Numbers 17-20

• Red heifer ashes, wilderness of Zin, Aaron’s rod budding, resurrection a sign, salt in the Bible, outside the camp, do not add to God’s words, wood hyssop and scarlet, speak to not strike the Rock, Zin, Kadesh, Mount Hor, Israel always rejects the Rock the 1st. time, Meribah

A beautiful photo of Anatakapau Bay in New Zealand.

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(707) 895-2325God bless you as you examine His Word,Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5

These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge.

Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

Let’s Open Our Bibles To Numbers 17

• Numbers chapters 16-19 pertains to the priesthood

• We’ll read Numbers 17:1-13

Numbers 17:2–5, The Point Of Aaron’s Rod Budding

• Nelson study Bible numbers 17:2–5, “The rebellion of Korah and its aftermath (ch. 16) left a level of uncertainty among the people concerning the divine appointment of Aaron and his sons as the true priests of God. The point of Aaron’s rod budding was to eliminate the continuing complaints of the people against Moses and Aaron by another divine sign…"

Numbers 17:8

• NAU Numbers 17:8 Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds.

Numbers 17:2–5, The Point Of Aaron’s Rod Budding

• Nelson study Bible said “The point of Aaron’s rod budding was to eliminate the continuing complaints of the people against Moses and Aaron by another divine sign…“

• DLK says; God’s Word says that was His immediate short term goal, but I think there is also an even bigger long term purpose, or lesson.

Numbers 17:10, Resurrection A Sign

• NAU Numbers 17:10 But the LORD said to Moses, "Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign against the rebels, that you may put an end to their grumblings against Me, so that they will not die.”

• A completely dead stick, branch, shoot, netzer, would come to life, blossom, bear fruit, and that would be a sign of the ruler. Hmmmm!

• The leader of Israel would be determined by the dead branch that was resurrected and raised up alive bearing fruit.

• Which Ruler of Israel, King of the Jews, does that sound like?

Numbers 17:10, Resurrection A Sign

• Is it possible that God was setting a precedent for how He would show who the leader of Israel would be to all generations when He would raise completely dead Branch to life?

• NAU Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land.

• NAU Isaiah 53:1 …to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground;

• Which Ruler of Israel, King of the Jews, does that sound like?

Numbers 17:10, Resurrection A Sign

• NAU Isaiah 11:1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. 3 And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; 4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. 5 Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

Acts 4:10, Jesus of Nazareth

• Acts 4:10…by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth…• 17 uses of Nazareth in NAU, 29 in NKV, KJV, 12 in NET, CSB,

28 in ESV, 18 in YLT• 7 NIV, KJV, NKJ, ESV uses of “Nazareth” are in Acts, 1 in CSB,

NET, 4 in YLT• Greek BGT, BNT, 4 uses of “Nazareth,” BYZ has 12• NAS “Jesus Christ the Nazarene”• KJV “Jesus Christ of Nazareth” • NAU Isaiah 11:1 Then a shoot will spring from the stem of

Jesse, And a branch [netser] from his roots will bear fruit.• �ֶצ�ר <05342> )netser )666a ֵנ• Meaning: a sprout, shoot

Numbers 17:10, Blossomed Rod Symbolized Life And Vitality

• Shabbat Inspiration, “A legendary Israeli storyteller describes three clergymen on a visit to Mount Zion in 1965. When they asked the Jewish curator why the Jews claim Jerusalem as their capital, he replied with a story. When Moses appointed Aaron as High Priest, a man named Korach objected. It was only once Aaron's staff blossomed that the people accepted him as the High Priest, as the blossoming rod symbolized life and vitality. The curator then pointed and said: “In the old Arab section of the city there is desolation, yet here in new Jerusalem, everywhere you look you see life, growth, and vitality. Jerusalem belongs to those who make it bud and blossom, to those who make it live and grow.”

Jerusalem Daily Photo, Today's photo by Yehoshua Halevi shows flowers in bloom outside the Old City's walls.

Num 17:10, The Rod Kept As A Sign

• NAU Numbers 17:10 But the LORD said to Moses, "Put back the rod of Aaron before the testimony to be kept as a sign…

• God elevates this “sign” to 1 of only 3 things in the Ark• NAU Hebrews 9:3 And behind the second veil, there was a

tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant.

