What is the meaning of Leviticus 16:5? And he shall take Aaron, the high priest, does not decide on his own what to bring; he obeys God’s explicit instructions (Leviticus 16:2–4). Obedience precedes atonement, foreshadowing Christ who said, “I have come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7). The initiative is divine, not human (Hebrews 9:7–8). from the congregation of Israel The animals come from the people themselves, making clear that the sacrifice represents them. In earlier legislation the elders laid hands on the sin offering “for the whole assembly” (Leviticus 4:13-15), showing corporate identification. The community supplies what will bear its guilt, just as Christ “shared in their humanity” (Hebrews 2:14) to carry ours. two male goats More than one goat is needed because each will play a distinct role (Leviticus 16:7-10): • One is slain for the LORD, its blood taken behind the veil (Hebrews 9:12). • The other, the scapegoat, symbolically bears sins into the wilderness, “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). Both together portray substitution and removal of sin, fulfilled when Jesus became “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). for a sin offering Sin offerings deal specifically with guilt and defilement (Leviticus 4:20, 26). Blood is applied where God’s presence dwells, emphasizing that sin offends His holiness (Hebrews 9:22). The goats point to the perfect sacrifice of Him who “was made sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21), obtaining “eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12). and one ram After atonement, a different animal appears. Rams had earlier accompanied covenant ceremonies (Exodus 29:15-18) and substitutionary moments like Isaac on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:13). The ram accents dedication rather than cleansing. for a burnt offering Burnt offerings are wholly consumed, rising as “a pleasing aroma to the LORD” (Leviticus 1:9). They symbolize total surrender and acceptance. Once sin is dealt with, worshipers may offer themselves completely; Paul echoes this pattern: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). The sequence mirrors salvation’s order—cleansing first, consecration next. summary Leviticus 16:5 shows God providing a precise, two-stage remedy for sin: two goats remove guilt, and a ram expresses renewed devotion. By supplying the animals, the congregation acknowledges responsibility; by accepting them, God offers mercy. The verse anticipates Jesus’ perfect work—both the sin-bearing substitute and the means of wholehearted reconciliation—so that forgiven people may live in devoted fellowship with their holy God. |
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