Theme: Scapegoat and Other Goats
Text: Leviticus 16:06-10
Introduction: Men talk about black sheep and scapegoat.
Black sheep means a person who carries the message to opponents. The origin of the phrase comes from the rare presence in a flock of white sheep of a sheep with black fleece. Rather than being a delightful surprise, these black sheep were a disappointment, since their wool couldn't be dyed. Scapegoat refers usually, a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency. Men are associated with sheep and Goat from time immemorial. Men used to tend sheep. Often Jesus is pictured as good Shepherded with Sheep. The judgement talks about the categories of goat and sheep.
David sang psalms of Shepherd and Sheep. Psalm 23 & 119:176.
In this sermon we will be meditating three important understanding on the justification by faith:
1. Atonement,
2. Two he-goats
3. A goat for YHWH
4. A scapegoat
1. Day of Atonement:
Atonement phrase was used by the ANE countries to mark the sign of reconciliation made between two persons who had broken their covenant relationship.
The word ‘atone’ means ‘to make at one’. Bible explains that atonement is not mere reconciliation of the separated persons but removal of sin through expiation. Abel offered a Sheep, Abraham offered Sheep instead of Isaac.
The Israelite used this expiation concept to redeem the first-born, to redeem the land and to redeem the enslaved kin through paying ransom. Expiation is placed in OT as an important sacrificial system.
Atonement came into being between YHWH and Israel whenever their covenant relationship was broken by their rebellion or sinful acts. The Original Covenant was “you will be my people and I will be your God”.
Today the atonement refers to our Sunday worship, our daily personal time with God and our family altar. We all need to offer Christ or claim the blood of Christ before we stand before God. We overcome this world by the blood of Jesus Christ.
There was a mechanical understanding of an efficacy of sacrifice. People used the sacrifice as a cause and effect method. The chain reaction was continuing on as Sin-Sacrifice-Sin-Sacrifice, there was no end to it. Malachi 1:8 “When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty”. Hence, God hated the sacrifices because of their attitude and the extreme altitude of sin in the lives of the worshipers. Some treated sacrifice as an anticipatory bail. Expiation and cleansing or the removal of the sin and its results are purely depended upon the mercies of God (Psalm 65:4, 78:38, 79:9).
2. Two He-goats ( & Jesus)
On the day of atonement, two he-goats were brought before the priest for sacrifice. The priest will examine those he-goats, and will declare their fitness. The goats qualifications must be equal in age, color and quality (ref. Exodus 12:5, 13:2). It must be free from defects, not blind, not fractured nor maimed nor having a running sore or eczema or scabs, not overgrown or stunted member, not testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut (Leviticus 22:20-24).
Then a lot would be cast for the selections - He used to cast lots to fix one of the goats for YHWH and another goat for AZAZEL (scapegoat), one to be slain as sacrifice for sin, another to bear the transgressions of the people. The one which is identified and chosen by YHWH for scapegoat will be sent away from the camp after the priest confessed the sins of the community over its head, and then to be sent away into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:8, 10, 26).
Where to find a goat with these qualifications. All have sinned, fallen short, turned away, became worthless, no one does good and not even one (Romans 3:10-18). Therefore Jesus came into this world to sacrifice himself. He himself became the Goat for YHWH and a Scapegoat. Jesus was blameless and was separated for all of us (Read: 1 Peter 1:19, John 1:29; 8:46, Hebrews 7:26,). The human attributes and the divine attributes are present here as two he-goats.
The spiritual meaning of the goats and their sacrifices are ‘the goat that was slain prefigured Christ’s human nature and his death; the goat that escaped pointed out his resurrection’. One goat expressed atonement for sin, as the ground for our justification; the other goat shows Christ's victory, and total removal of sin in the sanctification of the soul. Christ was the scapegoat and the sacrificial goat. Christ was crucified accepting the sins of the whole world as scapegoat (Leviticus 16:21-22 and 2 Corinthians 5:18-21) And he became the sacrificial goat, he became complementary to one another. The resurrection brings justification, our baptism is death and our coming out of water is resurrection & justification.
He took all our sins and died but he has overcome sin by resurrection. The intercessory atonement found in Hebrews 7:25 and Romans 8:34. The ransom for freedom is the concept of crucifixion. Jesus declared that I came to give my life as ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The choosing of Israel was a ransom (Isaiah 43:3). Now a goat for YHWH and a goat for slaughter are very important in the life of Israel. We need to hang on Jesus, he is our Sacrifice, Savior and Judge.
3. A goat for YHWH:
Sacrifice was a matter of prayer (Psalm 20:3). The need of inward worship is emphasized (Psalm 4:5). Sacrifice is a need but inward cleanliness is necessity (Psalm 51:15-17). In one word we can say that the word “forgiveness” is a gift of God. Through expiation they were searching for the forgiveness of God. But none found. Only found in Christ. We have to enjoy the forgiveness of God and express it in our day today life through life. Now we became a goat for the LORD. We have to sacrifice ourselves as holy goat. Paul calls us to offer us as living sacrifice. We have to become a living sacrifice as said in Romans 12:1-2.
Atonement reminds us the Characteristics of God as “Holy”. Divine anger was manifested through the plagues, famine, drought and starvation and scarcities whenever Israelite broke the covenant (Exodus 32:35, Numbers 25:8).
4. A Scapegoat for non-believers:
The NT writers brought three concepts or theological understandings together in this word: Reconciliation, Propitiation and Expiation.
The Original name for the scapegoat was Azazel. Azazel means “remove or to separate”. A he-goat which takes up the burden of sins of the people was sent to wilderness to inhabitant. The sin, suffering, sickness are transferred to this goat and became Azazel. Biblical understanding of a scapegoat is a goat sent into the wilderness after the Jewish chief priest had symbolically laid the sins of the people upon it (Leviticus. 16). Every sinner must put his hands upon the Christ of God and by that act intimate his desire that Christ would bear his sins away. Jesus Christ became the arch-scapegoat for all of us.
Scapegoat is separated or removed from the presence of God. Jesus being removed from the presence of God. Jesus cried out: “Eli Eli lama Sabachthani? “my God my God why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46). He was rejected, removed so that we can come closer to God and can become the dear children of God. He was pierced for our transgressions… (Read: Isaiah 53:4-5, Matthew 8:17). Christ took the sins of all (Hebrews 9:28) and he bore our Sins (1 Peter 3:18).
You can become the scapegoat by introducing the Savior, Christ. God’s anger came as punishment but Intercession came as sacrifice Exodus 32:30, 2 Samuel 21:14, 24:25. Prophet Ezekiel says that YHWH was looking for a person to bridge the gap (Ezekiel 22:30, Isaiah 59:16). Moses was praying to erase his name from the book of life, if YHWH can’t forgive the sins of people, it was a vicarious suffering (Exodus 32:32).
Paul says with great anguish that he would be cut off from Christ for the sake of his people, race(Romans 9:1-3). The concept of suffering servant emerged out of this source (Isaiah 53). Jesus said look up for the harvest is ripened (John 4:35). All Israel must be saved (Romans 10:1). Jeremiah wept for the wayward flocks (Jeremiah 13:17). Esther became a scapegoat, Daniel became a scapegoat.
