Old Testament

Numbers 20:14-29
From Kadesh to Mount Hor

Taking these Old Testament stories, and then combining them with truths found in the New Testament, one can see pattern after pattern jump off the Bible’s pages. Concerning Aaron and his office, this is no surer than when one reads the books of Romans and Hebrews. But hints of such things are found all through the epistles.

In Romans, Paul explains the doctrinal truths which tell us of the weakness of the law and of the strength of being in Christ. Hebrews tells of the weakness of those who administered the law, and the strength of Christ who administers the New Covenant.

In understanding the content of both books, one gets a full picture of the Person and work of Christ in relation to those who come to Him, and the difference between those who only looked to Him in type and shadow.

In the end, when those truths are understood, the completely ineffective, temporary, and futile system which is the Law of Moses comes shining forth. And remember, these books of the New Testament weren’t written by biased Gentiles who had some type of ax to grind against the Jews.

Rather, they were written by Jews who had lived under the law, grasped what God had done through Christ, and had moved wholeheartedly to cling to the One who had become the focal point of their lives and faith. In Paul’s case, there were very few in all of Israel who stood on a more sure footing under the law, and yet he realized how unsure that footing actually was.

Text Verse: “Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. ²⁴ But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Hebrews 7:23-25

Whether Paul was the author of Hebrews or not, the author understood the fallible nature of the Aaronic priesthood, which administered the Law of Moses, simply by noting the deaths of the priests, particularly meaning the high priests.

The first of those deaths is recorded in our verses today. Aaron, from whom the line of the Aaronic priesthood is derived – a priesthood that lasted almost 1500 years – died and was buried. He could no longer make intercession for the people of Israel. Instead, one of his sons had to take his place. And then another son came, and another, and another.

They kept on dying, like dominoes in time, one dropping after the next. If you were looking for permanency under the law, you weren’t going to find it. And more, consider what the ultimate cause of their deaths was from.

If you can remember what that is, then you can figure out much more about the weak, ineffective, and sad state of affairs of that priesthood, and of the hopeless state of those who were ministered to under that priesthood. Only in the hope of Messiah was there any true hope at all. These truths are once again to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Edom’s Refusal (verses 14-21)

The timing of the events of this account is hard to pin down. As we saw, the first thirteen verses of this chapter referred to the incident at Meribah which occurred before the time of punishment for not entering Canaan. The verses now come towards the end of their time of wandering in punishment.

Both Numbers 20:1 and Numbers 20:14 indicate that the events are in Kadesh, and so the entire time of punishment is overlooked in the narrative. They were in Kadesh at the beginning of their punishment, and they ended up in Kadesh as their punishment was ending. Other than that, it is hard to be dogmatic about timing. Especially because dogs don’t use calendars.

¹⁴ Now Moses sent messengers

The word for “messengers” here is malak. It is the same word translated as “angels,” including when speaking of the Angel of the Lord, and so on. It simply means an envoy, messenger, etc. Therefore, it can refer to divinely appointed messengers, or simply men who are designated as envoys. In this, Moses sent malakim…

^{14 (con’t)} from Kadesh to the king of Edom. 

Kadesh means, “Sacred,” or “Holy.” It received its name from the words of verses 12 & 13 of this chapter which occurred about 38 years earlier. That name continues on now at the close of this lengthy period. Edom means, “Red.” It is the name given to Esau who sold his birthright for a bowl of red soup. The events of this sending of messengers is referred to, many years later, by Jephthah in Judges 11:17 –

“Then Israel sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, ‘Please let me pass through your land.’ But the king of Edom would not heed. And in like manner they sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained in Kadesh.”

Edom’s territory is to the south of the area of the Dead Sea, on the westward side of the sea. It extended southward to the Red Sea. It comprises the southern area of the land of Jordan today. The intent, then, is that Israel wants to pass along their territory, on their westernmost border, and to travel toward Canaan arriving and entering there from the east. Moses now makes this petition to melekh edom, or the king of Edom, based on their family ties…

^{14 (con’t)} “Thus says your brother Israel:

Jacob, who is Israel, and Esau, who is Edom, are brothers. Though they had a great dispute when they were seventy-seven years old, and which brought about death threats from Esau towards his brother, they later reconciled and put aside their enmity. Both were present at the burial of their father Isaac. With their reconciliation, Moses appeals to this king, Esau’s descendant and representative of Edom, as his brother. He now calls their history to mind…

^{14 (con’t)} ‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us,

Moses uses a rare word, telaah, or distress, to describe their situation. It was used once in Exodus 18 concerning their hardships while Moses spoke to Jethro. It will only be seen two more times, in Nehemiah and Lamentations. It comes from a word signifying weariness. The travails of Israel have been many, and they have worn them out. Moses next details those hardships…

¹⁵ how our fathers went down to Egypt, 

This is referring to the move of Jacob and his family 254 years earlier, and which is recorded in Genesis 46.

^{15 (con’t)} and we dwelt in Egypt a long time, 

This comprises everything from Genesis 46 until the exodus of Israel in Exodus 12. Israel dwelt in Egypt for 215 years.

^{15 (con’t)} and the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers.

This was first described in Exodus 1 with the words –

“So the Egyptians made the children of Israel serve with rigor. ¹⁴ And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage—in mortar, in brick, and in all manner of service in the field. All their service in which they made them serve was with rigor.” Exodus 1:13, 14

That affliction continued on, but then there was relief…

¹⁶ When we cried out to the Lord,

That is recorded in Exodus 2 saying,

“So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵ And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them.” Exodus 2:24, 25

^{16 (con’t)} He heard our voice and sent the Angel and brought us up out of Egypt;

It is the same word, malakh, used in verse 14 and translated as “messengers.” In this verse, it simply says “angel,” without the article. Edom would probably not be aware of the Lord as the Angel of the Lord, and so no article is used. However, here it is speaking of the Messenger of the Lord, the Angel of God, who was sent to deliver Israel. It speaks of the eternal Christ, Jesus.

The first mention of the Angel of the Lord that Moses is referring to was in Exodus 3:2 when He appeared to Moses in the burning bush. From there, He was mentioned in Exodus 14 when He, the Angel of God, went before Israel and then moved behind them, standing between them and the Egyptians. He continued to be mentioned in Exodus, but this is the first reference to Him in Numbers. The words of Moses are recounting the events for the king of Edom to consider…

^{16 (con’t)} now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border.

As I noted earlier, they were in Kadesh at the beginning of their time of punishment wanderings, and now they are there again, standing in anticipation of finally entering the land of promise. However, instead of going up through the south, as had been rejected 38 years earlier, they intend to go through the east. The shortest route to achieve this would be up the western border of Edom, and so he petitions now for that to be allowed…

¹⁷ Please let us pass through your country.

The wording of the verse is formal and dignified. He first notes that the land is the country belonging to the king. He is the ultimate authority, and so it is only by first obtaining his permission that they would consider passing through.

^{17 (con’t)} We will not pass through fields or vineyards,

Though the king of Edom probably doesn’t know it, there is no need for Israel to wander out of their direct path. Fields and vineyards would be needed for such a large group, except… that they are Israel. They have manna to sustain them on the trek through Edom.

^{17 (con’t)} nor will we drink water from wells;

Again, the king would not know it, but there would be no need for Israel to drink from the wells of the land. They are Israel, and they had the rock which followed them –

“For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:4

^{17 (con’t)} we will go along the King’s Highway; we will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’”

The term derek ha’melekh, or “Way of the King,” is first used here. It would be a public road paid for at the cost of the king’s treasury, and would be kept in proper order at all times for the king and his army to set out on in times of either offensive or defensive battles. It would pass through the heart of the land, and so Moses says that they will not depart from this set path at any time, but would pass directly through the land on it.

However, the words must have seemed incredulous to Edom’s king. Would they carry enough food and water for several million people and their animals to trek from one end of his land to the other? He surely must have thought that the impossible nature of their claim meant that they planned more than a peaceful journey through Edom, and thus…

¹⁸ Then Edom said to him, “You shall not pass through my land, lest I come out against you with the sword.”

The refusal shows the doubting nature of the king. There is no reason to assume this is from the ancient enmity between the two. That was resolved before the brothers’ deaths. He is concerned about his land and his revenue. So much so that he promises a battle will ensue if they attempt to pass through.

Despite how things turn out here, it is obviously the plan of the Lord for Israel to have to take the longer route around. He knows the end from the beginning, and the benefits of land acquisition which lie ahead in the book of Numbers comes directly from the refusal which now occurs.

As we saw earlier, in Judges, Jephthah says that both Edom and Moab refused Israel passage through their land. It is obvious that emissaries were sent to both countries at the same time, because it would do no good to get through Edom, only to be refused further travel by Moab. However, there is no need to mention that now.

If Edom refuses, then Moab’s refusal is irrelevant to mention. Further, only mentioning Edom now is needed to set the typology for the pictures of redemptive history now being made. The Lord is directing the events now in order to establish the many patterns and types of Christ, and also to make the land acquisitions which lie ahead prior to, and at the time of, Israel’s entry into Canaan. We are looking back on what we know, but Israel is looking ahead on an unknown, therefore…

¹⁹ So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway,

This now has to be a second petition to the king. Here is a new word in Scripture, mesillah, or “highway.” It comes from salal, meaning to mount up, lift, up, cast up, etc. Thus, it is a true highway. This explains, “the way of the king,” in verse 17.

^{19 (con’t)} and if I or my livestock drink any of your water, then I will pay for it; let me only pass through on foot, nothing more.”

In this second appeal, it appears that they clued into the doubting nature of the king. How could a gathering of this immense size pass through the land without needing food or water? Surely, this must be a subterfuge, and the true intent is to catch Edom unaware.

They must have understood this now and they qualify this second appeal by stating that if any water is drunk by the people, they would be willing to pay for it. It further says, raq ayin daber b’raglay eeborah, “only (it is nothing) on my foot I will pass over.” They note that the matter is as inconsequential as allowing people to simply walk through without any chance of harm. But it is too late. The king is determined that they will not pass through the heart of the country with such a large contingent of people…

²⁰ Then he said, “You shall not pass through.” So Edom came out against them with many men and with a strong hand.

Edom was so convinced of the state of things not being right with allowing Israel to pass, that the king mustered a large army and a great show of force as a warning that Israel was absolutely not to pass through their land.

What seems likely from the narrative is that Israel didn’t expect a negative reply and actually began its trek through Edom on the king’s highway before being told they could proceed no further through the mountains. This verse and the next are stated now to complete the narrative before entering into the next subject, that of the death of Aaron, but this verse and the next probably belong after verse 22 chronologically.

²¹ Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory; so Israel turned away from him.

With this statement, the issue of whether Israel can pass through Edom or not is complete. Instead of passing through the midst of Edom, Israel will skirt its borders as is relayed in Deuteronomy 2.

The span of your years has come to an end
And your time has now run out
Your death is quickly approaching, friend
And of that fact, there can be no doubt

When your years have ended, Another shall take your place
And in your demise, a new path will be revealed
Through your administration, none could see God’s face
Through you, the veil remained, and He was concealed

But Another is coming to make the way plain
And through Him there will be access forevermore
Where there was sadness and loss, there will now be joy and gain
When the new High Priest opens the Door

II. The Death of Aaron (verses 22-29)

²² Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation,

Here again we have the same emphatic statement that was made in verse 1, “the whole congregation.” That was first stated at the beginning of the wilderness wanderings when Miriam died. Now it is once again stated at the end of the wilderness wanderings. During the whole 38-year period, the entire congregation of Israel remained united. Despite being under condemnation, and a death sentence in the wilderness, they remained a united people.

The connection to modern Israel, and the continuing picture which is made, is not to be missed. The whole congregation went under an extended period of exile, even for the fullness of the time allotted for their punishment, and yet they have remained “the whole congregation.” Israel of today is the same group who began their punishment 2000 years ago.

^{22 (con’t)} journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor.

The meaning of Hor is simply “Mountain.” Thus, Israel traveled from Kadesh to hor ha’ har, or “mount of the mountain.” The mountain, as recorded even to antiquity, is what is now known as Mount Harun (Mount Aaron), which is located close to Petra in Jordan. It is a double-peaked mountain with a tomb on it which is said to be where Aaron was buried.

²³ And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying:

This is the last time that the words, “And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron,” are recorded. There is a finality about them that we quickly read over without thinking of the sadness that must have filled Moses’ heart at what will be relayed to them next.

