Not One of the Atonement Day Sacrifices – Not One of the Subsequent Sacrifices for the People – The Class Typified by This Sacrifice – The Apostle Paul the Under-Priest Who Witnesses and Testifies Respecting the Antitype – The Sprinkling of the Ashes for the Cleansing of the People Will Be During the Millennial Age – How the Cleansing Will Be Effected.
(1) Was the sacrifice of the red heifer a "sin-offering" in any sense?
No.
How do we know this?
Because it was not sacrificed in the Court, its blood was not taken into the Holy or the Most Holy.
Num. 19:1-5; T.105.
(2) What was done with the ashes of the heifer?
The ashes were placed in a heap outside the camp and were used with hyssop for cleansing of the unclean.
T.105.
In view of what we have seen respecting the Day of Atonement sacrifices, which foreshadowed the better sacrifices of this Gospel age (accomplished by the Royal Priesthood, Christ, Head and Body) this heifer was in no sense related to these, and evidently did not typify any of the sacrifices of this present time. So likewise it is different from any of the sacrifices that were accepted on behalf of the people of Israel after the Day of Atonement, and which we have just shown signified their repentance and sorrow for sins during the Millennium, and their full consecration of themselves to the Lord. The burning of the heifer was not related to any of these sacrifices, all of which were made by the priests, and in the Court. We must look elsewhere for an antitype to this Red Heifer, for had it in any sense of the word represented the priests, it would of necessity have been killed by one of them as indicating that fact.
(3) Was this sacrifice in any way related to the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement?
No. If it were then it would have been slain in the court by the priests.
T.106, par. 1 (1st 5 lines).
(4) Was it different from the sacrifices offered by the people of Israel after the Day of Atonement?
Yes. Those sacrifices pictured "their repentance and sorrow for sins during the Millennium, and their full consecration of themselves to the Lord." Such sacrifices were offered to the Priests. The Red Heifer is not offered to the Priests.
T.106, par. 1 (6th line down).
What, then, did this sacrifice of the red heifer signify? – What class or persons were represented by it, as having suffered outside the "Camp," and in what sense of the word would their sufferings have to do with the cleansing or purification of the people of God – including those who shall yet become his people during the Millennial age?
We answer that a class of God's people not of the "Royal Priesthood" did suffer for righteousness' sake outside the "Camp"; a brief history of these, and of the fiery trials which they endured, is given us by the Apostle in Heb. 11. [T107] Of these he says, after recounting the faith exploits of a number, "What shall I say more? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephtha; of David also, and of Samuel and of the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain by the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy." Heb. 11:32-38
(5) What, then, did this sacrifice of the red heifer signify?
It represented a class of people who, like the Royal Priesthood, suffered outside the camp. Yet this class was not part of the Royal Priesthood. They were not sacrificed in the Court and their blood not taken into the Most Holy.
And what class was represented by it?
The Ancient Worthies.
And how would their sufferings have to do with the cleansing of the people of God, both of this age and the age to come?
These lead by example. According to the Apostle Paul these were, to us, "a great cloud of witnesses." They set us the example of what it costs to be in the service of the Lord in this life. And, just as it has been an encouragement for us, so shall it be in the next age for the world of mankind.
Heb. 9:13; 11:32-38. T.106, par. 3.
Here we have a class fitting to the account of the Red Heifer – a class which laid down their lives outside the "Camp"; a class in every way honorable, and yet not a priestly class. This class being no part of the Body of the High Priest could have no part or share in the sin-offerings of the Atonement Day – nor could it be admitted into the spiritual conditions typified by the Holy and Most Holy. It may seem to some remarkable that we should, with so much positiveness, declare that these ancient worthies were not members of the "Royal Priesthood," while with equal positiveness we declare that the no more faithful servants of God of this Gospel age are members of this "Royal Priesthood." Our positiveness on this subject is the positiveness of the Word of God, which in the very connection with the narrative of the faithfulness of these patriarchs declares in so many words, "These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise [received not the [T108] chief blessing], God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." Heb. 11:39,40
(6) Is this class, represented in the red heifer, a part of the Body of Christ, the Royal Priesthood?
