Continual Cleansing

There is a unique offering of a red heifer that was made to prepare water for cleansing (Nu 19:1-22). The ashes from this sacrifice mixed with water was used to cleanse anyone who encountered death in some form or fashion. The priest who oversaw the sacrifice, the one who burned the animal, and the one who gathered up the ashes each had to wash after their duties were fulfilled before he could enter the city, and he remained unclean until the sun set. The Jewish rabbis taught that this sacrifice was a great mystery because those clean became unclean producing the ashes that made the unclean clean.

There were several specific requirements for this sacrifice and they all parallel the actions Christ did on the cross and what he accomplished doing that for us.

The animal had to be a heifer (female). This was the only sacrifice that required the animal to be female. Other sacrifices were male or could be either male or female. Yet this one was specifically required to be female. Christ’s body is the Church, his bride. The heifer was required to be female because life comes through females; also, all those in Christ become his bride.

The animal also had to be without defects or blemish, and had to be completely red, likely symbolizing blood. The animal could never have been under a yoke. We know that Christ never submitted himself to anyone but God, the Father. The entire body of the animal was sacrificed. According to the Jewish Midrash (something akin to a Jewish scripture commentary), the heifer was brought to the place of sacrifice on her own, that is, she went voluntarily to the Mount of Olives to her place of sacrifice. Christ offered himself willingly for us as well.

The heifer was sacrificed outside the camp, just as Christ was crucified outside the city of Jerusalem, and the heifer was forced to face west (toward the tabernacle). In the Midrash we read, “A causeway was made from the temple mount to the Mount of Olives, being constructed of arches above arches, each arch placed directly above each pier as a protection against a grave in the depths, whereby the priest who was to burn the cow, the cow itself, and all who aided in its preparation went forth to the Mount of Olives” (Misnah Parah 3:6). This allowed the priests to go across the Kidron Valley and over the cemetery at the foot of the Mount of Olives without becoming defiled or unclean.

This offering symbolized a one-time sacrifice. Although, technically, it had to be repeated when the ashes eventually ran out. We can see this symbolism as only nine sacrifices of this type were ever made from the time of Moses until the first century (about a 1500-year time span). Jesus himself was the tenth. The number ten represents completion of a divine order. Christ died once for the sins of mankind: past, present, and future. The heifer was a one-time thing (until the ashes ran out, of course), and symbolized a one-time sacrifice that was for the entire congregation and allowed perpetual cleansing going forward–just as Christ forgave all our sins as a one-time sacrifice.

The blood of the heifer was sprinkled seven times toward the tabernacle (or temple when it was erected in Jerusalem). The entire tabernacle/temple was a representation of Christ and his work of atonement. The number seven is a number representing perfection. Christ was the perfect fulfillment of all the symbolism of the tabernacle and its furniture.

The animal was burned with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool. In total, these items represent humility: the removal of pride (cedar), the need for cleansing (hyssop), and the removal of sin (scarlet wool). Christ was the only human devoid of sin. Only he was without sin and only he could save all of humanity.

Christ blood was the atonement for our sin and the drink offering for us. Priests became unclean when they performed the ceremony of sacrifice – the priests are representations of Christ who became unclean as he took on the sins of mankind. Christ was made clean (righteous and glorified) before he entered the city again.

We are continuously made clean by our confession of our sins and cleansed by the Holy Spirit. John tells us, “If we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).

The ashes of the heifer when mixed with water would make one clean from having touched death–Adam plunged all mankind into death separating all who came after from God. Christ brings us back from spiritual death into his light where we can dwell with Him forever.

This sacrifice therefore represents our need for continual cleansing.

As you can see, Jesus Christ fulfilled all eight of the required sacrifices and, in essence, fulfilled the whole of the Law of Moses. The Old Covenant wasn’t cancelled; it was fulfilled. Christ created a New Covenant with his blood because the Old Covenant did not need to be followed any longer because he completed it.

Where exactly was Jesus Crucified? Join me next time for that discussion.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens