“And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times.”
In this verse, we find instructions regarding the preparation of the ashes of the red heifer, which was an important ritual for purification in the Old Testament.
Context:Numbers 19 describes the regulations for the purification of those who came into contact with a dead body or a grave. It outlines the procedure of the red heifer sacrifice, whose ashes were used in the water of purification.
The Priest’s Role:Eleazar, who was serving as the priest during the time of Moses, is given the responsibility to perform this particular task. He is instructed to take the blood of the red heifer with his finger.
Sprinkling of the Blood:After taking the blood, Eleazar is to sprinkle it directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times. The sprinkling of the blood symbolizes the purification and sanctification of the tabernacle and the people who seek purification.
Symbolism:The red heifer sacrifice and the sprinkling of its blood were part of the ceremonial system in the Old Testament. The ashes of the red heifer, when mixed with water, were used to cleanse individuals who had become ceremonially unclean due to contact with a dead body.
Spiritual Significance:The ashes of the red heifer and the sprinkling of blood served as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Just as the red heifer sacrifice purified the unclean, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross cleanses us from sin and makes us spiritually clean before God.
New Testament Application:In the New Testament, the book of Hebrews draws a parallel between the red heifer sacrifice and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 9:13-14 says, “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 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!”
In summary:Numbers 19:4 outlines the process of preparing the ashes of the red heifer for purification rituals in the Old Testament. This ritual serves as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice, through which we are spiritually cleansed and made pure before God.
