Leviticus 16:6-10: a reflection

6“Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house. 7He shall take the two goats, and set them before the LORD at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 8Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD, and offer him for a sin offering. 10But the goat on which the lot fell for the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement for him, to send him away as the scapegoat into the wilderness.

On the Day of Atonement, two goats were used, and together they pictured the fullness of atonement. Lots were cast: one goat was for the LORD, to be sacrificed as a sin offering, its blood shed for the people's sin; the other was the scapegoat, over which the people's sins would be confessed and which would carry them away into the wilderness. The two goats together showed two aspects of atonement: the penalty of sin paid, and the sin itself removed.

Notice the two aspects the two goats together pictured. One goat was sacrificed, its blood shed, bearing the penalty of the people's sin; the other carried the sins away, removing them. Sin's penalty had to be paid, and sin itself had to be removed; and the two goats together pictured both. It was not enough for the sin to be carried away without its penalty paid, nor for the penalty to be paid without the sin removed; both were needed, and both were pictured in the two goats of the Day of Atonement.

That fuller picture points to the fullness of what Christ has done for us. In Christ, both aspects of atonement are fulfilled: like the sacrificed goat, Christ bore the penalty of our sin, his blood shed for us; and like the scapegoat, he carried our sins away, removing them from us. Christ has both paid the penalty our sin deserved and carried our sins away, so that atonement for us is complete. When you consider your sin, know that Christ has done both: he has borne its penalty, and carried it away. Your sin's penalty has been paid by Christ, and your sin itself has been removed by him; the two goats together are fulfilled in the one Christ, who both paid the penalty and removed the sin. Rest in the fullness of Christ's atonement, which the two goats pictured: he has borne the penalty of your sin and carried your sin away, so that atonement for you is complete, both the penalty paid and the sin removed, in Christ your Savior.

Lord, on the Day of Atonement, two goats together pictured the fullness of atonement: one for the LORD, sacrificed as a sin offering, its blood shed for the people's sin; the other the scapegoat, carrying their sins away into the wilderness. The two goats together showed two aspects of atonement: the penalty of sin paid, and the sin itself removed. Show me those two aspects. One goat was sacrificed, bearing the penalty; the other carried the sins away, removing them. Sin's penalty had to be paid, and sin itself had to be removed; and both were pictured in the two goats. And let that fuller picture point me to the fullness of what Christ has done for me. In Christ, both aspects are fulfilled: like the sacrificed goat, Christ bore the penalty of my sin, his blood shed for me; and like the scapegoat, he carried my sins away, removing them. Christ has both paid the penalty my sin deserved and carried my sins away, so that atonement for me is complete. When I consider my sin, help me know that Christ has done both: he has borne its penalty, and carried it away. Help me rest in the fullness of Christ's atonement, Lord, which the two goats pictured: he has borne the penalty of my sin and carried my sin away, so that atonement for me is complete. Thank you for so full a salvation in Christ.