Joel M Bradshaw

9“A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin. 10The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the foreigners residing among them.

11“Whoever touches a human corpse will be unclean for seven days. 12They must purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then they will be clean. But if they do not purify themselves on the third and seventh days, they will not be clean. 13If they fail to purify themselves after touching a human corpse, they defile the Lord’s tabernacle. They must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on them, they are unclean; their uncleanness remains on them.–Numbers 19

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! (Hebrews 9:13-14, emphasis)

1. THIS WAS A DEADLY SERIOUS MATTER.
2. THE RED HEIFER’S ASHES PROVIDED RITUAL CLEANSING AND COUD BE SAVED FOR THE FUTURE.
3. THE DEATH OF THE RED HEIFER THEREFORE GAVE ISRAEL ASSURANCE OF CLEANSING.
4. THIS PREACHES. THE PAST DEATH PROVIDED PRESENT AND FUTURE ASSURANCE.
5. THE PAST DEATH OF JESUS FULLY PROVIDES THE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL CLEANSING WE REQUIRE EVEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER! WE CAN HAVE ASSURANCE!–JMB