Alas! The LORD is gracious and merciful! He plans council to save the afflicted and needy. He shows forth His providence and strength. His saving arm redeems those who call upon Him! For the plan of God’s salvation was foretold in the Scriptures, that the man of God may know through faith the lovingkindness of the LORD. For in one place it says, “The righteous is delivered from trouble, But the wicked takes his place.” (Pro 11:8) For the LORD God redeems the righteous, but the wicked are taken instead. As Jesus Christ speaks about the end of time: "Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.” (Mat 24:40-41) As the LORD speaks through the prophet Isaiah writes about this, "For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I have given Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place. Since you are precious in My sight, Since you are honored and I love you, I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.” (Isa 43:3-4) For we see in the law that the LORD preserved the people of Israel, but Egypt was taken instead; the firstborn of Israel were saved, but the firstborn of Egypt was taken. As it written in the Psalms about this: “You will only look on with your eyes And see the recompense of the wicked.” (Psa 91:8)
In the days of David, a plague broke out in the land of Israel because of Saul’s sin — for Saul executed wrath against the Gibeonites, whom the children of Israel made an oath in the days of Joshua to preserve them alive. David, wishing to appease God’s wrath, asked the Gibeonites, "What should I do for you? And how can I make atonement that you may bless the inheritance of the LORD?" (2 Samuel 21:3) And they asked for seven of Saul’s sons to be hanged on a stake. But Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, was spared, but another “Mephibosheth” (2 Samuel 21:8), the son of Saul, was handed over instead (as a type). And all this was granted to Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, for the sake of his father; before he did anything good or bad, he was ordained for such kindness, for the sake of his father Jonathan who made a covenant with David. So Mephibosheth was taken, but the other left.
In the law of Moses, it is written for the cleansing of a leper that two clean birds, identical in nature, were to be brought to the priests. And, as it is written: "The priest shall also give orders to slay the one bird in an earthenware vessel over running water. As for the live bird, he shall take it together with the cedar wood and the scarlet string and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slain over the running water. He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field.” (Lev 14:5-7) Is it concerning birds the LORD speaks about? Is it not about the leper who is being cleansed? For he lived outside the camp of Israel, desolate. One bird was taken and killed and the other left. The leper found an atoning sacrifice which cleansed him: the sacrifice was taken and he himself was set free: his sins were forgiven.
Also in the law of Moses, on the day of atonement, Moses writes: "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.” (Lev 16:8-10) Is the LORD speaking about goats? Is it not for the people? For on this day, atonement was made by the high priest for the people; as it says, "Now you shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year." (Lev 16:34) For the high priest went into the Most Holy Place to make atonement for the sins of the whole nation. And pertaining to the scapegoat, it says, "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 16:21-22) So it is: one goat was for a sin offering and the other, for the scapegoat.
And in the days of Saul, the son of Kish, Saul waged war against the Philistines, the enemies of the LORD. And while they were waging war, Saul charged the people with an oath, "Cursed be the man who eats food before evening, and until I have avenged myself on my enemies.” (1Sa 14:24) So the people were hungry and fatigued from battle. And when the day was spent, the people ate meat with the blood, which is contrary to the law of Moses (Leviticus 17:12-14), but were not cut off (1 Samuel 14:32-34). But Jonathan, Saul’s son, ate a little bit of honey on the edge of his staff while the oath was still in effect. And when Saul inquired of the LORD in an unrelated matter, the LORD did not hear him. So when Saul investigated the matter, to see who sinned, he cast lots which are determined by God. And when the lot was cast, “Jonathan and Saul were taken, but the people escaped.” (1Sa 14:41) Then when the lot was cast between him and Jonathan, "Jonathan was taken.” (1Sa 14:42) Even though Saul sinned by making foolish oaths and the people sinned by eating with the blood, it was Jonathan who was determined by lot, which is determined by God, to have sinned — and the rest were freed. Jonathan did no wrong, only he ate a little bit of honey; despite these things, and despite the fact that Jonathan worked with God to bring about a great deliverance for Israel that day, he was still chosen by lot to die.
And in the days of Jesus, who is the Christ, He was delivered up to Pilate by the rulers and chief priests. And there was a man who was in prison at the time, Barabbas; he was being held for insurrection and murder. And Pilate had a custom that he would release one from prison during that time. And the crowd, being stirred up by the chief priests, cried out for Barabbas to be released to them. And “Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.” (Mrk 15:15) Now Jesus did no wrong and He received testimony by many because of His innocence. Pilate’s wife said, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him." (Mat 27:19) And Pilate himself said, "What evil has He done?" (Mat 27:23) And even the one who betrayed Him to the chief priests said, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." (Mat 27:4) But yet He was determined, not by the will of man, but by the will of God to die for the sins of the people as it is seen through the types and shadows found in the law.