Again, as in the previous verse, the Hebrew reads b’hor ha’har, or “in mount of the mountain.” This is specifically noted as being “by the border of Edom.” It is here, without Israel yet entering into the land of promise, that Moses and Aaron are scheduled for a trip up the mountain. The reason for this is…

²⁴ “Aaron shall be gathered to his people,

It is a standard statement indicating death. It is simply what happens to a person. He is gathered to those who have gone before him. There is nothing here to indicate the location of the interment, as if there was a spot waiting for him. Rather, it is an all-encompassing statement that they are interred, and he is going to join them. Aaron is set to die prior to achieving the goal which had been set out for almost 40 full years earlier…

^{24 (con’t)} for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel,

The land is Canaan. It is the land of promise, and it is that which represents, in its most idyllic sense, heaven. It is the place where rest was promised, though Israel did not attain that rest. Rather, their true rest lies yet ahead of them in the day when they come to receive their Messiah. However, Aaron, the high priest of the law, and the mediator between Israel and God, would not see that land which so closely mirrors the hope of mankind – the land where God will dwell with men. The reason for this is next explained…

^{24 (con’t)} because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah.

What occurred in this same chapter, but which was actually many years earlier, was sufficient to bar Moses and Aaron from entry into the Land of Promise. Together, they were to speak to the rock and water was to issue forth. But instead of speaking, Moses struck the rock twice.

The symbolism of Christ was destroyed, and the penalty was spoken – “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them” (Numbers 20:12). Because of this, Moses is now told to…

²⁵ Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;

Moses means, “He who draws out.” Aaron means, “Very High.” Eleazar means, “Whom God Helps.” Moses is asked to bring his older brother and his nephew, Aaron’s oldest surviving son, to perform a particular ritual which was hinted at all the way back in Exodus 29 at the top of hor ha’har or “mount of the mountain…

²⁶ and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.”

The details for the consecration of Aaron and his sons are found in Exodus 29. There, this was recorded –

“And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed in them and to be consecrated in them. ³⁰ That son who becomes priest in his place shall put them on for seven days, when he enters the tabernacle of meeting to minister in the holy place.” Exodus 29:29, 30

It was anticipated, even at the time of their consecration, that the high priest would die, and that he would be replaced with another high priest. The time for a son of Aaron to minister in place of him has arrived. As directed, so he obeys…

²⁷ So Moses did just as the Lord commanded,

Moses disobeyed the Lord, and it brought about a death sentence for himself and his brother, outside of Canaan. Now, he obeys the Lord in order for that death sentence to be executed upon Aaron.

^{27 (con’t)} and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

Whether the congregation was informed that Aaron was going to die or not, this is stated so that there would be no uncertainty that the transfer of the priesthood was completed according to the law, and that the transfer was specifically to Eleazar. There was to be no doubt about the succession of priests, and thus there was to be no challenge to the priesthood, as had occurred in Korah’s rebellion.

²⁸ Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son;

It was Moses’ joyous honor to dress Aaron in these priestly garments a bit over 38 years earlier, and it was now his mournful duty to strip him of them and pass them to Eleazar. There was probably no more difficult moment in the life of Moses than this. Despite all of the trials and frustrations, an age was ending, and it was an age which departed with the life of his sole remaining sibling.

At the same time, it was probably a very proud moment for Aaron, seeing his son receive the sacred garments of the priesthood. To avoid defilement, the transfer is made before Aaron’s death. But again, sorrow must have filled the heart of Eleazar. Despite the honor placed upon him, and which meant that he could not mourn the death of his own father, his heart must have been overwhelmed with grief. Further, he would have to remove himself from Aaron before he actually died. This was seen in Leviticus –

“He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, shall not uncover his head nor tear his clothes; ¹¹ nor shall he go near any dead body, nor defile himself for his father or his mother.” Leviticus 21:10, 11

Such was the burden of the newly established high priest.

^{28 (con’t)} and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain.

Here, it is simply called ha’har, or the mountain. The transfer was complete, the garments were placed upon Eleazar, and Aaron breathed his last. What is probable is that along with Moses and Eleazar, some attendants went with them who would bury Aaron and then required purification with the ashes of the red heifer.

If this were not the case, then either Moses went down defiled, which is highly improbable, or Aaron was left to die and the Lord determined how his body would find its final mode and place of deterioration. Concerning his death, Numbers 33:38, 39 says –

“Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and died there in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. ³⁹ Aaron was one hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.”

This is in exacting agreement with Exodus 7:7 which says. “Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.” That then agrees with Deuteronomy 34:7, which says, “Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died.” This then is the year 2554 Anno Mundi, or from the creation of the world. It is also in the 39^th year of Aaron’s ministry.

^{28 (con’t)} Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

As I said, it is highly improbable that Moses touched Aaron’s body after he died. If so, there could be no contact between him and Eleazar. He who wore the sacred garments was to remain away from anyone who was unclean. This would, according to law, include Moses. The weight of the law, and the burden of ensuring it was met, now fell upon him.

*²⁹ Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

Thirty days is, according to Deuteronomy 34:8, the standard time given for such an event. That passage details the same thirty-day period of mourning for Moses. And, so closes out the record of Aaron’s life. Moses’ own demise is coming only a short time later. It will be mere months, and the time for that sad event will be experienced by the people of Israel.

A greater priesthood lies yet ahead
But it cannot come when the old remains alive
Not until the first one is finished and dead
Can the new come in and begin to thrive

But the first cannot end until all is complete
Only when that happens can the new one come in
When the law is fulfilled, and the devil suffers defeat
Then! Joyfully then, will the New Covenant begin

Let us put our trust in the One who has done it
Let us look to He who died on Calvary’s tree
To Him alone shall we our souls commit
Because He alone has set us free!

III. A Greater Priesthood

The passage we just looked over shows, very clearly, the temporary nature of the Law of Moses. The instructions given at the time of the consecration of Aaron which said that upon his death the garments were to transfer to his son, and the noting of that act now, in the 39^th year of Aaron’s priesthood shows that nothing was made perfect through the Aaronic priesthood.

Aaron was the representative of the law before the Lord, and yet he died. This shows that his sinful state remained. Further, if the designated representative before the Lord died, then those on whose behalf he ministered for were also not perfected. This is explained in Hebrews 10 –

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. ² For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. ³ But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” Hebrews 10:1-4

However, at the time of the establishment of the priesthood, these things weren’t expected to be thought through. Only now as we look at the whole counsel of God can we clearly see the temporary nature of the law, and the limitations that went along with the associated offices and rites connected to it. Only in Christ is that which is perfect and eternal realized.

The death of Aaron in the 39^th year of his priesthood is surely a subtle hint to the ending of the priesthood in the coming of Christ. There are 39 books of the Old Testament, from Genesis to Malachi. In that final book, the Messenger of the covenant is promised who is called the Sun of Righteousness.

The darkness of the law would be overshadowed by the brilliancy of the arrival of Messiah who would come with healing in His wings. Where Aaron ministered under a law of death, leading to death, Messiah would come with a covenant of life, leading to life.

What we have seen here today is the time when Israel is ready to be brought into the New Covenant. Their time of punishment is almost over. It notes that they are in Kadesh, or Holy, and want to go through Edom in order to advance towards the Land of Promise.

As we saw in Numbers 13, Kadesh signified access to the kingdom of God through Christ. That is their starting point, but how will it come about? In Genesis, Edom was given as a picture of Adam, the natural man. Israel, the spiritual man, wants to go through Edom, the natural man, in order to get to their promised inheritance. It is a picture of attempting to enter heaven through works of the law, meaning through the natural man. But it doesn’t work that way. Edom refuses. Even when promising to take the King’s Highway and pay for their food and water, the refusal is made.

One does not buy what God offers freely, as Simon the sorcerer found out in Acts 8, and as Isaiah proclaims –

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price.” Isaiah 55:1

One cannot go through the natural man in order to receive or enter the promise. Israel had the Rock with them all along, just as Israel has had Christ with them all along. But as Paul says, “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.”

Israel’s attempts to enter the promise though Adam, meaning the flesh, are so strongly rejected that it says that Edom came out against them with many men and a strong hand. So much for such an attempt! And so it says they turned away from him. Israel will turn away from Adam at some point.

That point is then introduced in the next words which state that they journeyed from Kadesh, or Holy, to Mount Hor, or “Mount of the mountain.” What would that be picturing? The last named mountain that they were at was Mount Sinai, which is called the mountain of the Lord, and which they departed from in Numbers 10. If Sinai, which represents the law is the mountain of the Lord, and if Christ is the fulfillment of the law, then Mount Hor, the “Mount of the mountain” would be a picture of Christ.

It is at this location that Aaron is set to die. Two truths are seen in Aaron. The Aaronic priesthood is typical of Christ, the greater High Priest. But Aaron is also, literally, the high priest of the law. He is in the 39^th year of his priesthood; the Old Testament ends with the 39^th book of the Bible. And by Providence, we are in our 39^th Numbers sermon today. Kind of fun!

The transfer of the priesthood from Aaron, meaning Very High, and typical of Christ, but who is also the line of the high priest of the law, to the son Eleazar, or Whom God Helps, represents the change of the priesthood from that which pictures Christ in his work, “Very High,” to that who pictures Christ in His person, “Whom God helps.” He fulfilled the law and established the New Covenant, becoming God’s true, and final, High Priest. Being fully God, it is He who helps those who come to Him in faith.

Aaron, representative of the Law of Moses, had to die outside of the Land of Promise, because it is not by works of the law that one can enter, but through faith in Christ. The typology is set because the typology points to Christ. Remember the poignant lesson from our sermon last week.

The law can perfect nothing. This is seen in the death of the law’s high priest. If he wasn’t perfected by the law, then nobody could be perfected by it. Only One born perfect under the law, and who then perfectly fulfilled the law, could bring the law to its end. Aaron died on the “Mount of the mountain.” The law died in Christ –

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, ¹⁴ having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Colossians 2:13, 14

The message of these Old Testament stories keeps telling us, time and again, that only in the coming of Messiah will things truly be as they should be. The Aaronic priesthood will continue on after Aaron, and there will be oodles of pictures of Christ there as well, but the thing to remember is that the folks just kept dying – priests, kings, prophets, and common folk – they just kept dying.

The law itself says that the man who does the things of the law will live, but the people just kept on dying. What futile, pointless existence if the law of Moses is where you have put your hope – except when it is in the One who fulfilled that law. If that is where your hope is placed, it is well placed indeed.

Come to Christ, rest in Christ, and trust in Christ. Put away your arrogant deeds of the law, and be saved by Jesus Christ our Lord. May it be so, and may it be today.

Closing Verse: “It is finished!” John 19:30

Next Week: Numbers 21:1-9 Exciting stuff… You won’t be bored… (The Standard of the Lord) (40^th Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

From Kadesh to Mount Hor

Now Moses sent messengers from Kadesh
To the king of Edom, words to discuss
“Thus says your brother Israel
‘You know all the hardship that has befallen us 

How our fathers went down to Egypt
Jacob and his family, so they did do
And we dwelt in Egypt a long time
And the Egyptians afflicted us and our fathers too

When we cried out to the Lord
He heard our voice and sent the Angel, by divine order
And brought us up out of Egypt
Now here we are in Kadesh, a city on the edge of your border 

Please let us pass through your country
We will not pass through fields or vineyards, as I say
Nor will we drink water from wells
We will go along the King’s Highway

We will not turn aside to the right hand or to the left
———-so shall it be
Until we have passed through your territory

Then Edom said to him
“You shall not pass through my land
Lest I come out against you with the sword
This you best understand

So the children of Israel said to him, “We will go by the Highway
And if I or my livestock drink any of your water, for sure
Then I will pay for it
Let me only pass through on foot, nothing more

Then he said, “You shall not pass through
So Edom came out against them with many men
———-and with a strong hand
Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his territory
So Israel turned away from him, as we now understand

Now the children of Israel, the whole congregation, so we know
Journeyed from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor
———-to Mount Hor they did go

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor
———-to them He was relaying
By the border of the land of Edom, saying 

“Aaron shall be gathered to his people
For he shall not enter the land, such is this spoken law
Which I have given to the children of Israel
Because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah 

Take Aaron and Eleazar his son
And bring them up to Mount Hor; that is where
And strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son
For Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there 

So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, as was fitting and right
And they went up to Mount Hor in all the congregation’s sight 

Moses stripped Aaron of his garments
And put them on Eleazar his son
And there on the top of the mountain Aaron died
Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain 

Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead
All the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days
———–for him their tears were shed

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Numbers 20:1-13
The Waters of Meribah

Biblical theology is constantly argued over. There are countless doctrines which people cling to. Replacement theology says the church replaced Israel. Dispensationalism says this is incorrect and that Israel remains Israel, and the church is merely grafted into the commonwealth of Israel.

However, among dispensationalists, there are varying views as well. Hyper dispensationalism attempts to divide the church and Israel even further by saying that mysteries belong to the church, but prophecy belongs to Israel. As stupid as that sounds, people actually hold to that. They then go so far as to say that none of the letters to the churches in Revelation are for the church, baptism isn’t mandated for Gentiles within the church, and etc.

How can one tell if replacement theology is correct, or if dispensationalism is? How can a traditional dispensationalist tell if hyper-dispensationalism is wrong or not? I mean, it is the same set of verses from the New Testament which are being argued over.

