One goat was for the Lord and the other as the scapegoat to portray two essential aspects of atonement: the satisfaction of God’s justice through sacrifice, and the removal of sin from the people. Both goats together completed the Day of Atonement ritual, showing that forgiveness involves both payment and cleansing.
Leviticus 16:8–10 says:
“Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness.”
The goat for the Lord was killed and its blood brought into the Holy of Holies to make atonement. This satisfied the requirement for bloodshed as the basis for forgiveness.
The scapegoat, on the other hand, symbolized the removal of guilt and sin. Aaron would lay both hands on its head, confessing the sins of the people, and then send it into the wilderness:
Leviticus 16:21–22 says:
“Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel… and shall send it away into the wilderness… The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land.”
This ceremony illustrated that God not only forgives sin but also removes it from His people. Psalm 103:12 reflects this:
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
The two goats together foreshadowed the work of Christ, who died for our sins and took them away forever.
