Good morning. With some apologies to Charles Dickens for the title, I would like to share thoughts today about the drama which surrounded two goats each year at the time of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement).
As the greatest day of spiritual importance on the annual Jewish calendar approached there were many things that needed doing in preparation. The day in question was Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement. This was the day when the High Priest would enter the holy of holies and offer a blood sacrifice on top of the Ark of the Covenant for his own sin and for the sin of the people. It was a day of unending sacrifices on the altar of the temple. It was a day when the priests would wander through the gathered crowd sprinkling the blood of sacrifice, each person desperate to be touched by the blood. Being touched by the blood ensured that sins would be set aside for another year, until God would send His Messiah and take them away forever. The day was filled with ceremonial cleansings, prayers, songs of worship, and the reading of scripture. At the peak, the High Priest of Israel was tasked with dealing with two goats.
Each goat needed to be as perfect as possible. Additionally, they were to be as identical as any two animals could be. The two goats were presented to the High Priest who would nod his approval, indicating that in all ways they were acceptable. Lots were then cast to decide their fate. The goat upon which the “Lot of the Lord” fell would be taken to the altar, where the High Priest would offer it as a sacrifice for the sins of the people of Israel. After the proper ceremony the other goat was led away, out the gate of the city, into the desert wilderness to “Azazel”. This second goat was known as “the scapegoat”, for although there was nothing wrong with him, upon that goat was placed responsibility for the sins of Israel for the past year. This “scapegoat” would be led away to the place of Azazel, which was a desolate cliff in the desert. There it would be pushed over the cliff, plunging to its death, its death suffered on behalf of the nation.
All of this, the ceremonies and the fate of both goats, was intended to focus the mind and spirit of the nation Israel on the promised Messiah of God. When He came, He would be both the perfect sacrifice and the perfect scapegoat. His blood would be willingly shed, and upon His shoulders would fall all the responsibility for the sin of mankind. At His death, sin would also die for all who would claim victory in His blood.
God kept His promise, and the Messiah, the perfect sacrifice and the perfect scape goat, came to us. His name is Jesus.
The ninth chapter of the Book of Hebrews tells us about the work of Jesus, our Messiah. Hebrews 9:15 sums it up: For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
By His blood the old Law is fulfilled. By His blood the new covenant is established. Jesus, our perfect sacrifice who took our sins upon His shoulders to give us eternal life.
Vern