• Things placed inside: (Heb.9: 3-4) The tablets of Law (Ex.40: 20), think holiness The Aaron’s rod (Num.17: 10), God provides leaders The golden jar with Manna (Ex.16: 34), God provides all

Numbers 18

• Numbers 18-19 describe the duties and responsibilities of the priests.

• This come right after God supernaturally proclaimed who the were.

• Let’s get this whole thing settled once and for all.

Numbers 18:1-24, The LORD Said To Aaron

• NAU Numbers 18:1 So the LORD said to Aaron…• This is one of only two times recorded that the

LORD spoke to Aaron;• NAU Leviticus 10:8-11 The LORD then spoke to

Aaron, saying,…

Numbers 18:8-24, Priests Sustained By God’s Offerings

• In Numbers 18:8-20 God declares that the priests should be sustained by God’s people’s gifts to Him.

• In the NT we see;• NAU 1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders who rule well be

considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages." 19 Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.

Numbers 18:19, Salt in the Bible

• Jewish Jewels magazine in May 2013 on the back page says "...Salt in the Bible is a symbol of loyalty, of the relationship. Many desert tribes, even today, put salt on the hands of a couple when they marry. A "covenant of salt" (Numbers 18:19) is a forever covenant of loyalty in relationships. In Matthew 5:13 – 14, believers in Yeshua are called to be salt and light. Light refers to our testimony to pre-believers. Salt refers to a relationship with each other. The inability of believers to get along puts the light out! We must have salt with one another. Yeshua said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35) We can't be light to be unsaved if we aren't salt to one another!”

Numbers 18:19, "covenant of salt"

• NAU Numbers 18:19 "All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD to you and your descendants with you."

• The "covenant of salt" with the Levites, has to do with the right of the priests to eat the offerings brought to God. It is an everlasting covenant. So it’s not surprising to see it reaffirmed in;

Numbers 18:19, "covenant of salt"

• NAU 2 Chronicles 13:5 "Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the rule over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?

• NAU 2 Kings 2:21 He [Elisha] went out to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'I have purified these waters; there shall not be from there death or unfruitfulness any longer.'“

• Hmm? “Salt= no longer death. Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth…

• NAU Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

Numbers 18:19, "covenant of salt"

• NAU Numbers 18:19 …It is an everlasting covenant of salt ...you and your descendants with you.”

• It’s reaffirmed even in the millennium; Ezekiel 44:29-31; 29 "They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering and the guilt offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 "The first of all the first fruits of every kind and every contribution of every kind, from all your contributions, shall be for the priests; you shall also give to the priest the first of your dough...”

• Since salt doesn't burn, or perish, it’s natural that God would use it as an everlasting covenant.

Numbers 18:25-32, The Priests Are To Give Also

• In Numbers 18:25-32 we find that God required His servants, the priests, to give to Him part of the offerings they had received.

• In the NT we see Paul and the other apostles working sometimes so as to not be a burden upon the churches.

Let’s read Numbers 19:1-10

• Numbers chapters 16-19 pertains to the priesthood• The MacArthur Study Bible on page 223, says "Over a

period of 38 1/2 years, over 1.2 million people died in the wilderness because of God's judgment. The Israelites were continually coming into contact with dead bodies, which led to ceremonially uncleanness. Therefore, the Lord provided a means of purification so that those who came into contact with dead bodies might be cleansed."

Numbers 19:3, Outside The Camp• NAU Numbers 19:3 'You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall

be brought outside the camp and be slaughtered in his presence.• NAU Hebrews 13:11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is

brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

• NAU Exodus 33:7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.

Numbers 19:6, Wood, Hyssop And Scarlet

• NAU Numbers 19:6 'The priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet material and cast it into the midst of the burning heifer.

• If I said nothing but “wood, hyssop and scarlet” what would you think of?

• Wood= cross; NAU Galatians 3:13 Christ 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 "--

• Hyssop = NAU John 19:29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth.

• Scarlet = NAU Matthew 27:28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.

Numbers 19:6, Hyssop

• The Hyssop Stick , Dr. Fleming: What's also interesting is that Matthew, Mark, and Luke say someone put a sponge with sour wine on a stick. John uses the word hyssop stick which is a reed that grows nearby.