Admittedly, most people that argue their personal view actually have no idea what the New Testament says. Rather, they have read a book (meaning a book on the subject), they listened to the sermon, or they simply trust the pastor who tells them what is correct. But they really don’t know the Bible all that well. And, surprisingly, many pastors don’t either.

They are like the people that watch CNN and think they are getting the straight scoop, and so they go with it. But let’s suppose two people are pretty well versed in the New Testament, and they still disagree on these basic doctrines. How can you tell which is correct? They both have decent sounding arguments.

Text Verse: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, ³ all ate the same spiritual food, ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. ⁵ But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-4

Today’s passage deals with exactly what Paul is speaking about here. In fact, unless you read the Old Testament, you wouldn’t have any idea about what Paul is saying. You’d just nod your head and say, “OK.” You’d have to agree with his words without having all the information. Fortunately, Paul’s words are inspired by God, so we know what he says is correct.

The answer to the questions that I gave is… to study the Old Testament. If you disagree with someone on New Testament theology, guess what? The Old speaks of the things in the New in type and picture. But even then, one needs to be careful, or he may come up with an incorrect picture of what God is showing us.

One commentary I read on the parallel accounts of Exodus 17 and Numbers 20, both of which speak of water coming from the rock when it is struck by Moses, says that the two accounts picture Christ’s first and second advents. This is incorrect. Surprisingly, they took the information and made an incorrect assumption about what is presented in the New Testament.

And so, in order to understand proper theology in the Old, you need to be properly versed in the New. But to understand proper theology in the New, you need to be properly versed in the Old. Together, they form one seamless message about what God is doing in Christ Jesus and for the people of the world.

If someone runs ahead in one Testament or the other, error will result. This is as sure as the nose on your face. As far as replacement theology, that is incorrect. The church has not replaced Israel. Though not a heresy, it is really crummy doctrine. As far as hyper-dispensationalism, that is incorrect as well, and it is actually worse theology than replacement theology. It can border heresy. Or, depending on how it is taught, it actually spews out heresy.

Know the Old to understand the New. And know the New to grasp the Old. Anything else will lead you down very strange paths of poor doctrine. But, guess what! You can be on the sound path if you simply follow the truths as they are laid out in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. No Water for the Congregation (verses 1-13)

Chapter 20 now introduces the fourth major section of the book of Numbers. Verses 1:1-10:10 were a wilderness section in Sinai. The next section was a road trip, a time of travel which went from 10:11 until 12:16. That went from Sinai to the next wilderness section which was in the area of Paran. That was from 13:1 until 19:22. Now comes another road trip which comprises 20:1 until 21:35. After this second road trip will be a final wilderness section in Moab which will go from verses 22:1 through 36:13. For now, the road trip commences with the words of verse 1 …

Then the children of Israel,

The Hebrew simply reads, “And the children of Israel.” Without careful study, there seems to be no sure way of determining where or when their last stop was, and so the word “and” should be translated exactly that way. But the point that is being focused on here is that of the collective group of people known as Israel. This is completely certain because of the next words…

^{1 (con’t)} the whole congregation,

This is stated emphatically in the Hebrew, and it will be repeated in verse 22. It shows that the same group, in their entirety, who are condemned to endure a generation in the wilderness were together as one, from beginning to end. It resolves a rather difficult problem concerning the timing of events. For now, the entire congregation…

^{1 (con’t)} came into the Wilderness of Zin

The Wilderness of Zin was named in Numbers 13:21. It said, “So they went up and spied out the land from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near the entrance of Hamath.” At that time, it said Israel was camped in the Wilderness of Paran and the spies went from the Wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob. That makes it seem like the Wilderness of Paran and the Wilderness of Zin are different locations. Now, it says that the whole congregation has come to the Wilderness of Zin again, and a date is given…

^{1 (con’t)} in the first month,

No year is given, and so scholars debate whether this is the first month of the 3^rd year, or the first month of the 40^th year. It could be the 3^rd, because the last noted date was in Numbers 10:11&12 –

“Now it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. ¹² And the children of Israel set out from the Wilderness of Sinai on their journeys; then the cloud settled down in the Wilderness of Paran.”

However, one might think (as most scholars do) that it is the 40^th year. Aaron’s death is recorded at the end of this chapter. That is said, in Numbers 33, to have occurred in the 40^th year –

“Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the Lord, and died there in the fortieth year after the children of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month.” Numbers 33:38 

It is complicated, and it gets more so, because while Israel was in the Wilderness of Paran, and after disobeying the Lord, they were told in 14:25 to “turn and move out into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.” It seems to indicate that they did not enter into the Wilderness of Zin. But, a complexity arises with the next words…

^{1 (con’t)} and the people stayed in Kadesh;

The reason why this is complicated, is because Kadesh was said in verse 13:26 to be in the Wilderness of Paran. Here, it is said to be in the Wilderness of Zin. And so, there are either two places named Kadesh in two different wildernesses, or the two names, “the Wilderness of Paran,” and “the Wilderness of Zin,” are synonymous, but are being used by the Lord to fit the typology and pictures of Christ to come. Is your head hurting yet?

It should be noted that the Numbers accounts so far, and those to come, are not specifically chronological, but are placed according to a pattern in order to develop a theme. And it appears that all of the complexity found in this first verse centers on the next words…

^{1 (con’t)} and Miriam died there and was buried there.

The question to be asked then is, “Did Miriam die at the beginning of the time of the wilderness wandering, or towards the end of it?” Nothing explicit is stated, but the account today answers the question. It is prior to the sentencing of punishment upon them. In this, she dies many long years before her brothers. What is apparently important is that of the deaths of Miriam and Aaron bracket the chapter now set before us, one is at the beginning of the chapter, the other is at the end…

² Now there was no water for the congregation;

The name “Miriam” comes from two separate words – marar meaning “bitter” or “strong,” and yam which means “sea.” And so her name may mean “Bitter Waters,” or “Waters of Strength.” That, in itself, ties in with the account now presented, and is the reason for mentioning her death just prior to what is now stated.

Here, it is specifically noted that “there was no water for the congregation.” This then is an internal clue that the account is in the third, not the fortieth year. If this were in the fortieth year, it would be their second time in the area, and they would have known – in advance – that there was no water there. However, if this was the second stay, nothing was said of a lack of water in the first stay. Only if this is during the time of the spies would this make sense.

^2 (con’t) so they gathered together against Moses and Aaron.

It is another internal clue concerning an early dating of the narrative. In Chapter 17:5, it said, “And it shall be that the rod of the man whom I choose will blossom; thus I will rid Myself of the complaints of the children of Israel, which they make against you.” However, the people are now gathering together against Moses and Aaron to contend with them.

Thus, it is the first generation who came out of Egypt, and who were faithful at being unfaithful. At this time, they have gathered together against their leader.

³ And the people contended with Moses and spoke,

Here the word is riv. It means to contend or strive with another. It is the same word used in Exodus 17 in the parallel account –

“Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. ² Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water, that we may drink.,” Exodus 17:1, 2

One can see that the two accounts are being tied together with the use of the particular words and concepts. Something is being instructed to us for our learning.

^3 (con’t) saying: “If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!

Here are still more clues that this is at the beginning of the time of punishment and wilderness wanderings. Instead of saying, “our fathers,” it says, “our brothers.” After the many years of wandering, they would have spoken of the deaths of their parents.

Further, they use the word gava, or perish. It gives the sense of breathing one’s last. It was what the people were afraid of after the budding of Aaron’s rod, something that will actually occur later even though it has already been recorded, and it is the word used of Aaron’s death in verse 29 of this chapter.

Only the first generation would have spoken of the perishing of their brothers, meaning those who had perished at places like Taberah and Kibroth Hattaavah. The choice of wording here seems to exclude even Korah’s rebellion which had not happened yet in the chronology of events.

⁴ Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness,

The same thought, again, continues with these words. Why would a generation of people who had been brought into the wilderness almost forty years earlier ask this? After refusing to enter Canaan, this is exactly what the Lord said would happen –

“And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.” Numbers 14:33

After refusing to enter Canaan, the people were under punishment of death in the wilderness. Such a question makes no sense after the ending of those long years. This is especially so because if this is the end of the time in the wilderness, it would be their second trip to this same location and the surroundings would have been known to Moses and the people. The question is unnecessary for a group that had already been made aware of the geography. Further, in their question, there is a special focus on the animals…

^4 (con’t) that we and our animals should die here?

Here the beir, or beasts, are noted. It is a rather rare word, being used just six times in the Bible, but three of them are in this passage – verses 4, 8, & 11. The word comes from ba’ar, meaning to burn away or consume. They are animals that consume the land as they go. The question of their grazing animals is similar to the same type of question in Exodus 17:3 where they are called miqneh, or “livestock.”

Paul noted, in our text verse from 1 Corinthians 10, that the rock followed them, meaning that from the time of this account on, the water was present with them. Only after the water came does he then say, “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.”

The water came before, not after, the sentence, and the concern for the animals occurred at that time, not after. It is the exact same pattern revealed in the New Testament where Christ came, Israel was offered salvation through Him, but which also included the Gentiles, and then Israel received its punishment and exile. This is stated by the people explicitly in the next verse…

⁵ And why have you made us come up out of Egypt, to bring us to this evil place?

Here Egypt is mentioned. It is the place from which they have been redeemed. Egypt pictures a life of bondage to sin. The Lord redeemed them from that and brought them to Sinai. One thing is for sure, which is that they have already received the law.

Despite being redeemed, they are under the yoke of the law, which is its own bondage according to Paul as stated several times in Galatians, and it is noted elsewhere in the New Testament. Though they are freed from Egypt, the people complain that they have been brought to an evil place. They now describe what that means…

^5 (con’t) It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates;

There are five aspects of this place that are lacking. Five is the number of grace, and it is lacking. Further, each indicates this. The first is zera, or seed. Seed is where life generates from. Christ is noted as the Seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15. At this point, they are under law. The law doesn’t bring life, but death, as Paul says –

“I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” Romans 7:9

The next is the te-enah, or fig. Its significance is one of a connection to God, or a disconnect from Him. They note that there is no fig, and thus no connection to God. Jesus gave a foreshadowing of this when He cursed the fig tree in Mark 11 –

“Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. ¹³ And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ In response Jesus said to it, ‘Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.’” Mark 11:12-14

He was making a living parable of the cutting off of the spiritual connection to God through the ineffective temple worship. No fruit was borne through it, and it was to be terminated.

After this is the gephen, or vine. The vine signifies the Lord’s favor through the impartation of spiritual blessing. Israel is equated to a vine, but the vine became corrupt. They remained under the law and failed to produce. Jesus is called the true Vine in John 15:1. He is the true Source of spiritual blessing. He fulfilled the law and He produces abundance.

The fourth thing which is lacking is the rimmon, or pomegranate. It is associated with the word rum – “to be high,” or “exalted.” It carries the connotation of mental maturity and calling to remembrance. Paul says those under the law are under a tutor; they are not mature. On the contrary, he says in Galatians 3:25 that for those in Christ Jesus, “…after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Finally, the people exclaim…

^5 (con’t) nor is there any water to drink.”

Water carries many meanings in the Bible, but the obvious connection here is to life. In this case, we have already seen that the Rock is Christ, and from the Rock issues water. Thus, water is life not under law, but life in Christ; the giving of the Spirit.

The people have been given law, but the law has brought them death, not life. It has not established a suitable connection to God. It has not produced spiritual blessing. It has not brought them to spiritual maturity. And it has not brought them the Spirit and life. It is Moses and Aaron who fill the positions as lawgiver and high priest under this covenant. Therefore, they go to seek the Lord…

⁶ So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they fell on their faces.

It is important to note here that both Moses and Aaron left the assembly and went to the door of the tent of meeting. What will occur affects them both because both are types of Christ in regards to their positions under the law. The door of the tent of meeting means “at the brazen altar.” The altar and the door are united in one thought again and again in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. There, they fall on their faces. One can get the image of the law before the Lord at the place of sacrifice. It looks to the law being humbled as it was nailed to the cross, as Paul says in Colossians 2:14. In that picture, and at that spot it says…

^6 (con’t) And the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

The glory of the Lord is revealed to the lawgiver and the high priest. What they are to be presented with, then, is to be seen as typical of something coming in the greater work of Messiah. His glory now is given to anticipate the glory which lies ahead. The people are not satisfied with life under the law. It has not given what they desire, nor what they need. Moses and Aaron are there to obtain what the people need.

⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,

The Lord speaks solely to the lawgiver. The high priest’s duties come from the introduction and giving forth of the law. At this time, the instructions are for Moses to…

⁸ “Take the rod;

This is not Aaron’s rod which budded. That actually happens later in the chronology of events. Rather it is the same rod used many times previously. It was called, “the rod of God” in Exodus 4:20. It was used before Pharaoh in Egypt in the performance of many miracles and wonders, including the parting of the Red Sea. It was also used to strike the rock in Exodus 17:6, and it was lifted during the battle with Amalek. It was clearly used as a picture of Christ in each of those passages.

