Read Numbers 19
Highlights:
Red heifer sacrifice; Miriam’s death; Moses strikes the rock twice; Edom refuses Israel passage; Aaron’s death
The red heifer sacrifice was instituted and only practiced for a limited time in the wilderness of Paran at a time when all Israel was under the sentence of death. The Law required that whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the Tabernacle of the Lord (Numbers 19:13).
The blood of the red heifer was burned, and then its ashes were mixed with “running water” (19:5,17) and sprinkled upon the defiled ones in order to restore them to the Holy God (19:18-19). The Hebrew word for “running” also means “living” – implying not only cleansing from sin but renewal of life. The water of purification was made from the ashes of only one heifer for all the people.
Through the red heifer ordinance, God gave a new revelation of the importance of cleansing from defilement of our thoughts, conversations, the books we read, associations with unbelievers, or whatever else we may do that defiles our minds or bodies. The necessity of holiness is made in both the Old and New Testaments. Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 20:7). So be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).
The red heifer sacrifice is symbolic of Christ who cleanseth us from all sin (1 John 1:7). Through His death on the cross, He has given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having es-caped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4). The plan of God is that Christ’s own life be reproduced in Christians.
As we pray for Christ to live out His life in us, we will express His character. Paul said: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
Thought For The Day:
God is the righteous judge. It is His place, not ours, to judge His people.
Word Studies:
19:6 hyssop, a bushy plant used for cleansing; 20:3 chode, argued; 20:12 sanctify Me, uphold Me in reverential honor; 20:13 strove, contended; 20:14 travail, hardship; 20:15 vexed, afflicted; dealt harshly with.
Christ Revealed:
Through the rock that Moses struck (Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:8-11). Christ, our Rock, who was struck once through His death on the cross, does not need to be struck again. That spiritual Rock (Petra) that followed (accompanied) them . . . was Christ (1 Corinthians 10:4). For in that He died, He died unto sin once (Romans 6:10).
Prayer Suggestion: Confess and forsake all sin (Isaiah 59:12-13).
Optional Reading: Luke 8
Memory Verse for the Week: Hebrews 4:14-15
