The Goats of Leviticus

Now of course, this passage is explaining the law of the Old Covenant, and as Christians today, we know that we live under the New Covenant – where Christ’s blood has paid the penalty for our sins. But Jesus said “I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it.” So, anyway, what I think God has been telling me is that the symbolism of the Old Testament is still a relevant part of our faith under the New Covenant. When Aaron was preparing the sacrifice for the Israelites, he was instructed to take two goats – who were chosen randomly (by casting lots). The goats hadn’t done anything to make themselves get chosen – they were just living in the flock of goats. (Goats weren’t even considered to be pure, the way lambs were – which is why Jesus is referred to as our “Passover Lamb”) But – Jesus did pay for our sins with a deadly sacrifice – just like the first goat in Leviticus 16. You and I on the other hand, are still alive.

The second goat “the scapegoat” was also chosen randomly and the priest also placed the sins of the people (all of Israel) on the head of the second goat! Here’s the thing that surprised me: The priest used both the goats for the same purpose – to pay for the sins of the people. The second goat, then became a living sacrifice - just like Paul would later tell us to become: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1. I gotta admit though – this is not what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to spend my life with my kids, having fun, and teaching Sunday School, and living a nice quite “respectable” Christian life. But there nothing “respectable” about being told by your church that you can’t teach Sunday School because your ex-wife accused you of child abuse!

Now, the second goat was obviously impure – that’s why he was a goat, and not a lamb. But he didn’t actually do anything to be selected as the scapegoat. He was simply chosen by lot – which means that God picked him! “For those God had in mind, he also pre-selected, to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29. Now the funny thing Randy, is that I know I didn’t do the crime I was accused of – even though I was guilty of other crimes. And I believe you didn’t do the crime you were convicted of, even though you have admitted, and repented of other sins in your life. You and I are just like the goats: impure, but not guilty of the crimes which were placed on our heads. But here’s the really bizarre part: Jesus was the pure lamb, who made the deadly sacrifice to take away our sins, and yet we’re still chosen by God to pay a penalty for sins which we didn’t commit! He shall send the second goat away into “the desert” in the care of a warden appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a solitary place.

Now here’s the part that I don’t think the church-going Christians in the comfortable suburbs will ever understand. “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Romans 8:17. That’s why there were two goats chosen – we are similar in that symbology to Christ. He was the killed sacrifice, but we are the living sacrifice, sent to the solitary place. His sacrifice was fatal, ours is merely painful. I know that your life has been much more painful than mine, and so it’s not fair to compare myself with what you have been forced to suffer. But the Lord showed me my own broken heart for my children, so that I could see this, and I hope that I am able to explain it the way that He is teaching me to understand it.

There is one more thing that I think He is asking me to tell you. And this is even harder for me to explain. Colossians 1:24 “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.” This is the part that I have a hard time understanding. Paul is saying here that there was something which was still lacking in regards to Christ’s suffering! Now, I know that Jesus’ sacrifice was complete and sufficient to pay for all of our sins – but Paul still says there is something else that remains to be done! There is an element of the sacrifice (of the suffering, if you prefer that definition, since we’re still living sacrifices) which Paul says was yet to be accomplished “for the sake of his body, which is the church.”

Paul was even so brazen as to suggest that he, Paul, would then “fill up in my body” that which was still lacking! In other words, Paul was saying that Jesus’ work on the cross was still continuing in Paul’s life, through Paul’s own suffering!

And here’s the thing that He wanted me to tell you: Paul didn’t get the job finished either. If there was something that was still lacking in the body of Christ – which is the church… If there was something that was still lacking in Paul’s day, then there is still something lacking in our times too!

Paul also said: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Galatians 2:20. And he said this, so that you and I would learn what it means to have the Spirit of Jesus alive within our own lives – so that we could continue on today, just in the same way that Paul did in his days - - - to “fill up in our bodies” that part of the sacrifice and suffering which is still lacking in the church.
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