God instructs Aaron to take the goat chosen for Him and offer it as a sin offering, foreshadowing the perfect sacrifice fulfilled by Jesus.
When Moses gave instructions for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), he specified two goats to be selected for the purification of Israel. One was designated for the LORD and the other for Azazel or “scapegoat.” With regard to the goat for the LORD, Leviticus 16:9 says, “Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering.” (v.9) This means that Aaron, as high priest, was to take this particular goat and sacrifice it to atone for the sins of the people. The idea was that the goat’s blood would be offered before God to purify the nation (Leviticus 16:15). This foreshadowed an even greater sacrifice in Jesus Christ, who entered the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood to make atonement for all (Hebrews 9:24-25).
Through this single verse, we see an intense focus on how God provided a way for ancient Israel to find redemption, even if only symbolically. “Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell…” (v.9) highlights the solemn act of determining which goat would be dedicated as the sin offering. By casting lots, the high priest demonstrated that the choice belonged to the LORD. Once the goat was identified as God’s portion, “…and make it a sin offering.” (v.9) clarifies that it was sacrificed to pay the price for Israel’s wrongdoing that year (Leviticus 16:16). This annual sin offering acted as a reminder that the people’s sins had distanced them from God, and that life had to be given in exchange for their guilt (Leviticus 17:11). The annual practice also showed the transitional nature of these animal sacrifices; they had to be repeated every year, pointing to a permanent solution yet to come.
Despite the specificity of this sin offering—its selection by lot, its role in atonement, and the ritual sprinkling of its blood—Israel’s ultimate hope was the Messiah. The writer of Hebrews cites Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice as superior to the shadow powered by the goat’s blood offered on the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:11-14). In Jesus, a new High Priest arose who did not need to repeat offerings; He offered Himself for sins once for all (Hebrews 10:10). Thus, the goat chosen for the LORD, while effective for Israel’s communal ritual, continually pointed toward God’s ultimate solution for sin.
This passage teaches that sinful humanity needs the ultimate sacrifice to cover sins. The designated goat for the LORD was an integral part of ancient Israel’s sacred drama of redemption, illustrating the profound requirement of life for life. Through it, we see God’s holiness, His provision for forgiveness, and a greater redemptive plan that has its culmination in Christ.
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Leviticus 16:9 meaning
When Moses gave instructions for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), he specified two goats to be selected for the purification of Israel. One was designated for the LORD and the other for Azazel or “scapegoat.” With regard to the goat for the LORD, Leviticus 16:9 says, “Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering.” (v.9) This means that Aaron, as high priest, was to take this particular goat and sacrifice it to atone for the sins of the people. The idea was that the goat’s blood would be offered before God to purify the nation (Leviticus 16:15). This foreshadowed an even greater sacrifice in Jesus Christ, who entered the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood to make atonement for all (Hebrews 9:24-25).
Through this single verse, we see an intense focus on how God provided a way for ancient Israel to find redemption, even if only symbolically. “Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell…” (v.9) highlights the solemn act of determining which goat would be dedicated as the sin offering. By casting lots, the high priest demonstrated that the choice belonged to the LORD. Once the goat was identified as God’s portion, “…and make it a sin offering.” (v.9) clarifies that it was sacrificed to pay the price for Israel’s wrongdoing that year (Leviticus 16:16). This annual sin offering acted as a reminder that the people’s sins had distanced them from God, and that life had to be given in exchange for their guilt (Leviticus 17:11). The annual practice also showed the transitional nature of these animal sacrifices; they had to be repeated every year, pointing to a permanent solution yet to come.
Despite the specificity of this sin offering—its selection by lot, its role in atonement, and the ritual sprinkling of its blood—Israel’s ultimate hope was the Messiah. The writer of Hebrews cites Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice as superior to the shadow powered by the goat’s blood offered on the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:11-14). In Jesus, a new High Priest arose who did not need to repeat offerings; He offered Himself for sins once for all (Hebrews 10:10). Thus, the goat chosen for the LORD, while effective for Israel’s communal ritual, continually pointed toward God’s ultimate solution for sin.
This passage teaches that sinful humanity needs the ultimate sacrifice to cover sins. The designated goat for the LORD was an integral part of ancient Israel’s sacred drama of redemption, illustrating the profound requirement of life for life. Through it, we see God’s holiness, His provision for forgiveness, and a greater redemptive plan that has its culmination in Christ.