Num. 19 - 21 : 1 Chukat (The Red Heifer)

[Mark]

Numbers 19-22:1

The Parashah reading that teaches us about the Red Heifer is said to be one of the most perplexing in all of : so much so that Midrash Rabbah states that it was utterly baffling to the wisdom of Solomon. Yet, when we have "the rest of the story" in the fulfillment of Messiah Yeshua, we may see the powerful imagery that Adonai is striving to express.
So, how rare is a Red Heifer? In Mishneh we are told that there were nine between the times the commandment was given and the destruction of the second Temple. "The first was prepared by Moses, the second by Ezra, and another seven were prepared between Ezra and the destruction of the second Temple." (Chabab.org Parshah in Depth) There was reported a red heifer born in Israel in 2002 and one about 20 years before that. It is rare enough that each time one is reported, wild rumors begin to circulate heralding the imminent coming of the Messiah.
The word "red" is the word aw-dam, transliterated as the name of the first man created by Adonai. Immediately we begin to piece together descriptions of our Messianic Hope. Paul, on two occasions (Romans 15:14-19, 1st Corinthians 15:21-22) describes Messiah in comparison to the first Adam. The heifer, most symbolically is for the cleansing from death.
It’s quite interesting that this heifer is given a personal pronoun in this description: "she" as opposed to "it". This is unique. All of the other sacrifices are "its". Draw whatever conclusions from this you like: the rabbis are all scratching their heads.
The recipe of cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop is found one other place in the Scriptures: Leviticus 14. This is the Law concerning the cleansing of the leper (deliverance from certain death). Each of these elements would bear their own significance in the minds of the Jewish people, making a graphic illustration. The hyssop was, of course used to wipe the blood of the Paschal lamb on the door posts. It was also a hearty herb that could grow almost anywhere- with very little soil or water and yet thrive. It has a powerful medicinal value. The color scarlet has its own history and represents that which is chosen or sanctified. It is first used in Genesis 38:28-30 of twin sons that were born. One stuck out his hand and a scarlet thread was tied around it. Remember that the rope that hung from the window of Rahab in Jericho was scarlet (Joshua 2:18). Finally, cedar represents life and vitality. When traveling through the wilderness, the cedar would have a wonderful meaning. Cedars grow near water. For one to shout that they smell cedar would be the same as driving through the Mojabe Desert and seeing the big blue sign that says, "Rest Stop 5 Miles." It was also the building material of choice.
Most significant for us to consider, I believe, is that everyone who touches or is touched by death becomes unclean. Yet, a clean man must be available to remove the ashes of the heifer from the camp (Numbers 19:9). In everyday life in America, this doesn’t seem like it would be any big deal. What about plagues or war? It is conceivable that each family member would have been involved in the process of caring for the dying and or burying the dead. This gives special meaning to a requirement that was placed upon the High Priest that we may have thought to be harsh at first hearing (Leviticus 21:10-11); but guarantees that there will always be someone who is capable of carrying out this command.
Here’s the message: we are saved by grace through faith in the substitutiary act of another. Particularly when faced with our mortality, we recognize that Adonai has made for us a way of escape. Yet, our atonement is not on the basis of our own devices. It requires the miraculous intervention of Adonai: that which does not happen naturally yet happens anyway, such as the birth of the red heifer.
Even the great man, Moses, forgot this. In the following chapter he strikes the rock to bring forth water. Most commentators suggest that Adonai was angry with Moses because of his act of disobedience: he struck the rock instead of spoke to it. There may be another factor that is significant. Moses was torqued. The children of Israel had whined and ninnied for forty years about how loathsome this manna had become to them. Yet Adonai had provided consistently, never allowing them to famish. Now they were complaining again. Moses said, "Shall we (speaking of Moses and Aaron) fetch you water out of this rock?" Whether or not Adonai was angry because Moses smote as opposed to spoke is of valuable speculation. Yet, He clearly said that he was mad at both Moses and Aaron because they did not "sanctify My name in the eyes of the children of Israel…" They credited themselves for the miracle of bringing water from the rock as opposed to giving glory to Adonai. Neither of them would live very much longer because of this.
It’s easy to think we can do it. The miracles of Adonai rarely come with great pomp or theatrics. He doesn’t have to show off for us. His wonders are manifest daily in the most incredible ways; yet, we become all too familiar with them… like manna from heaven. After forty years it’s really not such a big deal anymore. on us. For the longest time, even until very recently, when I would get discouraged, I’d pray for some miracle- just a sign from Adonai to tell me that He is still there and still caring about little ol’ me. Then I realized that miracles don’t do it. In wandering through the wilderness and seeing the greatest recorded acts of Adonai in history. The Israelite people still refused to recognize His dominion and authority. For me to say that I’m any better than them would be to say that I am more righteous than Moses who struck the rock instead of speaking to it.
Yet, Adonai is so very faithful. Even in His judgment, He offers us redemption in clearly and unequivocally miraculous ways: just look on the bronze serpent that has been lifted up and you will be healed. The message throughout the Scriptures is absolutely consistent. The gospel is the same: the Word is Life.
Often we get tied to the idea of doing and being: looking the part that sets us apart as we see as holy or godly. Adonai is not impressed with our efforts. He is concerned with our honesty: recognizing our need for Him and responding to the gift of Hope that He continually offers to us. This isn’t a justification for living in disobedience; but recognizing that this is who we are, and recognizing who we must acknowledge that He is. Haleluyiah! Amen!

[Mark]

As a response to sin and the association sin has with death, Adonai commanded a rather bizarre ritual cleansing before one could gain access into the Tabernacle courts. This ritual needed to be performed within seven days of having come into contact with a dead body. A specific animal, a red heifer (cow) was sacrificed on the alter and the ashes of that sacrifice was preserved. When someone came into contact with death, they would need to be sprinkled with water that had been mixed with some of the ashes from that sacrifice.

In Hebrew, the word "red" is the word aw-dam (Adam) which is distinguished by the color of the red clay so common along the river beds of the fertile crescent. In Greek, the word pooros (and the many derivitives thereof) is the color of fire, hot embers or the deep evening sun (think Mediteranian pictures from National Geographic).

In a number of cases, the color red carries as association or an allusion to death. The case of the Red Heifer is obvious. The people passing through the Red Sea is aluded to in the context of baptism (rebirth, thus passing into death) in 1st Corinthians 10:2. The horse of the apocalypse in Revelation 6:4 which would bring death is red.

These associations (to the Hebrew earth and to the Greek fire) are typical to their understanding of death in their own cultures. It is strange to us, even uncomfortable, that our worship could be hindered, even our relationship with the community of Adonai rejected because we fail to identify what our contact with the dead does to us.

In fact, many of us have had little or no contact with one who has died. We have professional services that keep us distant from such mortal contact. I wonder if our casual, sanitized understanding of death places limitations on our capacity to understand Adonai's gift of life and thus cheapens the promises He has extended to us through our Messiah. The wages of sin and death have become little more than an academic anomale- since we are confronted with the reality of it in such distant circumstances.