Yeshua in Numbers (B'midbar) as the Red Heifer

We have been studying the fourth Book of Moses called B'midbar (Numbers). It covers the time the Israelites wandered in the Wilderness for forty years. This could make us think of Yeshua in the wildernsess for 40 days (Matthew 4:1-11). We have reached the Parasha (portion) that covers the Red Heifer, Moses striking the rock and the snake on the pole in chapters 19 to 21 respectively.

These chapters are fascinating to unpack and to find that they all point to Yeshua in such a deep way. Yeshua is hidden in the Torah waiting to be revealed to those who are seeking Him so He can bring us not only to salvation and healing, but into holiness through sanctification. In this article we shall only consider the significance of the ceremony of the Red (adumah) Heifer in Numbers 19 but I would encourage you to study the rest of this portion in which more of Yeshua is revealed.

The Gospel According to the Red Heifer

---

The ceremony of the red (adumah) heifer in Numbers 19 is most significant in the creation-fall-redemption model. It points to the blood (dam) shed by God to cover Adam's nakedness with the skin of an animal. Adam was cast out of the paradise garden of Eden. At the end of his life he was consigned to the ground (adamah) from which he came.  The Messiah, the second Adam, who is the Torah, the Word of God, came under the curse of Torah to redeem man:-

• Red Heifer was to be blameless (tamym) without blemish just as Yeshua came from God as the sinless sacrifice 2 Cor 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
• Not under a yoke. Yeshua never came under the under yoke of man or man's dogma  or traditions (Mark 7).
• The ceremony was conducted outside the camp just as Yeshua was sacrificed out side of Jerusalem.
• The offering of the red heifer was not only for the Israelite, but also for the stranger (ger) or gentile among them (Num 19:10). Yeshua died for all of mankind both Jew and Gentile.
• From Moses to the Second Temple there were only Nine Red Heifers (Mishna): The very first red heifer was processed by Moses himself - as the verse states, "... have them bring you a red heifer." The second was done by the prophet Ezra in the days of the First Temple, and during the entire era of the Second Temple only seven more heifers were used for ashes. This was enough to provide for the nation's needs for purification throughout all those years. In recounting this historical record in his commentary to the Mishna, the great Maimonides ends with the enigmatic statement: "... and the tenth red heifer will be accomplished by the king, the Messiah; may he be revealed speedily, Amen, May it be God's will." http://jewishroots.net/library/end-times/red-heifer.html
• The blood of the Heifer was sprinkled seven times towards the face of the tabernacle by Eleazar (v4). Yeshua shed His blood 7 times as our sacrificed heifer:- i) sweated blood, ii) bruised, iii) crown of thorns, iv) whipped, v) nails in hands, vi) nails in feet and vii) side pierced and out came blood and water! Each of these set us free from i) our wilful sin, ii) emotional damage, iii) curse on nature, iv) generational iniquity, v) sickness and disease, iv) dominion of prince of the world,-Lucifer, and vii) broken-heartedness into joy of the Lord.
• In addition to the obvious spiritual significance of the law of the sacrifice of the Red Heifer we now understand that the water of purification described in Number 19 actually had the ability to destroy germs and infection as indicated by the three items added to it:-
• The resulting water of purification solution contained ashes from the Red Heifer sacrifice combined with cedar tree, hyssop and scarlet thread:-
  1. Cedar (erez) tree covers with a sweet fragrance the sacrifices. It is the wood used on the altar making the sacrifice acceptable both to God and to man. Also  the cedar tree is considered a strong secure place in the Lord. Psalm 80:10 'cedars of God'.
  2. Hyssop is used to place the blood on the lintels of doorway. Most importantly, the hyssop tree is associated with mint, possibly marjoram, this would produce hyssop oil. This hyssop oil is actually a very effective antiseptic and antibacterial agent.
  3. The Scarlet 'shany' in Hebrew is the scarlet dye from insect 'coccus ilicis' which firmly attaches itself to a tree and gives off a scarlet dye. The young are protected and as they  feed off their mother for nourishment once they hatch the mother gives off this scarlet liquid. Nature itself graphically demonstrates the sacrificial death of our Yeshua.
• Fresh/living water used with the ashes. Yeshua is the Living Water who brings life and cleansing from ALL SIN. Thus the blood and the water that came out of the side of Yeshua is given significance through the Red Heifer. 

In Hebrews 9:13-15 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Water of Purification was used to ritually cleanse any one who had come into contact with a dead body. They were to be sprinkled with this water into which had been added the ashes of the Red Heifer on the 3rd and 7th day and then they were declared clean on that evening.  Until then they were to be keep outside the camp.  Here is something very significant indeed.

What happens when one comes into contact with a dead body that causes defilement? Death in itself is part of the original sin where the first Adam brought in death. Secondly, we can be contaminated through transference of anything that the person who died was carrying such as demonic entities! The demonic loves to take up residence in the living so if they have any rights to transfer across to another living person they will. That person can then take on the ungodly attributes of that person without even being aware of it. Hence, Yeshua was resurrected on 3rd day overcoming death and 7th day is the Sabbath that sanctifies us. So just as the unique Red Heifer was sacrificed and his blood sprinkled on the tabernacle seven times, Yeshua shed His blood seven times for our redemption. He is the Living  Water of Purification by which the Holy Spirit removed all that defiles us. In the Name of Yeshua we can be cleansed and delivered from the evil one. Praise the Lord, Hallelujah!

Here we have the full Gospel hidden in the Torah!

Note: The Temple Institue in Israel is looking intently for the Red Heifer even using the latest technology to raise one that would match the biblical requirements. The significance of this is that the 3rd temple the Anti-Christ will defile cannot be built until there is a Red Heifer for preparing the Waters of Purification for cleansing everything used in the temple. So the appearance of a Red Heifer will be a clear sign that we are at the End Times!