^8 (con’t) you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together.

Unlike the account in Exodus 17, where only the elders were taken to see the rock struck by Moses, now the congregation is to be gathered together.

^8 (con’t) Speak to the rock before their eyes,

The verb is plural, v’dibartem, “And speak you (plural).” Both Moses and Aaron are to speak to the rock.

^8 (con’t) and it will yield its water;

By merely the spoken word of the lawgiver and the high priest, in the presence of the rod, the rock will yield its water. In typology – Lawgiver = Christ; High Priest = Christ; Rock = Christ; Rod = Christ; Water = Spirit of Christ. Everything is typologically given to prefigure Christ.

^8 (con’t) thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”

In the account in Exodus 17, it said –

“Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. ⁶ Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” Exodus 17:5, 6

There is a change in what is to be done. Moses is told to speak to ha’sela, or “the rock.” Moses doesn’t question which rock. He knows where to go and what should be done. The Rock is Christ. Of this, there is no doubt because Paul explains it as such in 1 Corinthians 10, our text verse in this sermon.

The Lord’s word goes otherwise unexplained as to the reason, but it is the word of the Lord, and thus it is to be obeyed. Both Moses and Aaron are expected to comply.

Some of the differences between the two accounts: 1) There, only the elders went; here, the congregation goes. 2) There, it says ha’tsur, “the rock;” here it says, ha’sela, “the rock.” tsur comes from a root meaning to confine, bind, or besiege; sela comes from an unused root meaning “lofty.” Why the difference? 3) The Lord said He would stand before Moses on the rock in Exodus; here, that is left unstated. 4) There, Moses struck the rock; here, Moses and Aaron are to speak to it. 5) There, the people may drink; here, the congregation and the animals will drink.

⁹ So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.

The rod is said to have been miliphne Yehovah, or “before the Lord.” Thus, it was kept in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle. It is to be brought out for the bringing forth of the water, but only by its presence, not through its action.

¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock;

The assembly, implying any or all the people, are brought el pene ha’sala, or “to the face of the rock,” meaning “before the rock.”

^{10 (con’t)} and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels!

The object is a verb, not a noun. He says, shimu na ha’morim – “Hear, I pray, the rebelling.” Moses was not told to reproach the people for their rebellion, but rather he was to speak to the rock and it was to issue forth water for their thirst. What they needed, was to be supplied solely as grace from the Lord. However, Moses sees the people as being in a state of rebellion and that is to be corrected. But who will do that?

^{10 (con’t)} Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”

The words are not what the Lord directed. Although it would be fine to speak out what will happen, Moses acts as if it is not of the Lord’s doing, but that of Moses and Aaron. It is a plural verb indicating that he and Aaron will bring the water out of the rock as if by their effort.

¹¹ Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; 

This is in complete disobedience to the Lord. Nothing was said for them to strike the rock, and certainly not twice. But he did. Despite his disobedience, the grace to the people is imparted anyway…

^{11 (con’t)} and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.

The water flowed forth, and it was sufficient for all. As in verse 8, the animals are, once again, noted as being provided the same water as the congregation.

¹² Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron,

Both are addressed. The lawgiver first, and the high priest who represents the sacrificial system of the law. They are combined into one judgment by the next words of the Lord…

^{12 (con’t)} “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

Here is another clue that the events precede the punishment levied upon the people to wander in the wilderness, and thus Miriam’s death – along with the entire account – is in the first month of the third year. In Numbers 14:30, the Lord said this to Moses –

“Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in.”

It was already understood, at that time, that Moses and Aaron would also not enter Canaan. And so, it is certain that this account fits into the time frame that the twelve spies were gone to Canaan. And this is actually then seen in the otherwise incomprehensible words of Deuteronomy 1:34-40 –

“And the Lord heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, ³⁵ ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, ³⁶ except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the Lord.’ ³⁷ The Lord was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there. ³⁸ Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.’”

^39 ‘Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. ⁴⁰ But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.”

Moses notes that his punishment came before or at the same time as the punishment of the people, and only after that does the Lord then go on to tell him to turn with the people away from Canaan and toward the Red Sea. Why is this important? It is because it then fits the typology of everything we previously saw in those sermons. Our verses today fit chronologically between Numbers 13:21 and 13:25.

In this account, Moses was told to speak to the rock, not strike it. To understand what occurred in Exodus 17, I’m sorry but you will have to go back and watch that sermon. But, in short, it pictured Christ being struck in His fulfillment of the law. It used the same word, nakah, or “strike,” there as was used of Christ in Isaiah 53 –

“Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:4

Moses was told now to speak to the rock because it was to not picture Christ’s sufferings leading to the giving of the Spirit, but the giving of the Spirit through the speaking of the word faith. This is seen in Paul’s words to the Galatians –

But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” ¹² Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.”

¹³ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), ¹⁴ that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 4:11-14

Moses and Aaron, representing the law, are incapable of speaking the word of faith.

¹³ This was the water of Meribah, because the children of Israel contended with the Lord,

Again, as in verse 20:3, the word riv is used. It means to contend or strive. Thus, the place is named Meribah, meaning Quarreling or Place of Quarreling. As is commonly the case, the place is named because of the surrounding circumstances. The children of Israel quarreled and the Lord resolved the matter. In the process, He was hallowed among His people.

*^{13 (fin)} and He was hallowed among them.

The verb here, and in the previous verse, qadash, is of the same root as that of the name Kadesh. Thus, the place also gets its name from the events which surrounded the circumstances. This then explains why the name of the place, Kadesh, was not used before the spies went out in Numbers 13, but it was used upon their return.

The events here occurred during the time the spies were in Canaan. However, the name was used, as we saw in that sermon, for a specific reason of showing us other hints of the future. In order to maintain the typology of various stories, the Lord introduces events at intervals which are not chronological, and yet which show us marvelous hints of redemptive history as they are placed into the sacred writings.

Where will we find water to drink to quench our thirst?
This is a parched and barren land
If only the waters through this Rock would burst
We could drink until filled; wouldn’t it be grand!

We know the waters are there, but what can we do?
We have given all of our effort, but not a drop have we obtained
But we believe the waters will burst through
And then from them true life we will have gained

What is the secret? How can we obtain a drink?
Who will open the Rock and bring it out for us?
Is it really so simple that faith is the link?
Just believe and receive from the Lord Jesus?

Surely He has done the work, and so He can the waters give
If we but trust in Him, by the Water of Life, surely we will live

II. Pictures of Christ

The account began in the Wilderness of Zin, meaning the thorn. It is a picture – as it has been before – of the cross of Christ. Miriam is said to have died at this time. In the Numbers 12 sermon, she was seen to represent the prophetic witness of Israel. That ended at the time of Christ. There is no longer a prophetic witness for the time of the Law of Moses.

Any future prophecy falls under the New Covenant. Here, she dies prior to the time of punishment upon Israel. Only after that, then will Israel be sentenced to perish in the wilderness, just as Israel was sentenced to perish among the nations, after rejecting Christ.

In this area, there is no water for the people. They have been brought out of the bondage of Egypt, but to an evil place. It is the time of the law which only highlights their sin. It cannot take it from them, except through a fulfillment of the law.

They noted five aspects of life that were lacking – seed, figs, vines, pomegranates, and water. As we saw, the lack of these pictured life under the law. It brought them death, not life. It did not establish a suitable connection to God. It did not produce spiritual blessing. It could not bring them to spiritual maturity. And it did not bring them the Spirit and life.

At this time, Moses and Aaron – the law and its sacrificial system – go before the Lord and fall on their faces and He appears to them in glory. It pictures the radiance of Christ before which the law is brought to its place of humility. They are told to take the rod.

The rod, which has not been mentioned since Exodus 17, is suddenly reintroduced for this parallel passage. It is said to have been miliphne Yehovah, or “before the Lord.” It is a picture of Christ, after completing His work, returning to His position of authority before God in heaven.

It is brought out in order to bring forth the Spirit, not through action, but through presence alone. It is a note of the deity of Christ; His omnipresence. Wherever the word of faith in Christ is spoken, the Spirit will issue forth, but not by deeds of the law. Rather by faith alone.

By merely the spoken word of the lawgiver and the high priest, in the presence of the rod, the rock is expected to yield its water. As we saw, Lawgiver = Christ; High Priest = Christ; Rock = Christ; Rod = Christ; Water = Spirit of Christ. Everything looks to prefigure Christ and the grace which comes from Him.

This is how it is. The giving of the New Covenant and the sacrificial work of the High Priest yields forth the Spirit. The Lord told Moses and Aaron – the lawgiver and high priest of the law – to speak to the rock and bring forth water. Both were to speak. As noted, these are some of the differences between Exodus 17 and here –

1) There, only the elders went; here, the congregation goes. The elders pictured the apostles who were witnesses of Christ’s work. Here, and because of their word, all can see the work of Christ.

2) There, it says ha’tsur, “the rock.” Here, it says, ha’sela, “the rock.” tsur comes from a root meaning to confine, bind, or besiege. sela comes from an unused root meaning “lofty.” In Exodus 17, it pictured Christ’s sufferings; here, it pictures Christ’s exaltation. In both, He is the Rock.

3) The Lord said He would stand before Moses on the rock in Exodus. Here, that is left unstated. There, the Lord stood before the law – in fulfillment of it. Here, the Lord is unseen. The water comes from an act of faith.

4) There Moses was to strike the rock; here Moses and Aaron are to speak to it. Christ was struck for our sins before the law. After that, Christ is received by the word of faith. The law has no part in the issuance of the Spirit, except as it was previously fulfilled in Christ.

5) There, the people may drink; here, the congregation and the animals will drink. How do you show that all are included in the spiritual blessings of Christ when it is simply a single nation of people in the wilderness? You use typology. The animals in the wilderness, though not Israel, shared in the commonwealth and blessings of Israel. It is a picture of Gentiles being given the same water of life as Israel –

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— ¹² that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:11-13

However, Moses and Aaron violated what the Lord spoke, they destroyed the symbolism, and they were consigned to die in the wilderness with the people. It is an obvious picture of the ending of the Law of Moses before the people are restored to God.

As we have seen from the chronology, Moses and Aaron are actually assigned their punishment before the congregation received theirs, not after. It points to the death of the law coming prior to the punishment and exile of Israel in AD70. This is exactly how the New Testament reveals the chronology.

However, Moses and Aaron live up until the fortieth year of wanderings. Likewise, Israel remains under the law until just prior to the end of their time of punishment. That is the purpose of the tribulation period and the last seven years of the law. Only those who live by faith, pictured by Joshua and Caleb, would enter into God’s promised rest.

Verse 12 said, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” The law is not of faith, but of works. It is also incapable of bringing man to heaven. Only Christ Jesus can do that.

Under the law, there is only quarreling and strife. Until the waters of the Spirit come forth, there cannot be contentment. This is why Miriam’s death is so important to the account, and why it occurred now, prior to the coming of the water and the sentence of punishment upon the people.

Her life was used as symbolic of the prophetic witness to Israel. Her death ends that time of prophetic witness, just as John the Baptist was the last to prophesy before the coming of Christ. In his death, that prophesy of the law ended.

Further, her name – Bitter Waters, or Waters of Strength – is used in type to show what occurred both to those who remain under the law, and how they would fare after the giving of the Spirit.

As you can see, the teaching mentioned at the beginning of the sermon concerning the two accounts of the giving of the water from the rock in Exodus 17 and then again here – which said that it reflected Christ’s first and second advents – is entirely wrong. It doesn’t fit the typology. Rather, it is the same account revealed with two different truths – all occurring in His first advent.

The first account in Exodus 17 pictured Christ, under the law, struck for our sins in order for the Spirit to be given. This second account is Israel’s rejection of Christ and holding to the law instead. Thus, they struck Him twice through that act. In this, and for Israel, it can be said, “Three strikes and you are out.”

This is why it is important to go methodically, verse by verse, through the Old Testament. To simply make a conclusion based on such a passage alone, will inevitably result in a faulty conclusion, based on a presupposition of what the account supposedly tells us.

For now, this is the lesson of this marvelous passage of Scripture. The Lord is, as He does consistently, revealing to us pictures of the immensely glorious workings of God in Christ. Let us pay attention to the words, and let us respond by living by faith, and by faith alone, in what He has done for us through His Son, Our Lord Jesus.

