The Scapegoat

1. The Scapegoat Leviticus 16:20-22

2. We have peace with God because of Jesus’ death. • “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). • “Having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Col 1:20).

3. The Old Scapegoat Leviticus 16:20-22

4. Part of the importance of the day can be seen in the placement of this chapter. • Leviticus 16 is the middle chapter of the Book of Leviticus, and Leviticus is the middle book of the Five Books of Moses. • This chapter served as a center point, a focal point for the ancient Israelites.

5. The act of laying on of hands would transfer the people’s sins to the goat. • “Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him” (Deut 34:9). • “Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:17).

6. The confession of sin was important as a reminder of the people’s sinfulness. • Only by accepting the reality of their own sinfulness could the people accept the graciousness of God. • The same thing is true today: if I’m not willing to admit my own sinfulness I’m never going to be able to accept God’s graciousness.

7. God offers forgiveness of sins to His people. • “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Ps 103:12). • “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Is 1:18). • “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delightethin mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19).

8. The New Scapegoat

9. Jesus is often called a lamb. • “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). • “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet 1:18-19). • “I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain” (Rev 5:6).

10. Two major similarities between the old scapegoat & the New Scapegoat

11. One: Jesus vicariously bore our sins. • “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is 53:5-6). • “This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt 26:28). • “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Pet 2:24).

12. Two: Jesus suffered & died for us. • “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (Jn10:11). • Rom 5:6-8. • “In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameableand unreproveable in his sight” (Col 1:22).

13. Are you showing thankfulness for Jesus’ death in your life?