Why?
Well,here are the original instructions to the children of Israel in Leviticus:
16:6 “Aaron is to offer the bull for his own sin offering to make atonement for himself and his household. 7 Then he is to take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He is to cast lots for the two goats—one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat.[a] 9 Aaron shall bring the goat whose lot falls to the LORD and sacrifice it for a sin offering.
Yet according to Hebrews 9, here’s how Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross changes that system:
11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,[a] he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,[c] so that we may serve the living God!
In other words, So Jesus’ OWN blood offered ONE TIME for ALL PEOPLE grants forgiveness to people ETERNALLY and not ANNUALLY.
That’s the new bloodline.
And that’s why we’ve got a lot of very happy bulls and goats.
Image courtesy of Jen Pavlovitz.