July 25

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.—Leviticus 16:21.

How very strikingly was Jesus exhibited in the appointment of the ordinance of the Scape Goat. But the figure would not have been perfect, had not there been, in connection with the Scape Goat, a Goat which was slain, the blood of which

Z was to be put upon the altar, by which atonement was made for the people. Let us then confine our thoughts for a few moments to the Scape Goat. We are reminded first of the substitution of Christ in the place of sinners. The sins, iniquities, and transgressions of the people were figuratively put upon the head of the Scape Goat, and then it was dismissed into the wilderness, and was never more seen. Now this receives striking illustration from such passages as the following. "He hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin." (2 Corinthians 5:21.) "The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6. 9.) "Behold the lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world." (John 1:29.) In these as well as in many other passages, the substitution of Jesus is very clearly taught, and unless thus interpreted, they speak the language of ambiguity itself. Moses and the prophets taught and warned men, and were appointed as leaders of the people, but never is it said of any but Jesus, that "he died for the ungodly" that he is the "sacrifice for sins, &c." And this substitution of Jesus has made ample satisfaction for sin. All the claims of holiness, justice, and truth have been fully met, the law has been magnified and the inexpressible price of his infinitely precious blood has been paid for our redemption. God in the harmonious exercise of all his illustrious perfections can be the just God as well as the justifier of the ungodly, who believeth in Jesus. In this substitution sin has been fully punished, and therefore the sinner may be freely saved.