How does the scapegoat in Leviticus 16:10 foreshadow Christ's sacrifice for us? The verse “But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement by sending it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.” — Leviticus 16:10 Setting the scene: the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) • Two goats were selected. One was sacrificed; the other, the “scapegoat,” was kept alive, laden with Israel’s sins, and driven into the wilderness. • The high priest laid his hands on the living goat, confessing the nation’s sins over it (vv. 20-22). • The goat carried those sins far away, removing guilt from the camp. How the scapegoat foreshadows Christ • Substitution: Just as the goat stood in Israel’s place, Jesus stands in ours. ‑ Isaiah 53:6 “the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” • Sin transferred: Israel’s guilt was symbolically placed on the goat; our guilt is literally borne by Christ. ‑ 2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.” • Removal of sin: The goat disappeared into the wilderness; Christ removes sin “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). • Outside the camp: The goat left the camp; Jesus suffered “outside the city gate” (Hebrews 13:11-12). • Once-for-all atonement: The rite was annual; Christ’s sacrifice is final. ‑ Hebrews 9:26 “He has appeared once for all…to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” Why two goats? • The slain goat pictures propitiation—God’s wrath satisfied by blood. • The scapegoat pictures expiation—sin taken away from the people. • Together they preview the single, complete work of Jesus, “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Implications for believers today • Your sin is not just forgiven; it is removed. • Guilt no longer has rightful claim—Christ bore it and carried it away. • Assurance rests not in repeated ritual but in the finished, once-for-all work of the Savior. Summary The living scapegoat of Leviticus 16:10 provides a vivid, God-given picture of Jesus’ saving mission: substitutionary, sin-bearing, guilt-removing, accomplished outside the camp, and completed once for all. |
    |