How does the red heifer relate to Christ's death?

Answer 1

For a book of four hundred pages going into great detail, go to redheifer.de and download the free book 'The Mystery of the Red Heifer Revealed'.

The sacrifice of the Red Heifer is a theater production of the crucifixion of Jesus and occurred a total of 9 times (Talmud), 8 of which were performed on the mount of Olives. It also reveals the requirements of a valid baptism, that people might receive the washing from sin through Christ's death.

The blood was sprinkled seven times by the priest as he looked into the temple entrance.

And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly towards the entrance of the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: Num 19,4

The curtain on this day was always open, otherwise the sacrifice was invalid because he would not see the entrance of the temple.

How does this relate to the death of Christ? First, his view went directly over Golgotha (www.golgotha.eu). Second, it was foretelling the ripping of the curtain, which all saw standing at the top of Golgotha, a confirmation from the LORD, that his sacrifice was valid.

Here is a short list of the Red Heifer theater production prophecies: (many of the points are mentioned in the Talmud and the Mishnah Parah)

1. The Red Heifer had to be perfectly red and was extremely rare.

The Messiah had to fulfill every prophecy foretelling his coming.

2. The Red Heifer was purchased with temple money.

The Messiah was betrayed for temple money.

3. The Red Heifer had to wait until its third year to be sacrificed.

The Messiah was sacrificed in his third year after being revealed to Israel by John the baptist.

4. The Red Heifer had to be watched diligently even from its day of birth to assure no yoke was laid upon it.

After John the baptist revealed Jesus as being the Messiah, for the next three years he was closely watched by the priests and the pharisees.

5. The Red Heifer was first brought to Aaron, who would make a quick look as to its validity (Aaron was 123 years old).

The Messiah was first brought to Annas, who made a quick examination. (Jn 18,13)

4. Aaron was commanded to give the Red Heifer over to Eleazar, his son. Eleazar would then carefully check all its hairs, and verify with those who knew the Red Heifer, that it never bore a yoke. He would also carefully check that there be no blemish.

Annas gave Jesus over to Caiaphas (Jn 18,24), his son-in-law, who then carefully examined him. All who knew him were called to give testimony. Again and again Jesus had been threatened with death because he never carried the yoke of the Jewish laws. He was accused of not keeping the Sabbath, not washing his hands before he ate, not keeping the laws of the elders.

6. The Red Heifer had to be sacrificed in its own name, because it was the Red Heifer. (Mishnah Parah)

The Messiah was sacrificed because he claimed to be the Messiah.

7. Eleazar led the Red Heifer outside the camp to be sacrificed

Caiaphas led Jesus outside the camp to be sacrificed.

8. The Red Heifer must be sacrificed in the sight of the priest, but not by the priest. (Num 19,3)

Jesus was crucified in the sight of the priest, but not by the priest.

9. The priest must be able to see the entrance of the temple as he sprinkles the blood. The pirest stood east of the Red Heifer. The Red Heifer was facing east, with its head in the south (Mishnah Parah), facing towards the temple entrance, and the priest behind him.

The Messiah was crucified facing east, with a southern slant, towards the temple entrance, and Caiaphas was behind him, also facing east. As Jesus died Caiaphas saw the entrance of the temple, for the curtain ripped.

10. The Red Heifer had to be burned in the sight of the priest, but not by the priest. There is no requirement concerning those who burn the Red Heifer, they could be any Israelite. Should not the most holy sacrifice be performed by the priest?

The Messiah spent three hours, from 12:00 to 15:00, in burning agony in the sight of Caiaphas. It was not the priest, however, who crucified him, but rather the centurion and the four soldiers. They were heathens who did this in the sight of Caiaphas.

11. The priest threw cedar wood (the cross), hyssop (bitter herb) and crimson wool (sin Isa 1,18) upon the burning Red Heifer.

Caiaphas and the other priests accused Jesus vehemently before the elders of Israel, throwing upon him the guilt and sin of Israel as he suffered on the cross.

12. Although this was the most important sacrifice, which would make people clean, still the priest who made the sacrifice becomes unclean. Even after washing his clothes and being immersed (baptized) in water, he returns to the city unclean.

Although the sacrifice of Jesus was done to atone for sin, Caiaphas, who had him sacrificed, became unclean through this. Later he leads the whole nation of Israel into uncleanness as they persecute and kill those who are his followers. It was his lie which denies his Resurrection, that his disciples stole his body in the night.

13. The one who burns the Red Heifer in his sight, even after washing his clothes and being immersed also remains unclean.

The centurion and the four soldiers become unclean through their executing the Messiah. Later the whole nation of Rome become unclean through the blood of the saints.

14. Then a clean man comes and gathers the ashes into earthen vessels. They are then taken to a sepulchre, a clean place. For each Red Heifer there had to be a newly hewn clean place. (Talmud - stone does not transmit uncleanness. Clean places were also used for emptying the temple ashes onto the Mount of Olives.)

