A View from the Nest

Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor

Insight from the Journey across the Sky

By Allen Scott

He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. ⁸ Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. ⁹ And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. ¹⁰ But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness. _{Leviticus 16:7-10}

1scape·goat Pronunciation: \’skap-?got\

Function: noun

1 : a goat upon whose head are symbolically placed the sins of the people after which he is sent into the wilderness in the biblical ceremony for Yom Kippur

2 a : one that bears the blame for others b : one that is the object of irrational hostility http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scapegoat

The scapegoat was a goat that was driven off into the wilderness as part of the ceremonies of the Day of Atonement, in Judaism during the times of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Yom Kippur is probably the most important holiday of the Jewish year. Many Jews who do not observe any other Jewish custom will refrain from work, fast and/or attend synagogue services on this day.

The name “Yom Kippur” means “Day of Atonement,” and that pretty much explains what the holiday is. It is a day set aside to “afflict the soul,” to atone for the sins of the past year.

In Leviticus God instructs Aaron on how to observe this most Holy of Holy days. He was to select two goats and present them at the door to the temple of the Lord and one will be sacrificed to the Lord and the other will be released as a symbolic carrier of the people’s sins. The scapegoat was to be released into the wilderness and left there to die.

²⁰ “And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. ²¹ Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. ²² The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. _{Lev 16:20-22 NKJV}

Since this goat, carrying the sins of the people placed on it, is sent away to perish, the word “scapegoat” has come to mean a person, often innocent, who is blamed and punished for the sins, crimes, or sufferings of others, generally as a way of distracting attention from the real causes.

Scapegoating is an important tool of propaganda; the most famous example in modern history is the singling out in Nazi propaganda of the Jews as the source of Germany’s post-World War I economic woes and political collapse.

“Scapegoated” groups throughout history have included almost every imaginable group of people: adherents of different religions, people of different races or nations, people with different political beliefs, or people differing in behaviour from the majority. However, scapegoating may also be applied to organizations, such as governments, corporations, or various political groups. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapegoat

Scapegoating seems to be the method of choice, utilized by those in today’s political class. It would appear that in order to press forth unpopular policies and bills the politicians in charge look for a scapegoat to demonize. They wish to misdirect anger and blame away from themselves and onto another group, political party, race or social class. This is nothing new, and the practice is as old as time itself.

Even Adam and Eve looked for a “scapegoat” when confronted with their own failings. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent. _{(Gen 3:8-19).} This is human nature. No one really wants to take responsibility for their own failings and usually attempt to find someone or something upon which to affix blame.

No matter how hard we try however, the guilt and blame can not be assuaged by a scapegoat. In fact this ritual, during the “Day of Atonement” mentioned in Leviticus, was only a temporary fix to a permanent problem. No amount of ceremony, ritual cleansing, or scapegoating could actual remove the stain of sin from a person’s life. The stain of quilt would still remain.

What started in the Garden of Eden (the missteps of Adam-sin) God finished in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus chose to be the ultimate scapegoat in order to carry away the stains of sin from the world. Jesus chose to be sent out to die as a scapegoat, to make the ultimate atonement for the people.

To a devote Jew, Yom Kippur is a necessary ritual that must be repeated each and every year in order to atone for sins they commit against God. To the Christian Yom Kippur is a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made in order to atone for our sins once and for all. It is therefore helpful to remind ourselves of this atonement day, but it need not be only on Yom Kippur.

Every time we feel the need to blame someone else or try to dismiss our own shortcomings by looking for a scapegoat, remember one has already been offered for you. So instead of pushing the blame onto unto another innocent party or group, why not simply acknowledge your need for the cleansing power of Jesus’ sacrificial offering and accept Him as your permanent scapegoat? Better yet why not accept Him as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world? (John 1:29)

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. _{Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)}

Along for the journey

Today I hope you enjoy this guest post from Alan Allegra. If you enjoyed it or find it offensive or have any other comment be sure to let Alan know how you feel. From time to time I like to post articles from fellow authors at Faithwriters.com. We can learn a great deal if we take the time to read what others have to say. So without further delay on with this weeks quest article.

Is America a Christian Nation?

Religion and politics are the two most incendiary topics of conversation imaginable. Everything we think, say, and do is influenced by our view of God and government. President Obama’s observation that we are not a nation beholden to any particular religion has struck the match of ardor and ignited the debate over whether America is a Christian nation.

Let me clarify that there is no such thing as a Christian nation. A Christian, by definition, is an individual follower of Christ. No nation can be “a” Christian, although we understand that those who debate the question mean our law is based on Christian (or “Judeo-Christian”) principles. Without floundering in a sea of theology, let’s just say that the principles in discussion predate Christianity and Judaism. They were incarnated in the very womb of Creation.

Some tell us we need to “embrace universal principles that emphasize our common humanity and promote greater understanding and appreciation of different cultures.” This sounds well and good and politically correct, but is it practical or possible?

