Research paper: The Red Heifer Sacrifice
Introduction
The Passover and the Red Heifer are the two great sacrifices that were not mentioned in Leviticus. All other sacrifices were mentioned in the book of Leviticus and discussed there. The Red Heifer is mentioned in Numbers chapter 19 (Now the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, "This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come. - Numbers 19:1-2 ESV).
The Red Heifer was a purification ceremony that had great significance to the nation of Israel and anyone who was considered unclean was to be cleansed with this water of purification as noted in Numbers chapter nineteen so things like touching a dead body, a person in the tent when someone dies, and other things that make one unclean ("Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days. Numbers 19:11 ESV) He shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean). Numbers 19:12 ESV) "This is the law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent and everyone who is in the tent shall be unclean seven days. Numbers 19:14 ESV) And every open vessel that has no cover fastened on it is unclean. Numbers 19:15 ESV) For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt sin offering, and fresh water shall be added in a vessel. Numbers 19:17 ESV) Then a clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water and sprinkle it on the tent and on all the furnishings and on the persons who were there and on whoever touched the bone, or the slain or the dead or the grave. Numbers 19:18 ESV) "If the man who is unclean does not cleanse himself, that person shall be cut off from the midst of the assembly, since he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. Because the water for impurity has not been thrown on him, he is unclean. Numbers 19:20 ESV) And it shall be a statute forever for them. The one who sprinkles the water for impurity shall wash his clothes, and the one who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening. Numbers ESV).
The Red Heifer
The Red Heifer was an unusual sacrifice as it was burned outside of the camp and it was wholly burnt, nothing was removed from this sacrifice not the skin or the blood or even the dung (And the heifer shall be burned in his sight. Its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned - Numbers 19:5 ESV). When we read about all the other sacrifices in Leviticus they all were skinned but not the Red Heifer.
In the Old Covenant there were many symbolic things, things that were physical often had spiritual meanings behind them (In the worship of the Old Testament, where everything was symbolical , that is, where spiritual realities were conveyed through outwards signs, every physical defilement would point to, and carry with it, as it were, a spiritual counterpart. - The Temple
The Red Heifer was to be without any physical defect and it must never have been yoked. It then was brought to Eleazar and killed outside of the camp. It is interesting to note that it wasn’t Eleazar who killed the animal but someone else did the killing in front of Eleazar. Then some of the blood of the sacrifice was taken on Eleazar’s finger and sprinkled, towards the front of the tent of meetings, seven times. Interesting to note that the number seven was used in reference to completion or holiness (So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. - Genesis 2:3 ESV). The sacrifice was then to be burnt in front of Eleaza, all of the animal was burnt with cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop.
Along with the Red Heifer, cedar, hysopp, and scarlet wool were burned to make the ceremonial ashes (And the priest shall take cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet yarn, and throw them into the fire burning the heifer. - Numbers 19:6 ESV - “While the heifer was being burned, “cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet” (i.e. scarlet wool or thread) were cast into the flames.” ISBE). The water that was made by the combining of the ashes was “water of purification” used to cleanse people and things that were unclean (“This water was employed in the removal of the uncleanness of a person or thing that had been in contact with a dead body, and also in removing ritual defilement from booty taken in war.” ISBE).
It is also interesting to note that in the Red Heifer as well as some other purification sacrifices, those who took part in the offering of the sacrifices were considered ceremonially unclean as well (Then the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. But the priest shall be unclean until evening. The one who burns the heifer shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his body in water and shall be unclean until evening. And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place. And they shall be kept for the water for impurity for the congregation of the people of Israel Israel Temple
Why did the sacrifice make the one doing the scarifying and those helping in other ways to prepare the Red Heifer sacrifice and the Water that was to be made from it unclean? It seems to me that it must have something to do with the issue for which it was ordained that being to clean the unclean. It may be that this showed the Israelites how important it was to be clean physically and how that being clean spiritually was connected to the physical. All the laws and sacrifices found in the Old Testament had physical as well as spiritual aspects and as we find in the New Testament they are fulfilled in Christ. I don’t understand all there is to know concerning why those involved with the sacrifice and preparations were unclean for being involved but it seems that it has spiritual reasons connected to it.
The Red Heifer sacrifice was an important part of the religious life under the old covenant system. The Jews of today are in search of a Red Heifer as they hope to rebuild the Temple and start the sacrifices again (April. 11, 2002 - Rod Dreher, senior writer for the National Review, asks a surprising question: "Could this little calf born last month in Israel bring about Armageddon?" Though many will laugh, he believes this is a very serious question. Without the ashes of a perfect red heifer, Jewish people could not be purified, and enabled to rebuild their Temple Temple Temple Temple Mount April 8, 2002 - A one month old red heifer, born in Israel Holy Temple
Conclusion
There is no need for the third Temple
As we have seen the Red Heifer sacrifice was a very important part of the Jewish Sacrificial System and for the Christian it finds its ultimate and final fulfillment in the person of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
Bibliography
English Standard Version
Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
The Temple
