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Introduction
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In the book of Numbers there are at least four lovely pictures
of the Lord. Among those perhaps least known in this book are: |
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a) |
“Lawgiver” (ch. 21:18) |
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b) |
“Star out of Jacob” (ch. 24:17) |
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c) |
“Scepter shall rise out of Israel” (ch. 24:17) |
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The four best known are: |
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a) |
The brazen serpent (ch. 21:5-9) |
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b) |
The red heifer (ch. 19:1-22) |
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c) |
The silver trumpets (ch. 10:2-8) |
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d) |
Aaron and his endorsement as High Priest by the rod that budded
(ch. 17:1-13) |
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In musing on the red heifer very quickly, there is observed the
unique features of this sacrifice. |
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a) |
It is the only sacrifice with the triple declaration of its
perfections (ch. 19:2) |
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b) |
It is the only sacrifice where specific mention is made of its
color (ch. 19:2) |
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c) |
It is the only sacrifice killed outside the camp (ch. 19:3) |
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d) |
It is the only sacrifice where nothing of it is burned at the
altar (ch. 19:3). There are three sacrifices which were burned
on the altar, part of which was burnt on the altar and the
balance outside the camp: |
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i) |
The bull for the induction of Aaron and his sons (Ex. 29:13-14;
Lev. 8:16-17) |
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ii) |
The bull for the sin offering of the anointed priest (Lev.
4:10-12) |
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iii) |
The goat and the bull for the sin offering (Lev. 16:24-28) |
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e) |
It is the only sacrifice where all participants are unclean
until the evening (Num. 19:7, 8, 10, 19, 21) |
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f) |
It is the only sacrifice where its blood is sprinkled before the
Tent of the congregation (Num. 19:4) |
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g) |
It is the only sacrifice where the ashes were kept to make the
water of purification for the removal of defilement incurred
through contact with the dead (Num. 19:11-16) |
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h) |
It is the only sacrifice specifically said for the stranger
among them (Num 19:10) |
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i) |
It is the only sacrifice particularly for defilement by contact
with the dead (ch.16:13, 16) or being in the environment of the
dead (Num. 19:14) |
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j) |
It is the only sacrifice entirely burned without the camp (Num.
19:3-5).
Notice that “without the camp did not always denote an unclean
place” (Lev. 4:12; 6:11; Num. 19:9) |
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k) |
It is one of only two sacrifices where cedar wood, and hyssop,
and scarlet were used (Num. 19:6; Lev. 14: 4, 6, 49, 51, 52) |
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l) |
It is one of three sacrifices in which a heifer could be
sacrificed: |
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i) |
The peace-offering (Lev. 3:6) |
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ii) |
The red heifer (Num. 19:2) |
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iii) |
The heifer which was beheaded (Deut. 21:4), but this animal was
never offered in sacrifice. |
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m) |
An interesting feature is that neither in this or the offerings
of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16)
is there any mention of forgiveness. |
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It is evident that information separates major offerings, that
is, we read of the Passover (Ex. 12), then some time later there
is a collection of sacrifices: the Burnt
Offering, Meal Offering, Peace Offering, Sin Offering, and
Trespass offerings (Lev. 1-6). More information followed by the
offerings on the “Day of Atonement” (Lev.16), and finally more
data, and then the Red Heifer offering (Num. 19). Why not just
put them altogether? We observe that the situations or events
before the various sacrifices gave way for each sacrifice. |
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a) |
The children of Israel were slaves in Egypt and needed full
liberation which required death to their relationship to Egypt,
that is, they needed redemption before they could ever be
liberated. This enslavement in Egypt was the backdrop for their
redemption through the shed blood of the Passover lamb. (Ex.
12)
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b) |
Having been redeemed and liberated, God’s desire was to dwell
among them and therefore they were instructed to build Him a
Tabernacle. It was a building which consisted of three areas:
the court, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The Holy
Place and Holy of Holies were two rooms in the one tent, and
within the Holy of Holies God dwelt. When the Tabernacle was
raised up such was the glory of God that Moses could not enter
the Tabernacle (Ex. 40:35). Man must learn that although
redeemed, he could not just come to God as he deemed fit, yet
God desired communion with man. To enable man to come and stay
in fellowship with God, He provided priests who were taught the
way of approach to God. Man could only come to God by means of
a sacrifice and a man ordained by God who knew how to present
the sacrifice to God. It was due to the desire of God to have
fellowship with man, yet for man to learn God as the
approachable, so the information was given about the offerings
(Lev.1-6). The result was that Moses and Aaron were able to
come into the Tabernacle and come out and bless the people (Lev.
