Red Heifer
The story of the “Red Heifer” is found in the Book of Numbers chapter 19.
Numbers 19:1, And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying, Verse 2, “This is the ordinances of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke.”
Without spot or blemish or yoked should remind any reader that the red heifer was a type of Jesus Christ. Why?
When we read that the laws contained in ordinances was blotted out or nailed to the cross, Colossians 2:14, these were stated in the Old Testament but were fulfilled by Christ in the New Testament. This is what the Apostle Paul calls the enmity which was against us in Ephesians 2:15. This enmity is what divides people. There are those that believe that we should build a temple of brick and mortar as Soloman did, 1st Kings 9:3. Today, we are told that the many membered body are God’s Temple, 1st Corinthians 6:19. Its the same way with the Passover Lamb. It was commanded in the Old Testament, Exodus 12:3, and Christ became the reality of the Passover in the New Testament, John 1:29. The Sabbath also was a one day rest, Genesis 2:3. Hebrews 4:9 says that there remaineth a rest for the people of God, That is, if we hear His voice, Hebrews 4:7, and learn of Him, Matthew 11:29, we will continually be at rest, not for one day but 24/7.
There are many laws contained in ordinances along with the Red Heifer and these were all fulfilled by Christ to bring about peace within all men with no divisions, Ephesians 2:17.
John 19:4, Referring to Jesus: Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, :”Behold I bring Him forth to you and find no fault in Him.”
Jesus Became The Perfect Sacrifice to Satisfy God’s Commandment of Redemption
1st Peter 1:18, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;” verse 19, “But by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb, without blemish and without spot.”
Without blemish and without spot is the law of the Red Heifer mentioned in !9:2.
Numbers 1:3, “And ye shall give her unto Eleaser the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face.”
The Red Heifer is stated as her, a female, because of submission. Jesus Christ submitted to His Fathers will and authority just as the Church, His many membered body, submits to Christ, Ephesians 5:24.
In the story of Eleaser, the priest, his name is the equivalent to the Greek name Lazarus of the New Covenant or Testament who was raised from the dead. This is the story of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, their brother as told in the Book of Luke chapter 11. See our article on this site, Who Raises the Priesthood? The Red Heifer is brought without the camp, Hebrews 13:13. See our article on this site, “Are You in a Tent or a Camp”?
The Red Heifer’s ashes were gathered and brought without the camp, where Moses had erected the Tabernacle of the congregation, when the people sinned against God by raising up a calf when Moses was on the Mountain of God, Exodus 33:1-7. This teaching is showing that the Tabernacle of the congregation and the ashes of the Red Heifer were types of God’s full redemption. Christ became our dwelling or tabernacle, John 1:14, and the Red Heifer’s ashes was an acceptable sacrifice as a burnt offering to God as Christ was accepted.
Numbers 19:4, “And Eleaser the priest shall take of Her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the Tabernacle of the congregation seven times.”
The Apostle Paul says that the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of a heifer can never remove our sin of redemption but only through the blood of Christ can redemption be achieved, Hebrew 9:12-13. This is the law contained in ordinances which were a shadow of better things to come, Hebrews 10:1.
Numbers 19:5, “And one shall burn the ashes in his sight; her skin and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn:’ Verse 9, “And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: It is a purification of sin.
Running Water
Numbers 19:17, “And for an unclean person they shall take the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin and running water shall he put in a vessel:” Verse 19, “And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean at even.”
Running water is a reference to the HolySpirit. The third day is Christ in Resurrection, Matthew 12:40 and the seventh day is a time for entering the kingdom, Matthew 25:21; Leviticus 23:34.
Leviticus 1:3 says that the only burnt offering accepted by God is Jesus, Who became God’s anointed and Christ. This is the only sacrifice acceptable for the redemption of mankind.
Acts 4:12, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
The Red Heifer is a shadow of better things to come fulfilled by Jesus Christ at the cross and was physically reduced to ashes by God, a consuming fire, Hebrews 12:29. Now, because of Christ, as an acceptable sacrifice, the Red Heifers ashes is a remembrance to that sacrifice.
The jews today believe that they should build a Temple of stone and mortar for God to dwell in. They also believe in the sacrifice of the Red Heifer, but according to scripture, these events which are stated in the Old Testament as the Passover and the reality of the Passover which came to pass in the New Testament, Jesus crucified. God’s people are the Temple in which God dwells, 1st Corinthians 6:19, and the ashes of the Red Heifer is the sacrifice in type of Christ in whom they don’t believe.
. 1st Corinthians 1:23, “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness.”