Limburger cheese has a smell that is sometimes compared to sweaty feet. Even worse, the smell can linger long after the cheese is gone!
Similarly, shame can linger long after our sin has been dealt with. Shame is a result of the voice of Satan whispering into our heart that we are not good enough. When we fail in a project at work or do poorly on an exam, shame makes us feel we are worthless. When we give in to temptation, or make a parenting mistake, or let our spouse down, shame implies that our failures define us. We try to work harder, chase status symbols, and make ourselves too busy, but nothing can cover the shame we feel.
In today’s reading about the scapegoat, we see that this goat was not slaughtered. Instead the people’s sins were symbolically transferred to that goat, and it was released into the wilderness, never to be seen again. The message was clear. God not only covers the guilt of his people but also removes the effects of sin—including shame—from their lives.
Jesus, serving as our scapegoat, has carried our sin away so that it is never seen again. This means that when we hear Satan’s accusations, we need only to look to the Savior and remember that God, the one person who could actually accuse us, has declared that in Jesus our sins are gone forever!
