The Old Testament is a shadow of the New Testament. The sacrifial system of the Old Testament is the way God atoned the sins of Israelites through the High Priest and sacrifial animals, in the SAME WAY God atoned for the sins of the whole world through John the Baptist who represented the High Priest and Jesus who stood as a sacrifial Lamb.
Now compare them, they are perfect match! In the Old Testament there were 3 conditions for God to accept the sin offering
(1) Animal without 'blemish' must be used.
(2) The High Priest must lay his hands on the head of sacrifial animal so as to transfer the sins committed by the person or the whole congregation of Israel to body of the animal.
(3) Then the animal must be killed and its blood shed on behalf of the people who committed the sins. (Lev. 1:1-5, Lev. 16)
In the New Testament the same thing happened:
(1) Jesus came without blemish as a sacrificial Lamb.
(2) John the Baptist represented the high priest laid his hands on His head during His baptism so as to transfer our sins to Jesus body.
(3) Then Jesus Christ carried the sins to the Cross where He shed His blood on our behalf.
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