Extra: Symbolism of the Day of Atonement

In the previous episode of Bible Backdrop, we talked about the details surrounding the Day of Atonement. After finishing the episode, there is so much symbolism surrounding this day that it really required an Extra episode. When you look closely at the events, you can easily see how it ties back to Jesus and his sacrifice for our atonement. 

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Transcript

Hello again everyone and welcome to this Extra episode of Bible Backdrop. Last episode, I talked about the details of Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement. In this Extra episode, I’m going to take a look at some of the symbolism present in the events of that day.

First, as was discussed in the episode, Aaron is dressed in simple linen garments to conduct the sacrifices God instructed to be done. These were probably white and greatly contrasted his usual priestly garments. Throughout the remainder of the year, he was God’s representative to the people helping them in dealing with the sacrifices to cover their sin. Today, he stands as one of the people to offer sacrifices to atone for his own sin and the sin of the nation. This is an interesting contrast and sets the tone for the events of the day.

Second, Aaron did all of this alone. The Tabernacle was usually a bustling place as people brought sacrifices and the priests conducted the necessary rituals. Not so on the Day of Atonement. Aaron did the sacrifices and drained the blood by himself. It must have been sobering to see the courtyard so empty and know what the day would bring. Between the stress of the day and conducting the sacrifices, Aaron was probably exhausted when it was over. And if he had also fasted like the rest of the nation, then he was probably pretty weak too. And, like mentioned in the episode, he was almost certainly covered in blood from the bull and the goat. Again, the symbolic comparison to Jesus is telling. He was stripped down to the barest of clothes, exhausted, hungry, and covered in blood. Now we see what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said: “For such a high priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” 

Next, let’s look at the sacrifices themselves. A bull was offered as atonement for Aaron and his family. Remember from previous episodes that a bull was very expensive as a sacrifice and is in keeping with the understanding that the priests have a higher standard to keep and, therefore, a greater sacrifice was required. For the rest of the nation, there were two goats. These goats were considered one sacrifice. Some commentaries believe that they were as close to identical as possible in terms of size, color and value. Chosen by lot, one animal was slain and the other was the scapegoat. Again, we see here a picture of Jesus. The goat was spotless, from the people of Israel, was chosen by God, and the blood was taken to the Holy Place to provide atonement. But what about the other goat? The scapegoat is called this because it “escaped” being killed. The Hebrew word for this goat is azazel and it has 3 possible interpretations. It could mean “the goat that departs”...it may refer to “the place where the animal is dispatched”...or it may be considered the proper name of a demon inhabiting the desert. Probably the best explanation is that the word was a rare technical term describing ‘complete removal.’

Why two goats for one sacrifice? Again, this can point to Jesus. Two animals represented the divine and human nature of Christ. It also pointed to his death and resurrection. A single goat could not be both. One goat had to die while the other goat lived. It was both acts that provided atonement for sins. Jesus had to both die and be resurrected to provide atonement for our sins.

With the blood of the bull and the goat, the high priest sprinkled it around and on the mercy seat of the ark. One commentary suggests that as God appeared in the cloud above the mercy seat, he looked down upon the ark which contained representations of man’s sin. Manna that the Israelites complained about; the broken tablets of the law; and Aaron’s almond rod that budded in response to Israel’s rebellion. The blood covered the sin of Israel and atonement was made. Remember in the original episode that one of the words for Kippur referred to the covering of the mercy seat. In this case, sin was not removed but covered by the blood of atonement. With the New Covenant that started with Jesus, the sin not merely covered, but removed...in this case, signified by the scapegoat who removes Israel’s sin.

After completing these sacrifices and the removal of the scapegoat, the high priest would again wash and then put on his normal clothes to complete the other sacrifices. Again, we can see this pointing to Jesus. At the beginning, the high priest is humble, spotless and alone. After finishing the atoning sacrifices, he emerges victorious. Given this, we see it point to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

On that note, I think we’ve covered everything possible regarding the Day of Atonement. If you are enjoying Bible Backdrop, please subscribe and leave a 5 star rating and review. If you want to get in touch with the show, you can e-mail me at BibleBackdrop@gmail.com. Word of mouth is still the best way for this show to get around, so please tell a friend and have them subscribe. Thank you again for listening and have a great week!