DID YOU KNOW:
On Yom Kippur—the Day of Atonement, a powerful and mysterious ceremony took place.

The high priest would stand before the people with two goats at his side. These goats had to be identical in appearance. He would then reach into an urn and draw out two lots, one in each hand, each inscribed with a different Hebrew designation. One lot was placed on the head of the goat chosen to be sacrificed for the sins of the people. The other lot was placed on the goat that would be released, the scapegoat, sent away alive.

This ceremony is recorded in Leviticus 16:7–10.

Before there could be atonement, there had to be:

• a presentation before the people
• a choosing
• a determination of destinies

Two lives stood side by side.
One would die.
One would go free.

Now consider the crucifixion.

Was not Jesus Christ presented before the people?
Was there not a choice?
Were there not two lives brought before the crowd, yet only one could become the sacrifice?

And according to the ordinance of Yom Kippur, the other life had to be released.

So who was the other one?

His name was Barabbas (see Matthew 27:15–24).

Here is where the revelation deepens.

According to the ancient command, the two offerings had to be identical. Jesus is the Son of God, or the Son of the Father. But do you know what the name Barabbas means?

Bar = son
Abba = father

Barabbas means “son of the father.”

Two men.
Both called son of the father.
One innocent, chosen to die.
One guilty, set free.

Jesus, though fully divine, took on flesh and became like us, as written in Philippians 2:7. He became our identical substitute. He stood in our place. He became the sacrificial goat, so that we, like the scapegoat, could walk free.

LIVE TODAY as one who was sentenced to judgment but released. Forgiven. Set free.

All because of the LOVE and SACRIFICE of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.