The Arrival of The Goat

Thursday, December 8, 2022

On Yom Kippur the High Priest of Israel would stand in the courts of the Lord with two goats. He drew two lots, one for each goat. One lot read, "TO THE WILDERNESS." That goat became the "Scapegoat." The other lot read, "TO THE LORD." This goat was offered as the Yom Kippur sacrifice. The Scapegoat was going somewhere. The Sacrifice Goat didn't look like it was going anywhere. It looked like they were losing a goat, a non-profit write off, a loss. But the goat's name was "TO THE LORD." In a sense, the goat was arriving in the Lord's presence. When we sacrifice something for the Lord, we tend to think of it as a loss, but it isn't gone. It's "TO THE LORD." It's leaving, but it's arriving in Heaven. It's really a gain, found in the hands of God. When you give a gift to someone, you don't cry that you lost money. You rejoice in their joy of receiving it. Give your gift to the Lord with joy, offer your sacrifice with thanksgiving, for only what's given to the Lord... can never be lost.

From Message #992 - Ban the Goat