Closing Verse: “He split the rocks in the wilderness,
And gave them drink in abundance like the depths.
¹⁶ He also brought streams out of the rock,
And caused waters to run down like rivers.” Psalm 78:15

Next Week: Numbers 20:14-29 Wandering under punishment must be a bummer, for shor… (From Kadesh to Mount Hor) (39^th Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Waters of Meribah

Then the children of Israel, the whole congregation
Came into the Wilderness of Zin in the first month
———-as we are made aware
And the people stayed in Kadesh
And Miriam died there and was buried there

Now, there was no water for the congregation
So they gathered together against Moses and Aaron
———-as an angry horde
And the people contended with Moses and spoke, saying
“If only we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!” 

Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord
Into this wilderness
That we and our animals should die here?
This is a real pickle and a giant mess

And why have you made us come up out of Egypt
To bring us to this evil place?
It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates
Nor is there any water to drink, not even a trace 

So Moses and Aaron went from the presence
Of the assembly to the door of the tabernacle of meeting
And they fell on their faces
And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, such was the greeting

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying
These words to him He was then relaying

Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron
Gather the congregation together as well
Speak to the rock before their eyes
And it will yield its water, as to you I tell

Thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock
And give drink to the congregation and their animals
———-both the herd and the flock

So Moses took the rod from before the Lord
As He commanded him; according to His word

And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together
Before the rock; and he said to them in a stern talk
“Hear now, you rebels!
Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”

Then Moses lifted his hand
And struck the rock with his rod twice
And water came out abundantly
And the congregation and their animals drank
———-water, refreshing and nice

Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron
“Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me
In the eyes of the children of Israel
Therefore you shall not into the land which I have given them
———-bring this assembly

This was the water of Meribah
Because the children of Israel contended with the Lord
And He was hallowed among them
Among that disobedient horde

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Numbers 19:11-22
The Water of Purification

When considered, as we will do today, the verses here are highly confusing and hard to grasp. And so, to start us out, I’ll give an example for us to think about. It is somewhat analogous to what we will look at.

Suppose we have to give someone a bath. He is really dirty, and he also can’t bathe himself. Let’s even suppose he is so dirty that if we don’t wash him, he will die. Something on him really has to go. And so we get some soap, we fill a tub, we put him in, and rubadubdub. Are you with me so far?

Now, the bath is complete. What is clean? You just cleaned the person, so he must be clean? Right? What about the soap you used. Is that still clean? It was clean when you started, but not now? Would you separate it from the water and use it again? How about the water, is that clean? Would you use that again? Maybe for tea at noon? Why did you pull the plug? All that water down the drain. And that was a brand new tub and drain – never used before, but now they aren’t clean anymore, are they?

What about you, are you clean? I mean, you just washed a person that was so dirty he would die if you didn’t wash him. Now, you’ve given him a bath. Would you go have a meal before washing your hands again? Why not? Aren’t they clean?

And is he really clean? Whatever you have on your hands is still on him, isn’t it? Is his skin impervious to whatever you have on your hands that you need to go wash off? And what about the tub? What is that ring that’s visible there on the tub?

Text Verse: And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.”The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. ⁴⁶ However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸ As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. ⁴⁹ And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” 1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Christ bore the image of Adam, but he wasn’t in Adam as we are. However, under the law, He was considered a man. What does that have to do with taking a bath? Well, how is it that someone is so dirty that he must have a bath, he is then given the bath to make him clean, and yet afterward when he is considered “clean,” everything – including him – is actually still kind of unclean.

This is not a perfect analogy, but it conveys the point that needs to be conveyed for the passage. There is defilement, the defilement is removed, and yet there remains a state of uncleanness not only in the one who was cleansed, but in the person who did the cleansing, and in everything associated with that cleansing.

I bet $50.00 that nobody here would go to that drain which was used only one time, take it apart, and use it for a straw to prove that I was wrong. In this passage, everything in the process of cleansing brings about its own stain. And yet, in the evening, meaning at the beginning of a new day, everything is declared “clean.”

Confused? Hold on to your seats and bear with my occasional stutters and other linguistic foibles and we will find out that it all has to do with the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Certainly, great things are to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Law of Death (verses 11-16)

¹¹ ‘He who touches the dead body of anyone shall be unclean seven days.

The first ten verses of the chapter dealt with the obtaining of, and preparation of, the red heifer to be used for cleansing. Now, the specific details concerning what to do with the ashes of the red heifer are given in regards to purification of the people. As can be seen, the details concern defilement through death.

Death is the result of sin in one’s life. Contact with the dead then brings one into contact with the final result of sin, and thus it makes him unclean. There must be purification from this in order to be restored to a right relationship with God. Without it, the person remains defiled, and must be separated from the people of God, among whom is the sanctuary of God.

As the sanctuary is symbolic of the place of restored access to paradise and fellowship with God, we can then see that death – which results from sin – is something that will keep us separated from God. What is implicit here, because these things point to Christ’s purification, is that any person who dies apart from Christ is separated eternally from God. Sin is the problem, death is the result, and separation is the consequence. But Jesus is the cure.

Keeping this in mind, we are told in this verse that one who touches the dead body of anyone else, is deemed unclean for seven days. The Hebrew says, b’met l’kal nephesh adam – “the dead of all body adam,” signifying “man.” What is important to grasp is that there is no distinction made between a man or a woman, an adult or a stillborn baby. The corruption exists in all, and it thus – once again – reveals the biblical truth of “inherited sin.”

Sin comes through man, and all are born of man. The human is conceived, and the sin is transferred in that conception. David wrote of that in the 51^st Psalm, certainly understanding the truth from this very passage. Christ came to correct that state of corruption. Right here, one can look forward to the words of 1 Corinthians 15:42, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.” Like our text verse, these words deal with humanity in its corrupt state, and what Christ would come to do about it. The adam in us – meaning the man Adam, our humanity, is corrupt. Death is the result of that. But the cleansing power of Christ, as prefigured in the red heifer described in the last Numbers sermon, is given to correct that.

In Leviticus 11:24, and elsewhere, touching the carcass of an unclean animal only made a person unclean until evening. Here, however, touching a dead human brought about uncleanness for seven days. Thus, he is wholly unclean. Seven signifying “spiritual perfection,” indicates this to us.

To not be cleansed during this period would then indicate being perfectly defiled. In comparing a human corpse to that of even a vile, unclean animal, shows our utter corruption because of sin, and the vile nature of that before God. The wages of sin is death. One must get that corrected, or he is to be cut off, as will be seen…

¹² He shall purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not be clean.

This is how the Greek and the Latin Vulgate translates it, and it is also how verse 19 states it. However…

He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean; but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. (Darby)

This is how many translations state it. And so there is either one sprinkling on the third day which leads to cleansing on the seventh, or there are two sprinklings – on the third and seventh – which then fully cleanse. As the process is typical of Christ’s work, the correct answer must be found in an evaluation of that.

What becomes obvious here, either way, is that because the red heifer anticipates the purification found in Christ, the law could neither conquer death, nor purify from it. These are external rituals only, and they have no true power to cleanse. Were it so, one sprinkling would suffice for all time. Rather, as Hebrews says it –

“For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. ² For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. ³ But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” Hebrews 10:1-4

Every time that death occurred, the people who touched that death became unclean. It was a constant reminder to them of the failure of the law to bring them to a state of holiness acceptable to God. Thus, the veil in the temple remained until Christ came to tear it open and restore us to God, purifying us from every trace of sin. This is seen in the next words…

¹³ Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord.

Here, an article is placed before the word adam. It says b’nephesh ha’adam asher yamut, or “the body of the man which has died.” This is an obvious reference to “the Adam,” meaning “the man” who died in Genesis 3. Again, it looks to the transfer of original sin from Adam to all men. It is what Paul writes of in Romans 5 –

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Romans 5:12

As all are in Adam, all have touched the body of the man who has died. What man now needs is the touch of the Man who did not come through Adam’s transfer of sin, and in whom is life.

Here, it is specifically said that the reason for the purification is because, to not be so purified, it then defiles mishkan Yehovah, or the “tabernacle of the Lord.” The tabernacle of the Lord was seen to have pictured, in every single detail, the Person and work of the Lord. It is He who that edifice anticipated. In Revelation 21, the mishkan elohim, or tabernacle of God, is said to be among men –

“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.” Revelation 21:3

It is Christ who provides the purification necessary to return to the presence of God. Without His purification, the tabernacle of the Lord is defiled by the presence of one who is unclean. Such cannot be in a restored paradise, and thus…

^{13 (con’t)} That person shall be cut off from Israel.

A person purified is acceptable and does not defile the tabernacle of the Lord. This state of uncleanness, however, for one who fails to be cleansed excludes that person from the rights and privileges of Israel. That is then seen in Revelation 21:7, 8 –

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. ⁸ But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

^{13 (con’t)} He shall be unclean, because the water of purification was not sprinkled on him; his uncleanness is still on him.

There are only two states of man before God – unclean or clean. There is only one way to go from the first to the second, which is through the cleansing of Christ. That is it. Without this me niddah, or water of purification, which looks to the cleansing of Christ, the defilement of the death of Adam, meaning sin, remains. The word used here is not the normal word for sprinkling that is used four other times in this passage. Rather, the word is zaraq, a scattering. It is the scattering which is caused by a sprinkling. Further, the word is passive, not active. If translated more literally, it would say something like “…because the water of purification was not received as a scattering on him.”

In this, it then looks directly to man’s responsibility to receive what Christ has done. Christ does the work, but it is received by us. Christ does the purification; we receive what He does. It is His work alone which accomplished the cleansing.

As it is passive, this doesn’t mean we don’t call on Christ. The man had to walk up to the one who would sprinkle. However, he stood there and received the sprinkling. We come to Christ, but we do nothing in the purification process. Rather, we receive what He did.

¹⁴ ‘This is the law when a man dies in a tent: All who come into the tent and all who are in the tent shall be unclean seven days;

This settles the matter concerning when the instructions were received. It says b’ohel, or “in a tent.” A later writer would have certainly said b’beit, or “in a house.” However, the Israelites are now in tents in the wilderness. What is certain is that this would transfer to a house in the future.

Anyone who was in a tent, or entered a tent, where there was a dead body would be unclean for seven days. As touching a corpse has already been defined, this means that simply being in the tent, even without having touched the corpse, rendered a person unclean. Simply being in the presence of a corpse in an enclosed area brought defilement. Further…

¹⁵ and every open vessel, which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean.

In this verse, there are actually two nouns, bracelet and cord. Most translations call the bracelet a cover, and then “cord” is used as a verb, such as “no cover fastened on it.” That is more of a paraphrase. The two are probably used in apposition, one identifying the other.

In this, it then would say, “and every open vessel, which has no covering, a cord on it, is unclean.” The idea is that of being sealed off from the very smell of death which would transmit to the inside of the container. In this is seen the reason for the question to the priests in Haggai 2 –

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, ¹² “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?”’”
Then the priests answered and said, “No.”
¹³ And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?”
So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”
¹⁴ Then Haggai answered and said, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.” Haggai 2:11-14

Holiness does not transfer to the common, making it holy. But the uncleanness of death does transfer to anything else, even that which is holy. If the contents of the vessel were exposed, the defilement transferred.

¹⁶ Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain by a sword or who has died,

The touching of a corpse is not limited to someone who dies naturally, meaning they died of something which corrupted them and finally took their life – be it age, disease, and so on. Nor was it limited to enclosed areas. Instead, it extended to anyone dead in an open field, and who was even killed in battle or died naturally. The effects remained the same. Of this, the Pulpit Commentary says –

“This would apply especially, it would seem, to the field of battle; but the law must certainly have been relaxed in the case of soldiers.”

In other words, they are stating that the cleanup crew in a battle would be defiled when gathering and burying the dead, but the soldiers who did the killing, were probably exempt. Is this correct? We don’t even need to leave the book of Numbers to find out –

“And as for you, remain outside the camp seven days; whoever has killed any person, and whoever has touched any slain, purify yourselves and your captives on the third day and on the seventh day. ²⁰ Purify every garment, everything made of leather, everything woven of goats’ hair, and everything made of wood.” Numbers 31:19, 20

The act of killing another, even while the life is leaving the body, brought about defilement. Death, in all its associated forms, and including during battle, brings about uncleanness. Also…

^{16 (con’t)} or a bone of a man,

A dead man’s bone itself brought about defilement. This is alluded to in Ezekiel 39, after a whopping battle which is coming soon to a world near you –

“They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. ¹⁵ The search party will pass through the land; and when anyone sees a man’s bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. ¹⁶ The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land.”’ Ezekiel 39:14-16

But it must be remembered that bones eventually degrade, just as the rest of the body, even to the dust itself. Therefore, if thought through logically, the very dust of the earth which is picked up by the wind and blows about man must carry defilement. One could truly never know when they had come into contact with such a source of defilement, and thus the state of being unclean permeated everything about the people. If this is the standard, and it is, then a state of total uncleanliness exists in man. Apart from Christ, there is nowhere we can go to be truly free from it.

