The disciples wondered this as well when he died. It wasn’t what they had expected the Messiah to do. How had it come to an end so quickly? Jesus had tried to explain to them several times that he had to die. At the last supper, when he took the cup he said “this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

God is a just and holy God and he needed to find a way to bring us back into relationship with him, after sin separated us from him. In the tabernacle and temple in the Old Testament there was an area called the Most Holy Place where the presence of God dwelt. It was separated from the rest of the temple by a curtain. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, after washing and preparing himself, the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place with two perfect goats. One was chosen as a sacrifice as God's covenant required the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sins. On the second one the high priest would place his hands on its head and confess the peoples' sins. This scapegoat was then taken out into the wilderness and released. This symbolizes that not only are our sins forgiven but they are removed far away and forgotten.

Hebrews 10:17-25

“Their sins and lawless acts

I will remember no more.”

18And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed.

19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Through Jesus’ sacrificial death his blood has once and for all made a way for us who receive his gift to meet God in the Most Holy Place. Let us this Lent draw near through Jesus to God our father with confidence that our sins are forgiven and forgotten.