You remember in the book of Exodus the ancient Hebrews are told to dip hyssop in the blood of a paschal lamb and swab it on their doorpost and lintel. Do you see now why John is mentioning the stick? archaeologist Dr. James Fleming

at his Explorations in Antiquity Center,

Exodus 12:22 Numbers 19:6, Hyssop

• The hyssop stick doesn't need to necessarily be a long pole. Someone doesn't want to touch a dying person, and Jesus doesn't have the strength. Remember the first time He didn't want something to drink, but later in the day He said, "I thirst." He doesn't have the strength to lift His head back. You can suck from a sponge if someone held it up to you…”

• NAU Exodus 12:22 "You shall take a bunch of hyssop and dip it in the blood which is in the basin, and apply some of the blood that is in the basin to the lintel and the two doorposts; and none of you shall go outside the door of his house until morning.

Numbers 19:11-13, Purified By Faith

• NAU Numbers 19:12 'That one shall purify himself from uncleanness with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and 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.

• If they thought, “Oh, this is stupid, I’m not doing that” they remained unclean/cut off.

• But, if they thought, “I don’t understand it but God says do it, so I’m doing it”, =SAVED!!

• Anyone today who thinks “I’m a good person, I don’t need to be “born again” is condemned already. (John 3:18, 3:36, 8:24, Hebrews 9:27-28).

Numbers 19:1-22, Red Heifer’s Ashes For Purification From Sin

• Every aspect of this red heifer ashes for purification from sin account is unusual.

• It’s a female not a bullock• Burnt outside the camp, not the altar• It causes everyone to be unclean, until they are cleansed by

it• It’s mixed with “living water”• It’s applied with hyssop• It’s completely burnt up• It was required to have fellowship• It’s the only way to be cleansed

Red Heifer’s Ashes Necessary?

• Will it be necessary for the Third Temple to be build, to have red heifer ashes, or before Israel can begin sacrifices again?

• There are only 2 places in Scripture that refer to “the ashes of a heifer”, here (5 uses of “heifer”) and in Hebrews;

• NAU Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

• Yet, for Israel ; Numbers 19:21 'So it shall be a perpetual statute for them…

The Red Heifer

• The rabbis said the red heifer has to be a young female bovine, three years old, that has never been yoked and does not have even one non-red hair, perfect, and completely red. Usually the sacrifices were male, but is a this a heifer, female. No other offerings prescribe a certain color. Some think the red color symbolizes the blood of atonement. In Bible times, this perfect heifer would have been sacrificed by the High Priest on the Mount of Olives. Think “outside the camp.” Then it's ashes would have been mixed, in a special stone pot, with the free-flowing water from the Gihon Springs.

The Rapture And The Red Heifer gracethrufaith.com

• Q. I’m sure you’ve heard about the red heifer that has been found somewhere in the US, that is apparently qualified to be used in the third temple that will be built soon. I know finding the perfect candidate is huge in Biblical prophecy, but how does it fit into the rapture, are we that close ?

• A. According to Numbers 19 the ashes of a pure red heifer were an ingredient in the water of purification that made Israelites ceremonially clean. Today all living Jews are unclean and cannot enter the Temple or touch anything that’s holy. Before they can begin building the new temple they will have to be made clean again. To become so, they need a red heifer and that’s why the birth of one is so exciting to them.

• In all of Israel’s history there have only been 9 red heifers sacrificed. Hebrew tradition holds that when the 10th one is

The Rapture And The Red Heifer gracethrufaith.com

• sacrificed it will be a sign of the Messiah’s coming.• This is not the first red heifer to be born in this generation. The

previous ones exceeded the maximum allowable number of non-red hairs before reaching age 3 and were disqualified. This bears watching, but everything depends on the heifer remaining spotless until it is qualified.

• The red heifer pertains to the rapture in that the Temple is a necessary component of Daniel’s 70th Week. It has to be built and functioning by the middle of the week when the anti-Christ defiles it (Daniel 9:27, Matt. 24:15-21, 2 Thes 2:4). From my studies, I’m convinced that the rapture will occur before the 70th Week begins. In short, a red heifer makes building the Temple possible soon and that makes the rapture possible sooner.

The Ashes Of A Red HeiferA Bible Study by Jack Kelley

• Jack Kelley did a wonderful article on this, it’s included after the “THE END” slide. You can cut and paste it in a Word doc.

