[When available, audio recordings of these devotions are posted at http://www.redeemerclc.info/audio-devotions]
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Leviticus 16:22 The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place; and the man shall release it in the desert.
HE IS OUR SCAPEGOAT
Another Old Testament picture of Jesus is the scapegoat. At the direction of God, once a year on the Day of Atonement, God's priest took a live goat, placed his hand on its head, and pronounced on it all the transgressions of the people. The goat was then led by an appointed person out into the middle of the desert and released in a location where no one would ever see it again.
The Bible teaches that this is what happened to our sins when Jesus suffered on the cross. He took on His own head our transgressions against God’s commandments, the Innocent for the guilty. When He cried out "It is finished!" it meant His work of removing our sins from us as far as east is from west was successfully accomplished. None of our missteps against God's holy law can condemn us. As Paul writes to the Christ-believers living at Rome: "Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Romans 8:34-35).
Sin, disturb my soul no longer: I am baptized into Christ!
I have comfort even stronger: Jesus' cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me Since my Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood, Sprinkling me with Jesus' blood?
(Worship Supplement 2000, 751:2)
