The High Priest's role on the Day of Atonement was to make atonement for himself and the nation by sprinkling sacrificial blood on the mercy seat and by transferring Israel's sins onto the scapegoat.
Scripture records that the High Priest cast lots over two goats — one was sacrificed and its blood sprinkled within the veil, while the other, the scapegoat, received the confessed sins of Israel and was sent into the wilderness (Leviticus 16:8, 15, 21). Les Feldick emphasizes that this entire ritual pictured Christ, who is both the sacrificial goat and the scapegoat (Clip 6). Only the High Priest could enter behind the veil, and Les clarifies that the rope tied to the high priest's foot is a legend, not in the Book (Clip 1, Clip 3).
Leviticus 16:8 — This verse records the High Priest's casting of lots over the two goats, which decided which goat would be sacrificed and which would be the scapegoat.
Leviticus 16:15 — This verse records the High Priest's unique act of bringing the sin offering's blood within the veil and sprinkling it upon the mercy seat.
Leviticus 16:21-22 — These verses record the High Priest laying both hands on the live goat, confessing Israel's sins over it, and sending it away into the wilderness.
The Day of Atonement placed a unique responsibility on the High Priest, Aaron. He was to offer a bullock as his own sin offering and make an atonement — a covering — for himself and for his house (Leviticus 16:6). He then took two goats from the congregation of Israel and cast lots upon them: one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat (Leviticus 16:8). The goat designated for the LORD was killed as the sin offering for the people. The High Priest brought its blood within the veil and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat (Leviticus 16:15). When that was finished, Aaron laid both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confessed over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the goat's head. He then sent the goat away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness, where the goat bore all their iniquities to a land not inhabited (Leviticus 16:21-22).
Les Feldick stresses that the High Priest's role on the Day of Atonement was a picture of Christ. He notes that even though Aaron was the high priest of Israel, he was a sinner like everyone else, and so he had to offer the bullock for himself and his family before he could begin to minister. Les contrasts this with Christ, who went in sinless even while taking our sin upon Himself (Clip 7). Les walks through the sequence of the Day of Atonement: three animals were brought — the bullock and two kid goats. The High Priest killed one animal and sprinkled its blood on the mercy seat for his own sin, then took the blood of the second animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat for the sins of the nation. Then he went back and symbolically laid his hand on the head of the live goat — the scapegoat — which was taken out into the wilderness (Clip 2). Les also relates that only the High Priest could go behind the veil, and had anyone else tried, he would not have come out alive (Clip 1). Les also addresses a popular misconception: the story about a rope tied to the High Priest's foot is legend, not Scripture. Rather, the High Priest had bells around the hem of his garment, and as long as those bells were tinkling, Israel knew he was still alive (Clip 3). Most significantly, Les teaches that Christ is both goats — the sacrificial goat whose blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat, and the scapegoat who carried our sins far away into the wilderness, where there was no record and no geographical pinpoint (Clip 6).
Scripture records that Aaron was to offer a bullock of the sin offering for himself, making an atonement — a covering — for himself and for his house (Leviticus 16:6). Les Feldick explains that even though Aaron was the high priest of Israel, he was a sinner just like everyone else — he sinned as well as anybody else. So to even begin his role, Aaron had to kill the first sacrificial animal for himself and his family; Les contrasts this with Christ, who went in sinless even though He took our sin upon Himself (Clip 7).
According to Scripture, the High Priest took two goats from the congregation and cast lots upon them — one lot for the LORD and one for the scapegoat (Leviticus 16:8). Les Feldick describes how Aaron drew straws, as it were, to see which goat would be killed and which would be left alive: the one chosen for the Lord was sacrificed, and the other remained alive as the scapegoat. Les notes that we still use the word 'scapegoat' today — somebody who takes the blame for somebody else (Clip 0, Clip 4).
Only the High Priest could go behind the veil — Les says that had anyone else tried, he would not have come out alive (Clip 1). Once a year he came behind the veil and sprinkled the blood of his sacrificial animal, the bullock, upon the mercy seat (Clip 4). Les, rehearsing Hebrews 9, explains that the High Priest went in first with the blood of an animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat for his own sin, then went back and took the blood of the second animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat for the sins of the nation (Clip 5). Les also corrects the legend that a rope was tied to the High Priest's foot — it is not in Scripture; rather, the bells on his garment told Israel he was still alive (Clip 3).
