I forget how much of our modern quirky words and phrases derive from biblical references. One such example is scapegoat.

We use the word when blaming someone, particularly an individual who may or may not be responsible for the problem at hand, but is available when we need someone to blast. I blamed the president when I couldn’t find Rice Crispies to make treats, even though I really don’t believe he oversees their distribution (nor should he). But, the man made for a convenient scapegoat.

The original scapegoat carried away sins. He (Aaron) is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness.

The complex system created for sacrificing animals and grains for the forgiveness of sins failed to cover every possible issue. The scapegoat took care of the rest.

The high priest put the people’s sins on the head of the goat who bore them away, removed forever into the wilderness. Of course, this practice points us to Jesus, who himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness (1 Peter 2:24).

Turns out, those of us who are sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, need a scapegoat now more than ever.

Leviticus 16 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Florian van Duyn

I spent way too much time yesterday on trivia about today’s date: Tuesday, February 22, 2022. Or, as I’m referring to it:

Twosday, 2-22-22.

Lots of people are getting married today, and some enterprising businessperson decided to couple National Margarita Day with Taco Twosday on 2-22-22, a stroke of sheer genius.

On the chilly side, the temperature outside my house this morning stands at 2°—coincidence?

So I wondered, what do Bible verses with the references of chapter 22 and verse 22 have for me on this specific date?

Some involve strict instructions…

Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless (Exodus 22:22).

If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel (Deuteronomy 22:22).

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court (Proverbs 22:22).

We find Paul in a rough patch…

The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He’s not fit to live!” (Acts 22:22).

Another encourages me to honor the creator of this frigid yet glorious day…

I will declare your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise you (Psalm 22:22).

Finally, I’m reminded of why we even have this unique date to celebrate…

When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away (Matthew 22:22).

Our world counts back 2 months, 22 days, and 2022 years to Anno Domini—in the year of the Lord—the year of the birth of the Savior. Our calendars center on Jesus.

Here stands the most significant reason to celebrate today. Because just as Jesus amazed those in his day, he lives to amaze us today.

Enjoy some tacos and celebrate.

My friends recently purchased their first home, a fixer-upper, which they’ve been working on and living in. Recently they noticed water damage, leading to the discovery of mold in the ceiling and walls. Mitigation involved cutting out sections of drywall and letting in light and air, carting off the defiled materials to the dump, then replacing everything with fresh drywall, plaster and paint.

Mold proved troublesome for homeowners in ancient times as well. Look at how the Lord instructed the Israelites to deal with this problem:

On the seventh day the priest is to return to inspect the house. If the mold has spread on the walls, he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town. He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town. Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house.

3,500 years and we still deal with mold in the same way.

My inclination to turn away from the Lord works much like mold. It’s easier, safer and even more popular to slip away from the challenges of loving the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul and strength.

Just like mold, dark things grow in the inner places in my life. I need the Holy Spirit to regularly uncover these spots, to expose them to the light of scripture, and to tear out damaged pieces. The cuts hurt, but only for a short time.

Soul maintenance mirrors home maintenance. Paying attention to small issues, and dealing with them before emerging as major problems requires diligence and an eye toward the long-term.

Same idea with the moldy parts of my life.

Leviticus 14 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by iese kobaladze

Some approach the Bible as a pretty book to decorate a shelf, while others read the Bible as literature (I took such a class once). Many simply comb through for a few verses to bolster arguments about preferred behaviors.

But what if the Scriptures represent a far more mysterious and powerful force?

Do you remember the movie Jumanji? In the story, a pair of children find a long lost game and start to play. Unbeknownst to them, the game comes alive, and once you start playing you cannot stop until the game is finished. Killer spiders invade the house, elephants stampede—mayhem breaks out. All of life changes when the game begins.

That’s the way to read the Scriptures.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Don’t read the Bible only for the literature, and move beyond historical facts. Do more than pluck verses to proof text behavior.

Instead, pray the Lord brings the Scriptures to life. Ask the Holy Spirit to release the latent power of the word of God. Take a risk—open yourself to the great unknown.

Roll the dice. The game awaits.

Hebrews 4 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Jumanji, by Chris Van Allsburg, 1981