AM Bible Study Group; July 21, 2010
Numbers 19:1-22
Theme: This passage describes God’s law to the people of Israel for their cleansing after contact with the dead.
The people of Israel had just experienced a dramatic contact with death. Because of their sinful rebellion, over 14,700 people died from within the camp of Israel (see Numbers 16:49). What’s more, the entire first generation of the people after the exodus was destined to perish in the wilderness before the next generation could come to the promised land. Death was a part of the daily story for Israel in the wilderness. And so, it was fitting that God would give instructions regarding the people’s contaminating contact with the dead.
Death, in this chapter, is a picture of the consequences of sin. Because of Adam’s sin, death spread throughout the human race (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12). Contact with the dead was not only defiling to the priests (see Leviticus 21:1-6); but it also defiled all the children of Israel (see Numbers 5:1-4). And yet, the Lord Jesus took the consequences of our sin upon Himself (Romans 6:23). Thus, this chapter gives us a picture of the sinless Son of God who cleanses us from the contaminating power of sin—-and its consequence, death.
I. THE BURNING OF THE RED HEIFER (vv. 1-10).
A. God spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them “the ordinance of the law which the LORD has commanded” (vv. 1-2). The way this ritual is spoken of indicates that it is something significant. Indeed, it is “a perpetual statute” (see vv. 10, 21). It has to do with the burning of a very particular heifer. But it was not like the burnt offering spoken of in Leviticus 1. It is not burned on the altar; but rather is burned outside the camp. What’s more, it is not the burning of a bull, but rather of a heifer.
B. The people were to bring a “red heifer” (i.e., a heifer that is red or reddish brown in color), without blemish, on which no defect could be found, and on which no yoke had ever been placed (v. 3). This makes us think of the sinlessness of Christ and the saving power of His blood. Because Aaron was the high priest, and because the ritual that would follow would cause the one who officiated it to be unclean, Aaron’s son Eleazar—rather than Aaron himself—was called upon by God. Eleazar was to take the heifer that was brought to him outside the camp (cf. John 19:17-18; Hebrews 13:11-13), and see to it that it is slaughtered before Eleazar the priest’s eyes (see Mark 15:31); then, he was to take the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the tabernacle of meeting (v. 4; see John 19:34). The details of this ritual connected the tabernacle to the cleansing that would be explained later in this chapter.
C. Then, the heifer was to be burned completely in his sight (v. 5). In this sense, it is like the burnt offering (see Leviticus 1:9). While it is being burned, the priest was to throw cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet (wool?) into the fire (v. 6). These three items, when put together, made a brush-like instrument (similar to a aspergillum) by which application was to be made (such as was done in the case of the Passover in Exodus 12:22). This, again, connected the instrument used for the application of the ashes of the heifer to the defiled person with the burning of the heifer outside the camp.
D. Then, the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe in water (v. 7). He would be unclean until evening. Likewise, the one burning the heifer would be unclean until evening (v. 8). Then another man—one who is ceremonially clean—would come and gather the ashes of the heifer and keep them outside the camp for use for the congregation of Israel (v. 9). He too—after doing so—would be unclean until evening (vv. 9-10). Note in verse 9 that we’re told that “it is for purifying from sin”. Both the Israelite and the resident alien were to observe this (v. 10).
II. THE APPLICATION FOR CLEANSING (vv. 11-22).
A. When anyone came into contact with a dead body, they were to be considered unclean (that is, ceremonially defiled and excluded from the worship in the tabernacle) for seven days (v. 11). That person was to be purified on the third day (which suggests something of our Lord’s resurrection; see Matthew 20:18-19) and then again on the seventh day (which is the number of perfection or completion); after which, they would be clean (v. 12). The third day and the seventh day, together, indicates a complete cleansing from defilement. But a failure to do as God instructs would leave the defiled person unclean because of their contact with death (v. 12). Refusal to be cleansed in the manner commanded by God—and then, daring to approach the tabernacle—would result in being “cut off” from the people of Israel; because the water of purification would not have been applied to them, and they would thus defile the temple of God (v. 13).
B. This ritual was also to be applied in the case of someone who died within a tent—such as in the case of someone who grew sick and died with their family all around them. All who were in the tent with the dead person, and all the articles that were within the tent, would be considered unclean for seven days and would need to be ceremonially cleansed (vv. 14-15). Even those who came into contact with a dead body in the open field would need to be cleanses (v. 16; see 31:19 for an example of the application of this principle after warfare).
C. The process for cleansing is described in verses 17-19. The ashes of the red heifer were to be placed in a vessel, and then mixed with running (literally “living”) water (v. 17). A ceremonially clean person was then to take the water—with the ashes—and apply it by hyssop to the one contaminated by the dead (v. 18). This was done first on the third day, and then again on the seventh; on which—after purifying themselves, washing their clothing, bathing in water—at evening, that person would be ceremonially clean and free once again to approach the tabernacle for worship (v. 19).
D. The importance of this ceremony is stressed in that it is repeated that the person who does not follow the ritual faithfully was to be cut off from among the assembly (v. 20). This was because “he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.” It’s stressed again that this is a “perpetual statute” (v. 21). In addition, it is stressed that the person who sprinkles the water is to wash his clothes afterwards; and that he who touches the water of purification was to be considered unclean until evening (v. 21). Furthermore, whatever the unclean person touched was unclean, and whoever touched what was made unclean by the unclean person was to be considered unclean until evening (v. 22)—suggesting that the person who was contaminated by contact with death affected others around them.
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The fact that this was to be a perpetual statute suggests its ongoing impact upon the people of God even today. Indeed, contact with death—the consequence of sin—truly does defile the soul. And yet, gratefully, Jesus now fulfills the need of which the red heifer was only a faint picture. As Hebrews 9:11-14 says; “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:11-14; emphasis added). And as Hebrews 10:19-22 affirms; “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19-22; emphasis added).