On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Lv 16:1-34), the high priest, after making atonement for himself and his family, would take two goats to make atonement for the people. Lots were cast over the goats; one goat would be for making atonement and one for confession of sins and release.

The goat for atonement would be sacrificed to atone for the sins of the people. The high priest would place his hands on the head of the other goat (called the scapegoat) and confess all the sins of the people over it. Another priest would then take the scapegoat into the wilderness and release it and ensure it did not return to camp (or later, to the city). For a long time, the animal was just released into the wilderness and they let nature dictate the method of the goat’s demise. However, later, the priest ensured the scapegoat met a fatal fate. Since this was a symbolism of sin being taken away, they wanted to ensure the animal did not return to civilization because that would indicate their sin had returned.

When Christ atoned for all the sins of all humans on the cross, our sin is forever removed and will never return to us. Scripture says this in Psalm 103:12: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” One can travel north and will eventually start to travel south once the North Pole is reached. Yet, when one travels east or west, one can travel in that direction forever without going in the opposite direction. This is what the psalmist is conveying here. The distance between east and west is infinite, and, therefore, so is the distance of our sins from God. God even says that he will remember our sin no more: “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more” (Hb 8:12).

This sacrifice therefore represented one’s sin being forever removed.

But what about our human nature? We still have it even after we accept Christ as our Savior and future hope. Was there a plan for accounting for our sinful human nature? Of course! Join me next time and we’ll discuss how clever God really was—and is!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens