Then I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and I shall

Purify you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
A new heart will I give you, a new spirit will I put within you;
and I will remove the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I
will give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:25-26

Jesus and the Red Heifer Connection

Prophecy

In order for the upcoming Jewish Temple to be constructed, there is a missing

ingredient of prophecy waiting for its broadcast over all the nations. The
controversial Red Heifer is this potent ingredient to begin the construction of the
Temple. But why is this so very important? In the book of Numbers, God has laid
out some special commandments to Aaron and Moses, concerning the Red Heifer.
These unique dictates were not to be taken lightly. The God of Moses and Aaron
wanted them to strictly follow His words. Before I explain further in detail about the
question above, there are some detailed processes that must initially be followed
before we get closer to our question. Here I will write them in order from the Bible,
so we will have clarity of God’s word.

Qualifications of the red heifer:

Numbers 19:2

A. Female: you shall give her to Eleazar the priest (verse 3)

B. Red Heifer: speak to the children of Israel that they bring you red heifer
(verse 2)
C. No Blemish: in which there is no blemish (verse 2)
D. Unyoked: and upon which never came yoke (verse 2)

Now after the red heifer passes all of its qualification tests, it’s time for the heifer to
be sacrificed outside the camp. The book of Numbers chapter 19, demonstrates the
need for a sacrifice of a holy cow and its relevancy. Why the red heifer needed to be
holy was because they used its ashes and mixed them with water, for purification of
sin corporally as a nation. In Exodus, chapter 19:9, it illustrates to us: “And a man
who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and lay them outside the camp in a
clean place, and it shall be kept for all the congregation of the children of Israel for
the water of sprinkling, because it is a purification for sin.”
 Jewish sages announce to us that from the time of Moses through the destruction
of the second temple, there were nine red heifers in the entire Jewish history. Also,
most excitingly, in this generation there have been several prophecies coming to pass
and have come into being: the advent of the Sanhedrin in 2004, and breaking
ground earlier this year on the new training temple to prepare the Levitical priests.

The Temple Mount Faithful is an organization that has created a couple of corner-
stones for the new Jewish temple. Their heart’s desire and goal is for the temple to
be rebuilt in our lifetime. Also, of course, there is The Temple Institute. They are in
the process of recreating many instruments and vessels, including David’s harp.
They are also in the process of building the Altar for animal sacrifices.
A big prophecy the Temple Institute is focusing on concerns the Red Heifer. Rabbi
Chaim Richman, who is the director of building the Temple, claims they have more
than one Kosher Red Heifer (as believers this should not only send shockwaves
through our spirits, but it should make us realize how close we are unto His second
coming). The most engaging prophecy is by Maimonides(Rambam), under Hilchos
Para Adumah 3-4, he mentions: The red heifer was a unique entity, the only one of its
kind in existence at the time. (There have only been nine of them in all of history, and
the tenth will come in Mashiach’s time.)

What Maimonides has alleged is that the tenth heifer will usher in the Messianic
Era. In reexamination of the kosher heifer, we are approaching precisely the
mitzvah (commandment), which the Lord gave to the Jewish people. The red heifer
is a sign from God to establish the temple. They kill the heifer and burn its body to
retrieve the ashes. What is the purpose of obtaining the ashes? There are several
crucial reasons for the function of the red heifer’s ashes. I will arrange them in
order so it can be easily understood.

Importance of the ashes:

A. They were to burn the Heifer outside the camp (verse 3)

B. Purifying the temple
C. Purifying the priest (verse 4)
D. Purifying the altar (verse 4)
E. Purifying all people who are defiled (verses 11-22)
F. A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and lay them
outside the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for all the
congregation of the children of Israel for the water of sprinkling, because it
is purification for sin. (verse 9)

In accordance with Numbers chapter 19, the red heifer ashes were used in other
circumstances for impurity and defilement. You can read further for your own
understanding in chapter 19, verses 11-22.
 After explaining in detail about the kosher heifer and its prophecy, let us move on
to yet another compelling prophecy of how Jesus Christ (Yeshua Hamashiach) is
related with the kosher red heifer in accordance with Scripture. There are three
different materials used while burning the red heifer.

Types of elements used:

Numbers 19:6

A. Cedar-wood (verse 6)
B. Hyssop (note other translations mention Oregano) (verse 6)
C. Scarlet material (verse 6)

When the red heifer is going to be sacrificed, it was lead outside the city gates to be
killed. In Numbers 19:3, “And you shall give her to Eleazar the priest, that he may
bring her forth outside the camp, and one shall slaughter her in his sight.” Another
good reference is Hebrew 13:12, “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify his
people with his own blood, suffered outside the city.” Why was it important for the
heifer to be outside the camp? It would cause defilement and render the sacrifice
ineffective. What would be a similar passage in our Inspired Scriptures, which we
possess?

