Through the Bible: LeviticusSample

The Two Goats – Jesus and Barabbas

Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. He is to cast lots for the two goats – one lot for the Lord and the other for the scapegoat. Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the Lord and sacrifice it for a sin offering. But the goat chosen by lot as the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to be used for making atonement by sending it into the wilderness as a scapegoat.

Leviticus 16:7-10 (NIV)

So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

Matthew 27:17 (NIV)

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is the holiest day of the Jewish year. On this day, Jews will ask God for forgiveness. A key part of the Day of Atonement at the Tabernacle and Temple is a sin offering involving two goats – one goat will be made an atonement for sin while the other, the “scapegoat”, will be set free into the wilderness. The word “Scapegoat” in Hebrew is “Azazel”, which means entirely removed or escaped. This is the direct opposite of today’s meaning of scapegoat which is to falsely make one to take blame of a wrongdoing.

2,000 years ago, Pontius Pilate presented to the crowd in Jerusalem two “Jesus's” the choice for political pardon – Jesus Barabbas (Barabbas means “son of the father”) and our Lord Jesus (“Son of the Heavenly Father). As we all know, Jesus Barabbas, the condemned prisoner, escaped the death penalty while our Lord Jesus was led to be crucified. 

What Jesus Barabbas did after escaping death, nobody knows. One thing for sure, God demonstrated His love and mercy on that day by sacrificing His Son as an atonement for our sins. 

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, change my heart oh God, make it ever true. Change my heart oh God, may I be like you. You are the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me, this is what I pray. Amen.