LEVITICUS 16
20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:
21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
JESUS OUR SCAPEGOAT
You are playing in the championship football game; a player from your team has a penalty kick to win or tie the game.
He misses, and your team loses the contest.
Everyone on the team blames him for losing the game.
The player becomes what is known as the “scapegoat.”
The term “scapegoat,” which is often used to identify a person who is responsible when things go wrong, has a completely different meaning in the Bible.
According to the passage in Leviticus, a “Scapegoat,” provides the means by which God extended forgiveness to sinners.
The ordinance of the scapegoat in Leviticus involved two goats.
The high priest was to cast lots to determine which goat would live and which goat would die.
The goat that was chosen to die would be sacrificed on the altar.
Its blood would be used to sanctify the Most Holy Place and the altar of sacrifice.
Next, the high priest would take the live goat and lay his hands on its head.
This act symbolized the transfer of the sins of the people onto the goat.
The living goat, bearing the sins of the people, would then be released into the wilderness never to return.
The scapegoat in Leviticus typifies the work of Christ in bearing our sins.
Jesus did no wrong; no evil ever came out of His mouth, but on Him was laid the sins of his redeemed people.
He is our scapegoat; He made atonement for us by taking on our sins.
The two passages below illustrate this fact:
1 Peter 2:21-25
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The Lord Jesus is our scapegoat; all of our sin has been placed on Him.
Let us now place our faith in Him that we may experience the grace of God, and receive His great salvation.
God bless you
kk