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From Here to Forever
life of the sinner whose guilt the victim bore, was carried by the
priest into the holy place and sprinkled before the veil, behind which
was the law that the sinner had transgressed. By this ceremony the
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sin was transferred in figure to the sanctuary. In some cases the
blood was not taken into the holy place, but the flesh was then eaten
by the priest. Both ceremonies symbolized the transfer of sin from
the penitent to the sanctuary.
Such was the work that went on throughout the year. The sins
of Israel were thus transferred to the sanctuary, and a special work
became necessary for their removal.
The Great Day of Atonement
Once a year, on the great Day of Atonement, the priest entered
the most holy place for the cleansing of the sanctuary. Two kids of
the goats were brought and lots were cast, “one lot for the Lord, and
the other lot for the scapegoat.” Verse 8. The goat for the Lord was
slain as a sin offering for the people, and the priest was to bring his
blood within the veil and sprinkle it before the mercy seat and also
upon the altar of incense before the veil.
“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 iniq-
uities unto a land not inhabited.”
Leviticus 16:21, 22
. The scapegoat
came no more into the camp of Israel.
The ceremony was designed to impress the Israelites with the
holiness of God and His abhorrence of sin. Every man was required
to afflict his soul while this work of atonement was going forward.
All business was laid aside, and Israel were to spend the day in
prayer, fasting, and searching of heart.
A substitute was accepted in the sinner’s stead, but the sin was
not canceled by the blood of the victim; it was transferred to the
sanctuary. By the offering of blood the sinner acknowledged the
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authority of the law, confessed his transgression, and expressed his
faith in a Redeemer to come; but he was not yet entirely released
from the condemnation of the law. On the Day of Atonement the