• “…For the first time in several years there has been a report of a red heifer being born. (Actually it’s a red calf, since a heifer is a young cow at least a year old who hasn’t had a calf of her own.) This has caused a stir in Orthodox Jewish circles as well as among prophecy conscious Christians. The reason being that the ashes of a pure red heifer are an essential ingredient in the purification water necessary to restore the Jewish people to ceremonial cleanliness. Unclean people cannot build and worship in a holy Temple, and a Temple is necessary to fulfill end times prophecy…

• A pure red heifer is a rare animal. Even its hooves have to be red. In all the history of Israel only nine red heifers have been sacrificed, the last one about 2,000 years ago in 15 AD. The Great Hebrew sage Maimonides (1135-1204 AD) claimed that the 10th red heifer would herald the coming of the Messiah…”

Let’s read Numbers 20:1-9

Numbers 20, Zin (Zinfandel?)

• NAU Numbers 20:1 Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

Numbers 20:1, The First Month

• NAU Numbers 20:1 …came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month…

• It’s “the first month” but no mention of the year.• Most scholars think it’s the 40th year because of;• NAU Numbers 33:38 Then Aaron the priest went

up to Mount Hor at the command of the LORD, and died there in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt, on the first day in the fifth month.

Numbers 20:1, Miriam Died

• NAU Numbers 20:1 …came to the wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.

• Miriam should be glad she didn’t die in disgrace from leprosy

• Scripture does not tell us when N.T. Miriam, Mary, Jesus’ mom died

Numbers 20:3, They’re At It Again

• NAU Numbers 20:3 The people thus contended with Moses and spoke, saying, "If only we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!

• Can you believe this!• They are so much like us, I can’t believe it• Our God is so longsuffering!

Numbers 20:9, The Rod From Before The LORD

• NAU Numbers 20:9 So Moses took the rod from before the LORD, just as He had commanded him;

• Was it kept there?• What a privileged rod!

Let’s read Numbers 20:10-13

Numbers 20:10, Moses Added To God’s Words

• NAU Numbers 20:10 and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. And he said to them, "Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?“

• NAU Revelation 22:18 I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book;

• NAU Deuteronomy 12:32, 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

• NAU Proverbs 30:6 Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.

Numbers 20:11, God Said Speak

• NAU Numbers 20:11 Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank.

• NAU John 4:10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.“ [No mention of her striking the Messiah]

• NAU 1 Corinthians 10:4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

• Yes, Christ was struck the 1st. Time (Exodus 17:6), but no one will strike Him the second time. Moses blew the model!

Exodus 32:19, 1st Giving Of Stone Is Not Received, But Shattered

• Exodus 32:19 …Moses' anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them…

• The 1st. Time the stone is broken, not the 2nd. Time• The 1st. Time the stone is struck, not the 2nd. Time• Exodus 17:6…strike the rock, and water will come out…• NIV 1 Corinthians 10:4 …and that rock was Christ.• Numbers 20:11 Then Moses …struck the rock twice… • John 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own

did not receive Him.• NKJ 1 Corinthians 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He

broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.“

Acts 7, Steven Summarizes The OT

• Steven shows how Israel always rejects God the 1st. time and will receive Jesus at the 2nd. Coming

• God’s best is always rejected 1st.• Received 2nd. • Implying;• Jesus was rejected 1st. time• He will be received at the 2nd. Coming

Numbers 20:13, Meribah

• NAU Numbers 20:13 Those were the waters of Meribah, because the sons of Israel contended with the LORD, and He proved Himself holy among them.

• יָב�ה 04809 Meriybah {mer-ee-baw'} ְמ�ר• Meaning: Meribah = "strife" or "contention" 1) a

fountain at Rephidim, in the desert of Sin; so called because the Israelites murmured against God 2) the name of the water supply at Kadesh on the southern border of the promised land; the people also murmured here against God …

Numbers 20:14-21, Summary

• In Numbers 20:14-21 Moses tries to gain permission to cross Edom (Esau), and is denied passage.

• God gives a summary of this in Deuteronomy 1:45- Deuteronomy 2:8

• Let’s turn there• NAU Genesis 12:3 And I will bless those who bless you,

And the one who curses you I will curse…• Judges 11:17-23, Isaiah 11:14, 34:5, Jeremiah 49:17,

Ezekiel 36:5, Obadiah 1:1-21

Numbers 20:22…they set out from Kadesh… 23 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron at

Mount Hor…

Numbers 20:22…they set

out from Kadesh… 23

Then the LORD spoke to Moses

and Aaron at Mount Hor…

Numbers 20:25, Aaron’s Son Eleazar

• NAU Numbers 20:25 "Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on his son Eleazar…

• NAU Numbers 3:2 These then are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to serve as priests. 4 But Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered strange fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai; and they had no children. So Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

