Friday, March 25, 2011
Numbers 19:1-3
Friday, March 25, 2011 |
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face.
Before we come to our devotional reading for today I want to take a quick look at the preceding five chapters in Numbers and have you notice several verses of interest for extra reading. This reading of these chapters will fill in the narrative of the “wanderings in the wilderness” of the Jewish people under the leadership of Moses.
Chapter 14 is revealing the “unbelief” of the Jews at that time in history, as evidenced in verses 11 and 24. Numbers 15 to 18 is an account of some of the “years of wandering”. You may want to study Numbers 17, the account of “Aaron’s rod that budded”.
As we come to our devotional for today, Numbers 19, we will read about the giving of the “ordinance of the red heifer”. This has an absolute relationship to the end times and the building of the next Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. More on that later in this devotional.
The ordinance of the "Red Heifer" was given to the Jewish people, from God, through Moses. This ordinance was for the “cleansing of those desecrated”, desecrated by coming in contact with “death”. Any such contact would make that Jewish person “un-pure” and with the need of “purification”.
The “ordinance of the Red Heifer” was given after the “Ten Commandments”, to Moses as the spokesman for God, to the Jewish people. It is a “prophecy”, in symbolic form, which was fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
As you can see by reading our devotional passage for today, the “red heifer” was to have never worn a “yoke” and was to be without a blemish of any type, verse 2. The “red” color of the young cow must also be without any other spot of any other color.
The priest was to lead the red heifer to an “alter without the gate”, meaning 3,000 feet away from the Temple, and “before his face”, verse 3, meaning to the “east” of the Tabernacle or Temple. “His face” is referring to the “Glory of the Lord” that hovered over the “Ark of the Covenant”.
After the priest “ceremonially killed” the red heifer it was placed on a “fire” of cedar wood and reduced to ashes. While that was happening the priest added a “scarlet ribbon” and some “hyssop”, a sponge-like plant, and the ashes of these ingredients were then added to a “stone jar” with “living water”, running water or "rain water", Then this “ashen-water” was sprinkled on that or those desecrated.
This ordinance will be reinstated during the Tribulation Period but is only a prototype of the “purification by the blood of Jesus Christ”, to cleanse each of us from our personal desecration, the result of sin. By the way, there is now a Red Heifer ready to be used during the Tribulation Period, that yet future time of Judgment on the Earth.
The Talmud, extra-Biblical Jewish writing, says when a “tenth” Red Heifer shows up to be used in this God-given ordinance, it is the “time of the coming of the Messiah”. That “tenth” Red Heifer is now ready to be used by the Jewish people.
It is truly amazing to think of how close we are to the Rapture - which must happen before the “Red Heifer ordinance” is restored during the Tribulation Period. In fact, we are so near that it could be today that the Rapture happens. Are you prepared for that event to happen?
PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord to be ready for the “any- moment” Rapture to take place and use me to tell others of how close we are to the call, by You, to join You in the heavenlies.
For further study - Numbers 19:1-21
Before we come to our devotional reading for today I want to take a quick look at the preceding five chapters in Numbers and have you notice several verses of interest for extra reading. This reading of these chapters will fill in the narrative of the “wanderings in the wilderness” of the Jewish people under the leadership of Moses.
Chapter 14 is revealing the “unbelief” of the Jews at that time in history, as evidenced in verses 11 and 24. Numbers 15 to 18 is an account of some of the “years of wandering”. You may want to study Numbers 17, the account of “Aaron’s rod that budded”.
As we come to our devotional for today, Numbers 19, we will read about the giving of the “ordinance of the red heifer”. This has an absolute relationship to the end times and the building of the next Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. More on that later in this devotional.
The ordinance of the "Red Heifer" was given to the Jewish people, from God, through Moses. This ordinance was for the “cleansing of those desecrated”, desecrated by coming in contact with “death”. Any such contact would make that Jewish person “un-pure” and with the need of “purification”.
The “ordinance of the Red Heifer” was given after the “Ten Commandments”, to Moses as the spokesman for God, to the Jewish people. It is a “prophecy”, in symbolic form, which was fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
As you can see by reading our devotional passage for today, the “red heifer” was to have never worn a “yoke” and was to be without a blemish of any type, verse 2. The “red” color of the young cow must also be without any other spot of any other color.
The priest was to lead the red heifer to an “alter without the gate”, meaning 3,000 feet away from the Temple, and “before his face”, verse 3, meaning to the “east” of the Tabernacle or Temple. “His face” is referring to the “Glory of the Lord” that hovered over the “Ark of the Covenant”.
After the priest “ceremonially killed” the red heifer it was placed on a “fire” of cedar wood and reduced to ashes. While that was happening the priest added a “scarlet ribbon” and some “hyssop”, a sponge-like plant, and the ashes of these ingredients were then added to a “stone jar” with “living water”, running water or "rain water", Then this “ashen-water” was sprinkled on that or those desecrated.
This ordinance will be reinstated during the Tribulation Period but is only a prototype of the “purification by the blood of Jesus Christ”, to cleanse each of us from our personal desecration, the result of sin. By the way, there is now a Red Heifer ready to be used during the Tribulation Period, that yet future time of Judgment on the Earth.
The Talmud, extra-Biblical Jewish writing, says when a “tenth” Red Heifer shows up to be used in this God-given ordinance, it is the “time of the coming of the Messiah”. That “tenth” Red Heifer is now ready to be used by the Jewish people.
It is truly amazing to think of how close we are to the Rapture - which must happen before the “Red Heifer ordinance” is restored during the Tribulation Period. In fact, we are so near that it could be today that the Rapture happens. Are you prepared for that event to happen?
PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord to be ready for the “any- moment” Rapture to take place and use me to tell others of how close we are to the call, by You, to join You in the heavenlies.