS wrest and feet hanging there bearing my sin, as the Father couldn’t even look at HIM. My scapegoat… let the weight of that set in… Your scapegoat. HE bore your sin. After being beaten so badly that HIS own mom couldn’t even recognize HIM. The SON of GOD hanging on a disgraceful cross. For sins, HE knew HE was innocent of as HIS own Father turned HIS back on HIM. What a price to pay. HE did it for you. HE was your scapegoat. HE carried your sins away. So my question is what are you doing with that information? Are you piling up more sins for him to carry away again? Using the grace of GOD as a license to live how you want, and not worry about it. In a sense nailing HIM back to the cross when you feel like it as though the first time wasn’t enough. Jesus died so that we could have life. Sin is not life. I want HIM to be able to look across the chasm and say yes that’s what I died for. Not are you kidding me that’s what I died for. Truly knowing Jesus has absolutely changed my life. I no longer want to sin. I’m not screaming out give me Barabas. I want Jesus to live through me and I hope your desire is the same.
Prayer:
Father, all I can say is thank you. You have made a way. When all I could see was my sin. You gave me a scapegoat to carry my sin away. I pray that I live my life in a way that puts a smile on your face. I pray that I become more like HIM and less like me. I no longer want my sin. I want you. Let your will be done. I know that your will is good. I know that you want what is best for us. I want to be in your presence. Father, I pray that you lead our lives. Build us to be more like your SON. HE is the model for our lives. My hearts cry is to be more like you and less like me. As Paul would say I must decrease and HE must increase. Let us all have that same stance as we go through this day. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.