July 13, 2024: Parashah Torah Portion Chukat - "Decree Of"

Shabbat: July 12th, 2024 at sunset until July 13th, 2024 at sunset.

Scriptures:

Torah Portion: Numbers 19:1-22:1

Haftarah (Prophets) Judges 11:1-33: Joshua 2:1-24

Brit Hadashah: John 3:9-21, 4:3-30, 12:27-50; Hebrews 9:11-28

Restore Israel Team: Elihana Elia, Dr. Hadassah Elia & Devorah Silva

Last week's Torah portion (Korach) established the authority of Moses (not Reuben) as the leader of Israel, and the authority of Aaron (not other sons of Levi) as God's chosen priestly line. The Israelites (i.e., laymen) were warned to keep their distance from the priestly duties and to allow the appointed representative of the LORD to intercede on their behalf.

In this week's Torah portion Chukat, God gives the "law of the red heifer," a special whole-burnt offering whose ashes were used to purify someone contaminated by contact with a dead body. The red heifer had to be a perfect specimen that was completely red, "without blemish, in which there is no defect."

This is the only sacrifice in the Torah where the color of the animal is explicitly required. Moreover, the cow was never to have had a yoke upon it, meaning that it must never have been used for any profane purposes.

Unlike other sacrifices offered at the altar at the Tabernacle, the red heifer was taken outside the camp to be slaughtered before the priest, who then took some of its blood and sprinkled it seven times before the Tabernacle. Then the heifer would be burned in its entirety: its hide, flesh, blood, and even dung were to be burned (unlike other sacrifices).

Also unlike other offerings, the blood of the sacrifice was to be completely burned in the fire. Hyssop, scarlet yarn, and a cedar stick would then be thrown upon the burning heifer, which were the same items used to cleanse from tzara'at (skin disease). These items, along with the blood of the red heifer, were therefore assimilated into the ashes of the sacrifice, which were gathered and mixed with living water to create what was called the "waters of separation" for the community. Anyone that came into contact with death (i.e., a corpse) was required to be cleansed using these waters. The purification procedure took a full seven days, using three stalks of hyssop dipped into the water and shaken over the defiled person on the third day and then again on the seventh day. After the second sprinkling, the person was immersed in a mikvah and was declared "clean" the following evening.

The mystery of the red heifer sacrifice suggests profound truth about the sacrificial death of YESHUA our Savior. The kohen (priest) who sprinkled the ashes of the red heifer became tamei (unclean) himself, even though the defiled person became tahor (pure). The picture of the priest here is one of sacrificial love the giving up of one's own spiritual purity so that another person can regain his purity... "Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be clean." Psalm 51:7

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the "righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

The heifer, like YEHUSA, had to be perfect to be worthy of sacrifice. The heifer not only had to be "without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke" Numbers 19:2, but its horns, hooves, and even eyelashes had to be red. If the horns and hooves were not perfectly red, they would be chopped off before the heifer was sacrificed. If one had ridden on the heifer, leaned on it, hung on its tail, crossed a river by its help, placed rope on its back, or put one's cloak on it, it became invalid. If a mere two black or white hairs were found on the heifer, the animal became invalid. The heifer's physical flawlessness was symbolic of the spiritual perfection required of Messiah to atone for the sins of mankind-for he had to be spiritually without spot or blemish.

Just so, Yeshua willingly became unclean on our behalf, through our contact with sin and death, so that we could become clean.

"Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted." Isaiah 53:4

Titus 2:14).

Unlike most other sin offerings, the sacrificial animal in the law of the red heifer was not male, but female. A marvelous message is manifested in this metaphor. The female sacrifice suggests that the ritual is life giving. Through women we are born and gain mortal life; through Messiah we become spiritually reborn and gain eternal life! YESHUA taught His disciples this principle when he said, "I am come that they might have life. . . I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" John 10:10-11

Why a RED heifer? It symbolizes the BLOOD OF YESHUA. Why heifer? The heifer represented the ultimate unique and expensive sacrifice. Yeshua is the ULTIMATE and ONLY SACRIFICE that qualified for our SALVATION.

"Walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:2

"Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:14

Because of YESHUA, the impure becomes pure, even though He became impure through His offering. Because of Him, we have been cleansed from our sins "by a better sprinkling" than that which the Tabernacle of Moses could afford.

"This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:28

Another way the heifer symbolized YESHUA was that it was not compelled to leave the temple grounds and walk to the Mount of Olives. In the Mishnah we learn the priests had to "bring her forth, by herself."

This foreshadowed the sacrifice of YESHUA, who, like the heifer, went voluntarily to the Mount of Olives to partake of the bitter cup that only He knew awaited Him. He was not coerced to leave the Upper Room, cross the Kidron Valley, and enter into the Garden of Gethsemane. Rather, he led his disciples to the garden and voluntarily took upon himself our sins.

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" Hebrews 9:14