EXPLORE THE TEXT
Only Jesus’s death on the cross could pay the penalty for our sins.
7 “Next he will take the two goats and place them before the Lord
at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
8 After Aaron casts lots for the two goats,
one lot for the Lord and the other for an uninhabitable place,
9 he is to present the goat chosen by lot for the Lord
and sacrifice it as a sin offering.
10 But the goat chosen by lot for an uninhabitable place
is to be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement with it
by sending it into the wilderness for an uninhabitable place.”
In Hebrew, the phrase (‘aza’zel)
has baffled scholars for years, which is reflected in the diversity of its renderings in various translations.
Some consider it a proper name, perhaps for a wilderness demon,
though this view is countered by God’s commands about forbidden sacrifices
in the next chapter (Lev. 17:7).
The term also may refer to a rough and difficult place,
which would match the goat’s destination (v. 10).
The term also seems to connect with the idea of departing,
which is why early translators created the word “scapegoat”
to describe this ritual.
For ancient Israel, the Day of Atonement was the culmination of God’s reconciling work each year.
Highlight the roles of the two goats in the ritual process.
Both goats pointed people to the coming Messiah,
who would make the final sacrifice to reconcile people to God.
One might think that the Day of Atonement was
so awe-inspiring that it would never be forgotten.
But God knows mankind’s tendency to stray,
so He took steps to remind them of their need for Him.