Significance and Meaning of Day of Atonement

[disciple]

What do you all think that the meaning and signficance is of the ceremony of the scapegoat on the day of atonement (cf. Lv. 16)? To be more specific, what does the goat that is sacrificed signify and what does the goat that is driven into the wilderness signify? What is the significance of Israel driving the goat away from the camp and into the wilderness? What does this picture in the New Covenant?

[Robert R. Higby]

Is Jesus Christ not both THE Sacrifice of Atonement (Rom. 3:25) and THE Sin-Bearer (Heb 9:28) who removes our sins eternally? He is both goats! As the scapegoat was led away never to return to camp, Jesus bore away our sins so that they would never be remembered or brought up again. Glory to God in the highest!

I was raised a Seventh-day Adventist. I was indoctrinated from the cradle up in the heresy that Satan is the live goat who ultimately bears away our sins. The teaching has its origin in inter-testamental heresy and the notion that 'Azazel' (one cursed or removed from God) can only refer to the devil.

This shows more than ever how the history of dogma is often in error.

[disciple]

What is the significance of Israel driving the goat away from the camp and into the wilderness?

[Odyssey]

Lev. 16.21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness

I don't think that Israel, as a nation, 'drove out' the goat. It seems that a person who was designated for the task, led the goat for Azazel into the wilderness. The purpose for this, seems to me, is because the goat wouldn't go on his own. He needed someone to lead him to the 'wilderness'. Again, the goat on his own, would go to the wilderness. It would run away, naturally. Therefore, someone was selected to lead the goat for Azazel into the wilderness.

Grace to you,

OD

[disciple]

Originally posted by Odyssey
Lev. 16.21. And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is in readiness

I don't think that Israel, as a nation, 'drove out' the goat. It seems that a person who was designated for the task, led the goat for Azazel into the wilderness. The purpose for this, seems to me, is because the goat wouldn't go on his own. He needed someone to lead him to the 'wilderness'. Again, the goat on his own, would go to the wilderness. It would run away, naturally. Therefore, someone was selected to lead the goat for Azazel into the wilderness.

Grace to you,

OD
in other words, you don't think he (i.e., the man in readiness) had any typological significance?

[Odyssey]

I can't see any right now. Do you have some insight?

OD

[disciple]

Originally posted by Odyssey
I can't see any right now. Do you have some insight?
OD
not especially. that's sort of the reason i asked the question. i was listening to a message by RC Sproul about this and now i can't even remember what he was saying or what the reason for my question was! ;)

anyway, i wondered if the typology was that both the goats were Christ or that the one set free with the blood on it was us. i think i've heard both and bill referenced the SDA heresy of the Scapegoat ('Azazel') being Satan. i wondered why this typology is not more explicitly stated in the NT. it would seem that they both symbolize Christ, but i've heard some say that the one set free symbolize the redeemed or forgiven. so that sort of gives the reason for the question.

[Robert R. Higby]

Was the scapegoat set free? It was led deep into the wilderness (against its will), to a desolate place where it could never return to camp. Every one of these goats exiled annually probably ended up dying within a short time.

Only the scapegoat in Leviticus 16 is said to 'bear iniquity'. That is the key of the antitypical meaning for Christians. It 'bore away' the iniquity of those in camp forever. When the worshippers saw their sins confessed upon that goat and then saw it led away forever, it signified eternal redemption (Heb. 9:28) and the permanent removal of sin.

[Odyssey]

I would have to agree with BT on this one. It would seem that since all the sin of the elect was placed on Christ, and he was lead 'against his will' (Lk. 22.42) into the 'wilderness', i.e., separated from God.

Grace to you,

OD

[disciple]

yeah...you're right. i just heard the other explanation before and wondered about it. i'm still curious why the typology of the day of atonement wasn't elaborated on more in the NT.

[Odyssey]

I believe that it was. Hebrews 9 pretty much went through by detail.

OD

[disciple]

Originally posted by Odyssey
I believe that it was. Hebrews 9 pretty much went through by detail.

OD
yeah. but it doesn't seem to go into the typology of this particular part of the ceremony. the goats and driving into the wilderness and stuff. but it would seem to me to be more than just in one spot. and Christ is called our Passover and called the Lamb but never the goat. i guess the NT doesn't ever go into great on the specifics of the typology. oh well. just-a-thinkin-out-loud. thanks for the discussion.

[Odyssey]

Maybe that was one of the problems with the Jewish leaders (i.e., Jesus referred to as the 'lamb' and not the 'goat'). Maybe it was something hidden? Dunno either. Also thinkin' out loud.

OD