Jesus Christ Is the Heart of the Day of Atonement
Who atones for the sins of the world? Jesus Christ does. Note John 1:29 and 1:1, 14.
The True Goat and Scapegoat Are the Fulfillment of the Day of Atonement Sacrifices
The high priest would use two goats for the Day of Atonement sacrifices for the entire nation of Israel. Note Lev. 16:7-8. The high priest had to cast lots to determine which goat to sacrifice for the sins of the people and which to let go free into the desert. The obvious meaning is that normal human beings cannot always discern good from evil at the spiritual level. Many are so deceived that the devil and his workers are perceived to this day as “angels of light”. See II Cor. 11:13-15. Many clerics in this world serve paganism and spiritual forces that oppose the true God. Some do it knowingly, I fear.
Leviticus 16: 15-16 instructs that one goat is sacrificed for an atonement of the sins of the people. This goat represents our Lord’s sacrifice for our sins. The other goat representing Satan is not killed or sacrificed but is cast away into the vast wilderness. Our Savior exchanged his sinless purity for our horrible sins. During Bible times, scapegoat did not have the meaning of an innocent goat taking the blame for something it did not do. Today it would be better rendered escape goat. This goat is sinful and evil but not sacrificed. A sacrifice for our sins must be pure and sinless like Jesus Christ. Lev. 16 points out Christ role as our ultimate sacrifice for our sins and the complete removal of the source and encourager of sin, the Azazel goat.
The Scapegoat and the Fulfillment of the Atonement Sacrifices in the Life of Christ
Luke describes how Pilate wanted to free Jesus. He knew the religious leaders were so jealous of Christ that they wanted him killed. So he tried to release Christ. But the mob stirred up by the leaders yelled for Jesus crucifixion. Pilate released a murderer Barabbas. He was let go while Jesus the Lamb of God was sacrificed. See Luke 23:22-25. Christ represented the sacrificed goat and Barabbas filled the role of the scapegoat, the goat let go and sent into the desert. A clear match to the drama played out in the temple annually every Day of Atonement. See also Mark 15:12-15.
Satan Is Not an Innocent Scapegoat But Our Partner in Sin
Note Lev 16:21-22. The goat that is set free is our partner in sin. GTA often said that Satan is our partner in crime. Would Eve have disobeyed God without Satan’s seduction? Satan was, at the minimum, her partner in crime. He and his minions are constantly seducing mankind into further sinfulness every day. They lead mankind astray. Note Rev. 12:9. We people have no idea of the totally of the depravity and destruction that Satan has caused mankind.
The word scapegoat has taken on a meaning that was not in existence when the King James translators rendered the Bible into English in 1611. The ‘escape goat’ did carry guilt out of Israel. He carried the guilt to a hot wilderness. This is symbolic of the bottomless pit and lake of fire where Satan does not die but is confined forever. Just like the scapegoat lost in the hot desert. See Rev. 20:1-3.
We Cannot Blame All Our Sinfulness on Satan the Scapegoat
We all have human nature. The devil is the author of rebellion and pushes and nudges us in the directions we often wish to go. Paul when he was disappointed in himself admitted the carnality of his nature. Jesus is the only one that can save us from our sinful nature. See Romans 7:23-25. Every Day of Atonement we should all repent and commit to avoiding evil, and satanic worldly influences as much as possible throughout the coming year. Escape them!
1-John 1:1, 29
2-II Cor. 11:13-15
3-Lev 16:15-16
4-Lk. 23:22-25 and Mark 15:12-15
5-Lev. 16:21-22
6-Rev. 12:9
7-Rev. 20:1-3
8- Rom7:23-25