9:23).
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c) |
Acting presumptuously the two sons of Aaron sought to go before
the Lord with strange fire, and immediately were slain by the
Lord (Lev. 10:1-2). God began to teach the lesson of holiness
on a lower level by explaining the seriousness of defilement
(Lev. 11-15). This is followed by the sacrifices on the Day of
Atonement. It was needed because as a nation they were not
always aware of what was sin and defiling, so this sacrifice was
for the cleansing of all the sins they had committed, or
defilement they had contacted.
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d) |
Time passed and they were en route through the wilderness. It
is against the background of a God being in their midst and of
journeying with God en route to the promised land, yet being
defiled by the way rebellious
people who were dying under the disciplining hand of God, yet
with a new beginning the sacrifice of the Red Heifer was given. |
Red Heifer
There are a series of truths relative to this sacrifice which are to be
pondered:
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1) |
It Was a Heifer |
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In the scriptures, a female is exalted to a high position being
a type of Israel, and the church the bride of Christ. She is
also spoken of as the weaker vessel. God has a government and
in that government the order is God, Christ, man, and woman, but
that is NOT the way the scriptures put it. It says the head of
every man is Christ, the head of the woman is the man, and the
head of Christ is God. Notice that God puts the woman between
two others who are heads, and this has nothing to do with
superiority, for Father and Son are both equal. Being a female
the heifer indicates submission to the government of God. It
was this that man rebelled against, that sin came in, and death,
thus the animal is associated with death. |
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2) |
It Was Red |
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The question is why red, for the Lord does not specify the color
of any of the other animals? It would be very hard to think of
“red” without thinking of the “ram skins dyed red” (Ex. 25:5),
of Esau (Gen. 25:25), Esau’s pottage (Gen. 25:30), sins (Isa.
1:18), the Lord in His clothing of judgment (Isa. 63:2), and the
scarlet woman and the beast she rides upon (Rev. 17:3-4). Do
these have any relevance to understanding the heifer being
“red”? To me the emphasis on red indicates: |
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a) |
From Esau, the natural man who lives for the things of the world
(the hunt and the pottage) and sees no value in the blessings of
the birthright. |
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b) |
From the ram skins dyed red, which was called a covering (Ex.
26:14) and while not the same word as that translated
“atonement”, it would possibly indicate the covering of God’s
provision of the man who is the hiding place . . . “A covert
from the tempest” (Isa. 32:2). |
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3) |
It Was Without Yoke |
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Hosea writes: “Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and
loveth to tread out the corn” (Hos. 10:11). It is the first
part of the verse that relates to our subject for it speaks of
Ephraim as a heifer that has been trained to bear the yoke. At
first glance this seems to be in contradiction to the heifer
“upon which never came yoke” (Num. 19:2).
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is only when both are put together that the full picture of our
Lord emerges. He was never under the yoke of man but lived
being the “yokefellow” of God. |
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Manifestations as Christ never under the yoke or the yoke-fellow
of man.
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Peer pressure is a mighty force causing one to act, or not act,
contrary to that which they know as right. |
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a) |
It was peer pressure caused Peter to deny the Lord, and again to
stop eating with the Gentiles and eat with the Jews (Gal. 2:12).
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b) |
When Moses was up in the mount with God Aaron was left to lead
the people. They came to him and wanted a god to be made and
Aaron fell under peer pressure and made the golden calf. (Ex.
32:1, 21-24). |
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c) |
Herod made an oath to give the daughter of Salome anything she
wanted, and because of peer pressure, he had John Baptist
killed. (Matt. 14:9) |
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d) |
On the other hand, Joshua and Caleb refused to bow to the
opinions of the majority concerning entering the promised land.
(Num. 13:26-14:10) |
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e) |
Noah stood alone as a preacher of righteousness when all the
world was steeped in sin and wickedness. (Gen. 6:5-9, 22) |
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f) |
When we read of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego we are reminded
of three men who did not bow under peer pressure despite facing
the fiery furnace. (Dan. 3:1-21) |
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Christ of course is the supreme example of a man who never fell
under peer pressure and was never under the yoke of men. |
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a) |
Family members tried to bring Him under their yoke.
There was a time when his brethren, that is family members who
did not believe in Him nor His miracles, taunted him to go to
Jerusalem and show Himself. It was a very natural argument, “If
you are a miracle worker, forget about the country villages, go
to the big city, to Jerusalem, and get a name for yourself” (Jn.
