The One and Only Sacrifice:

When the animals were chosen by the high priest for the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement, they did not have a say in the matter.  In fact, the animals had no idea what was going on.  However, Jesus Christ offered himself willingly as a sacrifice.  The Holy Ghost guided, encouraged and gave agency to Jesus in this mighty task just like God had promised to His people long ago.  “I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.”  Isaiah 42:1  Not only was Jesus’ sacrifice voluntary, it was also free of all physical defects.  He was perfect, therefore he was the only man worthy on his own to come into the presence of God.  He was perfect because Jesus was the Son of God.  His death was to cover everyone’s bad habits, infractions, mistakes and poor judgment --- past, present and future.  God is a good and just God.  His justice demands that every one of our infractions and mistakes be punished.  This is what God’s love and mercy did through Jesus Christ’s death on the cross.  With Christ’s body broken and blood shed on the cross, God’s love paid the penalty for our debt.  Our debts are not only forgiven through Jesus, they are completely forgotten.  Like the scapegoat in the Old Testament, our sins are ushered into the wilderness, never to return again.  Jesus did not just merely die, he was the one one-time sacrifice needed.  “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”  Hebrews 9:27-28