No. See Heb. 11:39,40.
Heb. 11:39,40; T.107, par. 1.
Nor should it be difficult for us to realize that although there could be antitypical Levites (justified by faith in a coming atonement) before our Lord Jesus came into the world, yet there could be no antitypical priests, for he was the Head or Chief Priest, and in all things had pre-eminence, and made atonement for the blemishes of his "Body" and of "his house" before any could become his brethren and members of the royal priesthood. Our Lord himself stated this matter very pointedly, and succinctly pointed out the line of demarcation between the faithful ones that preceded him and the faithful ones who would follow after him, walking in his footsteps, and becoming his joint-heirs. Of John the Baptist he said, "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist; notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he." (Matt. 11:11) John the Baptist belonged to this Red Heifer class which suffered outside the "Camp," even unto death, but he had nothing whatever to do with the still better sacrifices of the royal priesthood during the Atonement Day, whose fat and life producing organs were offered upon God's altar in the "Court," and whose blood was taken into the "Most Holy," typical of those who become new creatures in Christ Jesus, even members of his "Body," the Church, joint-heirs with him in all things.
(7) How can we be sure of this?
Matt. 11:11; Heb. 10:19,20.
Matt. 11:11; Heb. 6:19,20; 2:3; T.108, par. 1.
But while these ancient worthies are not in any sense part of the sin-offering, they are nevertheless connected with the cleansing from sin: their ashes (the knowledge and remembrance of their faithfulness unto death), mingled with the water of truth, and applied with the purgative, cleansing hyssop, is valuable, purifying, sanctifying all who desire to [T109] come into full harmony with God – and "sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purification of the flesh." Not, however, of themselves would these lessons of faithfulness in the past be valuable to us, but only by, through and associated with the sin-offerings of the Day of Atonement, to which the Apostle refers in the same connection – "the blood of bulls and goats." And not only are the remembrance and lessons of the faithfulness of the ancient worthies (typified by the ashes of the red heifer) of sanctifying power to us now, but in a much larger sense they will be applicable and a blessing to the world of mankind in general during the Millennial age. For, as we have elsewhere seen, the divine arrangement is that these ancient worthies, the greatest of whom is less in honor than the least one in the Kingdom, will nevertheless occupy a place of high honor and distinction under that Kingdom of God – as its agents and representatives. For they shall be the "princes in all the earth," the agents of the Kingdom's judgments, and the channels of its blessings, to "all the families of the earth." Thus the faithfulness of these ancient worthies was represented in the gathered ashes of the heifer, as laid up in store for future use, valuable lessons of experience, faith, obedience, trust, etc., which, applied to the world of mankind, seeking cleansing in the coming age, will sanctify them and purify them – not without the Day of Atonement sacrifices, but in connection with and based upon those. Psa. 45:16
(8) What was typified by the "ashes" of the heifer?
The faithfulness of the Ancient Worthies.
T.108, par. 2 (first half).
(9) What will be the station or position of the "Ancient Worthies"?
They will be made "princes in all the earth." Psa. 45:16
Psa. 45:16; T.108, par. 2 (last half).
The burning of the heifer was witnessed by a priest, who took cedar wood and a sprig of hyssop and a scarlet string and cast them into the midst of the burning cow. The hyssop would represent purging or cleansing, the cedar wood or evergreen would represent everlasting life, and the scarlet string would represent the blood of Christ. The casting of these three into the midst of the burning would imply that the ignominy heaped upon the ancient worthies who [T110] were stoned, sawn asunder, etc., and of whom the world was not worthy, permitted the merit of the precious blood, the cleansing of the truth, and the gift of everlasting life to be accounted to them through faith; and that subsequent to their death they would be recognized as cleansed, justified, accepted. The under-priest (not Aaron, who typified the Lord Jesus) who saw, recognized and approved the burning of the heifer and who took of its blood and sprinkled it in the direction of the Tabernacle door, would seem well antityped in that great under-priest, the Apostle Paul, who, by the help of God (the name Eleazar signifies "Helped by God") has not only identified for us the sin-offerings of the Atonement Day, but also in his writings points out to us (Heb. 11) that which enables us to identify the Red Heifer sacrifice as typifying the ancient worthies. And thus he sprinkles their blood toward the Tabernacle, showing that their lives were in full, complete harmony with the Tabernacle conditions – although, not living in the time of this high calling, it was not their privilege to become members of the Body of the great High Priest, the royal priesthood.
(10) Who witnessed the burning of the heifer?
One of the under-priests.
and what did he do?
He cast cedar wood, a sprig of hyssop and a scarlet string into the midst of the burning cow.
(11) What was typified by the "cedar wood," the "sprig of hyssop" and the "scarlet string"?
Cedar wood - everlasting lifeSprig of hyssop - purging or cleansingScarlet string - the blood of Christ.
(12) Why were they cast into the midst of the burning heifer?
To imply that the scorn of the world was cast upon them even as it has been upon the Christ, and that they were justified by their faith. John 8:56; Heb. 11:17-19; Rom. 4:11
T.109.
(13) Who would seem to be typified by the under-priest who approved this burning and took of the blood and sprinkled it toward the Tabernacle door?
The Apostle Paul who pointed out for us the typical nature of the Law. He is the one who explained about the role of the priesthood, Melchisedek as the true High Priest order, picturing Christ, etc.
T.109, par. 1.
By way of review:
The Red Heifer was NOT part of the Day of Atonement sin-offering. Its blood was not taken into the Most Holy and it was not given to the High Priest to be sacrificed. As it was burned outside the camp it represented a class of people who, like The Christ, suffered outside the fellowship of the non-consecrated. This group is the Ancient Worthies, those whose lives were a shining example to both the saints of the Gospel Age as well as to the world of mankind in the next age.
We also discussed that the nominal Christians will say "It is not fair that Bible Heroes like David and Moses are not part of the Little Flock. This view must be incorrect."
To these we respond with Hebrews 11 - God has provided something Better for us, and Hebrews 10:19-20 which tells us that Jesus was the first and He opened 'a new and living way." If it is a 'new way' then those faithful of old could not have gone over that 'way' because it was not there yet. We also point them to Matt. 11:11 which points out that even John the Baptist was not a part of the church class.
We discussed how the ashes of the Red Heifer pictured the remembrance of the faithfulness of the Ancient Worthies. Ashes are the result of burning. This is similar to smoke being symbolic of the remembrance of something burned (as in the burning of the false religious system in Revelation.)
Their blood was NOT taken by the High Priest into the Tabernacle but was instead sprinkled in the direction of the door of the Tabernacle by one of the under-priests, indicating that the course of these faithful Ancient Worthies pointed toward the sacrifices of the Day of Atonement. There was discussion about the Apostle Paul as possibly being the particular under-priest who showed us how these faithful ones of old were not a part of the great sin-offering but were indeed a 'cloud of witnesses' for us and for the world in the next age. (All did not agree with the under-priest picturing the Apostle Paul.)
In that the red heifer never wore a yoke, it represented a class of justified persons – made free from the Law Covenant. Although most of the ancient worthies were born under the Law Covenant, and therefore legally subject to its conditions and to its condemnation through imperfection of the flesh, nevertheless, we see that God justified them through faith, as the children of faithful Abraham. This is fully attested and corroborated by the Apostle, when he says that "all these obtained a good report of God through faith" – a verdict of, Well done, a testimony that they pleased God, and that he had provided for them blessings in harmony with his promise – although these blessings could not be given to them at the time, but must be waited for and be received through the spiritual Seed of Abraham – [T111] the Christ. The fact that this sacrifice must be a cow and not a bullock served to differentiate it from the great sacrifice of the Day of Atonement which could be a bullock only. That it must be a red cow would seem to teach that those ancient worthies were not sinless and therefore accepted of God before the great Atonement Day sacrifice, but that they were "sinners even as others." The fact of their cleansing or justification by faith, was otherwise indicated as above suggested.
