Red Heifer 3

"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. Isa 1:18

……and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. Numbers 19:9

Separation from what? Purification from what sin?

Read verses 11-22 – The uncleanness being dealt with in these verses is coming in contact with dead bodies. When they were unclean they were unfit to serve.

The main subject of the book of Numbers is: Israel’s Journey (wondering) In The wilderness.

In Numbers 14:32-34 we see that all over 20 years old were going to die in the wilderness.

There were over 600,000 men twenty years and older who came out on Egypt so during this 40 years of wondering there could have over 1,200,000 Jews die. (100 per day). Every single person would be at some time come in contact with a corpse (body, bone, grave, in a tent).

1) For health reasons: When they touched a corpse they needed to wash to avoid germs

2) The death during the 40 years was the result of the sin of not trusting in God’s ability to keep his promises – This ceremony would keep this in the minds of the congregation

3) Is there a relationship between sin and death? (Ge 2:17) Death brought corruption. Being polluted by coming in contact with dead people made them unfit for service.

This is a picture of Christ over coming and defeating death on the cross. Today death is defeated (1Co 15:55) but not destroyed (1Co 15:25-26) so we can be corrupted by death today. Death will be destroyed after the 1000 year reign of Christ (Rev 21:4; 22:3,5 {no death curse or night}).

For us today: The physical things in the Bible point to the Spiritual

Heb 9:13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (The sin offerings were to cover the day to day sins of God’s people so they can serve the living God. Both physical & spiritual)

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Today death is defeated but not destroyed. When will death be destroyed?

How do we (Christians) come in contact with dead people? The Unsaved

We (Christians) come in contact with spiritually dead bodies every day. Salvation was not the only thing we received by trusting in Him. We also receive protection from being polluted from contact with the lost.

If we become associated and tainted by the sins of this world we become unclean and unable to serve the living God. The number one way this happens is when we fail to trust that God will do what He promised (Exercising Living faith). Our harbored sins make what we do for God dead works.

We become clean when we confess our sins, repent and turn from them. We are free from the worry of the pollution of death because provision was made in the sacrifice of Christ.

*Israelites (under the law), though being part of His people, were put out, unsaved (they did not have the faith of Abraham if they did not wash with the water of separation) They remained separated . Today we are under grace. If we become caught up in the sins of this world we will not loose our salvation, but will loose the joy of our salvation and rewards for serving Him. If we desire to serve Him we must avail ourselves of His desire to forgive us our sins. 1John 1;8-9

What about the running water the ashes were to be put in? What is running water a picture of?

The Holy Spirit that flows from our savior. (John 7:37-39) It is the Holy Spirit that brings our daily sins to our conscience and will take our prayers asking for forgiveness to Him.

1Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Isa 4:4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

For us today: The physical things in the Bible point to the Spiritual

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

*How do we (Christians) come in contact with dead people? _____________________________

Salvation was not the only thing we received by trusting in Him. We also receive protection from being polluted from contact with the lost (spiritually dead). If we become associated and tainted by the sins of this world we become unclean and unable to serve the living God. The number one way this happens is when we fail to trust that God will do what He promised (Exercising Living faith). Our harbored sin makes what we do for God dead works.

We become clean (able to serve) when we confess our sins, repent and turn from them. We are free from the worry of the pollution of death because provision was made in the sacrifice of Christ.

What about the running water the ashes were to be put in? What is running water a picture of?

John 7:37-39: _______________________

It is the Holy Spirit that brings our daily sins to our conscience and will take our prayers asking for forgiveness to Him and we receive forgiveness from Him

Bulls and goats were used in offerings for sin (day to day sin)

The moment we are saved we receive the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and receive the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit. John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Didn’t He teach his apostles about not becoming part of the World and seeking the things of the world?

Mt 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (riches or provision of the world, what this world has to offer). Was this brought back into their memory as they went out into the world.

Note: Jesus Christ knew that we, by our selves, could not avoid being corrupted by contact with the unsaved of this world. Yet He told us to give the Gospel to the lost. But to give the Gospel we have to come in contact with the lost – be assured He knew that - John 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil

It takes the complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ (the pure, perfect, unique one) mixed with the leading of the Holy Spirit to keep us from becoming unfit to serve Him because of becoming polluted by living among the spiritually dead.

We cannot avoid becoming corrupted by the things of this world on our own. {again, we are not losing our salvation but our ability to serve Him}. God made provision for this in the complete work of Christ upon the cross.

When we (Christians) apply the sacrifice of Christ mingled with the working of the Holy Spirit we are unable to be corrupted by this world.

Note: you could not apply the ashes without the running water and you could not apply the water before the ashes were available. – Man could not seek forgiveness without the work of The Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit could not work in our lives without the sacrifice Of The Son.

Could this be part the “filling of the Holy Spirit” that we need daily

Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

The teenagers, your children, your grandchildren even though they may be saved are in danger of being corrupted by the spiritually dead and being declared unfit for service – saved always but as if by fire

1Co 3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

This world is trying as hard as it can to corrupt the children!

Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Joh 17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Jude 1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

Heb 9:15 ¶ And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.