This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Shadows: A Glimpse of a Scapegoat! (WATCH HERE)
This past January, I hosted our area pastors for our monthly study club. The topic was a look at Leviticus. Perhaps like many, when the book of Leviticus is mentioned as a point of study, it initially wasn’t one that made me super excited. If you have ever spent time in the book of Leviticus, it is a tough slug to sort through the different festivals, sacrifices that were to be made and the rationale for the various sacrifices. To be honest, I just haven’t spent a lot of time in the book. But, as we know, every part of God’s word is useful to us…so it is with Leviticus.
By time we were done listening to the presentation on Leviticus, I realized there are treasures of truth that are there to be mined and enjoyed. As he always does, God has a purpose in doing what does and saying what he does.
Perhaps I’d summarize my take-aways in this way. First God is holy. He is perfect, powerful and set apart. Second, sin is serious. Sin separates us from God and from each other. Sin breaks our relationship with God and with sin as a reality, we are unable to stand in the presence of God. Third, God provides a way to restore what is broken. Many of the sacrifices were given as a mechanism to restore what was broken, either between individuals or between God and individuals. And fourth, God desires his people to live holy lives, separate and distinct from the rest of the world.
So why do I say this? We are not embarking on a study of Leviticus, although maybe we should, but we are looking this week at the shadow of Jesus pictured as a scapegoat which is found in Leviticus chapter 16 as part of the ritual for the Day of Atonement. This once-a-year celebration was a cornerstone of all God was doing for his people in their worship life. It highlighted his holiness, it reminded of the seriousness of sin, it provided a solution for sin and a reason to rejoice and live as a holy child of God.
As the Lord wrapped up his description of all the events of the Day of Atonement, he said this:
Leviticus 16:29 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you— 30 because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins. 31 It is a sabbath of rest, and you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance. 32 The priest who is anointed and ordained to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments 33 and make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the community.
34 “This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”
Really the whole day and all the rituals involved were glimpses of Jesus and what he would do to atone for the sins of the world, once for all.
Hebrews 9:11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
Prayer: Lord, thank you for providing all things so I might stand as holy in your presence. AMEN.