"Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel, and all their  transgressions in regard to all their sin; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. And the goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness." Lev 16:21-22In my last post I talked about the importance of remembering Christ's resurrection to our redemption. Today I would like to look at one part of the pain of His death that is often overlooked. During this season all across this country many will hear the sermon of how Christ became our Passover, and that is certainly true. For it says in Hebrews 9:22 that "without the shedding of blood their is not forgiveness of sins." and in Hebrews 10:12 that Christ "offered one sacrifice for sins for all time.." There is something else that seems to be required for sin - banishment. In Leviticus 16 the Lord gave to Moses the Law of the Atonement and included in that along with the shedding of blood is the scapegoat. There were two goats used during the service - one was sacrificed and the other was banished from the city, but they where considered one offering (just as our Savior was one offering). Before it would be banished from the city the high priest would lay his hands on the head of the goat and would confess the sins of the nation of Israel and transfer those sins to the goat. Then one of the other priests would escort the goat outside of the city left to wander outside the gate. Outside the Gate When Christ was in the garden before he was 'betrayed into the hands of sinners' we initially think that the agony that He was going through was because He knew that He was going to be crucified. As child I can remember reading this and thinking about what it must of felt like to feel that pain of the cross. But as sickening as it is, thousands of Jews were crucified by Rome. In fact the famous Jewish historian Josephus says that during the siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD Titus was at a time crucifying 500 Jews a day. It wasn't that He was going to have to endure the physical pain (for many had done that already), He knew that He, being sinless, was going to have the sins of all who would believe cast on Him and He would shed His blood for them, but also He would be banished from the Father's presence. In Matthew 27:46 when Christ cries out from the cross "My God, My God, why hast though  forsaken Me?" By being forsaken, Christ was left behind. He had taken on our sins and was banished from the city. For the first time since eternity past there was true separation from Father. During His walk on earth we see many places were Christ communed with the Father, the Spirit or angels - but now He was alone. Hebrews 13:12 says "Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate." He endured the fate that would have been ours, a final separation from God that could never be overcome. Inside the Gate But our Savior didn't stay outside the gate! With the power of His resurrection all authority was given to Him. Christ overcame death as it says 1 Corinthians 15:56-57 "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." As another proof to Christ's absolute Deity only God could overcome that separation, both physical and spiritual. And if He had not overcome that separation we would have to endure it. What has Christ's victory over death and banishment given us? "And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:9 "Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God." Galatians 4:7 "And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord." 2 Corinthians 6:18 "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household." Ephesians 2:19 "for you are all sons of the light and sons of day, We are not of night no darkness." I Thessalonians 5:5 We are not only citizens of the kingdom but we are heirs with Him. Christ's banishment and subsequent resurrection opened the door for us to enter the gate into the kingdom which would have otherwise been shut to us. Only the One that has the authority to open the gate could let us in. And that One was none other than Jesus Christ the name by which men must be saved. So in the closing moments of this Passover season lets us remember that Christ bled to remove our sins, was banished so that we were not and was raised that we may enter into life, hope and His eternal Kingdom. | 