^{16 (con’t)} or a grave,

There are marked graves, and there are unmarked graves. The law makes no distinction between the two. To tread on the grave of a man brought defilement. One could never know when they were actually in violation of this. And it is exactly this that Jesus was referring to in words found in Matthew and Luke –

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. ²⁸ Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23:27, 28

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.” Luke 11:44

The Pharisees looked to their own righteousness, and as examples to others of the way to obtaining righteousness. And yet, Jesus told them that they were both defiled, and the source of defilement. It was to be considered the highest insult of all to these self-righteous, arrogant men who shunned God and boasted in self. Unfortunately, because of this, they were in a perpetual state of defilement. However, for the law, such transgressions meant they…

^{16 (con’t)} shall be unclean seven days.

Whether one was aware of his state because of defilement or not, he was defiled, but for those who knew they were, they were to be in a state of separation, and considered defiled, for seven days.

The first man Adam became a living being
He was made alive by God on that day
The last Adam became a life-giving spirit, from death He is freeing
In Him is life, and the path to lead our way

However, the spiritual is not first, as we know
But the natural, and afterward the spiritual, so we understand
The first man was of the earth, out of dust He was made to grow
The second Man is the Lord from heaven, He is God’s right hand

As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust
And as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly
And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, so we trust
That we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man, so shall it be

II. The Water of Purification (verses 17-22)

¹⁷ ‘And for an unclean person they shall take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin,

When a person was defiled through death in any of these ways, set procedures were to be followed by first getting some of the ashes. Here the word “heifer” is inserted. The Hebrew says, seraphat ha’khatath, or “of the burning of the sin.” As in other areas, the word “sin,” is used to describe its purpose.

We do this when we say that we skin an animal. We don’t add skin, we remove it. The same is true here. The ashes of the burning of the sin means, “The ashes of that which was burned for purification from sin.” As long as one keeps thinking about Jesus, and how He fits into the terminology, the words are understandable, and the pictures become obvious. This is true with the next words…

^{17 (con’t)} and running water shall be put on them in a vessel.

mayim khayim – “waters living,” or as we would say it, “living water.” As we saw last week, the ashes of the burning pictured Christ in every way. It was He who gave His life for us, but His death is not the end of the story. In Him is found the true living water which He spoke of in John 4 with the Samaritan woman at the well. And it is He, who in an obvious reference to this passage, said this to Israel –

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” John 7:37-39

He reached back to the Old Testament symbolism in order to show us truths about Himself, and what He would do for those who came to Him. Christ had to die for our sins, be glorified through the resurrection and ascension, and then the living water has its effect. One can only drink from Christ if he is purified by Christ. In Him is found the true Living Water. What pictures that continues to be seen in the next verse…

¹⁸ A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave.

Here it notes “a clean person.” A priest is not specified, but someone who is clean. Though seemingly a priestly duty, the rite of purification could be accomplished by whoever was clean. As this is looking to the application of Living Water, meaning the Holy Spirit, mixed with the Person and work of Christ, it is a beautiful picture concerning the priestly duty of sharing of the gospel. It can actually be accomplished by anyone who is cleansed by Christ.

As in verse 6, hyssop is specified. It, in picture, looks to the humbled humanity of Christ. As quoted in the previous sermon –

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippines 2:5-8

That is the heart of the gospel message, and it is what is being pictured here. Only hyssop is allowed, because only hyssop fits the typology necessary to see the humility displayed in Christ, and to transmit Christ to the unclean soul. Thus, the hyssop, ashes, and living water, are united to form a complete picture of Christ’s work, death, resurrection, and the Spirit which proceeds from Him. It is sufficient to cleanse all things, just as the water of purification was used to cleanse all of what is again named in this verse, but previously described.

¹⁹ The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean on the third day and on the seventh day; 

This verse clarifies the ambiguous Hebrew of verse 12. The person is to be sprinkled on both the third and the seventh day. As I said earlier, because the process is typical of Christ’s work, the reason for two sprinklings must be found in an evaluation of that.

For Israel, if the sprinkling actually cleansed, then one sprinkling would suffice. And if it actually cleansed on the second sprinkling, there would be no need for another ever again. But it only cleansed until again defiled. Thus, the law anticipated Christ, and the law is insufficient without the coming of Christ.

In Christ, we are cleansed from all sin and unrighteousness by His work. But if that cleansing took effect in actuality upon our acceptance of Him, we would be immediately glorified. But such is not the case. We remain here, and we are still in defiled, corruptible bodies. Therefore, the two sprinklings look to what is actual but not realized, and that which is actual and realized.

Right now, any who are in Christ are actually forgiven, justified, sanctified, and glorified in God’s sight. But until that is actual and realized, we are still awaiting the consummation of what we possess. Thus, one sprinkling is given as the assurance of cleansing, the second is given for realization of it. That is seen in the next words…

^{19 (con’t)} and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, wash his clothes, and bathe in water; and at evening he shall be clean.

The question here is, “who is to wash his clothes and bathe in water?” The clean person who does the sprinkling becomes unclean in that act, as is seen in verse 21. And so it could be either person who is being spoken of. But probably it is the one being sprinkled because, unlike verse 21, it mentions both washing the clothes and bathing. Thus, we have an allusion to Hebrews 10:22 –

“…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 10:22

There is the sprinkling, and there is the washing. A clean person sprinkles another with the gospel, and the person who hears it responds in receiving the gospel; acting upon it through faith. We are not to rigidly look at the third and seventh days as specific time frames, but rather as specific events.

If a person hears the gospel and responds to it just one minute prior to the rapture, he has everything here occur in that one minute. He is sprinkled for salvation, sprinkled unto salvation, and washed clean, all in a moment. The evening in the Bible is the start of a new day. In this, it is the eighth day, the day of “new beginnings.” In Christ, we shall enter the new Day, that of “new beginnings,” cleansed and purified in reality.

²⁰ ‘But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself, that person shall be cut off from among the assembly,

The words of this verse are reflective of what is said in Revelation 22:11 – “…he who is filthy, let him be filthy still.” Purification with the water was mandatory in that one must do it to be in right standing within Israel and with God. But it was still a choice one voluntarily made.

The very fact that it says, “But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself,” signifies that free-will is involved. The people didn’t tackle him and force the purification on him. Instead, he willfully rejected what was offered. In this, he was to be cut off…

^{20 (con’t)} because he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord.

Here it says miqdash Yehovah – “the sanctuary of Yehovah.” The tabernacle noted in verse 13 resides within the sanctuary. In defiling the tabernacle, the entire sanctuary is, by extension, defiled by the presence of such a person. And this is because…

^{20 (con’t)} The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him; he is unclean.

Again, as in verse 13, the verb is passive. It reads “The water of purification was not received as a scattering on him.” The individual was offered Christ, and he refused Christ. Christ’s purification was not imparted to him, and he remains unclean.

²¹ It shall be a perpetual statute for them.

l’khuqat olam – “for ordinance forever.” The word olam, or forever, signifies “to the vanishing point.” In this case, when the covenant is fulfilled in Christ, the shadows of these rituals are ended in Christ. The law has reached its vanishing point. However, the precept is forever as it is fulfilled in Christ. What the shadows prefigured is now realized in Him, forever. Included in this is…

^{21 (con’t)} He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes; and he who touches the water of purification shall be unclean until evening.

Here in this verse, we see that the person who was clean and who sprinkled the person who was unclean in order to cleanse him has garments which have been rendered unclean. And the person who touched the water of purification – certainly he who prepared it, and he who sprinkled it – was rendered unclean until evening, even though that same water was used to purify the person who was unclean. But there is yet more…

*^22(fin) Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean; and the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening.’”

At this point, all involved with the process are unclean. The person who was clean and made the mixture became unclean by touching it while making it. The person who sprinkled the mixture must wash his clothes, implying he is unclean.

The person who had the water of purification sprinkled on him remains unclean until evening – both for his initial defilement and certainly because of the water of purification which makes everything it touches unclean.

As all are unclean, anything they touch becomes unclean. And then anyone who touches that which is unclean through their touch becomes unclean until evening.

Again, as in the first half of the passage, it needs to be asked, “How can something that cleanses make those who touch it unclean? And how can cleansing come out of that which renders those who touch it unclean, meaning that it must be unclean?”

Countless explanations have been put forth to answer this, but none goes far enough. What is it that purifies us? Christ. But how did that come about? Through His death. The entire passage is dealing with touching a dead body. If His body was dead, then according to the law, touching His body would defile.

But as He had no human father, sin did not transmit to Him. Thus He was sinless. The sin He bore, was for the people of the world. Every time that someone comes to Christ, it is through His death. That death defiles because sin was connected with it. But not His own sin. When we take the Lord’s Supper, we remember His death until He comes.

When I tell someone about Christ and he receives that, I, in essence, sprinkle that person with Christ. In that, I am participating in the death of Christ. Thus, I am ceremonially unclean because of the sin which is transferred to Christ because of my witness. The person also is purified, but he remains unclean in reality, until he is actually glorified in Christ.

It appears that Paul had this rite of purification on his mind when he wrote his words found in 2 Corinthians 4. There he wrote about the sufferings of the apostles for the sake of sharing the message of Christ, something that those who share the gospel continue with to this day. Think of the water of purification when I read this. He said they were –

“…always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. ¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12

We carry about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus. Death brings uncleanliness, and yet, we (meaning believers) are already clean because of Christ. But we carry this body of death in order to continue to bring life to others. So even though we are alive, death is working in us, but it is working life in those who come to Christ.

The clean person who did the sprinkling must have thought, “I am making this guy clean, but I am making myself unclean in the process.” Unless you understood the whole picture, you would say, “What a jip!” But in understanding that what he is doing is necessary for the life of the other, then it doesn’t appear jippish at all.

It is Christ who cleanses from all unrighteousness, but uncleanness had to come from His dead body in order for that to come about. That is why there is no sprinkling with blood. That is accomplished in Christ’s death. It is the death and the body of death which is dealt with here. It is that which defiles. If you remember from the previous sermon, this is the only sacrifice which is burnt and which includes the fact that the blood is burnt with the body.

That is why the living water mixed with the death, meaning the ashes, is used. It furthers the picture. Christ didn’t die and stay dead, He rose to provide living waters, but that can only be appropriated through His death, even though His dead body brought defilement under the law.

One cannot get to the Living Water until he is first cleansed by the blood, even though the death associated with that blood defiles. And so that confusing, but infinitely important message must be shared. Are you willing to carry about in your body the dying of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may be manifest in you? That is the lesson of the red heifer and the sin water. Without Christ becoming sin we could not become the righteousness of God in Him. It is an amazing thing that God has done in Jesus Christ.

Closing Verse: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Colossians 3:1-4

Next Week: Numbers 20:1-13 Waters will come out of the Rock – and all the people said ooh and ahh… (The Waters of Meribah) (38^th Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Water of Purification

‘He who touches the dead body of anyone
Shall be unclean seven days, this is what I mean
He shall purify himself with the water on the third day
And on the seventh day; then he will be clean

But if he does not purify himself on the third day
And on the seventh day, he will not be clean, so to you I say

Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died
And does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord
That person shall be cut off from Israel
According to this word

He shall be unclean
Because the water of purification was not
Sprinkled on him
His uncleanness is still on him, like a defiling spot

‘This is the law when a man dies in a tent:
All who come into the tent, as the Lord relays
And all who are in the tent
Shall be unclean seven days 

And every open vessel, so I mean
Which has no cover fastened on it, is unclean

Whoever in the open field touches
One who is slain by a sword
Or who has died, or a bone of a man, or a grave
Shall be unclean seven days according to this word

‘And for an unclean person
They shall take some of the ashes; the ashes like soot
Of the heifer burnt for purification from sin
And running water shall on them in a vessel be put 

A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water
Sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels too
On the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone
The slain, the dead, or a grave, so he shall do 

The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean
On the third day and on the seventh day; so do I mean
And on the seventh day he shall purify himself
Wash his clothes, and bathe in water
———-and at evening he shall be clean

‘But the man who is unclean and does not purify himself
That person shall be cut off from, according to this word
Among the assembly
Because he has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord

The water of purification has not been sprinkled on him
He is unclean
It shall be a perpetual statute for them
This is what I mean

He who sprinkles the water of purification shall wash his clothes
And he who touches the water of purification
———-shall until evening be unclean
Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean
And the person who touches it shall be unclean until evening
———-at the sanctuary of the Lord, he shall not be seen

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen

Numbers 19:1-10
The Red Heifer

For the past ten or fifteen years, it has become common for news articles, videos, and discussion boards to claim that the main Jewish religious figures in Israel have finally found the perfect red heifer for once again conducting the temple rites in Jerusalem. It is claimed that without this, temple worship can’t begin again.

This, however, is flawed thinking. The red heifer is noted only now in Numbers. It is completely uncertain when this passage was written, but the fact that it is in Numbers, and the tabernacle was set up at the end of Exodus, clues us into the fact that the red heifer is not necessary for beginning the temple rites.

