The Bible is full of pictures that point to Jesus. Long before He came to earth, God was already showing His people what He would do through sacrifices, feasts, and even certain laws. One of the clearest pictures of Christ in the Old Testament is found in Leviticus 16, where God commanded the Israelites to use two goats on the Day of Atonement—one to be sacrificed and the other to be sent away into the wilderness.
Two Goats, One Purpose
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would take two goats and cast lots (kind of like rolling dice) to decide their fate. One goat would be sacrificed for the sins of the people, and the other—called the scapegoat—would be sent away into the wilderness carrying those sins.
Both goats played a role in making things right between God and Israel. One had to die to satisfy God’s justice, and the other had to carry the sins far away, never to return.
That’s exactly what Jesus did for us.
Jesus, the Sacrifice for Sin
The first goat was killed, and its blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat inside the tabernacle. This was a picture of what Jesus would do on the cross. The Bible says:
“Without shedding of blood is no remission.” – Hebrews 9:22
Just like the goat was killed in the sinner’s place, Jesus died in our place. He took the punishment we deserved so that we could be forgiven. When He shed His blood, He satisfied the justice of God once and for all. That’s why we don’t need sacrifices anymore—Jesus finished it (John 19:30).
Jesus, the Scapegoat Who Took Away Sin
The second goat—the scapegoat—wasn’t killed. Instead, the high priest would lay his hands on its head, confessing all the sins of the people over it. Then, a man would lead the goat far into the wilderness and release it, symbolizing that the sins of Israel were gone, never to return.
This is a perfect picture of what Jesus did:
“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” – John 1:29
Jesus didn’t just die for our sins—He took them away. When He carried His cross outside the city and suffered “without the gate” (Hebrews 13:12), He was fulfilling the picture of the scapegoat. Our sins weren’t just forgiven—they were removed.
The Gospel in Leviticus
Leviticus 16 might seem like just another Old Testament law, but when you really look at it, you see Jesus on every page.
• The first goat died for sin (just like Jesus).
• The second goat carried the sins away (just like Jesus).
• The high priest made atonement for the people (just like Jesus, our High Priest).
God was showing us the Gospel long before Jesus came. He was teaching His people that one day, a perfect sacrifice would come—not an animal, but His own Son. And when Jesus came, He fulfilled it all.
No more sacrifices.
No more rituals.
No more sin to carry.
Just Jesus.
If you’ve trusted in Him, your sins are gone—not just forgiven, but completely removed. Never to be brought up again.
That’s what the scapegoat was all about.
That’s what Jesus did for you.
