It's strongly encouraged that you read and study on your own, the sacrificial rites to learn how each animal was used and what each offering was for.
It is important to note that one important holy offering took place once a year on the tenth of the seventh Hebrew month on "the day of atonement."
The “day of atonement” was the day where the blood of a goat was taken into the holy tabernacle and sprinkled seven times by the high priest (alone) before the mercy seat of YHWH, his earthly throne, the ark of the Covenant where YHWH sat between the two cherubim directly over the law which was placed inside of the ark.
This holy ceremony was the most holy of days for the children of Israel strictly for their atonement of transgressions against YHWH's law, a time when all 12 tribes were to make atonement of their sins.
And YHWH spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before YHWH, and died; [2] And YHWH said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. [3] Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. [4] He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. [5] And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. [6] And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. [7] And he shall take the two goats, and present them before YHWH at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. [8] And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for YHWH, and the other lot for the scapegoat. [9] And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which YHWH's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. [10] But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before YHWH, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. [11] And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: [12] And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before YHWH, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: [13] And he shall put the incense upon the fire before YHWH, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: [14] And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
[15] Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: [16] And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. [17] And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. [18] And he shall go out unto the altar that is before YHWH, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. [19] And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
[20] And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: [21] And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: [22] And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
The blood of the goat, here, was used for the atonement of the sins of the congregation of the children of Israel.
The books of the prophets contain holy scriptures relating to “the blood” and “the lamb.”
Isaiah 53 is perhaps one of the most prophetic of all scriptures, and rightly so, for you will find here a direct reference to the blood sacrifice of a lamb.
The following scripture is speaking of the promised Messiah.
Isaiah 53:1-12 (KJV)
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of YHWH revealed? [2] For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and YHWH hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. [8] He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. [9] And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
[10] Yet it pleased YHWH to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of YHWH shall prosper in his hand. [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Notice the very language in Isaiah 53 describes of the Messiah: “he is brought as a lamb” before “the slaughter,” being “smitten,” being “bruised,” as being “an offering for sin” to please YHWH.
Just as goats or lambs were used to make atonement for the people, so shall the Messiah will be “cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression” of the people of Israel “for the transgression of my people was he stricken.”
The Messiah’s sacrifice shall “bear their iniquities” and make atonement or “intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah is perfect in lining up the concept of the lamb and a sacrifice, and the purpose of the blood of the lamb to atone for the sins and transgressions of the people.
Almost echoing the same sentiment as Isaiah 53, is a prayer of thanksgiving to YHWH given by the prophet Jeremiah recorded in the book of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 11:19 (KJV)
But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
To recap what you have read, you learned that the blood was required for the protection by YHWH for teh children of Israel in land of Egypt, it appeared to bless and protect Joseph, it was used by Moses to witness to the first Old Covenant at Mt. Sinai, it was used in holy sacrifices and service of the tabernacle of YHWH to anoint the holy items, the priesthood, to cleanse from disease or sickness, and to make atonement for the sins of the children of Israel.
The above scripture concludes our study of the Old Testament scriptures, and we will now study the use of the word “lamb.” in the New Testament.