WeeklyWorship.org – Rev. Scott Zior - Discipling Nations

The Red CowIn the Bible, in Numbers 19, we read about the “Red Heifer” sacrifice. Another word for “heifer” is “cow.” This was aspecial sacrifice in Israel. There are many sacrifices mentioned in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.Most of the sacrifices were made by individuals for various personal reasons, by the priests for their sins and other reasonsand by the community or nation of Israel for their corporate sins. But the “Red Heifer” sacrifice was different and unique.It was done for Jews and Gentiles, for all nations! And that is good news for us!There were other times when a heifer was also used. Abraham cut the covenant with God using a heifer (Gen 15.9). In thecase of an untraceable homicide or murder, the neck of a heifer was to be broken and the nearest city elders were to washtheir hands over it and swear in front of the priests that they had no knowledge and were not responsible for the shed bloodand they were to ask for God's mercy (Deut 21).A red cow was selected without spot or blemish and which had never born a yoke. Even if the cow had a few white hairs, itwould be rejected. It speaks of Jesus being perfect, without sin. And it speaks of Jesus freely offering his life.The sacrifice was done outside the camp, while most of the other sacrifices were made in front of the altars in theTabernacle. Jesus Christ was also sacrificed outside the camp, outside the city of Jerusalem at a place called “Golgotha”which means “place of the skull.” I saw the place believed to be “Golgotha” when I visited Jerusalem. Now it is being usedas a bus stand. But you can see the face of a skull in the rock face. It is near the Garden tomb. I know a family in a villagein India who had to move outside the village when they accepted Jesus Christ. They were rejected by their community.They had to come outside the camp but Jesus was there to welcome them!The priest was to sprinkle the blood of the slain red cow seven times before the Tabernacle. This corresponds to the seventimes Jesus' blood was shed for you and for me. The first is when he sweat drops of blood in the Garden as he prayed to theFather. The second was when he was beaten and bruised when he was being questioned. The third was when they beat thecrown of thorns upon his head and blood flowed. The fourth was when he was whipped mercilessly. The fifth was whenthey nailed his hands to the cross beam. The sixth was when they nailed his feet. And the seventh was when the spear wasthrust into his side and blood and water flowed, proving he died of a broken heart, shedding all his blood for the sins of sinful men.“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from theempty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemishor defect (1 Pet 1.18-19).”Three items were also thrown onto the burning sacrifice: cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool. The cedar wood speaks of the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The hyssop was used to offer Jesus the sponge soaked in vinegar when he wasthirsty (Jn 19.29). One type of hyssop has three varieties of flowers: red, white and blue. The red speaks of the blood of Christ, redemption and the covenant. The white speaks of purity, salvation and the bride of Christ. The blue speaks of royalty, the priesthood and God's chosen people. The Israeli flag is white with blue stripes and the Star of David. Thescarlet wool was from a sheep even as Jesus was the worthy “Lamb that was slain” (Rev 5.12).” The scarlet dye was madefrom a worm.The cedar tree is very tall and the Cedar of Lebanon is world famous. Just look at the flag of Lebanon with a cedar tree inthe center. The hyssop is an herb growing close to the ground. And the worm lives in the dirt. It speaks of Jesus leavingthe highest heaven and coming down to the earth and humbling himself to die on a cross and being treated as a criminal,like a worm, and then being buried in a tomb carved in the ground.The ashes of the red heifer were gathered and mixed with water and used to purify uncleanness. And the ashes were kept ina special pot and each time a red heifer was sacrificed, its ashes were added to the pot. There are people, even today, whoare searching for that pot by following directions left in a copper scroll. The orthodox Jews also have kept some red heifersready for sacrifice. The recovered ashes along with a new red heifer sacrifice would help the Jews to purify the new templethey are planning to build in the future. This also ties in with Bible prophecy.But as followers of Jesus Christ, we do not need those ashes or another red heifer sacrifice. The heifer's ashes were used to purify the flesh, the outer man, but the blood of Jesus is used to purify the conscience, the inner man (Heb 9.13). WhatJesus Christ did on the cross was final. That's why he said “It is finished (John 19.30)!” Jesus Christ was mocked,