The scapegoat -01

I keep thinking about the scapegoat referred to in Leviticus 16:7-10. This goat was one of two chosen by lots. The high priest would ceremonially lay upon the goat all the sins of the people. It would then be sent out into the wilderness never to return to the camp.

There is so much here, and I feel like the little I've been told all my life is just a small portion of the truth hidden in these verses. I plan to spend some time digging into this topic and into Leviticus as a whole. Right now, I'm planning to start with three sources. (1) Leviticus (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching) by Samuel Balentine. (2) Rob Bell's talks on Leviticus called "Blood, Guts, and Fire: The gospel according to Leviticus." (3) The Bible Project Podcast series called "The Leviticus Scroll."

These ancient narratives about rituals and animal sacrifices may seem barbaric and irrelevant to us today, but there is a lot for us to learn here. It doesn't take long to see the parallels with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, the spotless lamb who takes away the sins of the world. This ritual of the scapegoat, symbolically taking all the sins of the people away foreshadows Isaiah's prophesy concerning Jesus. Isaiah 53:6 says, "The Lord has laid on him, the iniquities of us all." What a wonderful Savior!

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