This is then seen after the first exile when the returnees built the altar of the God of Israel in Ezra 3 in order to offer burnt offerings on it. The red heifer is never mentioned there. They simply built the altar and offered offerings. The other aspects of the law would have been adhered to according to established need.

One can see from the passage that the red heifer is simply used for purification from sin, but the actual sin it purifies from will not be specified until next week’s sermon. For now, it is only described how to get to that which is needed for the purification.

But this passage is only symbolic of what is coming in Christ. It could not actually accomplish what it was given for…

Text Verse: “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, ¹⁴ 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? ¹⁵ And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:13-15

The author of Hebrews says that what we are looking at today simply sanctified for the purifying of the flesh. Beyond that, it could do nothing to truly restore a person to God. The flesh is at war with God as is perfectly evident from the rest of Scripture.

Only in the coming of Christ is the promise of the eternal inheritance realized. This is what is such a huge shame about Christians who openly applaud, and even financially support, the process of building a new temple, identifying a supposedly perfect red heifer, and joining in with the rites and rituals that are being conducted each year in anticipation of the coming temple.

To them, it is as if this is what God wants, and that we should somehow support it. If that was so, then we would not have the book of Hebrews to cite. Nor would we have any of the other New Testament books to read and celebrate in. The four gospels, Acts, and all of the New Testament letters are given for the purpose of showing that Christ fulfilled these types and shadows, and in His final act in fulfillment of them, He died. At the same time, He initiated a New Covenant which replaces the Old.

It is true that it is exciting that another temple is coming. It is amazing to see the implements being constructed and the rituals being practiced, but instead of rejoicing with Israel over these things, we should mourn for them. In their coming, there is nothing more than a continued rejection of what they only anticipated.

This will, once again, like so many times before, be evident from an evaluation of this passage which is found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

The Red Heifer

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying,

Once again, as has been seen a few times, the usual address of the Lord speaking only to Moses is departed from in this verse by including Aaron. This has happened from time to time when there is a need for Aaron to be involved in whatever is occurring. Such is the case now.

The passage before us speaks of purification, specifically that of purification from defilement which comes from being physically near death. As death is the final result of sin, it is defiling to touch a dead person, or even be in the immediate presence of one who dies. Purification from this must be accomplished to maintain holiness.

It is not sure when this passage was received, but some speculate that it was actually at the time that the tabernacle was originally erected in Exodus 40. That occurred on the first day of the second month of the second year. In that same month, Numbers 9 says –

“Now there were certain men who were defiled by a human corpse, so that they could not keep the Passover on that day; and they came before Moses and Aaron that day. ⁷ And those men said to him, ‘We became defiled by a human corpse. Why are we kept from presenting the offering of the Lord at its appointed time among the children of Israel?’” Numbers 9:6, 7

Because they were defiled by a corpse, it is assumed by some that this law, now presented in Numbers 19, was already received. That may be so, but it may more likely be that this is a new thought entirely, coming on the heels of the final words of Numbers 17 –

“So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Surely we die, we perish, we all perish! ¹³ Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die. Shall we all utterly die?’” Numbers 17:12, 13

The people had rebelled several times, and many had died during these rebellions. Finally, at the time of Aaron’s rod which budded, the people realized that death was the inevitable result of their sinning against the Lord, and they were destined to die in the wilderness because of this.

In this, they had been promised that all, twenty and above would die in the wilderness until the generation of the disobedient were consumed. The number of deaths which could be expected on any given day would then be in the hundreds. It was already understood, even from Genesis 2, that death is the result of sin, and that purification from sin was necessary, or further defilement and death would be the natural result.

And so we have a logical progression of thought. There was a challenge to Aaron’s priesthood. That challenge was handled by the Lord in the destruction of the rebels as seen in Chapter 16. From there, Aaron’s authority was definitively established through the budding of his rod in Chapter 17.

After that, the care of the Levitical priesthood through the system of tithes and offerings was detailed in Chapter 18. There, the possibility of death was mentioned four times in various ways. For example, only the priests could perform the duties in the tent of meeting. Anyone else would die. The Lord is instructing the people in holiness, His holiness, and what that means, including death for infractions against it.

Now, in response to terrified cries of the people that whoever comes near the tabernacle must die, the Lord is providing this passage concerning the cleansing of the people from the stain of sin related to death. They could, in fact, approach the sanctuary, but not the tabernacle. The boundaries had been set, but even those who came near the sanctuary to offer an offering must be pure.

Because the tabernacle of the Lord extends logically to cover the entire congregation, the people needed to maintain a state of purification from death. This then is the reason for the placement of the passage here. In Chapter 17, in the cries of the people’s words, “Whoever even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord must die,” a response is given now. In verse 13 of this chapter, we will read –

“Whoever touches the body of anyone who has died, and does not purify himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord.”

In both, the rare term, mishkan Yehovah, or “tabernacle of the Lord,” is used. To be an Israelite, dwelling in the Lord’s presence, and to not be purified from the stain of death, would defile the mishkan Yehovah. The problem of that is thus dealt with now…

² “This is the ordinance of the law

zot khuqat ha’torah – “this, enactment the law.” It is a very rare phrase which combines two common words – khuqat, or “statute,” and torah, meaning “law,” or “instruction.” The two words together in this manner are only seen here and in Numbers 31:21 where purification is again the subject, including the type of purification mentioned in this passage. For this combined form, John Lange provides a general meaning –

“We would read: an ordinance for securing the Torah. Without this expedient, for instance, the law of purification would have occasioned endless offences on the right hand and on the left.” John Lange

In other words, the word torah, or “law,” here is an all-encompassing statement concerning not any given law, but the Law of Moses itself. In order to secure the Law and keep it free from constant defilement in the people, this statute is now being enacted.

^2 (con’t) which the Lord has commanded, saying:

Now the khuqat ha’torah, or “enactment of the law,” is said to be, tsivah, or commanded, by the Lord. There is a definite importance being ascribed to what will be presented. It is binding on all people because it is a part of the mutually agreed-to covenant between the Lord and His people. The Lord, speaking to Moses and Aaron concerning this guidance commanded by the Lord, tells them to…

^2 (con’t) ‘Speak to the children of Israel,

This is then surely in direct response to what they had said to Moses which included Aaron as the recognized high priest –

“So the children of Israel spoke to Moses, saying, “Surely we die, we perish, we all perish!” Numbers 17:12

The children of Israel spoke to Moses in terror. The Lord will now speak to the children of Israel, through Moses and Aaron, concerning instruction on how to avoid that terror.

^2 (con’t) that they bring you

The word “you,” is second person, singular. It thus explains the inclusion of Aaron more fully. What is to be brought is probably not to be brought to Moses. He is the lawgiver, and that job is a one-time position which will not be repeated during the period of the law. Rather, it is to be brought to the high priest, whoever he is, that fills the position. Aaron is representative of the position.

^2 (con’t) a red heifer without blemish,

parah adumah temimah – “heifer red without blemish.” The obvious questions which arise from this are 1) Why a heifer? 2) Why red? And 3) Does “without blemish” qualify the color red, meaning “entirely red,” or is “without blemish” expanded upon by the coming words concerning no defect? The Hebrew could go either way.

Some scholars look to this as a symbolic rejection of the rites and rituals of Egypt. The heifer was sacred to the Egyptians, and so only bulls were sacrificed. Specifically, they sacrificed red bulls to their demon god Typhon. Thus, in using a red heifer, they were rejecting the rites and practices of Egypt. This is not sound. The Lord isn’t asking His people to look back on and reject Egypt. He is – as always – giving types and pictures of Christ to come.

The specificity of the red color is the only time such a requirement is made in the sacrificial system. At all other times, the type and sex of the animal are specified, but never the color.

The color adom, or red, is given as a direct tie to Adam, or humanity. The name Adam, and the word “man,” or adam, come from the word adom – both the verb and noun signify “red.” It is either the state of being red, or the action of making red. Esau was called Edom because of the adom, or red, soup. That was the only time the noun has been used, until now. Remembering what that story pictured, connects us to this requirement now.

The verb form was used in the construction of the tabernacle with the “rams skins dyed red.” It is seen ten times, and it comes from the idea of being made red, or to show blood in the face. The use of those ram skins dyed red pictured Christ’s covering of our sins. That is then explained by the use of the verb adom in Isaiah –

“‘Come now, and let us reason together,’
Says the Lord,
‘Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.’” Isaiah 1:18

After this, Paul explains how this points to Christ in his second letter to the Corinthians –

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

The red looks to Christ the Man, formed out of the earth, and thus it made possible His sacrificial work on our behalf. As for it being a heifer, meaning a female, The word parah, or heifer, is the feminine of par, a young bull or steer. That is associated with parar, meaning to break forth or frustrate, and thus to break, such as in a covenant, or to annul it.

As this is for the purification from sin, the idea of destroying its effect is an obvious connection to that. That it is a female looks to the initial cause of sin in man, not his actual sin, but what precipitated it –

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6

That is then explained by Paul –

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” 1 Timothy 2:14

It is the woman who was deceived through her weak nature. Christ came born of a woman and bore the same weak nature that all humans possess. That is explained by the author of Hebrews –

“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.” Hebrews 5:1, 2

That it is a heifer looks to Christ the Man who came subject to weakness, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

Earlier, it was questioned concerning the word, temimah, or without blemish. Does the word qualify “red,” or is it qualified by “no defect?” In other words, does the word best translate as “without blemish,” meaning pure red, or does it best translate as “perfect,” meaning without defect?

First, all traditions hold that it qualifies “red,” and there is no obvious reason to go against that. Further, that there is no other sacrifice where the specific color is designated would certainly argue for the word qualifying “red.” Not only is it to be red, but wholly red. However, the word mum, or defect, in the next clause is used to qualify and explain the word tamim, or without blemish, elsewhere, such as in Leviticus 22:1 –

“And whoever offers a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect (tamim) to be accepted; there shall be no defect (mum) in it.”

Without being dogmatic, because we are speaking of a heifer and not a dog, I would – after talking it over with Sergio – go with the latter. Red is specified, without any other word which could very easily have been translated as “wholly,” thus indicating totally red. The picture of Christ’s humanity is sufficiently described with the single word, adom, or red. It is not His humanity that takes away our sins, but rather His perfect humanity which does.

Because of the specificity of the perfection of the peace offering, and that it should be without defect as well, is sufficient for us to consider the same here. And that is then actually revealed as what is necessary to picture Christ in the New Testament –

“…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18, 19

It is not any man that can take away sin, but a Man without blemish, meaning perfect, and without spot, and without defect or defilement. The huge number of traditions which have been heaped up by the Jews concerning single white or black hairs of this red heifer making it unacceptable as a sacrifice have not highlighted the obvious pictures of the coming Christ, but rather they have only diminished them. That it is without blemish looks to Christ the sinless Man, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

^2 (con’t) in which there is no defect 

ain bah mum – “not there is defect.” As we just saw, this certainly qualifies and further explains the words “without blemish.” Christ came in perfection, He lived in perfection, and He died… in perfection. That the red heifer had no defect looks to Christ the perfect Man, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

^2 (con’t) and on which a yoke has never come.

lo alah aleha ol – “not which has gone up on a yoke.” The ol, or yoke, is a picture of bondage. It comes from a root meaning, “to affect thoroughly.” This perfect red heifer, without defect, was also to have never been yoked. The idea of a yoke on an animal is subjection. On a person, it then conveys the idea of degradation.

It would be unbefitting of the purpose of the rites, for which this heifer was to be used, for it to have been placed under a yoke. But more, this looks to Christ who, though born under the yoke of the law was born sinless under that yoke. In other words, the law is a yoke because of sin. For one who is sinless, and who remains sinless, there is no yoke of bondage; there is no subjugation to sin. Thus, what will happen with this heifer for the people will look to what Christ does for His people –

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

In addition to His state under the law, this not being yoked is certainly explained in Christ’s voluntary service before the Lord. As a yoke implies bondage and forced labor, an animal that has never been yoked has lived free from such constraints. Such was true with Christ, as the author of Hebrews explains it –

Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), ⁹ then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ¹⁰ By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:8-10

Christ voluntarily came to do God’s will, and He voluntarily placed himself under the law. His sacrifice replaced these very sacrifices which are mentioned under the law, because His covenant replaced the covenant through which they came. What could never actually bring God pleasure is replaced by that which pleased God the most.

That this red heifer was never yoked looks to Christ the sinless Man, and His sacrificial work on our behalf.

³ You shall give it to Eleazar the priest,

The name Eleazar essentially means “Whom God helps.” He is the third son of Aaron, but the oldest remaining son. The very use of His name looks to the work of Christ. Whom God helps, He helps through Christ.

