2023_04_28 Insight Post- Emma Keeton
This week’s reading- Exodus 40, Romans 10, Leviticus 16, 2 Corinthians 3
The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is a Jewish holiday celebrated in the fall each year, but it’s first seen in Leviticus 16. God tells Moses in Leviticus 16:34 “This (The Day of Atonement) is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites.”
Reading through the BRP this week, I’m seeing how much God hates sin, and I’m so grateful for the gift of repentance that Jesus provides for us today. Let’s look into some details of Yom Kippur; through this, I hope we can get a glimpse of God’s goodness to us.
In Leviticus, God instructs Moses on how to pay for Israel’s sins. Aaron was to first take a bull and offer a sacrifice for himself and his family. Then, after he was ‘clean,’ he was to take 2 goats, one goat was to be sacrificed before the Lord, and its blood sprinkled on the atonement cover of the tabernacle. The other goat was the scapegoat, Aaron would place his hands on that goat and confess the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites for that previous year. The goat would then be sent out into the wilderness so the sins would be taken away to a remote place.
Other Jewish writings record how the Jewish people conducted this ceremony. It’s said that someone would take that scapegoat and walk 10 miles into the wilderness before releasing it because the people were concerned the goat would wander back into the camp. As Christians, we never have to worry about our sins not being forgiven fully after we have repented. Hebrews 9:15 says:
“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”
It is recorded that the Jewish people were concerned they may not know which goat was the scapegoat in the future. They would tie a red cord around the goat’s horn as an identifier, but while the goat was being walked out into the wilderness, the red cord would turn white if the sacrifice was accepted by God. If the cord stayed red, it would be a solemn year for Israel, knowing their sins had not been forgiven. We can find a parallel to this story in Isaiah 1:18:
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”
Jesus takes away our sins once and for all. As far as the East is from the West, is how far Jesus has removed sin from us. We can enjoy a relationship with God because Jesus is our sacrifice once and for all. Thanks be to God!
Emma Keeton
Prayer Team Lead