Overview
The most solemn day of the year. The High Priest enters the Most Holy Place with blood for himself and the people. Two goats are used: one is sacrificed, and the other, the "scapegoat" (Azazel), is sent into the wilderness, bearing the sins of the nation.
Practical Lessons
1. Prophetic Fulfillment: This is the ultimate "type" of Christ’s work. One goat represents His death (propitiation), and the scapegoat represents our sins being removed "as far as the east is from the west" (expiation).
2. Access Restricted: The fact that the priest could only enter once a year showed that the way into the presence of God was not yet fully open.
3. Humbling the Soul: On this day, the people were to "afflict their souls," teaching that true atonement requires a heart of repentance.