A friend and former student, Aaron Cummings. offers more thoughts on the lot-scapegoat connection:
1) Saul cast lots for Jonathan when we he sinned. Saul sinfully saw Jonathan as a new Achan, a man whose sin affected the congregation. Saul like Joshua uses lots to root out the sin.
2) The Apostles cast lots for Matthias, who became an apostolic bondservant, a sort of scapegoat, in that he bore the shame of Christ in his ministry, always carrying about the dying of our Lord (cf. 2 Cor 1-4).
3) Connected to the last point, Levitical service was determined by lot (1 Chr. 24:31; 25:8; 26:13, 14; Neh. 10:34). These men were chosen out to bear a special task as proto-apostles.
4) The dwellers of Jerusalem were chosen by lot (Neh. 11:1). This connects to the last point in that the temple service is expanded to include the entire Holy City.
5) Edom and the nations cast lots on Jerusalem, to divide the spoil (Obad. 1:11; Nah. 3:10). I’m not sure I see an immediate connection here. Perhaps this connects up with the idea that Jerusalem has already become the scapegoat, at the time of the lot casting. Perhaps there’s a separate Lot-Spoil theme in the Bible. Or perhaps God uses the enemy to make Jerusalem a scapegoat.
6) Connected once again with the last point, the guards cast lots for Jesus’ garments. Jesus was the embodiment of Jerusalem and Israel in her total vocation. By having the enemy cast lots over the clothes, God is identifying Jesus as the Scapegoat.
So a greater than Scapegoat is here. This is why we don’t cast lots anymore. We never have to determine another scapegoat because the ultimate Scapegoat has come. And he is a Scapegoat who never dies, but lives into eternity. He perpetually bears our sins away as he forgives us through the course of our lives.
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