V. AARON TAKING FROM THE CONGREGATION OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL TWO BUCKS OF THE GOATS FOR A SIN OFFERING AND ONE RAM FOR A BURNT OFFERING
“And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two bucks of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering” (v. 5). This signifies that anyone who desires to enter into God’s presence and serve Him must himself experience Christ as the sin offering and burnt offering for those whom he is serving.
The sin offering is negative, and the burnt offering is positive. For the negative offering goats were used (cf. Matt. 25:32-33, 41), and for the positive offering a ram was used. As serving saints, we need to experience Christ as the sin offering and as the burnt offering not only for ourselves but also for those whom we serve. First we experience Christ as the sin offering and the burnt offering, and then we minister what we have experienced to others so that they may have the same experience.
VI. AARON OFFERING THE BULL AS A SIN OFFERING FOR HIMSELF AND FOR HIS HOUSEHOLD
In verses 6 and 11 we are told that Aaron was to offer the bull of the sin offering, which was for himself, to make propitiation for himself and his household. This indicates that Aaron, as a type of Christ, did not need propitiation, but as a type of us, he needed propitiation for the fulfillment of the priesthood.
VII. AARON TAKING THE TWO GOATS FROM THE CONGREGATION, SETTING THEM BEFORE JEHOVAH, CASTING LOTS FOR THEM, ONE FOR JEHOVAH AND THE OTHER FOR AZAZEL, AND OFFERING THE GOAT FOR JEHOVAH AS A SIN OFFERING, BUT PRESENTING THE GOAT FOR AZAZEL ALIVE BEFORE JEHOVAH AND SENDING IT AWAY INTO THE WILDERNESS TO AZAZEL
“Then he shall take the two goats and set them before Jehovah at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for Jehovah and the other lot for Azazel. Aaron shall bring the goat on which the lot for Jehovah fell, and offer it as a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot for Azazel fell shall be presented alive before Jehovah to make propitiation with it, to send it away into the wilderness to Azazel” (vv. 7-10). Verses 20b-22 go on to say, “Then he shall bring the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who is standing ready. Thus the goat shall bear away on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall let the goat go in the wilderness.” All this signifies that Christ as the sin offering for God’s people, on the one hand, deals with our sin before God and, on the other hand, sends sin, through the efficacy of the cross, back to Satan, from whom sin came into man.
If we study this chapter thoroughly, we shall realize that Azazel signifies Satan, the sinful one, the one who is the source, the origin, of sin. The goat that was for Jehovah was to be killed, but the goat that was for Satan, the Devil, was to be sent away. This is good news, the complete and perfect gospel, for it signifies that sin has been sent back to Satan, its source. Sin came from Satan and entered into man, and there is no way for fallen man to get rid of it. But Christ died on the cross for our sins and as our sin offering. According to Hebrews 2:14, through His death on the cross, Christ destroyed “him who has the might of death, that is, the Devil.” Through His death Christ has destroyed Satan, the source of sin. Therefore, the cross gives Christ the position, the strength, the power, and the authority to take sin away and send it back to Satan. Sin came from Satan, and it should be sent back to him. Satan will take sin with him to the lake of fire. All those who are not saved will help Satan to bear sin in the lake of fire for eternity.
We praise the Lord that we have been saved and that our sin has been taken away. We all should rejoice in the word spoken by John the Baptist: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Before Christ came, sin was covered, but it was not taken away. Although sin remained, it was covered in the sight of God, and the problem between man and God was appeased. As a result, the Old Testament saints could have peace with God. But because Christ has come to die on the cross for our sin, our sins, as well as the sins of the Old Testament saints, they have been taken away and sent back to Satan. Such is the efficacy of the cross of Christ. Through His cross the Lord Jesus has the position and qualification with the power, strength, and authority to take sin away from the redeemed one and send it back to its source, Satan.
(Life-Study of Leviticus, Chapter 46, by Witness Lee)
