What does it mean to make atonement for sins? Did the Old Testament sacrifices take away sins?

To make atonement for sins means to cover or make payment for sins so that people could be cleansed and able to be in God’s presence. In the Old Testament, the sacrifices of animals, like rams and goats, symbolically “covered” sins temporarily, but they didn’t permanently take away sin. The blood of animals acted like a credit system, anticipating the ultimate payment that would be made by Jesus, the “spotless lamb,” whose sacrifice truly takes away sin.

What animals does Aaron have to pick for the day of atonement? What were they for?

Aaron, the high priest, selected a ram and two male goats. The ram was sacrificed to atone for Aaron’s sins, while the two goats had separate purposes. One goat was sacrificed for the people’s sins, symbolizing the covering of their sins with its blood. The other goat, known as the “scapegoat,” was sent into the wilderness after Aaron laid hands on it to transfer Israel’s sins, symbolizing the removal of their sins from their presence.

What did Aaron do when he was in the Holy of Holies?

Inside the Holy of Holies, Aaron offered incense to create a cloud that shielded him from God’s direct presence, and he sprinkled the blood of the sacrificed animals on the mercy seat seven times. This ritual symbolized the completeness of the atonement for both his sins and the sins of the people, allowing God’s presence to dwell among them for another year.

How does this lesson point to Jesus?

This lesson points to Jesus as the true and eternal High Priest who made the ultimate atonement. Unlike Aaron, Jesus entered not just an earthly Holy of Holies, but Heaven itself, offering His own blood rather than that of animals. Jesus is both the High Priest and the perfect, unblemished sacrifice, covering all sin for all time. Through His sacrifice, He provides permanent forgiveness, so we no longer need to offer continual sacrifices. Jesus, like the scapegoat, also took our sins away, symbolized by His suffering outside Jerusalem on the cross, fulfilling and surpassing the Day of Atonement rituals.