Send Your Goat of Guilt Away!

Throughout Leviticus, it talks about sacrificing lambs "without blemish" to make an atonement for individuals' sins. The symbolism here is clear, since we use the term "Lamb of God" to describe Jesus Christ, and we use the word atonement for the Savior's sacrifice for our sins.

What I found fascinating in my reading today, though, is found in Leviticus chapter 16. This chapter describes a special ordinance, where Aaron will take two goats, but only one will be sacrificed. Verse 21 reads:

"And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat."

So essentially, Aaron takes every sin that the Israelites have committed in the past year and gives them to the goat. This goat now represents all of their sins.

Then, the scriptures say that a designated man will carry the goat into the wilderness. Verse 22 reads:

"And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness."

Do you see what is being taught here? When we want Christ's Atonement to really have its full effect there's a little more to it than just being forgiven of our sins. That is what the Israelites took care of in their personal sacrifices. Beyond that, we need to send them off into the wilderness, into a land where no people are.

I don't have a goat, so don't think I'm suggesting that. What I am suggesting is that we need to let our past mistakes leave us. Send your guilt and your former frustrations leave you and your family and your friends.

The Savior taught, "Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more."

If the Lord doesn't remember them, why should we? Why do we let our guilt hold us back from our eternal potential? Just send your goat full of guilt away!