December 7 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Jewish people who do not accept the Lord Jesus still observe Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. That was the only day of the year on which the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat.

To get the whole picture of the atonement ritual, read Leviticus 16 a couple of times. And if you want to see how this ancient rite has been fulfilled by Christ, read Hebrews 9.

There were two goats used on Atonement Day. One was slaughtered and its blood was carried into the Holy of Holies by the high priest. That was the blood that covered the guilt of the people in the sight of God. It symbolized the blood of Christ, which covers our sins so that we are no longer guilty before God. Now our conscience is purified and we can serve the living God.

The other goat was held at the entrance of the tabernacle until the high priest came out and laid his hands on its head. Acting on behalf of all the people of Israel, the high priest confessed the sins of the people. He transferred them to this animal. Usually we call this second goat the "scapegoat"—a term we still use for someone who takes the blame. This goat not only received the blame but also carried the guilt away—far away into the wilderness. The people who chased the goat into the wilderness had to make sure it could never return.

Together those two goats constitute a blueprint of the redemptive work of Jesus. His blood has covered our sins in the sight of God, just as the blood of the first goat did. He became the scapegoat for all his people. Jesus our Savior was loaded with all our sins. And he carried them far, far away—as far as East is from West.

Jesus became our burden-bearer.

REFLECTIONS

What "burdens" of sin are you carrying that you need to put on Jesus today?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.