During the Passover the paschal lamb was lead out of the city to be sacrificed. In
Matthew 27:32, “And as they were going out, they found a man of Cyrene, whose
name was Simon, whom they compelled to carry his cross (Jesus Christ). And they
came to a place which is called Golgotha, which is interpreted The Skull.” These are
perfect examples of the Messiah being our perfect sacrifice. The red heifer and our
Passover lamb both were, sent outside of Jerusalem.

The burning of the heifer reveals an image that represents that of Jesus Christ’s
death on the cross. What do I mean? Lets look what Scriptures will reveal to us.
First of all, let’s look at the following passage closer. In Numbers chapter 19:5,
“And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin and her blood and her flesh, with
her dung, shall he burn.” The consuming of the heifer by fire is a representation of
the Messiah’s death and suffering. The Suffering Servant chapters in Isaiah 53:1-12
are a great example how our Lord was consumed through suffering and death.
I will post some passages so we can see the similarities.

Typology:

Isaiah Chapter 53

A. He was slain for our sins (verse 5)

B. He was afflicted for our iniquities (verse 5)

C. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter (verse 7)
D. Yes it pleased the Lord to afflict him (verse 10)
E. He has put him to grief; he laid down his life as an offering for sin
(verse 10)
F. He has poured out his life to death (verse 12)
G. And he bore the sins of many and died the death of transgressors
(verse 12)

There are three important elements thrown in during the consuming of the cow.
Here they are in order: cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet. What do these items
symbolize about Jesus Christ?

Meaning of the three materials:

John 19:23

A. Cedar wood: A Roman cross (verse 20)

B. Hyssop: I thirst so they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it on the
point of a reed and placed it on His mouth (verse 29)
C. Scarlet: Matthew chapter 27, And put on Him a scarlet robe (verse 28)

All three elements used in Numbers 19, were also practiced during the crucifixion of
the Messiah. In the book of Matthew 27:28, it points to the scarlet robe, “and they
removed his clothes and put on him a scarlet robe.” How should we view the scarlet
robe in light of Scripture? In the book of Isaiah 1:8, God’s view of humankind’s sins
is exposed. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though
they be red like crimson, they shall be like wool.”

There is one more view on the scarlet robe that will shed more light upon it. In
Genesis chapter 37, it announces a man named Joseph. We are all familiar with his
story, so I will not tread there. However, I do want to make an important
observation about what Joseph was wearing. First of all, the men named Jesus
Christ and Joseph were very similar. Both of them wore a robe and secondly, they
were both kings.
 But what kind of robe did they both wear? From my studies, they were both very
similar in appearance. Most translations, when speaking about Joseph’s coat,
mention that it was a coat of many colours, which is an incorrect translation of it.
In the Bible of the RSV, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, and the Holy Bible from
the ancient eastern text translation from the Aramaic of the Peshitta, the correct
terminology of the robe is distinguished in all three Bibles. “A long robe with
sleeves.” However, this long robe with sleeves for Joseph was a royal garment that
most likely was scarlet. I say this with confidence because scarlet was a sign of
royalty among kings.

How does this correlate with Jesus Christ and the robe that He wore? In Matthew
27:28, it says, “and they removed his clothes and put on him a scarlet robe.” Just like
Joseph, the Messiah was also a king. In Matthew 37:37, “This is Jesus The King Of
The Jews.” The two together complement each other, for the robes mentioned in
Genesis chapter 37:3 and in Matthew 27:28 are actually tailored. You may ask what
this implies. It implies that these tailored robes were worn by kings; they were in a
position of authority.

It is important to understand that the kosher heifer was a burnt offering. The
priest threw cedar wood into the burning carcass. Numbers 19:6, “And the priest
shall take cedar wood....and cast them into the midst of the burning of the heifer.”
It really is amazing to see the patterns in our topic; the cedar wood symbolizes the
cross for which our Messiah was burned on the Roman cross as the burnt offering
(see Isaiah 53 up above). Just as Eleazar had thrown the cedar wood into the midst
of the heifer, Matthew 27:32 mentions, “And as they were going out, they found a
man of Cyrene, whose name was Simon, whom they compelled to carry his cross.”

This will be our final subject matter, and as we close out on this last topic, let us
remember everything that Christ did on the cross for us. Eleazar had thrown the
hyssop into the fire. Numbers 19:6, “And the priest shall take hyssop...and cast them
into the midst of the burning of the heifer.” Does anyone remember the verbal action
of Jesus Christ when he was on the cross? He said in John 19:28; “I thirst.”
Then back in Matthew 27:34, it say: “And they gave him to drink vinegar mixed with
gall; and he tasted it, but he would not drink.”

This symbolism marks how bitter our sins are unto our Messiah. The sin of
humankind is repulsive in His sight. Even the slightest of our sins are disgusting to
Him. Our sins have caused wrath upon the Messiah’s body. This is why He became
our burnt offering.

Written by Michael Jones