“He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat” (Leviticus 16:21 NLT).
Two male goats were offered by the high priest as a sin offering on the Day of Atonement (“Yom Kippur”). The first goat was slaughtered and its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat of the Ark and on the altar for the purification of sins. Then, the second goat was brought alive before the high priest, who laid both his hands on the goat’s head, confessing and transferring the people’s sins to the head of the live goat. This second goat was then released alive into the wilderness as a scapegoat, carrying all the sins of the people upon its head.
These two male goats offered on the Day of Atonement are fulfilled in Christ. For Christ is the fulfillment of the law. His blood has been sprinkled upon the real Mercy Seat, not the type, by Jesus Himself (Heb. 9:12-14). And “the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6).
Have you confessed your sins, laying them upon Christ Jesus, so that they are taken away? Have you been washed clean by the blood of Jesus?
PRAYER: O Lord. What love You have demonstrated toward us in that while we were yet sinners, You died in our place. We confess our sins and accept Jesus as our redemption. We offer our lives as living sacrifices as our reasonable worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.