Then Joseph of Arimethea, a disciple of Jesus, living according the Jewish laws and in their council, takes his body and brings it to his own sepulchre, newly hewn out of stone.

15. The ashes must be watched for the next days continually.

The Messiah was watched for the next days continually.

16. The three young boys (between 6 and 8) had to gather the ashes and bring them into the clean place before the sun would set.

Joseph took Jesus from the cross and brought him into his sepulchre before the sun set.

17. The ashes were then divided into three parts, one for the Mount of Olives, where all the Israelites came to mix the water, one for the 24 courses of priests who served in the temple to sprinkle those who would enter the temple in their seven day purification, and one was placed in the rampart (wall) leading into the court of women (the outer court), and never decayed over all the centuries until the destruction of the temple. (Talmud)

After three days the body of Jesus was revealed in three ways, one for all who would become members of the body of Christ, one for the priests, who serve in his Church and give his body and blood to those who are cleansed, and one was placed in the heavens, never to decay for all generations, where he will one day return in this same body (Rev 1,7)

18. The ashes were to be for the water of the purification of sin (Num 19,9)

The death of Jesus brings cleansing and forgiveness of sins as we are immersed in baptism.

The first place recorded where people were cleaned of their uncleanness by the ashes was at the place where Jesus was baptized by John, where the people of Israel crossed into the promised land, and where Elisha and Elijah crossed the Jordan on dry ground, Elijah then ascending into heaven. On the east side of the Jordan, as Moses was still alive, 44.000 Israelites were immersed in the Jordan as they completed the seven day purification. (Num 31,19-24)

19. The cleansing of the Red Heifer required that the people be sprinkled on the third day, and whoever would not be sprinkled on the third day would not be cleansed on the seventh day through the immersion (Num 19,12)

Jesus and the apostles would preach the death (Red Heifer ashes) and that Jesus rose on the third day (applying the water on the third day fortold his resurrection). The living water is the Holy Spirit mixed with these ashes. It was required that people receive their sprinkling (Spirit filled preaching). Whoever would not receive their message would not be cleansed on the day of the covenant entrance (baptism) where they are immersed.

20. On the seventh day it was required that they wash their clothes before entering the water of immersion (into the Mikweh). Num 19,19

On the day of entering the covenant (seventh day) it is required that we repent, being saved from the filth (corruption) in our generation. (Acts 2,40)

21. Whoever does not undergo the seven day purification will not become clean by immersion.

Whoever has not received the message of the gospel and repented will not receive the forgiveness of sins, even though they are immersed.

22. If anyone is only sprinkled, but not immersed, they are also not cleansed. In the short tractat 'Mishnah Parah', the word valid (including invalid) occurs an amazing 165 times. If anything is not exactly kept to the word, the seven day cleansing process has to begin again.

If anyone is only sprinkled, but not immersed in baptism, or has not believed the gospel, or has not repented, or is not willing to live as a disciple of Jesus, they are not cleansed of their sins in baptism. They must fulfill the requirements of baptism and then afterwards be immersed in order for it to be valid.

23. Anyone who does not perform the seven day cleansing may not enter the temple. Such a person has defiled the temple and must be cut off from Israel.

Whosoever touches the dead body of any man that is dead, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the LORD ; that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. Num 19,13

He that believes the gospel and is baptized will be saved. He that does not believe will be damned. Mk 16,16

Because the LORD repeats this command twice, we may be absolutely certain that he will do just this.

But the man that is unclean, and does not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water for impurity has not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean. Num 19,20

This is the warning that accompanies those who preach the gospel. They who receive their message are baptized (Acts 2,41). Those who do not receive their message (refusing the third day sprinkling) will be cut off.

And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination, or makes a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev 21,27

24. Anyone who touches the water becomes unclean. And all and everything this unclean person touches becomes unclean. And anyone that touches him becomes unclean.

The one who touches the water for impurity shall be unclean until evening. ll which the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the soul that touches him shall be unclean until evening. Num 19,21b-22

Anyone who preaches any other gospel than the third day sprinkling, the death and resurrection of Jesus, or anyone who touches the water in any way changing the requirements of baptism, or baptizing babies or being baptized as babies, or sprinkling instead of immersion, touches the most holy water in a wrong way. This uncleanness is more contagious and greater than the uncleanness of the priest or the one who burnt the Red Heifer. And this uncleanness came after Jesus commanded his disciples to baptize.

Go you therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen. Matt 28,19-20

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed. Gal 1,8-9

Just as the warning of being cut off is repeated twice as the LORD spoke to Moses in Num 19, so is the warning of being accursed by changing anything concerning the gospel repeated twice in Gal 1.

The death of Jesus is so holy, that it makes many unholy. And that which makes some unholy sanctifies others.

One of the greatest mysteries of the red heifer is why the priest and those who burn the red heifer become unclean.

Another of the greatest mysteries of the water is why the water of holiness makes the unclean clean, and yet that same water makes those who are clean unclean.

These and countless other mysteries are revealed in my book, 'The Mystery of the Red Heifer Revealed'.