This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year.” And he did as the Lord commanded Moses. Leviticus 16:34
Today is the holiest day of the year on the Jewish Calendar, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Today the Israelites would hear from their High Priest, that their sacrifice was accepted by God and their sins were covered for another year, According to Leviticus 16 this is how it was to be done every year; a goat is to be sacrificed and another one is to be the scapegoat to carry the sins away into the wilderness.
They would hear this good news, once a year after they spent a week preparing themselves in confession and repentance. They spent time in prayer seeking God confessing their known sins, repenting of them and receiving forgiveness from God. The entire nation watched as the scapegoat was lead through the camp and into the wilderness carrying their sins far away never to return, well at least for a year. Now as much as that sight must have left an impact on them, during that year they would see things that would override that vision and lead them into sin again.
They would see other nations have a king, and so they wanted a king they could see that would replace God. They saw unspeakable evil and once again it led them into sinning against God and His Commandments. They saw formidable foes and themselves being out numbered and out weaponized, they became fearful and lost their trust in God. And the list goes on and on.
Unfortunately we are no different. We even have a better Covenant, that our sins are washed away to be remembered no more and we have Holy Spirit living inside of us, not just upon certain people God used. And just like the Israelites we lose our focus on Jesus as our King. Seeing to much evil, desensitizes us to how the suffering and hurting of others. And the enemy is so good at making himself look more destructive and overpowering than he truly is. So we begin to fear, live in anxiety and stress and forget that greater is the One who lives in us than the one who is deceiving this world.
Be careful little eyes what you see, because the things of this world will help you lose your focus on Jesus and who He truly is Your Savior from all that is trying to steal, kill and destroy your life. Keep His Word before you so you can visualize all Jesus accomplished for you at the cross and the victory He gave us in His resurrection. Be like Paul and declare I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and watch Him go to work in you.
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