The son, not Aaron, goes because there will be a resulting defilement from the performance of these duties as will be seen in verse 7. As Aaron was to never allow himself to become defiled in this manner, the rite is transferred to the son. It is again reflective of Christ as is recorded by Paul –

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

The son became unclean through the rite; God’s Son took on our uncleanness through His work. For now in Numbers, it is this son who is to receive the heifer…

^3 (con’t) that he may take it outside the camp,

Outside of the camp is where defilement is. It is where those who are unclean are sent. It is where the world at large is. As this was to be for the cleansing from defilement caused by death, and as death is the result of sin, the animal and its death were not taken to the altar for sacrifice, but outside the camp – away from the presence of the Lord. The connection to Christ is obvious –

“For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” Hebrews 13:11, 12

The sanctification of the people was accomplished by the Lord as He hung outside the gate of Jerusalem. Every word so far has shouted out the magnificent wonder of what Jesus Christ did for His beloved people.

^3 (con’t) and it shall be slaughtered before him;

The subject in the clauses is indefinite, “that may take it outside,” and “shall be slaughtered.” This is because it was not the priest who slaughtered the animal, but rather, it was someone unspecified. The reason for this is that though man led Christ outside of the city, and though man crucified Christ, it was God who ordained that it should be so.

The picture of Abraham, leading his son to be sacrificed on Mount Moriah, as being typical of God the Father and God the Son, once again comes to light here. But, the animal is slaughtered before the priest who then testifies to the death. This is seen in Matthew 27 where it is noted that the chief priests stood and witnessed the crucifixion of Christ.

⁴ and Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting.

With the sacrifice of the animal complete, Eleazar was to take some of the blood of the heifer, and nazah, or sprinkle, it seven times directly toward the face of the Tent of Meeting. He actually would do this from the place outside the camp, not in the sanctuary. As he is considered unclean, so he remains defiled until evening.

With this act, the blood of the heifer, meaning the death of the heifer, becomes an actual sacrificial offering to the Lord. Thus, Eleazar, or Whom God Helps, is representative of Christ who is equated to the Finger of God in Luke 11:20.

The word finger, or etsbah, comes from another word, tsebah, which indicates dyed material, and thus one gets the idea of grasping something. Therefore, the finger is that which accomplishes a task. The creation is said to be the work of the Lord’s fingers in the 8^th Psalm. But the Bible also records that the creation is accomplished through Christ.

Thus, in this verse, the shed blood is Christ the innocent Substitute and Sacrifice. Eleazar is Christ the Priest. The finger is Christ who accomplishes the work of purification. The seven sprinklings are the perfection of Christ’s blood presented before God as an acceptable purification from sin resulting from touching that which is dead.

⁵ Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight: its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned.

This is the same thing that was to be done to the sin offerings of the anointed priest, the sin offering for the entire congregation, the sin offering for the ordination of Aaron and his sons, and the sin offering on the Day of Atonement. This is not a picture of Christ’s sufferings. The animal is already dead. This reflects something entirely different. Further, this is the only time that blood is said to be burnt as a part of the sacrifice.

The word used here for “burn” here is saraph. It is the word used, for example, when burning a leprous garment. It is never used in the sense of an offering. Rather, it more reflects the rejection of a thing, and a divine purification through incineration. It is a picture of the consequences of sin, the Lake of Fire. The body of Christ became an unclean thing before God in order to purify man from the stain of death. And so even this verse completely and wholly pictures Christ and His sacrifice for us. Next…

⁶ And the priest shall take cedar wood

Now the priest is instructed to take certain things. It is similar to that which was seen in a particular ritual in Leviticus 14. The first item is ets eretz, or wood cedar. The word eretz is derived from a root which means to be firm, or strong. It is the same word used to describe the cedars of Lebanon and even the cedars of God in Psalm 80. Thus they are large, magnificent, firmly fixed trees.

This part of the rite indicates permanence. It carries the strength of the process. It is symbolic of Christ who is the strength of God for salvation. As Paul says in Romans 5 –

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

^6 (con’t) and hyssop

v’ezov, or “and hyssop,” is taken as well. The word hyssop that we use today comes from the Hebrew through the Greek. In Greek, it is hussopos, a transliteration from the Hebrew ezov. You can hear the similarity ezov/hyssopos/hyssop. It is an herb native to the Middle East and elsewhere. It has antiseptic, cough-relieving, and expectorant properties.

Because of this, it is used as an aromatic herb and for medicine. It is a brightly colored shrub with dark green leaves. During the summer, it produces bunches of pink, blue, or, more rarely, white fragrant flowers. It is contrasted to the cedar in 1 Kings 4, showing its diminutive size –

“He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. ³³ Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish.” 1 Kings 4:32, 33

Whereas the cedar denoted firmness and strength, the hyssop denotes humility. Other than the one instance given by Solomon, it is always used in the Bible in conjunction with purification. Paul shows us how this humble plant, used in purification, looks forward to Christ –

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

^6 (con’t) and scarlet,

u-sh’ni tolaat, or “and scarlet (of the) crimson grub worm,” is to be brought. The implication is scarlet yarn. Two words here are used to describe the color. The first is shani, which means “scarlet.” The second is tola. This is actually a worm known as the crimson-grub. However, it is used only in this manner concerning the color from it, and cloths dyed with it.

Taken together, they are translated as “scarlet,” but implying the scarlet which comes from the tola or grub worm. The scarlet, or red, in the Bible pictures and symbolizes war, blood, and/or judgment. In this case, it is judgment, as in judgment on sin. Thus, the sh’ni tolaat, or scarlet of the crimson grub worm, pictures Christ who is described by the same word, tola, in the 22^nd Psalm, a psalm about the cross of Christ –

“But I am a worm, and no man;
A reproach of men, and despised by the people.” Psalm 22:6

The judgment is what happened at the cross of Christ, and this is what the scarlet signifies here. As repeated from an earlier sermon a description of this crimson dye, which is obtained from the tola is given to us by Henry Morris –

“When the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young, she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree, fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would never leave again. The eggs deposited beneath her body were thus protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle. As the mother died, the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood. From the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms, the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted. What a picture this gives of Christ, dying on the tree, shedding his precious blood that he might ‘bring many sons unto glory.’ He died for us, that we might live through him!” Henry Morris

After this, the priest is instructed…

^6 (con’t) and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.

The body of the unblemished, and defect-free red heifer has all of these things, representing the attributes of Christ, cast into the fire with it. Think of it! The perfect, sinless Man, who died in weakness, is described by what these articles imply. The casting of them into the fire with the body is signifying exactly that.

His perfections are what are being consumed with His body so that purification for any who have come into contact with death may be purified from that. As all have sinned, all have come into contact with death. But the purification of Christ is sufficient to cleanse any and all who will receive what He accomplished for them.

⁷ Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening.

This is now another note of uncleanness in the process. There was the taking of the animal outside the camp. There was the death of the animal, meaning its state in death. There was the burning of the animal in its entirety. Through these unclean things, the priest is made unclean.

Think of it, the process which is given to cleanse the people from the sin of death, in turn, makes the attending priest unclean, implying that touching the blood used in the rite of sprinkling, meaning the proof of death, has made him unclean. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

Because of this, he was required to accomplish certain rites of purification already laid out in Leviticus. The washing of the garments, the bathing in water, and waiting until evening were all required.

The reason for the uncleanness lasting until evening is because the evening is the start of a new day. Thus, a picture of the work of Christ is made. Through the death of Christ, man enters into a new Day where all things are made new. It doesn’t matter if a person is made unclean 20 minutes after evening, meaning he is unclean for 23 hours and 40 minutes, or if he is made unclean 15 minutes before evening. In Christ, one is cleansed for the new Day.

⁸ And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening.

As the priest is made unclean through the rite, so is the one who burns the heifer made unclean. He too must wash his garments, bathe in water, and remain unclean until evening.

Think of it. The process which is given to cleanse the people from the sin of death, in turn makes the one who conducts the burning of the animal unclean. Implying that the burning of the animal causes uncleanliness. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

⁹ Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer,

Now a clean man is specifically called in to gather up the ashes of the heifer. The implication is that the other people who are unclean cannot conduct this part of the rite without somehow defiling the ashes. This is only the second time that epher, or ash, has been mentioned in the Bible. As normal in the Hebrew, the word is singular, ash. IT is what remains of a thing, and thus it reflects the whole thing.

Ash carries a couple of ideas. First, it reflects judgment, as when Abraham said, I am but dust and ashes. He was indicating that he was created from the dust, and all he deserved was being reduced to ashes in judgment. It also carries the idea of mourning, as when one puts ashes on the head to reflect the state in which they feel they exist. Thus, a clean person was to come and collect the ashes.

^9 (con’t) and store them outside the camp in a clean place;

The ashes, which were collected by a clean person, are to be stored outside the camp, not inside the camp. However, they were to be in a clean place outside the camp. This implies that they would defile the camp if they were brought in. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

^9 (con’t) and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification;

Here the term is l’me niddah, or “for water of impurity.” It signifies water by which impurity is removed. The ashes would be taken and mixed with water and then used to purify. This process will be described in the verses ahead. It is then further described as…

^9 (con’t) it is for purifying from sin.

khathat hi, or “sin, it.” Here the word “sin” signifies the offering for the sin. It is what takes the place of the sin, and thus it is called “sin.” It is reflective, then, of Christ who became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him.

¹⁰ And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening.

Like the attending priest, and like the one who burned the heifer, this person who was clean, and who then gathered up the ashes for cleansing of those who are defiled by the state of death, has become unclean, and will remain that way until evening.

Think of it, collecting the ashes of the heifer which is given to cleanse the people from the sin of death, in turn, makes the one who collects them unclean. Implying that the ashes carry uncleanliness. How can it be that purity can come out of that which is unclean?

*^{10 (fin)} It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.

Here, it is acknowledged that this rite of purification applied to both the children of Israel, and to the stranger, meaning the foreigner, who dwelt among them. And it applied for the entire time of the Mosaic law. As long as the law existed, and until it was replaced by the New Covenant in Christ, it remained in effect. As the typology points to Christ, it indicates – even from the Mosaic Law – that cleansing from such impurity was intended for both Jew and Gentile.

The question has been asked several times. “How can something that defiles bring about cleansing?” Again and again, being physically in contact with each part of the rite brought about a state of uncleanness. And yet, it is the very substance produced in this process of death which then is given as the only thing to purify from contact with the dead. How is this possible?

The answer is, of course, found in Christ. In Christ’s death, He took upon Himself all of the sin of the world, becoming – as we have already heard twice – sin. His body became the very thing that could cleanse us of our sin. But because His body was dead, literally and truly, it was considered unclean under the Law of Moses.

Anyone who touched it would be rendered unclean, and yet, in the completion of His work, meaning being found sinless before the Father, He was raised to eternal life. In this, our sin which was imputed to Him was washed away, and His body, which had died and was deemed unclean, became the only true way of cleansing humanity from the defilement caused by death. As John Lange says, “…death was to be put to death by this death of the most perfect blooming life.”

As all humans have been born with sin, all have had contact with death, and therefore, only Christ can purify us from what this red heifer anticipated. Everything under the law was external and shadowy. It could not actually cleanse from sin, nor could these things actually bring the unclean to a state of purity. They looked ahead to Him, and in Him is found the fulfillment of the many types, shadows, and pictures found in today’s beautiful passage.

Closing Verse: “Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. ⁴¹ Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. ⁴² So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.” John 19:40-42

Next Week: John 16:19-22 God has something incredible planned. Hoo yeah and oh boy! (Your Sorrow Will Be Turned Into Joy) (Resurrection Day sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Red Heifer

Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying
These are the words He was to them then relaying

“This is the ordinance of the law as I am relaying
Which the Lord has commanded, saying:

‘Speak to the children of Israel
That they bring you a red heifer without blemish
———-whether one or some
In which there is no defect
And on which a yoke has never come 

You shall give it to Eleazar the priest
But this is just a prelim
That he may take it outside the camp
And it shall be slaughtered before him

And Eleazar the priest shall
Take some of its blood with his finger
———-I know there is no need for repeating
And sprinkle some of its blood seven times
Directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting

Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight
———-as you have now learned
Its hide, its flesh, its blood, and its offal shall be burned 

And the priest shall take cedar wood
And hyssop and scarlet too
And cast them into the midst
Of the fire burning the heifer
———-so he shall do 

Then the priest shall wash his clothes
He shall bathe in water as well
And afterward he shall come into the camp
The priest shall be unclean until evening
———-as to you I now tell 

And the one who burns it shall
Wash his clothes in water, so he shall do
Bathe in water also
And shall be unclean until evening too 

Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer
And store them outside the camp in a clean place
And they shall be kept for the congregation
———-of the children of Israel
For the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin
———-so that of sin there will be no trace 

And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer
Shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until evening too
It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel
And to the stranger who dwells among them
———-as I am instructing you

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to you for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…