Numbers 19 - 21 (part 1)

The Red Heifer and Waters of Separation
NOTE:  Today's reading has several key topics in it which will require multiple blog entries.

The ceremony of the Red Heifer and waters of separation are presented in chapter 19.  The symbolism is rich and speaks of Christ, the church, the dispensations of grace, and the seven church ages. The ceremony was used to prepare ashes and water kept in a purified place outside the camp, so that if an individual comes in contact with a dead body, they could be restored to a state of ceremonial cleanliness.  A person had to be ceremonially clean or he/she was cut off from the community (vs 20). It was an absolutely critical and permanent law for the Israelites.

Verse 2 states that the heifer had to be red and without spot, i.e. totally red with no extraneous color markings.  The red speaks of redemption by blood, Christ's sacrifice on Calvary.  It was female, representing the church. It could not have had a yoke on it - meaning it was not under bondage to a creed or heretical dogma.  It had to be perfect with no defect, sinless like Christ.

It took three ceremonially clean men to complete the ritual. The three speaks to the three dispensations of grace: justification, sanctification, and baptism of the Holy Spirit.  The men had to be clean, i.e. no sin against them. This is a type of the Holy Spirit filled minister who handles the Word of God.  The heifer had to be slain outside the camp, just like Jesus was crucified outside the city.

Notice that Eleazar, the High Priest (representing God) watched over the ceremony.  After the heifer was slain, Eleazar dipped his finger in the blood and sprinkled it seven times towards the door of the Tabernacle. This symbolized that all worshipers throughout the seven church ages had to pass through the blood to access God.  Eleazar observed as the entire animal was burned representing that God held nothing back in His allowing His son to be crucified.  Jesus gave it all!

While the sacrifice was burning, three items were added to the fire: a cedar stick, a hyssop branch, and scarlet yarn. The stick and branch formed a cross, the scarlet yarn represented the blood.  Additionally, these three reiterate the theme of the dispensations of grace: justification, sanctification, and Holy Spirit baptism.

After the heifer was burned, the ashes were gathered and deposited in a clean place outside the camp.  Verse 9 states, "[...] This ceremony is performed for the removal of sin.

If a person touched a dead person, or was in the tent when a person died, or touched a dead body on the battle field, the waters of separation ceremony had to be performed. The dead is representative of sin. If we accept dead creeds instead of the fresh Word of God and His Spirit, then we need to be cleansed by His Blood. If we associate with sin, it is spiritual death unless with accept the sacrifice of Christ.

The ashes and the water were mixed and sprinkled on the unclean person on the third and seventh days.  The ashes represented the sacrifice (Christ) and the water represented the Word (Ephesian 5:26 - He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word.)  As the ministry delivers the Word, we are cleansed by the sacrifice of Jesus.  The water and ash mixture was sprinkled using hyssop.  Hyssop was a common plant and represents faith.  So the Word is applied by faith!

May God bless you and bless the reading of His Word.