What does it say?
The Lord commanded Moses: Tell Aaron to not enter the holy place beyond the veil anytime or he will die. However, once a year, on the tenth day of the seventh month, he was to enter. He must wash his body with water and put the priestly garments. He must sacrifice a bull to atone for his sins and those of his household. Then he shall take a fire pan full of coals from the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of incense and put the incense on the fire before the Lord inside the veil. Then he was to sprinkle some of the blood of the bull on the mercy seat, on the east side and in front of the mercy seat seven times. From the congregation he shall take two male goats for a sin offering. He shall present the two goats at the doorway of the tent of meeting and cast lots, one for a sin offering and the other for a scapegoat. The sin offering was to be slaughtered and the blood was to be sprinkled in the same manner as the bull. He was to come back out and put some of the blood of the bull and goat on the horns of the altar. Then, with his finger, sprinkle some of the blood on the altar seven times. Aaron was to lay his hands on the live goat and confess the sins of the sons of Israel on to the head of the goat. The goat was released into the wilderness by a man who stood ready. Aaron and the man who released the scapegoat bathed and changed garments. Aaron offered up in smoke the two rams for burnt offerings and the fat of the sin offerings. The remainder of the two sin offerings was to be burnt with fire outside of the camp. The one who burns them was to wash with water before reentering the camp.
What does it means?
How can a holy God forgive sin and uphold his own righteousness? God told Adam that eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would result in his death. How can a holy God forgive the sins of men and allow them to live? If God forgives sin he is gracious but would be an unrighteous judge. However, if God punishes man he is a righteous judge but he would not be gracious to sinful man. The apostle Paul gave the answer in Romans 3:21-26. God displayed Christ Jesus publicly, as a mercy seat, in his blood through faith. There are two parts to the atonement of Jesus Christ. First, his sacrificial death and the spilling of his blood for our sins. Second, our repentance and faith. Both of these parts are seen in the type, the goat for the sin offering and the scapegoat on whose head the sins of the people were confessed. The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and our repentance and faith are the antitype. Paul wrote that God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, so that he may be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
What shall I do?
I have repented and put my faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins. I shall continue to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ~ 1 John 1:9 (NASB)
Therefore, I shall confess all of my sins before God, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and forsake them.
