Bible Readings — Bible Questions Answered

The Day of Atonement

After this accumulation of the sins of the year, what service took place yearly on the tenth day of the seventh month? BR-ASI9 164.1

“And this shall be a statute forever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, . . . 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 16:29, 30. BR-ASI9 164.2

How was the sanctuary itself to be cleansed, and how were the sins of the people to be finally disposed of? BR-ASI9 164.3

“And he [the high priest] shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering. . . . And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats, one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scapegoat.” Leviticus 16:5-8. BR-ASI9 164.4

Note.—The Hebrew word for scapegoat is Azazel. See margin of verse 8. It is used as a proper name, and, according to the opinion of the most ancient Hebrews and Christians, refers to Satan, or the angel who revolted and persisted in rebellion and sin. BR-ASI9 164.5

What was done with the blood of the goat upon which the Lord’s lot fell? BR-ASI9 164.6

“Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, . . . and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat.” Leviticus 16:15. BR-ASI9 164.7

Why was it necessary to make this atonement? BR-ASI9 164.8

“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.” Leviticus 16:16. BR-ASI9 164.9

Note.—Sins were transferred to the sanctuary during the year by the blood and flesh of the sin offerings made daily at the door of the tabernacle. Here they remained until the Day of Atonement, when the high priest went into the most holy place with the blood of the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell; and, bearing the accumulated sins of the year in before the mercy seat, he there, in type, atoned for them, and so cleansed the sanctuary. BR-ASI9 164.10

After having made atonement for the people in the most holy place, what did the high priest next do? BR-ASI9 165.1

“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. BR-ASI9 165.2

Note.—The offering of the Lord’s goat cleansed the sanctuary. By this offering the sins of the people, transferred there during the year, were, in type, atoned for; but they were not by this offering finally disposed of, or destroyed. The scapegoat, symbolizing Satan, the great tempter and originator of sin, was brought to the sanctuary, and upon his head were placed these already atoned-for sins. The sending away of the goat into the wilderness separates the sins forever from the people. (On the scapegoat See M’Clintock and Strong, Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. 9, pp. 397, 398, art. “Scapegoat”; The Encyclopedic Dictionary, vol. 1, p. 397; The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. 1, p. 389, art. “Azazel.”) BR-ASI9 165.3