• NAU Numbers 20:28 …Aaron died there on the mountain top. Then Moses and Eleazar came down …

In Conclusion, "Lifeboat" Eschatology

• Blogos.org says “Have you ever wondered if passengers on the Titanic stood around arguing over exactly how and when the boat would sink? Rather than getting others into lifeboats and lifejackets, did they bicker over whether the front, or back, would go down first? Squabble over whether the ship would split in two, or remain intact? Debate at length over precisely how long the process would take? I hope not. It's sad to imagine lives lost because people who should have been focused on rescue were sparring over relatively meaningless details…”

Many who attack eschatology will fight to the death over music, color of the chairs or carpet, makeup, long dresses, etc.

THE END

• Jerusalem Photo Trivia Today's photo shows a glowing, bustling and profitable shopping venue right outside the old city of Jerusalem.

The Ashes Of A Red HeiferA Bible Study by Jack Kelley

• The Ashes Of A Red Heifer• Saturday, June 28th, 2014End Times• Featured• Israel• A Bible Study by Jack Kelley• The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke. Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its

blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines. The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer” (Numbers 19:1-6).• For the first time in several years there has been a report of a red heifer being born. (Actually it’s a red calf, since a heifer is a young cow at least a year old who hasn’t had a calf of her own.) This has caused a stir in Orthodox Jewish circles as well as among prophecy conscious Christians. The reason being that the ashes of a pure red heifer are an

essential ingredient in the purification water necessary to restore the Jewish people to ceremonial cleanliness. Unclean people cannot build and worship in a holy Temple, and a Temple is necessary to fulfill end times prophecy.• Therefore the appearance of a red heifer is a sign that one of the last requirements for the construction of a Temple could soon be met. Notice I said could be met. I’ve already seen several news reports and articles that act as if Temple construction could begin tomorrow. But the truth is that it will be three years before the heifer is old enough and

during that time if it should sprout as few as two (2) non red hairs it will be disqualified.• A pure red heifer is a rare animal. Even its hooves have to be red. In all the history of Israel only nine red heifers have been sacrificed, the last one about 2,000 years ago in 15 AD. The Great Hebrew sage Maimonides (1135-1204 AD) claimed that the 10th red heifer would herald the coming of the Messiah.• After All This Time?• After 15 AD There’s no record of a potential red heifer being born until the mid 1990 s when one was born through a special program conducted jointly by breeders in the USA and the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. I remember the excitement it caused among students of prophecy and was blessed to be able to discuss this with both the American ′

and the Jewish overseers of the breeding program at a meeting I hosted for them in 1994. It was one of a series of meetings they were conducting in the USA to increase awareness among Christians of their effort to raise a qualified red heifer.• I had first met Rabbi Chaim Richman, who was representing the Temple Institute, a few years earlier during my first trip to Israel. He is one of the world’s leading authorities on the red heifer, and much of the material that follows came from his book on the subject that he kindly gave to me during that visit to the US.• Excitement was running high until 4 white hairs were found in the heifer’s tail. Since then there have been a few other candidates, but all have been similarly disqualified. Like the others, this current calf will have to remain 100% red for 3 years to qualify.• All sacrifices to the Lord have to be free from any defect, spot, or blemish, but you might wonder why this heifer has to be 100% red. According to Rabbi Richman, it’s explained in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet they shall be white as snow. Though they are red as crimson they shall be

as wool.”• God is not approximate about anything. If the heifer is supposed to be red, it has to be 100% red, because that’s the way God sees things. For example, to be sin free we can’t just be pretty good, we have to be perfect. The presence of any sins in our life, even little ones, makes us sinners through and through. For sins no greater by comparison than a

couple of non red hairs on a red cow we are excluded from the presence of God. James said the violation of even one law makes us guilty of all (James 2:10). Get the idea?• When the red heifer is completely burned its ashes are white. Being mixed together with pure water from a spring or a brook (called living water) and sprinkled on the people purifies them from their sins.• But like all the remedies for sin in the Old Covenant the ashes of the red heifer only cleansed them from the sins of the past. It gave them no protection going forward. Every time they sinned, the sacrifices and rituals had to be repeated. Since they could never stop sinning, they could never stop sacrificing.• This is one of the primary differences between the Old Covenant and our version of the the New Covenant. The writer of Hebrews explained that the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year could never make perfect those who drew near to worship ( Hebrews 10:1). But when Jesus offered for all time one sacrifice for sin, He made perfect

