1. The Day of Atonement and the Two Goats
The Lord commanded Moses that on the tenth day of the seventh month, the Day of Atonement, Aaron the high priest was to take two goats from the congregation of Israel. He was to present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle. One goat was for the Lord, to be sacrificed as a sin offering. The other goat was the scapegoat, presented alive before the Lord to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness. The two goats together form one complete picture of the atonement. The slain goat speaks of Christ dying for our sins. The scapegoat speaks of Christ carrying our sins away.
2. The Two Goats as One Atonement
Both goats were presented before the Lord. Both were part of the same atonement. The first goat was sacrificed, and its blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat. The second goat was not killed. It was sent alive into the wilderness. Together they picture the complete work of Christ. He died for our sins (the slain goat), and He took our sins away (the scapegoat). The psalmist declares, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." The scapegoat illustrates the complete removal of sin.
3. The Laying on of Hands and the Confession of Sins
Aaron was to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, all their transgressions, and all their sins. He was to put them on the head of the goat. The laying on of hands symbolized the transfer of guilt. The sins of the people were symbolically placed upon the goat. This act points to Christ, upon whom the Lord laid the iniquity of us all. Isaiah prophesied, "The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Christ was made sin for us. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree.
4. The Scapegoat Sent into the Wilderness
After the confession, the goat was sent away into the wilderness by the hand of a fit man. The goat carried upon itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land. The man who led the goat away was ceremonially unclean and had to wash his clothes and bathe before returning to the camp. The wilderness represents the place of desolation, away from the presence of the Lord. The goat carried the sins away, never to return. This pictures the complete removal of sin. Believers are promised that God has cast their sins behind His back, into the depths of the sea, and removed them as far as the east is from the west.
5. The Meaning of Azazel: The Scapegoat
The Hebrew word Azazel is translated as "scapegoat" or "the goat that departs." Some interpret it as the name of a demon or a desolate place. The most likely meaning is "the goat of removal" or "the goat that goes away." The scapegoat did not atone for sin by its death; it atoned by carrying the sin away. The slain goat provided the blood for atonement; the scapegoat provided the removal. Together they point to the complete work of Christ: He died to pay the penalty, and He rose to carry away the guilt.
6. The Scapegoat Was Not a Sacrifice for Satan
Some have mistakenly taught that the scapegoat was a sacrifice to Azazel, a demon, or to Satan. This is false. The scapegoat was presented alive before the Lord (Yahweh), not to Azazel. The entire ceremony was an act of worship to the one true God. The goat was sent away into the wilderness as a sign that God had removed the sins of His people. It was not a sacrifice to a demon. The scapegoat is a type of Christ, not a type of Satan. Christ bore our sins away, not to a demon, but to a place of complete removal.
7. The Fit Man Who Led the Goat Away
The goat was sent into the wilderness "by the hand of a fit man." This man was neither the high priest nor a Levite. He was a designated person, prepared for this task. He led the goat into the wilderness and released it. This man became ceremonially unclean because he was associated with the removal of sin. This detail points to those who minister the gospel. Believers are called to proclaim that Christ has taken away sin. The messenger becomes identified with the message. Paul wrote that God has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
8. The Goat Never Returns
The scapegoat was not brought back. It was released in the wilderness, never to return. Tradition says that sometimes a scarlet thread was tied to the goat, and if the thread turned white, it signified that the sins were forgiven. But whether the thread turned white or not, the goat was gone. It did not return. This speaks of the finality of Christ's removal of sin. He did not merely cover sin; He took it away. John the Baptist declared, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" The removal is complete and final.
9. The Scapegoat and the Believer's Assurance
The scapegoat gives believers assurance that their sins are not only forgiven but also removed. The slain goat satisfied the justice of God. The scapegoat satisfied the need for removal. The believer can say with the psalmist, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities." The sins that were placed on Christ are gone. They are not stored in a heavenly record. They are not held against the believer. They are carried away into the wilderness of forgetfulness. This is the assurance of the gospel.
10. Christ as Our Scapegoat
Jesus Christ fulfilled the role of both goats. He is the sacrifice who died for our sins (the slain goat), and He is the one who carries our sins away (the scapegoat). He bore our sins in His body on the tree. He was led outside the camp to suffer. He was crucified outside the gates of Jerusalem. He took our sins into the land of forgetfulness. Now, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He has carried our sins away. They will never return. Let every believer rejoice that their sins are not only covered but completely removed.
Conclusion
The scapegoat, or Azazel, was one of the two goats used on the Day of Atonement. The high priest laid his hands on the goat, confessed the sins of Israel, and sent the goat away into the wilderness. The goat carried the sins to an uninhabited land, never to return. This goat is a type of Jesus Christ, who bore our sins and carried them away. As the scapegoat removed sin from the camp, so Christ has removed sin from all who believe. Let every sinner trust in the Lamb who not only dies but also takes away sin.