(14) What was typified in the choosing of a red heifer which "never wore a yoke"?
The ancient worthies, even though most were born under the law, were never under the yoke of the law. These were justified by their faith.
T.110, par. 1.
(15) Why was a heifer chosen and not a bullock?
To distinguish it from the Bullock and thus from the Day of Atonement sacrifices.
And why must it be red?
It would seem to say the Ancient Worthies were sinners like other men. Remember, this heifer was "without blemish." This indicates that the class represented by the heifer was a justified class.
The cleansings for which these red cow ashes were prescribed, were of a peculiar kind; namely, specially for those who came in contact with death. This would seem to indicate that these ashes of the heifer were not designed to remove the individual's guilt – no, his moral guilt could be cleansed away only through the merit of the Atonement Day sacrifices. The cleansing of defilement through contact with the dead would seem to teach that this cleansing, affected by and through the experiences of the ancient worthies, will specially apply to the world of mankind during the Millennial age, while they are seeking to get rid of all the defilements of Adamic death – seeking to attain human perfection. All the blemishes of the fallen condition are so much of contact with death; all constitutional weaknesses and blemishes through heredity are contacts with death: and from all of these the ashes of the Red Heifer are to be used for the cleansing of all who will become the people of God. Like the ashes of the red heifer, laid up in a clean place, so the results of the painful experiences of the ancient worthies will be a store of blessings, instruction and help, by which they, when made subordinate "princes" in the Kingdom, will assist in the restitution work. Each pardoned sinner, desiring to be cleansed perfectly, must not only wash himself with water (truth), but must also have applied to him the instructions of these "princes" – said instructions [T112] being typified by the sprinkled ashes of the heifer, representing the valuable lessons of faith and obedience learned through experience by this class. Exod. 12:22; Lev. 14:4,49; Psa. 51:7; Heb. 9:19
(16) For what particular cleansings were the ashes of this heifer prescribed?
It was only for those who came in contact with death.
Ex. 12:22; Lev. 14:4,49; Psa. 51:7; Heb. 9:19; T.111, par. 1.What does this symbolize?
What does this symbolize?
This contact with a dead body pictures man's contact with Adamic sin, i.e., when they are raised from the dead they come back as they went down into death. There is no miraculous cleansing of their hearts and minds so that they are now in harmony with God. No, they still have all the old fallen, Adamic sinful tendencies. The world of mankind will still need to be cleansed from these fallen ways.
How does this differ from the benefits that accrue to the world of mankind because of the Sin-offering?
The sin-offering allows mankind to progress. The sins committed are covered by the mediator (The Christ Head and Body.) However, the fallen ways are still there and for that the world will have to look to the record of the ancient worthies as well as to them as being the (then perfected) examples.
"So Great Salvation" "Nothing to pay? No, not a whit. Nothing to give? No, not a bit. All that was needed to give or to pay, Jesus hath done in God's own blessed way. "Nothing to settle? All has been paid. Nothing to anger? Peace has been made. Jesus alone is the sinner's resource; Peace he has made by the blood of his cross. "What about terror? It hasn't a place In a heart that is filled with a sense of his grace. My peace is most sweet and it never can cloy, And that makes my heart bubble over with joy. "Nothing of guilt? No, not a stain; How could the blood even one let remain? My conscience is purged and my spirit is free; Precious that blood is to God and to me. "What of my future? 'Tis glorious and fair. Since justified, sanctified, glory I'll share. By his blood first redeemed, by his grace then enthroned, Side by side with my Lord, as his Bride I'll be owned. "What then, dost thou ask? O, glory shall follow; Earth shall rejoice in the dawn of the morrow. To rule and to bless comes that kingdom and reign; Flee then, shall sorrow, death, crying and pain."