What role does the scapegoat play in the atonement process described here? Setting the Scene: The Day of Atonement • Leviticus 16 describes the single most sacred day in Israel’s calendar—the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). • Verse 20 marks the transition: “When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place, the Tent of Meeting, and the altar, he is to bring forward the live goat.” • Up to this point, blood from the first goat has covered (atoned for) sin inside the sanctuary. Now attention shifts to the second goat—the scapegoat. Two Goats, One Message • Lots were cast (Leviticus 16:8). One goat was “for the LORD” (slain), the other “for Azazel” (sent away). • Together they paint a full picture of atonement: – Death—sin judged and paid for. – Removal—sin carried away, never to return. The Scapegoat’s Unique Function • Bearer of Sin – “He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and transgressions of the Israelites—all their sins.” (Leviticus 16:21) • Removal of Sin – “The goat will carry on itself all their iniquities into a solitary place.” (Leviticus 16:22) ― sin is not merely forgiven; it is taken far away. • Visible Sign – Sent “into the wilderness” so the people could see that guilt was gone. • Substitution – The innocent animal bears what the guilty deserve, a living portrait of grace. How the Scapegoat Complements the Sacrificial Goat • The slain goat addresses God’s justice; blood satisfies the requirement that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22) • The scapegoat addresses the sinner’s conscience; seeing sin removed brings deep assurance. • Inside vs. Outside: blood sprinkled in the Holy of Holies, but the body (and the scapegoat) taken outside the camp—prefiguring Hebrews 13:11-12, where Jesus suffers “outside the city gate” to sanctify us. Foreshadowing Christ • Isaiah 53:6 says, “the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” The scapegoat ritual anticipated this transfer. • John 1:29 identifies Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” • 2 Corinthians 5:21: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.” • In Christ, both aspects converge: His death satisfies justice (like the slain goat) and His resurrection life guarantees sin’s removal (like the scapegoat sent away). Living Out the Truth Today • Rest in complete forgiveness—your guilt is both paid for and removed. • Reject lingering shame; it has been carried “into a solitary place.” • Walk in gratitude and holiness, remembering the cost. • Share the good news: just as Israel saw the goat disappear, we can point to an empty tomb and a risen Savior who “appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Hebrews 9:26) |
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