7:3-5). His answer was: “My time is not yet come: but your time
is alway ready.” (Jn. 7:6)
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b) |
The disciples tried to bring Him under their yoke.
On another occasion the news had come that His friend Lazarus
was sick and had died, what should He do? He never asked the
disciples what they thought for the only thoughts He wanted was
the thoughts of God on the matter. Having determined that, He
said: “Let us go into Judaea again” (Jn. 11:7). The disciples,
who were quite vocal, opposed this idea saying: “Master, the
Jews of late sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither
again?” (Jn. 11:8). But he had come to walk in the light of the
will of God, and knowing the will of God, He went to the tomb of
Lazarus. The peer pressure of the disciples could not waylay
Him. Peter did not want Him to go to Jerusalem to be killed.
(Matt.16:21-22)
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c) |
Satan tried to bring him under his yoke.
Although we normally think of the three times Satan tempted our
Lord, they were not the only times. The scriptures record:
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i) |
“He departed from Him for a season.” (Lk. 4:13) |
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ii) |
When speaking to the disciples the Lord said: “Ye are they which
have continued with me in my temptations.” (Lk. 22:28) |
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iii) |
Consider that which is the second in Matthew and third in Luke,
the temptation of the devil seeking to get the Lord to cast
Himself down (Matt. 4:5-7; Lk. 4:9-12). It was Satan’s
unceasing desire to have the Lord dead, but not to let Him of
His own volition enter death. |
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iv) |
Since God had pledged that the seed of the woman would bruise
his head (Gen. 3:15), Satan had done all he could to prevent the
birth of the baby. |
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v) |
He had Cain rise up and kill Abel. (Gen. 4:8) |
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vi) |
Abraham wanting God to bless Ishmael. (Gen. 17:18)
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vii) |
To slay all the male children in Egypt. (Ex. 1:16) |
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viii) |
Athaliah to kill all the royal seed. (2 Kgs. 11:1) |
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ix) |
Herod kill all the male children two years and younger. (Matt.
2:16) |
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Now the Lord was a man about to nullify the ways of Satan and
ultimately fulfill the promise to Eve. Satan must not let Christ
be victorious, therefore, he will use every possible means to
have the Lord killed. |
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i) |
He will bring a storm on the lake (Mk. 4:39). (It
is often wondered: "How do we know this storm was from Satan?"
We know this to be so because the Lord would never have rebuked
the activities of God. There was another storm and He did not
rebuke it for there were lessons the disciples had to learn
(Matt. 14:24, 30). |
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ii) |
Have the people bring the Lord to the brow of the hill (Lk.
4:29), and now he tempts the Lord (Matt. 4:1-10). |
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iii) |
In one temptation the Lord used the scripture to declare His
trust in God (Lk. 4:4). Satan seizes on this and now he will
use the scriptures to seek to get the Lord under his control
(Lk. 4:10). |
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d) |
The religious rulers wanted to bring Him under their yoke.
It seems evident that the religious leaders planted the man with
the withered hand in a place in the synagogue where he could not
miss being seen. We are told: “they watched Him” (Mk. 3:2).
This was the Sabbath and they, with the apparent support of the
scriptures, said it was wrong to do any work on the Sabbath
day. Would he ignore the situation, and leave them pondering?
That would never have done for they could have argued: “If he
has the power why not heal?” If he does heal the man then He
will be accused of doing work! He does not back down but
calling on the man to: “Stand forth”, He asks them the question:
“Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath days or to do evil” (Mk.
3:4). They were cornered and knew it. Now He will show that he
is not under their man made regulations for the Sabbath, but in
fellowship with God, He heals him (Mk. 3:5). They tried to make
Him submit to their teachings regarding divorce (Matt. 19:3),
but they could never bring Him under yoke with themselves, their
teachings, or interpretations of the law.
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e) |
The people wanted to bring Him under their yoke.
It was a stupendous miracle the people had seen, but it was
more. They saw a man who had compassion on them, and knowing
their weariness, had them sit down. How very considerate. Then
added to that He knew they would be hungry and faint en route
home, and miraculously fed “about five thousand men, beside
women and children” (Matt. 14:21). Knowing that they only
wanted Him for the bread (Jn. 6:26), He sent them away and
departed into the mountain to be alone and pray (Matt. 14:23).
He would not allow a situation to develop for the clamoring of
man who would seek to bring Him under their yoke.
