Read Leviticus 16
Highlights:
Day of Atonement; the scapegoat; the eating of blood forbidden; civil and religious laws; immorality forbidden
Thus shall Aaron . . . . take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation. . . . Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail . . . and sprinkle it upon the Mercy Seat, and before the Mercy Seat. . . . 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: And the goat shall bear (carry) upon him all their iniquities (Leviticus 16:3-30). On the annual Day of Atonement, the high priest, beginning with Aaron, was first required to present a young bull as a sacrifice for his own sins before he could proceed with the sin offering for the people.
Two goats were necessary to express our Lord’s twofold atonement. One goat was sacrificed upon the altar for a sin offering. This act prefigured Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29; compare 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 3:18). There was no cleansing from sin but merely a “covering” of another year’s sins for the Israelites. But Christ, For such an high priest, became us, who is holy, harmless. undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself (Hebrews 7:26-27).
We should also forgive and choose not to remember offenses against ourselves or others. Therefore, let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Ephesians 4:31-32).
Thought For The Day:
God calls us as His people to overcome by His power every trial and temptation.
Word Studies:
16:29 afflict your souls, humble yourselves, practice self-denial; 17:4 cut off, excommunicated from family and the nation; 17:14 the blood of it is for the life there of, its blood sustains its physical life; 18:6 uncover their nakedness, have sexual intercourse.
Christ Revealed:
Through two goats used on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:8). The slaying of the first goat typifies that our peace with God was restored by the blood of Christ (Rev. 5:9). The second goat represents the precious mercy of God in forever removing from His sight the sins of His people — as far as the east is from the west (Psa. 103:12). Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more (Heb. 10:17).
Prayer Suggestion: Confess and forsake your sins that you may receive mercy (Proverbs 28:13).
Optional Reading: Mark 10
Memory Verse for the Week: Hebrews 4:12
