Leviticus 16 gives instruction in how Aaron and any High Priest succeeding him is to serve God. The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron who died when they approached the Lord. The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.” v. 1-2.

The only time Aaron or any High Priest could enter the Most Holy Place was on the Day of Atonement and that only after offering the burnt offering for his own sins and the sin offering of the one goat for the sins of the people. The sins of the people were confessed over the head of that goat…to make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the tent of meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the members of the community. v. 33. Why was atonement needed? Our sins. God is fully aware of the enormity of sin and what sin does to us. Are we fully aware? So He made a way for our sins to be removed.

Imagine you’re in the crowd watching everything. When Aaron has finished making atonement for the Most Holy Place, the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall bring forward the live goat. He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites – all their sins – and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. v. 20-22.

Two goats. One sacrificed and one released into the wilderness. I could almost hear the bleating of the goat as it was led away.

I can’t help but become incredibly sad when I think about sin and the need for healing, for atonement, from that sin…my sins and the sins of everyone else. How can I take sin lightly when I know that it is because of my sins that the Lord died. I almost can’t breathe thinking about that. In prayer this morning, He said, Remember the Love. Remember His love for us. We sin…He loves. He knows how hurt we are by our sins and the sins of others. There is great pain there. He knows that pain. His love is greater than our sin.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17.

The people didn’t yet have that incredible truth but it is true for them. They had a solemn ceremony, a sacred ritual to remind them that sin has a cost. That sin is removed.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13.

Our loving God made a way for our sins to be removed. Not so we could keep on sinning. That day will end. To give us hope and a future filled with love so beautiful we can only imagine today, just as the people could only imagine then. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. A promise, faithful and true.