Today is Tuesday, February 11, 2025. Haven’t we all messed up so many times that there are sins we can’t even remember? And if the wages of sin is death, does that mean we’re still held accountable and sentenced for those forgotten sins? The answer may be found in Leviticus. Read on...
Today's Reading:
Leviticus 15,16,17; Acts 18
Scripture
“…Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel ... and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness … and the goat shall bear on itself all the iniquities to a solitary land” (Lev. 16:20-22).
Observation
We’ve all heard the term “scapegoating,” but in its original form, it wasn’t a smokescreen to shift blame from the true perpetrator. It wasn’t about falsely accusing someone or hiding one’s sins by placing them onto an innocent person. Instead, it carried a much deeper significance.
On one hand, Israel was called to deal with sin meticulously. The various offerings served as constant reminders that sin brings death. But then, we see the addition of the scapegoat—a striking picture of grace. This goat, bearing the weight of unknown sins, was sent into the wilderness.
Application
The consequence of sin is death, so repentance is always a must—no residue, no cover-up. But not every sin can be remembered, identified, or made amends for.
Here’s the principle of the scapegoat: God shows us that not all sins must be (or even can be) individually recalled and independently repented of for them to be atoned for. Yet, through the ultimate scapegoat—Jesus Christ—all our sins, both known (with repentance) and unknown, are covered.
The sacrificial death of Jesus atones for it all. The Holy Spirit will be faithful to convict us of certain sins, but I’m sure there are dozens more I don’t even recall—an impetuous word, a careless comment that unknowingly hurt someone, or a deed I simply overlooked.
Prayer
Father, I am in awe of the amount of sin the Lord Jesus has atoned for. I’m certain mine alone would be an amount no one could number. Therefore, I’m sure there must be a huge herd of goats in the wilderness somewhere with my name on them! Thank you for sending Jesus and His grace to carry away my sins.
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