Two mountain goats with long curved horns standing on rocky ground surrounded by grass and small plants

Two goats: choice, sacrifice, and smoke of incense

“Day of Atonement”

Leviticus 16:8–14 He must use the special stones. They will help him to decide what he should do. He must decide which goat is for the Lord. And he must decide which goat he must send away. {The special stones were called Urim and Thummim. Deuteronomy 33:8 highlights God’s blessing on the tribe of Levi, emphasizing their faithfulness, priestly role, and the sacred guidance provided through the Thummim and Urim.}  Aaron must take the goat that is for the Lord. And he must kill it. It is a sin offering. He must not kill the other goat. It is an atonement to the Lord. It will pay for the bad things that the people have done. It is to take away the people’s punishment. He must send it away into the desert.’ ‘Aaron must bring the bull and he must kill it. It is his atonement for his family’s sins. He must take a pot of the hot material. It is burning on the altar in front of the Lord. He must fill his two hands with incense. He must take the hot material and the incense behind the curtain. He must put the incense on the burning material. It is in front of the Lord. The smoke will cover the lid of the Covenant Box. So he will not die. He must take with him blood from the bull. He must use his finger to shake the blood. He must shake it onto the lid of the Covenant Box. He must shake the blood in front of the lid of the Covenant Box. He must shake it seven times with his finger.

{The two goats show God’s wise provision: one offered to the Lord, the other sent away bearing sin. The incense and the sprinkling of blood point forward to God’s way of dealing with sin, both substitution and removal.}

Father God, thank You for the ways You remove and cover my sin; help me trust Your provision for cleansing. Love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Your Precious Mighty Name Amen and Amen.