Creation of the `scapegoat’
'Day of Atonement'
becomes major day of religious observance
Leviticus Chapter 16
The 16th chapter of Leviticus provides to us the details of the establishment of the "day of atonement" — a religious celebratory day of major importance.
In the traditional Jewish faith, this "day of atonement" — or Yom Kippur as it is referred to in the Jewish Faith — remains the most holy day of the year.
The entire 16th chapter of Leviticus is devoted to the details of the important Old Testament day of religious observance. The Lord dictated to Moses the exact requirements for religious ceremony of this day which Moses’ brother Aaron (the designated priest) was required to follow.
The word "atonement" appears 16 times in the chapter and it details the religious ceremony and sacrifices which were to take place in the tabernacle in order for Aaron to "make an atonement" for himself, his house, and for all the congregation of Israel so that all their sins would be cleansed. The ceremony was to take place once each year and was an extremely part of the Old Testament law of religious observance.
The Lord instructed Moses to have Aaron take from the congregation two kid goats, one to be killed in sacrifice with the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat in the most holy place in the Tabernacle. The other goat was to have all sins of the people and transgressions confessed by Aaron and placed upon the head of the second goat which then became the "scapegoat" to be chased off into the wilderness, carried the sins and iniquities with it. Leviticus 16:8-22, 26.
The chapter provides great detail for the ceremony, including exact procedure for killing the first goat and sprinkling the goat’s blood by Aaron’s finger "seven" times upon the mercy seat which rested on the ark of the covenant, containing the tablets with the Ten Commandments.
The Lord commanded that this was to become "a statute for ever" to be observed on the same day each year. Lev. 16:29-34.
In the ceremony, the priest took the killed goat into the most holy place to sprinkle the blood. All sins were confessed and placed on the head of a second goat (the scapegoat) which was then driven into the wilderness. The ceremony resulted in the sins of the entire Israel nation being atoned for the year.
As instructed in the gospels in the New Testament, Christ fulfilled this obligation for us for all time on the cross by the offering of himself. Read Hebrews 9:11-15, 28.