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f) |
Herod wanted to bring Him under his yoke.Pilate
sent our Lord bound to Herod. This was the Herod who was afraid
when he heard of the miracles of the Lord and thinking it was
John the Baptist risen from the dead (Matt. 14:2). It was this
man who in a rash oath and peer pressure came under the yoke of
Herodias and his associates, and had John the Baptist killed
(Matt. 14:6-11). This man had rejected the voice of God through
John, and indeed had silenced it forever, and now he seeks to
treat the Lord as a subject of entertainment. He wanted to see
a miracle done by the Lord, but the Lord would not be brought
under his yoke.
In the government of God he submitted Himself, in that He was
willing to be the Lamb foreordained before the foundation of the
world. He came into the world, He declared God in the world,
and
He manifested the Father to the disciples. |
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4) |
The Heifer Was Brought Forth Without The Camp
v. 3. |
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There are several thoughts here. First the great antitype was
brought forth, and ultimately without the camp. |
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a) |
“Pilate therefore . . . brought Jesus forth” (Jn. 19:13) |
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b) |
“They that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away” (Matt. 26:57) |
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c) |
“When they had bound Him, they led Him away” (Matt. 27:2) |
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d) |
“Led Him away to crucify Him” (Matt. 27:31) |
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e) |
“Led Him away into the hall” (Mk. 15:16) |
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f) |
“Two other, malefactors, led with Him to be put to death” (Lk.
23:32) |
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Outside the camp. |
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a) |
“Suffered without the gate” (Heb. 13:12) |
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b) |
“Unto Him without the camp” (Heb. 13:13) |
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There are truths in these expression which we shall not enter
into because it is not related to our theme, except for to
mention the following, He suffered “without the gate”. To the
Jewish mind there would have been thoughts of the Tabernacle and
the “gate” of the court (Ex. 27:16), and normally outside the
gate and camp was unholy ground. This would have been
astounding to them that outside the gate and camp, in the
unsanctified place, the Lord suffered to sanctify the people. |
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5) |
The Lord was yoked with God, His true yoke-fellow |
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It would seem that it would be unnecessary, and yet it must be
said that our Lord never was under the yoke, the control of any
man or men. There are those today who present the Lord as a
“rebel” and a “troublemaker” for He stood against the false
teachings of the day. I state very clearly, our Lord was never
a rebel against the highest government, that is God, nor the
truth of God. If we look carefully, we find there are at least
eight titles and descriptive terms all beginning with the letter
“R” in the scriptures. There is: |
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a) |
Redeemer (Isa. 49:7) |
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b) |
Rose of Sharon (Song of Sol. 2:1) |
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c) |
Restorer (Psa. 69:4) |
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d) |
Righteous (1 Jn. 2:1) |
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e) |
Refuge (Deut. 33:27) |
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f) |
Reconciler (2 Cor. 5:18-19) |
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g) |
Rock (1 Cor. 10:4) |
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h) |
Root of David (Rev. 5:5) |
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i) |
Red heifer (Num. 19:2) |
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NEVER is He called a rebel. Being in subjection to the will of
God, He clarified the meaning of the Sabbath, the light blazed
as he spoke against the distortion of the law (Mk. 2:27); and
declared as wrong priorities that which men treasured (Matt.
6:1-5, the applause of men). A rebel acts in defiance of
constituted government and is the manifestation of an internal
attitude of rebellion against the government or authority God
has set in place.
It has been said by some that our Lord was rebelling against God
when on the cross he spoke the words: “Why art thou so far from
helping me . . . our fathers trusted in thee . . . and thou
didst deliver them?” (Psa. 22:1, 4). It will be observed that
the Lord never said these words on the cross. |
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6) |
Without spot or blemish |
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This sacrifice was for cleansing from defilement from death.
When musing on it one is impressed with the virtue of our Lord,
who by reason of His deity, the moral perfection of His
humanity, and the merits of His work at Calvary, He secured
forever a perfect cleansing. A cleansing that cleanses from
every sin (1 Jn. 1:7, 9). That meritorious fountain “cleanseth
us from all sin” and can “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”.
