In
all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and
faithful High Priest. - Hebrews 2:17
Two goats without blemish stood before the high priest in the bright Middle Eastern sun.
Lots were cast, and the priest slowly led one to the altar to be killed as a sin offering
for the people. Its blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. That goat was a sacrifice.
The other goat, known as the scapegoat, portrays another truth. The priest placed both his
hands on its forehead and confessed the sins of Israel. Then the goat was led out into the
desert and turned loose. As it wandered away, never to be seen again, it symbolically took
Israel's sins along with it. They were gone. The people were reconciled to God. That goat
was a substitute.
Both of these goats were pictures of what Christ would do for us. The cross became an
upright altar, where the Lamb of God gave His life as a sacrifice for sin. And what the
scapegoat symbolically portrayed for Israel - the removal of their sins - Jesus fulfilled
in reality. He became our substitute. Because of our identification with Him as believers,
our sins have been taken away completely.
Two goats representing two truths: sacrifice and substitution. Both were fulfilled in
Christ when He died on the cross and made full atonement for our sins. Praise God!
-DCE
Guilty, vile, and helpless we,
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
Full atonement! Can it be?
Hallelujah, what a Savior!
-Bliss
Jesus
took our place to give us His peace.