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As I was reading some verses God dropped some very serious stuff on my spirit.

Our western culture doesn’t allow us to truly appreciate the verses until we change our mindset to that of an eastern culture, so before I give you the verses I want to put a few things in perspective.

Consider The Goat

Consider what a goat meant to the average Jew.  My dad is from India, so I have been blessed with several trips to visit his side of the family over there.  Goats are important in India, not much to the moderized, westernized cities but to the small, poor villages.  I have had the opportunity to be around goats a decent amount.  Which only gives me a vague understanding of the important role a goat plays in their culture, but my guess is that the goat was similarly important to the Jews.

Food

Goats have meat.  You can eat meat.  Meat is good food.  Food sustains life.  (Thank you captain obvious)  Goats, also, make milk(like cows).  Milk is good with Frosted Flakes and Oreos both of which were readily available to the Jews at all times.

 Clothing

Goats are animals.  Animals have fur.  Fur makes clothes.  Clothes are good.  Thus, goats were helpful, once again.

Companionship

We have dogs.  They had goats.  It’s that simple.  The phrase used to be “Goat, a man’s best friend.”  They were shepherds; shepherds hang out with goats all day.  When you hang out with an animal all day you become very close and attached.  A fondness or even love begins to develope.  Similar to the love we feel for a pet dog or cat.

 The Cuteness Factor

Goats are ridiculously cute.  You might not think so right now, but watch these videos.  I promise, you’ll be convinced.  CUUUUUTTTEEE!!!

Sacrifice

Being that goats were their livelyhood, shepherds often had to make great sacrifices for their goats.  If one was lost they had to go find it.  They had to provide protection from wild animals, as well as thieves.  Often shepherds would be risking their lives for a few or even one goat.  Craziness.  So goats didn’t simply play an important economic role they were necessary for survival and often were even considered pets.

Now, the verses…

Leviticus 4:27-29, 31c

‘If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally by doing something against any of the commandments of the LORD in anything which ought not to be done, and is guilty, or if his sin which he has committed comes to his knowledge, then he shall bring as his offering a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering, and kill the sin offering at the place of the burnt offering….So the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.’

Let’s pick this apart.

If you sin, you have a list of things to do.

1. Get a kid(baby) goat that is a female.

2. Make sure it has no markings, bruises, cuts, scrapes, scars, or deformities.  In essence, it must be perfect, beautiful, having nothing wrong with it.

3. Take the baby goat to the temple.

4. Place your hand on its head.

5. Kill it. To be more detailed, with one hand is on the baby goat’s head, while the other has a knife, and you must slit its throat so that it bleeds to death.

That was graphic and for the girlies and children I apologize, but it is necessary to truly help you appreciate this revelation.

Everyone (man, woman, and child) had to do this if they sinned.

Why?  Well, most of you may know that this is a representation(type and shadow) of the cross, and how the perfect Jesus would be the sacrifice for our sins.  What you may not have realized is that this graphic and almost barbaric ritual had a profound effect on the person performing it.

Back to a previous point, their goats were like our dogs.

Ever feel bad after you spanking your dog for wrongful behavior? Me too.

Try this(please don’t)…really, try to picture yourself doing this…

Go spank your dog for doing nothing at all.  Feel worse? Me too.  Now, spank your dog because he loves you with all his heart.  You feel even worse.   It gets better.  Now, go do something bad.  Then spank your dog because you were bad, and remember, you are only spanking him because he loves you enough to take the punishment in your place.  Don’t anyone in anyway ever do this because we are covered by the blood of Jesus, but imagine, having to take your panting, happy, jumping around, chasing butterflies, in everyway perfect dog(which you raised from a pup) to the alter placing your hand on his head pulling out a knife and saying “You have to die because I sinned,” slitting his throat.  He bleeds to death, wimpering, scared, betrayed, and heart-broken because you couldn’t keep your eyes off that girl or you couldn’t control your anger or you forgot to tithe or you drank too much wine or you told someone a secret you shouldn’t have(gossip) or you told a white lie.  By the way, your dog you love so much just died with sin on his life, thus he is now in hell.  You will never see him again to apologize.

<Take a few moments for this to sink in>

The very thought of loosing my precious puppy that I love so much makes me cry.  Loosing my puppy because I sinned causes me to hate my sin more than is imaginable.  If I as a child or adult had to go through that ceremony the devil himself could never tempt me to sin again because the price would be too great.  There is no sin in this world that is worth a perfect dog with perfect love, gladly, dying in my place.

But this is a dog, replace it with a human, whose worth is much greater than any dog.  Don’t replace the dog with your enemy, but rather with the nice, old lady down the street or your favorite 3rd grade teacher or your kind, gentle, loving pastor.  Then replace that perfect person with God.  God whose worth is infinite compared to that of any man.  You have to take your perfect God who created you, who blessed you with everything you have, who loves you more than you can imagine; place your hand on his head, transfer your sin, and sacrifice Jesus on the altar because you sinned.

So after God gave me this intense and emotional revelation, He played this song on the playlist I was listening to and I cried.  The cross is so beautiful.  Listen to these words.  The lyrics are typed out below the player if you would like to read along.

We worship you tonight, Jesus. We lift you up God.

How deep the Father’s love for us,

How vast beyong all measure.

That He should give His only Son,

To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,

The Father turns His face away.

As wounds which marred the chosen One,

Bring Innocence to Glory.

Behold, the Man upon a cross,

My sin upon His shoulders.

Ashamed to hear my mocking voice,

Come out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there,

Until it was accomplished.

His dying breath has brought me life,

I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything,

No gifts, no power, no wisdom.

But I will boast in Jesus Christ,

His death and RESURRECTION!

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer.

But this I know with all my heart,

His wounds have paid my ransom.

Why should I gain from His reward?

I cannot give an answer.

But this I know with all my heart,

His wounds have paid my ransom.

Take the time to thank the Lord for His tremendous love and sacrifice.

This is why only He is worthy of our praise.