Likewise, all of the Old Testament was leading up to and foreshadowing the coming of the Messiah who would redeem his people. For this reason, the most dominant characteristic of the Old Testament sacrifices for the sins of the people was that it must be pure, spotless, unblemished. Thus when John the Baptist saw the one for whom he was to prepare the way, he announced "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!" Jesus came as one pure and unaffected by Adam's fall. Spotless and unstained by sin. Unblemished and righteous before God. As Peter wrote, "You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." (1 Pet. 1:19)
Yet, among the other Old Testament allusions, two have stood out to me as beautifully poignant. The first is only mentioned once in the entire Bible.
Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat. Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat . . . 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 sins ; 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. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land ; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness. (Lev. 16:8-10, 21, 22)Notice that the scapegoat remains alive to carry the sins of the people away. Though there are no explicit New Testament references (that I am aware of) to this living atonement, there is still a clear image of Christ.
The second is less obvious and, had Christ himself not drawn the connection, it would have seemed a bit of a stretch to draw the parallel ourselves. In Numbers 21 we read the account of yet another rebellion on the part of the Israelites against their God. In response, the Lord sent "fiery serpents" with a deadly bite into the Israelite camp. When the people repented, God commanded Moses to "make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." (Num 21:8) And Jesus calls our attention back to this account when he said "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life." (John 3:14,15)
This imagery can be fairly confusing. It is easy to see the parallels to Christ in the unblemished sacrifices and the scapegoat. But Jesus also says he is like the bronze serpent which, instead of being the picture of purity, is the representation of the curse. Yet Jesus did just this when he came in human form. Beyond this, " God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:21)
Thus, in Christ all of this Old Testament imagery comes to a head and fulfillment. Christ became the One who was without blemish or defect to be our sacrifice, the One who lives to take sin upon his head and carry it away from his people, and the One who was lifted up in the likeness of the curse—nay, became the curse!—so that all who looked upon him in faith in the promise of God would be saved.
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Briefly went over this but I thought I would share.
Hebrews 10:1-4
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
You mentioned in Leviticus 16:20-22 the live scapegoat is Christ and I agree. This was done yearly as said in Hebrews 10:1, it was merely a shadow of Christ. Isaiah 53:4 state Christ 'carrying' the sin and everyone considering him stricken to where people had to turn away their faces from the sadness he was displaying. Anyways thoughts to consider -
John the Baptist is a descendant of Aaron. John the Baptist is the one who would 'restore all things' as said from Christ, and that he did this already! John the Baptist is the one who will 'make the paths of the Lord straight'. The bible calls John the Baptist the greatest man to be born from women as well. That from the time of John the Baptist untill now the kingdom of God has been forcefully advancing and forceful men lay their hands on it. Consider how John the Baptist also was the one in the wilderness such as the old tabernacle days. The only place in the gospels where Christ is said to have taken sin is after his baptism.
Now if the bible is truth then there can only be one truth.
1 John 5:6
This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
Obviously it says he came by both his water baptism and his crucifixion.
Acts 1:5 says "For John truly baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the holy spirit"
compare this with John 3:5
"You must be born again of water and the spirit to enter the kingdom of God".
In conclusion it says that the Lord took the worlds sin (not only Israels this time) for all time (for there is one sacrifice) at his water baptism. He then carried the sin to the cross to pay their wages off through death.
Pretty much there is no more sin in the world since Christ took it all 2000 years ago. He took all sin and paid them all off.
URL has a site that believes this too, check it out.
Seb,
Thanks for your comment and I was following you all the way until you said "In conclusion...". I didn't feel previous comments argued much (if at all) for the conclusion that all the world's sin has been paid for for all time. Am I correct in assuming you are arguing for a sort of universalism here?
It seems you're basing your entire argument on your own interpretation of what "world" means (which you failed to cite a verse for). However, I can cite just as many verses back where "world" doesn't mean everybody everywhere.
You were absolutely right when you said "Now if the bible is truth then there can only be one truth." But that quote may come back to bite you because according to the Bible, world doesn't always mean everybody and "wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it".
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