Two Goats, One Savior

And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. Leviticus 16:8-10 (KJV)

God instructed Moses and Aaron regarding two goats and what was to be done with them on the annual Day of Atonement.

The Slain Goat

Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the Lord, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel. Leviticus 16:15-19 (KJV)

One goat was presented to the Lord as a sin offering to purify the tabernacle and make atonement. The blood was sprinkled within the veil- upon and before the mercy seat, thus atonement was made.

The Escape Goat

And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. Leviticus 16:20-22 (KJV)

The other goat was presented before the Lord to make atonement. He was released into the wilderness. The High Priest first laid his hands on the head of this goat and confessed the sins of Israel over him. This goat bore all the iniquities of Israel into a land not inhabited.

Both Goats Represent Christ

The first goat, the slain goat, symbolized Christ’s substitutionary and sacrificial death for sinners on the cross (Romans 3:24-26, Hebrews 9:11-12, 24-25).

The second goat, the escape goat, or the scapegoat as it is sometimes called, speaks of Christ bearing and taking away our sins, removing all sin, guilt, shame, and iniquity from anyone who receives Him (Isaiah 53:6, 11-12, John 1:29, II Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 9:26). He took our sins and was separated from the Father (Matthew 27:46).

The Day of Atonement provided a temporary covering of sin. It had to be done yearly, according to Leviticus 16:34. On the other hand, Christ’s sacrifice was done one time for all people for all eternity. His sacrifice provides permanent cleansing from sin.

The Day of Atonement covered sins, but the sacrifice of Jesus Christ covered and washed sins away. Through Christ, sin has been removed and His sacrifice covers us. God now sees us in Christ and by the finished, substitutionary works of Christ. He provides a washing and a covering. Christ has removed all sin and made us righteous.

For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the Lord. Leviticus 16:30 (KJV)

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:12-14 (KJV)