numbers 19 and 20

Read Numbers 19 and 20 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions for today’s chapters are:

Num 19:1-22 {p} The law of the red heifer for purification
Num 20:1-6 {p} Death of Miriam + no water
Num 20:7-11 {s} Moses draws water from the rock in disobedience
Num 20:12-13 {s} Because Moses did not believe, he will not bring Israel in (Meribah)
Num 20:14-21 {p} Edom refused Israel passage
Num 20:22-29 {s} Death of Aaron

Num 19 and the law of the red heifer for purification in its entirety is a prophetic picture of Messiah. Our first clue is the appearance of the wood, the scarlet, and the hyssop together. The last time we saw these three together was in Lev 14 and the law of the two birds, one of which was to be released to freedom after being dipped in the blood. We learned then that the law of the two birds was connected by common theme to the slaying of the Passover lamb in Exo 12, for the Passover lamb also contains the wood (the doorposts of the houses), the scarlet (the blood of the lamb) and the hyssop (the brush to apply the blood). Here all three appear together again, for the last time in Torah.

In fact, this sacrifice is a puzzle in Torah, which Jewish tradition said even defied the wisdom of King Solomon to understand. It is a puzzle because it is a unique sacrifice, not following patterns established by any of the other sacrifices or rituals for purification. Jesus our Messiah is Himself completely unique (Joh 1:14, 18, Mat 17:5).

But in this puzzle, Moses was writing about Messiah (Joh 5:46):

The red heifer sacrifice required a completely red animal, without even one white or black hair. This is the only sacrifice in Torah where the color of the animal is specified (red symbolizes shed blood and sin). Jesus was likewise completely without spot or blemish (2 Cor 5:21, Joh 8:46).

The red heifer sacrifice was the only sacrifice which took place outside the camp, or away from the altar and tabernacle. Jesus was likewise crucified outside the city of Jerusalem (Heb 13:13).

The red heifer sacrifice was the only sacrifice in which the blood was burned as a part of the sacrifice, and not poured out on the ground beside the altar. With even the olah, the whole burnt offering (Lev 1:1-3), the blood of the animal was poured out on the ground and not burned with the rest of the sacrifice. Likewise, the blood of Jesus was included as part of His sacrifice (Eph 2:13, Heb 9:14).

The red heifer sacrifice was the only sacrifice where the ashes from the burning were saved up to be used in the future. The ashes were to be mixed with water to make the “water of separation” by which the unclean were made clean. Since the blood was burned with the sacrifice, you might say the red heifer ashes plus the water made clean by a mixture of blood and water. Likewise, water and blood flowed from Jesus in His death, which John takes pains to emphasize (Joh 19:34-35).

The red heifer sacrifice was the only sacrifice which made the priest himself unclean, while making the unclean clean. Likewise, Jesus was made to be sin who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21).

The red heifer sacrifice was the only sacrifice which made clean from contact with a dead body, the ultimate end of sin and death, just as the sacrifice of Jesus is the only sacrifice which makes us clean from sin and death (Eph 5:25-26).