Was Jesus a Scapegoat?
Week 8
Let's start our lesson by reading in the Word: Leviticus 16:1-34
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Key words
To better understand the scripture
Scapegoat: the goat sent into the wilderness after the Jewish priest laid the sins of the people upon it. Today, we use it as a person who is blamed for wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of ofthers
Atonement: fixing or repairing the wrong that was committed. Paying the penalty or consequences for the repair of the relationship
Reading Leviticus 16 allows us to see God’s supreme power and understanding:
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He gave the people of Israel a way to fix their broken relationship with Him. The people, because of their sinful nature, committed acts that were detestable to God.
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God's infinite love and justice was being displayed by teaching them the way to be blameless before him. Although this was way before Jesus was born as a man, this pointed to the coming of Jesus, the pure and blameless sacrifice to make atonement for sins
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The Old Testament is filled with God's amazing plan to release humanity from the slavery of sin and from the penalty of death because of sins: God knew he would send Jesus all along, our Lord and our Savior!
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We read that Aaron had to kill a bull to make atonement for the sins of Israel, but we also see there was another goat used to take the sins away to a far remote place called the: wilderness. We can now understand the reason why God wanted this process of sacrifice, for the sanctification and cleansing of sins. Sounds familiar right? Because it all points to Jesus!
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Jesus is the pure and blameless lamb of God that takes the sins of the world away and through faith in what he did makes atonement for our iniquities.
We must be grateful with Jesus and honor his love for us by living for Him, following his example, and value his teachings
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When John saw Jesus walking towards him, he says, "Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." John 1:29
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Even in the last book of the bible, Jesus is praised, "You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." Revelation 5:9
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Paul also explains this act of love to the Roman church: "For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin..." Romans 3:25
Through the shedding of Jesus' blood, like the shedding of the lamb in Leviticus 16, we receive his covering by faith. In the same way the scapegoat was used to take away the sins in the Old Testament, Jesus is now the ultimate sacrifice that would take away our sins. God did this to show his love, justice, and righteousness. Amen!
Now, we can answer the question: Was Jesus a scapegoat?
Yes! But he was not like any other scapegoat used in the Old Testament. He became the ultimate scapegoat and was blamed for our sins so that we can now have a relationship with God!
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prayer
Lord we thank you because you were the scapegoat for our sins. Because of your sacrifice, we can now have a relationship with you. We know that we are born as sinners, but in you, we are a new creation. We pray that you continue to help us following Jesus' example and holding your Word closely to our hearts. We pray for our city and for our country, that people will turn their hearts to you. We thank you because you are always good and you remain in control of everything.