The Lord's Scapegoat
Today’s Verse:
But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. ~Leviticus 16:10
A dictionary definition for the word “scapegoat” is “a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency.” Basically, it is when someone else is blamed for wrongdoings. The idea for a scapegoat finds its roots in Leviticus 16. This morning let us be blessed and encouraged by the type of the scapegoat.
We see the mandated requirement.
On the Day of Atonement, Aaron, as well as every subsequent high priest, was required to take two goats for a sin atonement. The first goat would be offered as a sin offering. His blood would be shed, and the entire goat would be offered on behalf of the sins of the nation. The second goat would be offered as the scapegoat. The high priest would lay both hands on this goat, symbolically transferring the sins of the Israelites on to this goat. Thereafter, it would be taken into the wilderness and released, never to return again to the camp of the people. This requirement was necessary for the righteous demands of God for sin to be satisfied for every Israelite. It was God’s justice for sin being placed on these goats.
We see the merciful representation.
The scapegoat symbolically represents for us Jesus as the complete and total sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was our Passover Lamb, sin offering, and scapegoat all in one. He was the pure, sinless, and spotless victim who was the perfect substitute for every sinner. He was the spotless Lamb of God who shed His sinless blood as the payment price for sin. The laying on of the hands of the high priest on the scapegoat represents the complete and total transfer of all of our sins on Jesus. Our sins were paid in full by Christ. The sending away of the scapegoat into the wilderness beautifully pictures our sins being sent far away, never to blame or condemn any sinner. When a sinner by faith accepts Christ as Savior, his sins and iniquities are remembered no more. His sins are forever buried away in God’s sea of forgetfulness. Jesus is God’s scapegoat for every sinner!
We see the manifold remission.
Every sin is paid in full and forgiven. As sinners, our greatest relief is the knowledge that we are recipients of God’s mercies and we are completely forgiven of our sins. Even more so, we are expunged from our sins. Our record is clear. We have a justified standing before God. God sees us as if we never sinned. God’s forgiveness of our sins is so powerful that all things for us have become new. We cannot lose our justified standing before God.
This morning, let us give glory to God and thank Him for His merciful scapegoat! Let us be thankful that Jesus is the scapegoat for every sinner. Let us be thankful that our sins are forgiven and forgotten!
Have a blessed God Morning!