Paul writes on the same strain: “And such were some of you: but
ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
the name of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor. 6:11). Such is His
sacrifice that it can: “purge your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God” (Heb. 9:14). John is so thrilled with the
wonders of the judgment executing Christ and its fearfulness,
that to those who are redeemed he writes: “Unto Him that loved
us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Rev. 1:5)
Due to the eternal efficacy of the cleansing blood of Christ,
fellowship with God can be a reality of life. It would seem
that the writers of the New Testament were musing on this
offering as they wrote salient truths concerning Christ. |
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a) |
The sacrifice had to be “without spot” indicating the loveliness
of Christ who was “without sin” Heb. 4:15) despite the
corrupting influences all around Him. |
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b) |
It had to be such that: “Wherein is no blemish” indicating the
internal character of Christ of whom it is stated “In Him is no
sin.” (1 Jn. 3:5) |
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c) |
It had to be an animal upon which “never came yoke” indicating
the conduct of the Saviour who “did no sin.” (1 Pet. 2:22) |
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d) |
It had to be slain outside the camp indicating complete
fulfillment in the will of God so that the writer to the Hebrews
writes: “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people
with His own blood, suffered without the gate.” (Heb. 13:12) |
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Lovely man on whom no stain contaminated Him, no distortion of
man tainted Him, nothing ever seen or heard tarnished Him. He
was immaculate in holiness, impeccable in activity, perfect in
fidelity and integrity.
This lovely man took in His hand the hand of a little corpse,
glorious truth, the hand of the Almighty grasped the hand of
death and death must take its flight, and He was not
contaminated (Lk. 8:54). When about to go into Nain, a funeral
cortege was leaving and He “touched the bier” (Lk. 7:14),
(This was the receptacle on which the deceased lay, akin to a
coffin or casket in our terminology. The same term is used when
King David followed in Abner’s funeral, 2 Sam. 3:31)
and was not contaminated. One cannot help but feel sadness for
the leper, put through no fault of his own in the outside place,
and was an untouchable. How many were the years since he had
known a human hand in tenderness, then He met Jesus. Oh what a
day! In his pathetic state he called on the Lord to: “make me
clean”. Then we read: “Jesus put forth his hand and touched
him” (Matt. 8:2-3), and He was uncontaminated. |
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7) |
Scarlet, cedar wood and hyssop |
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In these days of blatant disregard for the authority of the Word
of God and God Himself, there is a need to be reminded that: |
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a) |
We cannot dare to disobey the word of the Lord but to tremble at
it. |
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i) |
It is the admonition of Isaiah: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye
that tremble at His word” (Isa. 66:5) |
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ii) |
“To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a
contrite spirit, and trembleth at my Word” (Isa. 66:2) |
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iii) |
“Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled, at the
words of the God of Israel” (Ezra. 9:4; 10:3) |
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iv) |
Belshazzar trembled at the word of the Lord, the wording is:
“The joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one
against another”. (Dan. 5:6) |
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b) |
We cannot dare to disobey the word of the Lord but to tremble at
it. “Touch not the unclean thing” (2 Cor. 6:17). What is the
“unclean” thing of 2 Cor. 6:17? Anything that is: “the
filthiness of the flesh and spirit”; which hinders “perfecting
holiness in the fear of the God” (2 Cor. 7:1). In this passage
it is primarily that of attitude, and unifying with that which
is contrary to God, and a disturbance of fellowship. It
may be that in our darkened state we may not think of defilement
as serious as actual sinning, however, God makes it clear that
in Jerusalem in the millennial: “There shall in no wise enter
into it any thing that defileth” (Rev. 21:27). Isaiah writes:
“And an highway shall be there . . . and it shall be called The
way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it” (Isa.
35:8). Again: “O Jerusalem, the Holy City: for henceforth there
shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean”
(Isa. 52:1). Such verses make it clear that where God dwells
there can be no defilement. |
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These show me that which Christ had to become for my cleansing
from defilement. |
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a) |
Scarlet,
the word translated worm (Psa. 22:6), indicative of how low the
Lord became. |
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b) |
Cedar wood
that was beautiful, even suitable for the house of God (1 Kgs.
6:15-20). A place that was beautiful for God to dwell in.
Israel was a house (Heb. 3), but there was defilement? |
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c) |
Hyssop.
It is interesting that this bush is used for sprinkling (Num.
19:18; Heb. 9:19); is spoken by David in his penitent Psalm
(Psa. 51:7); and for the cleaning of the leprous house (Lev.
14:52). |
The benefits only came to man after all had gone up to God (Num.
19:5-8). There was no eating of this sacrifice by the priests or
offerer, neither did man have the skin as in the burnt offering. It all
went to God, and only when He was truly satisfied was man able to
receive any benefits. All we have spiritually is because God is fully
satisfied with the work of His Son. We are cleansed by His blood (1 Jn.
1:7); justified by His resurrection (Rom. 4:25); made “heirs of God, and
joint-heirs with Christ” (Rom. 8:17); and “children of God” (Rom.8:16);
all dependent on the fulness of the blood sacrifice of the Lord.
May God grant us good understanding as He, by His
Holy Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13
Rowan Jennings, Abbotsford,
British Columbia
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