Escape Goat

Leviticus 16

The day of atonement is coming. And God tells Moses what Aaron needs to do. First off, he shouldn't be heading into the Most Holy Place all willy-nilly. God will be there in a cloud over the atonement cover of the ark and being in His presence will kill him.

He's to put on his linen underwear, sacred linen tunic, tie a linen sash around him and put on a linen turban. Basically, when in doubt, linen is the right answer for him. Before he puts them on, he's to take a bath. He is to get a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. And then from the Israelites, he's to get two male goats for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering.

The bull is for his own atonement and his family's. The goats seem to be for atonement for the community. Aaron is to cast lots and one goat becomes a sin offering- the other is to be released into the desert as a scapegoat (or as a former debater of mine calls it, an "escape goat"... I was so proud), or a goat of removal.

This is an interesting concept. He lays hands on the goat and confesses all the Israelite sin and then the goat is sent out into the desert with the help of an appointed Israelite. So atonement is made here without the need for bloodshed. There's still a sacrifice with the other goat- but this goat carries the sins into the desert. I'm not sure what to make of this. Is God trying out another system to see how it works? Is it that killing the one goat wasn't enough and God's showing that even upping the ante isn't enough to take care of it all? Jesus will still be necessary.

So Aaron can go behind the curtain to the Most Holy Place to make atonement. He's to take a censer of burning coals from the altar and two handfulls of finely ground fragrant incense when he goes. The incense goes on the fire making a fragrant shield of sorts between him and God's presence. This will keep him from dying... so he should probably be sure to remember it.

He's to sprinkle blood on the atonement cover- and then blood before it seven times.

He's to do the same with the goat for the Israelites' sins. He is to also sprinkle the tent of meeting with goat blood. Not the decor I would have chosen. The tent of meeting must be vacant except for Aaron while he's in the Most Holy Place and the tent of meeting. Blood from the bull and goat go on the horns of the altar and get sprinkled on the altar too.

Then Aaron goes into the tent of meeting and takes off the linen garments and leaves them there. He is to bathe with water in a holy place and put his regular clothes back on. Then he comes out in front of the people and makes the sacrfiice for himself and also for them. So sacrfice and sprinkling privately, cooking in front of the group.

The man who is in charge of the scapegoat has to wash his clothes and take a bath before returning back into camp. The remains of the bull and goat used are to be taken outside of camp and burned up. The person who does this must wash his clothes and take a bath before returning to camp.

This is a long term practice. It happens once a year on the tenth day of the seventh month. It's a sabbath- no work is to be done.

So lots of boring detail- the invention of the scapegoat- and perhaps most important of all- a clear sign that God takes this sin stuff seriously. It's hard to get rid of it- killing the animals, sending them into the desert- even burning them outside of camp ultimately won't be enough. It'll take Jesus.