The Book of Judges is a horror story right out of a Gothic novel, except it’s all true. It honestly and almost matter-of-factly documents scenes of rape, murder, dismemberment, unbridled lust, idolatry, robbery, economies of truth, betrayal, assassination, warfare, torture, suicide, filicide, and other best-seller fodder. The key verse and epilogue are identical summaries of the culture of the time: “In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6, 21:25). In other words, every person followed the dictates of their common humanity, unfettered by government standards.

If we are to appreciate different cultures, then we need to embrace them uncritically lest we offend. We were wrong to interfere with Nazis, and must appreciate Holocaust deniers. Beheading and terror are innate to some cultures, and we need their cooperation to make this a better global village. Forced abortion is practiced by a country with over 20% of the world’s population. Genocide rules in many countries, and a caste system in others wears a heavy boot that keeps the people crushed and oppressed. So we wonder: Whose principles of common humanity should we embrace and cooperate with?

A cursory consideration verifies God’s view of common humanity: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Jeremiah reminds us, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (17:9). God ordained human government, based on His righteous character, to rein in man’s evil: “For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Romans 13:4).

Are there “good” common principles of humanity and culture that we can embrace? There are values that are shared by humans that manifest themselves in almost every culture, such as private property and the right to life. But these are not beliefs that evolved or sprang up from the fertile soil of man’s own heart. “Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them” (Romans 2:14, 15). God has written His standards in every heart, and we either live by them or make excuses to go our own way.

Founding Fathers [VHS],

The Federalist Papers

Founding Faith: How Our Founding Fathers Forged a Radical New Approach to Religious Liberty

It is historical fact that the founding fathers based the nation’s laws on the Bible. They were not all Christians or Jews but recognized the wisdom of having a righteous standard of law, a law that respects life and encourages true freedom.

Alan Allegra, Executive Administrative Assistant of Faith Church in Allentown, Pa. More devotionals at http://www.faithefc.com/includes/Alan-Devotionals.htm. More articles at Lifestyles Over 50: http://www.lifestylesover50.com/ and the Morning Call: www.mcall.com. Available for writing.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com <a href=”http://www.faithwriters.com“>CHRISTIAN WRITERS</a>

A View from the Nest

Random Ramblings from the Resident Raptor

Insight from the Journey across the Sky

>^{Pr 1 (RSV)} My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;² for length of days and years of life and abundant welfare will they give you. Proverbs 3:1-2

Ah yes, spring is in the air. The days are starting to get longer and the sound of the song birds are again gracing the air. Flowers are starting to sprout everywhere I look, and dark threatening storm clouds are being replaced with the lazy fluffy-white clouds of spring.

I am so glad each year when spring rolls around. The dark grey nights of winter so dampen my spirit that I can hardly wait for spring’s arrival, when those dark nights give way to the much brighter spring days. The icy cold winter air is gradually replaced with warm spring-time breezes. Ah yes, springtime!

I guess the thing I like most about springtime is the longer days. I could not imagine living in a place that got less than eight hours of daylight each day. I can not imagine how those who live way up north can handle long periods of darkness. I enjoy the sun. I enjoy the warmth of it, the brightness of it, the glow it gives the earth. I am not a sun worshipper but I surely do prefer daylight to nighttime. I guess you could say I am a child of the light. J

Anyway while driving the other day I came to realize that the days were getting longer and I thought of this verse from Proverbs that speaks to length of days. I do not know about you but I really like long summer days when the sun remains in the sky ‘til way past eight o’clock in the evening. To be able to come home from work and still have several hours of daylight left to enjoy before night sets in, is a real treat.

The “spring time” of life should be relished and enjoyed because the darkness of old age moves fast upon us. When we remember to put God first in our life, and to honor His word and His ways, He promises us ‘length of days’. I am not saying it will be endless “springtime” but it surely sounds like the long, cold, dark, nights of winter will be kept at bay, at least in a spiritual sense.

I like taking God at His word. I have read and heard of the wonderful things he has done for those who put their full trust in Him. Therefore, I am claiming my extended spring time and the abundant welfare he promises. There is only one catch. I have to keep His commandments. With my whole heart, I have to obey His word. Then I will be able to see the length of days, full of the sunshine He promises in his word.

God causes the sun to rise and He surely can extend the daylight hours in our lives if we let him by adhering to His commands. If you take time to stop to think about what His word commands us to abstain from, they are all things we should avoid because they bring about a shortening of life. Wisdom dictates then if we obey the Lord’s commands things should go well with our life.

Of course even during the summer we have the occasional summer storm, but it is still nice to know that the sun will remain in the evening sky far later then it will during the wintertime. That is comforting. Let the length of days begin. J

But those who are waiting for the Lord will have new strength; they will get wings like eagles: running, they will not be tired, and walking, they will have no weariness. _{Isaiah 40:31 (BBE)}

Along for the journey

Length of our days: Focus on Judaism and the personal life

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