The Ceremony Part 1

A heifer could be offered as Peace offering Lev 3:1

Isa 15:5 with Jer 48:34 Moab (descendants of Lot) described as a baron heifer of three years old weeping and crying out because of her baronness.

Jer 46:20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

·       Fair heifer beautiful and desired.

Jer 50:11: Because ye (the Chaldeans) were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls;

·       A fat heifer that is too fat will not breed or produce.

Hosea 4:16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

·       Israel could have been a fair heifer but became like a heifer loosing weight and becoming weak and sickly. 

Ho 10:11 Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught to work, and loveth to tread out the corn; More pleasure in treading out the corn than plowing. An ox would not be muzzled, allowed to eat the grain.

·       Put a heavier yoke on Ephraim; the LORD will ride Ephraim hard. Make her pull the plow and harrow. Judah would guide. Jacob would guide the harrow.

The fair heifer that will be destroyed, the lamenting baron heifer, the heifer that becomes too fat, the yoked heifer that wants the easy work will be worked very hard, the fair heifer that becomes weak and sickly; all used by the LORD to describe the nations mentioned in these verses. Not in a good way.

**The red heifer was the fair heifer perfect condition, the perfect age for to be bred, she would have been desired above all other heifers. She was the perfect heifer to build up the herd.

Numbers 19:

V3a The red heifer was given to Eleazar, the son of Aaron

·       Num 20:28 Eleazar was made the high priest before Aaron dies. Eleazar’s  death is recorded Josh 24:33

V3b-5 Eleazar took the red heifer without the camp where another man killed her and Eleazar, the priest, went back to the tabernacle and sprinkled some of her blood right in front it seven times.

·       While the red heifer was not sacrificed as a sin offering sprinkling the blood seven time ties this ceremony to sacrifices for sin Lev 4:6; Lev 16:14,15,19

V5-6 The other man set the heifer on fire in the sight of the priest. Eleazar casted cedar wood, scarlet (some say it was red cloth or yard died scarlet or (I believe) scarlet die that caused scarlet smoke, hyssop. (Note: the heifer was red in color not scarlet)

·       Cedar wood is ordered to be burned ceremonially in Num 19. Cedar is an aromatic wood it’s burning would haved changed the smell of the burning heifer.

Ø    Cedar wood, scarlet and hyssop was to be dipped in the blood (not burned) of a bird that was killed to ceremonially cleanse a man or a house was declared cured of leprosy (Lev 14).  In Numbers 19:14 they are used in tents.

·       Scarlet was a bright red color. It was one of the most durable, hard to remove, dies. (2Sam1:24, Prov 31:21) shows it was a highly esteemed color. It was in the garments of the high priest, in the curtains of the tabernacle. It identified the house of Rahab. It was the color of the robe mockingly placed on Jesus. Royal color.

Ø    Isa 1:18 with 1John 1:7 and Rev 7:14 Scarlet shows the durable nature sin. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can remove the stain of sin. The destruction of sin

·       Hyssop was a vine that grew like it came out the rock walls (1Kings 4:33). Ps 51:7 associated with purging or purifying. In John 19:29 hyssop was used to raise the vinegar filled sponge to the mouth of Jesus while he was on the cross. Could be used a whip. [Ex 12:24, Heb 9:19]

·       Cedar wood would change the putrid smell of the burning red heifer into a pleasing odor to God; the scarlet would change the gray smoke into colored smoke highly esteemed by God; Hyssop showed the purifying ability of the ashes of the heifer. Heb 9:13