Les teaches that this is where the Day of Atonement becomes a tremendous lesson. He has become not only our sacrificial goat — the one whose blood was sprinkled — but now He becomes the scapegoat (Clip 6). As the High Priest laid both hands on the head of the live goat and confessed all the iniquities of the children of Israel over it, the goat was sent away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness — where there was no record, no geographical pinpoint (Leviticus 16:21-22; Clip 6). Les points out that the hymn writer captured this when he wrote, 'Buried he carried our sins far away' (Clip 6).
Casting Lots Over the Two Goats
Les explains the casting of lots over the two goats: one goat was for the LORD and would be sacrificed, while the other remained alive for a scapegoat — establishing the two-part work of the High Priest.
Only the High Priest Entered the Veil
Les teaches that only the High Priest could enter behind the veil (anyone else would not come out alive) and that after the blood ritual Aaron laid both hands on the live goat, confessing over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel — with Christ pictured in the scapegoat.
Three Animals, Blood, and the Scapegoat
Les outlines the whole Day of Atonement sequence: one animal killed and its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat for the High Priest's own sin, the second animal's blood sprinkled for Israel's sins, and then the laying of the hand on the scapegoat, which was taken out into the wilderness.
The Rope Legend Corrected
Les corrects a common legend — the rope tied to the High Priest's foot is not in Scripture; instead, bells on the hem of his garment let Israel know he was still alive behind the veil.
Blood on the Mercy Seat and the Lots
Les describes the High Priest coming behind the veil once a year to sprinkle the bullock's blood on the mercy seat, then casting lots over the two goats to determine which was killed and which was the scapegoat.
Blood First for Self, Then for the Nation
Les, rehearsing Hebrews 9, explains that the High Priest first sprinkled the blood of an animal on the mercy seat for his own sin, then took the blood of the second animal behind the veil and sprinkled it on the mercy seat for the sins of the nation.
Christ as the Scapegoat
Les teaches that Christ is both our sacrificial goat, whose blood was sprinkled, and the scapegoat — the one who carried our sins far away into the wilderness, where there was no record and no geographical pinpoint.
Aaron's Own Sin Offering
Les explains that Aaron, though high priest, was a sinner like everyone else, so he had to kill the first sacrificial animal for himself and his family before he could begin the Day of Atonement rituals.
Leviticus 16:6: And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
Establishes that the High Priest first made atonement for his own sin before ministering for the people.
Leviticus 16:8: And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
Records the casting of lots that determined which goat would be sacrificed and which would carry sins away.
Leviticus 16:15: Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:
Describes the High Priest's unique blood-sprinkling act behind the veil on the mercy seat.
Leviticus 16:21: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:
Records the transfer of Israel's sins onto the scapegoat by confession and the laying on of hands.
Leviticus 16:22: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Shows the scapegoat carrying Israel's iniquities to an uninhabited land — the removal of sins.
Scripture says Aaron was to offer his bullock of the sin offering and make an atonement for himself and for his house (Leviticus 16:6). Les Feldick explains that even the high priest of Israel was a sinner — he sinned just as well as anybody else — so he had to kill the first sacrificial animal for himself and his family before beginning his role. This is where Christ is the contrast: He went in sinless, even though He took our sin upon Himself (Clip 7).
The High Priest laid both his hands upon the head of the live goat and confessed over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, putting them upon the goat's head. The goat was then sent away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness, where there was no record and no geographical pinpoint (Leviticus 16:21-22; Clip 6). Les teaches that this pictured Christ — buried, He carried our sins far away.
Les Feldick says that story is legend — it is not in this Book. Instead, the High Priest had bells around the hem of his garment; as long as the bells were tinkling, those outside knew he was getting along okay. Les also notes there is nothing in the record that a high priest ever lost his life behind the veil, though it was serious business — had he done anything wrong, God would have stricken him dead (Clip 3).
Les teaches that Christ is both the sacrificial goat — the one whose blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat — and the scapegoat — the one who carried our sins far away into the wilderness. The hymn 'Buried he carried our sins far away' is drawn from the scapegoat picture (Clip 6). This is the tremendous lesson of the Day of Atonement.
Watch the Teaching: Why Animal Blood Only Covered Sin — Leviticus 16 Explained