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

Probably the best way to understand atonement is to separate it into its parts: at•one•ment. It is the making for ourselves to be at one with God. Although Leviticus seems complicated, this is its main thrust. Let’s see if we can break it down into understandable chunks. There are four main elements of atonement. Let’s look at each of them

Propitiation: This sounds like a complicated word, but it simply means, “the appeasement of God’s wrath.” Mankind cannot appear before God in his current condition and live. God told Moses, “Tell your brother Aaron not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die” (Lv 16:2). He also told Moses, “No one may see me and live” (Ex 33:20). I know that sound kind of harsh, but God was really trying to protect them and keep them safe. Remember, God sets the standard, not ourselves.

This brings us to the function of the Mercy Seat, or Atonement Cover, which would appease this wrath of God because of the blood placed on the Mercy Seat. It allowed Aaron, the High Priest, to appear before God once a year. If you recall, the Ark of the Covenant was in a separate part of the Tabernacle by itself in a place called the Holy of Holies. This is where the Shekinah glory of God would meet with the High Priest once a year for national atonement. The Mercy Seat was set over the ark. It is really a symbol for Christ. Paul tells us Christ presented himself as a sacrifice of atonement (i.e., propitiation) (Ro 3:25), and John stated Christ is the atoning sacrifice (propitiation) for our sins (1Jn 2:2), and God sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice (propitiation) (1Jn 4:10).

Reconciliation: This is a word meaning the reestablishment of friendship between God and mankind. God stated that if the atonement before God and the Mercy Seat was made, “then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins” (Lv 16:30). This is a representation of what Christ’s death did for us. He reconciled us to God: “God reconciled us to Himself through Christ, does not count our sins against us, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2Co 5:18-19); “the death of Christ reconciles both Jews and Gentiles – there is no longer a barrier (balustrade) between the two” (Ep 2:16). Therefore, he has reconciled all of mankind to Himself.

Justification: This is a word that means, “Declared righteous by God.” We can never earn our right standing before God. As we have seen in a previous post, God’s standard is perfection—something we cannot attain ourselves. Because of Christ’s reconciliation, we are then justified, or declared righteous, by God. Because of the act of the high priest on the Day of Atonement, God said, “Then, before the Lord, you will be clean from all your sins” (Lv 16:30). The sacrifice made pointed to something much deeper: “God does not delight in sacrifice but in a broken and contrite heart” (Ps 51:16); “by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many” (Is 53:11); “the righteous will live by his faith” (Hk 2:4). What we could not do, God did for us. We only need to believe and put our faith in His actions. “We are justified by faith through Christ: since we have been justified (declared righteous) through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ro 5:1).

Cleansing: This is a term meaning to be made acceptable and useful in service to God. Cleansing was an important part in Old Testament worship: various requirements for becoming clean were required (Lv 11-15), and even the elements of worship needed to be cleansed: “make atonement for the Most Holy Place, for the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and for the priests and all the people of the community” (Lv 16:33).

This requirement of cleansing is likely one of the main reasons for why sacrifices will be required during Christ’s Millennium Kingdom. Sinful man will live in the presence of a holy God. Again, elements for worship must be cleansed, especially the altar for sacrifice (Ek 43). Even today, even if we accept Christ through faith, we do not lose our sin nature. John tells us, “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify (cleanse) us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9).

As you can see, although God sets a high standard, he knows our shortcomings and loves us enough to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Isn’t that like a Good Father. Are you expressing your thanks to Him?

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens