How many Goats, Rams and Bulls Would You Need?

I am having a ball digging around in the Old Testament. I can't always say that. I have been studying the history of The Day of Atonement. Atonement means to make amends or to reconcile. That was a day set aside when the Israelites could have their sins covered by the high priest who brought sacrifices into the Tabernacle on their behalf. Basically a life (an animal sacrifice at the time) had to be given so that their sins could be covered. The recognition of the day basically included three ceremonial traditions.

First, there was fasting. This was an expression of true repentance (Leviticus 23;29). Second, there was the high priest. Only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest could enter into the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle and offer a ceremonial sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins for the people (Hebrews 9:7). Third, there was the goat. Not just any goat but the scapegoat. This is the part that I find interesting. The scapegoat is used in a ceremony to carry all the sins of the people out into the wilderness and to never return. (Leviticus 16:10, 21-22) I was curious how they got the goat to go away and never come back. I know it is the wilderness and all, but the past can come back to haunt you. So I researched and found out that the owner of the goat would have to take the goat and push him down a mountain so he broke his legs and could not return.

Here comes the Lisa brain. I began to picture animal sacrifices back in the day. I have read about rams, bulls, goats, and more. Bring that image into today's world and I wondered where The Barrons would house all their needed rams, bulls and goats. I mean, there are six of us and picture this....Mom loses her temper and I have to go pick out a goat. One of my kids lies so I send them out back to get a bull. Can you imagine? I definitely would need some acreage. Then I am picturing the whole scapegoat idea. I mean would it be good to be the scapegoat owner? I pictured people in town driving by the "dumping pile" for scapegoats while out for their country, Sunday drive. Can you hear the car talk? "Boy, the Barrons have been busy".

Then, I pictured something beautiful. You see a goat and a bull couldn't get it completely taken care of. The Bible says so. Hebrews 10:4 says, It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins." This is why the ceremonial sacrifices had to occur over and over again. Can you imagine the blood everywhere? Then...in comes this Jesus. He is the one that had to be the ultimate sacrifice. Do you understand how big God's heart is to stop the goat nonsense and to send His own Son to die so we were not only covered for all our sins but wiped clean? Picture that day when there was one last shedding of blood and it was enough for all the generations and all the sins to come. That is HUGE!

We must acknowledge, repent and ask for forgiveness of our sins. God set it up so that it wasn't a once a year kind of thing. We have access directly through Jesus and He has already taken care of business for us. All we have to do is admit that we are sinners and admit our sins. They aren't just mistakes, mess ups or oops. They are full blown sins and Jesus has paid the full blown price. No goat chasing or bull collecting. It is as simple as praying for forgiveness.

Allow your heart and your commitment to be refreshed by the reminder of how much God loves us.