You may not have seen the above movie starring Keira Knightley, but the concept of atonement is as fresh as the Box Office this past January. The roots of atonement, however, stretch back deep into Old Testament history. The atonement was uniquely celebrated in the Old Testament. Two days ago was "Yom Kippur," Hebrew for "The Day of Atonement." Here are some details on this amazing day along with the fulfillment we have in Christ:
“Yom Kippur” took place on the 10th day of the 7th month (Tishri). The Old Testament provision for
pardon and acceptance was to reach its acme on this day. The high priest alone officiated in a purity
of dress peculiar to that day. The people would fast. The temple services consisted of a series of grand sacrifices, unique in their character, purpose, and results. (Read Leviticus 16 for more information on the Day of Atonement).
The unique offerings on Yom Kippur were: a young bull as a sin offering for the high priest, his house and the sons of Aaron, and another sin offering for the people, consisting of two goats, one of which was to be killed and its blood sprinkled, while the other was to be sent away into the wilderness, bearing “all the iniquity of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins” which had been confessed “over him,” and laid upon him by the high priest. These two goats would be placed with their backs to the people and their faces toward the sanctuary (westwards). The high priest now faced the people, then thrust his two hands into the urn (called Calpi) and drew out two lots of the same shape, size, and material. (In the second Temple, they were gold, on one was written “hwhyl” (For Jehovah) the other, “lzazel” (For the scapegoat). The high priest then tied a tongue shaped piece of scarlet cloth to the horn of the scapegoat, and another around the throat of the goat for Jehovah, which was to be sacrificed. The scapegoat was then turned around to the people, and stood facing them.
The curtain of the Most Holy Place was folded back and the high priest stood alone, censer in one hand, bowl of frankincense in the other. Placing the censer, he would pour the frankincense into his hand and throw it on the coals in the censer. When the smoke filled the Most Holy Place, retreated backward, praying outside the veil for mercy.
He then took the bowl of blood from the bull and entered into the Most Holy Place again, sprinkling with his finger once upwards and seven times downwards. Coming out from the Most Holy Place, the high priest set the bowl with the blood in front of the veil. Then he killed the goat set apart for Jehovah, and entering the Most Holy Place a third time, sprinkled as before, once upwards and seven times downwards.
With these sacrifices complete, and assurance of the continuance of the worship practices was secured. The personal guilt and sins were now addressed through the practice of the scapegoat. Laying both his hands on the head of this goat, the high priest now confessed and pleaded: “Ah, Jehovah! They have committed iniquity; they have transgressed; they have sinned—Thy people, the house of Israel. Oh, then Jehovah! Cover over (atone for) their iniquities, their transgressions, and their sins, which they have wickedly committed, transgressed, and sinned before You—Your people, the house of Israel. As it is written in the law of Moses, Your servant, saying: ‘For on that day it shall be covered over (atoned) for you, to make you clean from all your sins before Jehovah you shall be cleansed.’”
A strange scene followed. The priests would lead the goat out through Solomon’s Porch and the eastern gate, which opened upon the Mount of Olives. The goat would be sent away into the wilderness. The carcasses of the sacrificed goat and bull were burned outside of the city.
Yet even the need for such a Day of festive sacrifices showed the insufficiency of sacrifices such as these. Sin is completely atoned for only through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. This is especially brought out in Hebrews 9 & 10. Here is one small section:
We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
Thought Questions
1. What specific points in Hebrews 9 and 10 do you find most expressive of the complete truth of atonement?
2. How much detail are you able to note in the scapegoat being a type of Christ.