Leviticus 16
The scapegoat... Now I know that tradition has it that this goat was led out to a cliff and pushed off, but these are not the instructions of the text today. The instructions are that Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat confessing over it all the sins of the people of Israel. Someone, who has been chosen, shall take the goat bearing the burden of the people's sins out to a barren region in the wilderness and set it free.
One lone goat, on the day of atonement, is sent out into the wilderness bearing the sins of the people. Of course he must be sent out. Who wants a constant reminder of one's sins hanging around camp? The people need a fresh start. They need to have their consciences cleared of any reminders that in fact they are the ones who are guilty.
How many scapegoats do you know? At least a few, is my guess. We sin against God and one another and then to justify ourselves, we blame others. Watch the news tonight and look for the scapegoats in today's society. You'll see a few. Blamed for the ills of the world as the world seeks to bring them down and cast them out. Check out your local community. How many scapegoats do you see? How many times do you attempt, with excuses, to lay the blame of your sin upon another, and then ostracize him or her - attempting to cast them out of the community? All this justifying of ones own sins, casting them upon another takes a lot of work. It involves a lot of physical and spiritual energy. It really is a lot of work to try to place our guilt upon others. It is distracting to say the least. Who has time to actually enjoy living in God's presence, in his kingdom, when we're so busy trying to hide our own sin and making scapegoats out of others?
There is a better way. One day as John the Baptist was busy preaching and baptizing he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) This one, Jesus the Christ, was willing and did bear the sins of the world upon the cross. He freely took our sins upon himself so that all who believe might be forgiven and be reconciled to His Father, our Father. I would not say that Jesus is a scapegoat for the scapegoat doesn't have a choice. The sins of others are forcibly placed upon the scapegoat. Jesus did this freely because of his love for you and out of a desire that you would be reconciled to God our Father in the Kingdom of God. No one forced him to die for you. He knew what was coming and he chose to give his life for you. He could've run off into the wilderness and not faced the consequences of our sin, but he did not.
Wouldn't it be a lot easier and much more peaceful, rather than attempting to make scapegoats out of others, to just acknowledge and repent of our own sins; thanking God for his mercy and grace; thanking God that through the blood of Jesus Christ our sins have been washed away; thanking God that we shall live eternally in His presence?
And is that not what peace is, but living in God's presence, being aware that God is with you no matter what troubles the world around you brings to you?
May God bless you this day with his peace in the knowledge that you are His child. That through the blood of Jesus Christ you are forgiven and reconciled to God, our Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
The scapegoat... Now I know that tradition has it that this goat was led out to a cliff and pushed off, but these are not the instructions of the text today. The instructions are that Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat confessing over it all the sins of the people of Israel. Someone, who has been chosen, shall take the goat bearing the burden of the people's sins out to a barren region in the wilderness and set it free.
One lone goat, on the day of atonement, is sent out into the wilderness bearing the sins of the people. Of course he must be sent out. Who wants a constant reminder of one's sins hanging around camp? The people need a fresh start. They need to have their consciences cleared of any reminders that in fact they are the ones who are guilty.
How many scapegoats do you know? At least a few, is my guess. We sin against God and one another and then to justify ourselves, we blame others. Watch the news tonight and look for the scapegoats in today's society. You'll see a few. Blamed for the ills of the world as the world seeks to bring them down and cast them out. Check out your local community. How many scapegoats do you see? How many times do you attempt, with excuses, to lay the blame of your sin upon another, and then ostracize him or her - attempting to cast them out of the community? All this justifying of ones own sins, casting them upon another takes a lot of work. It involves a lot of physical and spiritual energy. It really is a lot of work to try to place our guilt upon others. It is distracting to say the least. Who has time to actually enjoy living in God's presence, in his kingdom, when we're so busy trying to hide our own sin and making scapegoats out of others?
There is a better way. One day as John the Baptist was busy preaching and baptizing he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) This one, Jesus the Christ, was willing and did bear the sins of the world upon the cross. He freely took our sins upon himself so that all who believe might be forgiven and be reconciled to His Father, our Father. I would not say that Jesus is a scapegoat for the scapegoat doesn't have a choice. The sins of others are forcibly placed upon the scapegoat. Jesus did this freely because of his love for you and out of a desire that you would be reconciled to God our Father in the Kingdom of God. No one forced him to die for you. He knew what was coming and he chose to give his life for you. He could've run off into the wilderness and not faced the consequences of our sin, but he did not.
Wouldn't it be a lot easier and much more peaceful, rather than attempting to make scapegoats out of others, to just acknowledge and repent of our own sins; thanking God for his mercy and grace; thanking God that through the blood of Jesus Christ our sins have been washed away; thanking God that we shall live eternally in His presence?
And is that not what peace is, but living in God's presence, being aware that God is with you no matter what troubles the world around you brings to you?
May God bless you this day with his peace in the knowledge that you are His child. That through the blood of Jesus Christ you are forgiven and reconciled to God, our Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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