This week’s portion called Acharei Mot is from Leviticus 16-18. (Click to listen/download)
This week’s Torah portion is Acharei Mot, which means “after the death.” It includes Leviticus chapters 16-18.
Lev. 16 describes the liturgy for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) in the fall. One distinctive part of this liturgy is a sin offering involving two goats. The high priest kills one of the goats and sprinkles its blood in the Most Holy Place, the inner chamber of the tabernacle or temple. (Remember this is the only time each year that the high priest enters the Most Holy Place.) Next the high priest places his hands on the head of the second goat and confesses over it all of Israel’s sins. Then a designated man leads the goat into the wilderness and releases it.
Christians have seen in this ritual of the two goats a picture of two aspects of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. One of those aspects is the death of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins. The other aspect, pictured by the goat released in the wilderness, is the complete removal of those sins.
Several scriptures speak of this second aspect.
Ps. 103:12 says, “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”
In Micah 7:19 we read, “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
And remember how John the Baptist identifies Jesus in John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
As we approach Passover, this is an appropriate time to reflect on Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. Through his death on the cross, our sins are both forgiven and removed. Thanks be to God!
Psalm 105: Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
4 Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
5 Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
6 O offspring of Abraham, his servant,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones!
7 He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers his covenant forever,
the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
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