forever we who are being made holy (Hebrews 10:12-14).• Reading The Fine Print• “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They are to be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin” (Numbers 19:9).• But the red heifer alone won’t guarantee that Temple construction can begin. The verse above tells us that in addition to the priest who supervises this, someone who is ritually clean has to be responsible for collecting and storing the ashes.• Normally ashes from previous red heifers would be used to qualify someone for this job. In Biblical times ashes from all of the previous heifers were stored at the Temple. These ashes were undoubtedly preserved in advance of the second Temple’s destruction because of their importance. But over the last 2,000 years the location of the preserved

ashes has been lost. Most experts think they are probably in the same area of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. Over the years, numerous searches have been made there using the latest technology, but to date they remain undiscovered. If an unclean person gathers up the ashes, it would make the entire supply unclean, so they must find a way to purify a man to gather up the ashes of the new sacrifice and see that they are properly stored.

• Then there’s the issue of obtaining pure water to mix with the ashes. Again, only someone who is ritually clean can collect the water. In Temple times the water was obtained at the spring that fed the pool of Siloam. An ingenious method was implemented to assure the water was not accidentally made unclean in the process of obtaining it.• Jewish people believe they can become unclean by coming in contact with a dead body. Since the creation so many people and animals have died and been buried or simply left to decay that to them the ground itself is a source of uncleanness. Because of this the Temple is built atop a foundation consisting of a series of alternating arches extending

down to bedrock to insure it can’t ever become unclean.• The water from the spring comes out of the earth pure. To be sure it stayed that way, certain pregnant women were selected to give birth in a special facility built to guarantee there was no possibility that the children they brought into the world could inadvertently be made unclean. The children were raised in purity in this sequestered environment

until they reached eight years of age when they were pronounced ready to obtain the water.• Riding on boards attached to oxen so as not to come into contact with the ground, they were taken down to the spring to collect the water and bring it back up to the temple. Arriving there they mixed the water with ashes from previous heifers and sprinkled the priest who would conduct the sacrifice of the next heifer. The priest would then walk

across a special bridge that was built atop a series of arches from the Temple mount across the Kidron valley to the Mt. of Olives where the altar upon which the red heifer was sacrificed was located.• (The image at the top of this article is a fairly rare drawing of the Temple Mount showing the altar on the Mt. Of Olives where the red heifer was sacrificed in the upper right hand corner with the bridge that connected it to the East Gate of the Temple. Note the offset arches that prevented anything from the ground below from contaminating the

pavement upon which the priest walked, allowing him to remain ritually pure.)• Of course, Temple Institute officials know all this, and are preparing to meet these requirements, even though they can’t do so today.• So in spite of the breathless headlines proclaiming that the requirements for building the third Temple have now been met, the facts tell a different story. Now don’t get me wrong, the appearance of another red heifer candidate is big news, and it could turn out to be one more of the many signs we see around us that we’re in the end of the end

times. But it doesn’t mean that all the hurdles have been cleared for building the next Temple. Far from it.• Probably the biggest hurdle is the desire of the Jewish people themselves. Currently most of those who are pushing for a Temple are doing so for the wrong reason. They think building a Temple will prove to the world that the Palestinians are wrong when they insist the Jews have no historical connection to Jerusalem. To these people, having a

Temple there would be a huge political victory. The problem is that alone wouldn’t bring the nation any closer to God. Those who want a Temple to renew their covenant with Him are still in the minority.• What’s It Gonna Take?• I believe it will take the Battle of Ezekiel 38 with the supernatural victory God will win for them to ignite a true national desire to come back to Him, and that’s when they will become serious about building a Temple. In Ezekiel 39:21-22 the Lord said,• “I will display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the punishment I inflict and the hand I lay on them. From that day forward the people of Israel will know that I am the Lord their God.”• And even then they’ll be fooled into thinking the anti-Christ is their Messiah, and will let him defile their new Temple. Daniel prophesied that this will happen.• “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27)• Speaking of the same event, Paul said,• He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thes. 2:4).• And when God returns to dwell in the Temple during the millennium one of His first statements will be to accuse Israel of letting this happen.• “In addition to all your other detestable practices, you brought foreigners uncircumcised in heart and flesh into my sanctuary, desecrating my temple while you offered me food, fat and blood, and you broke my covenant. Instead of carrying out your duty in regard to my holy things, you put others in charge of my sanctuary” (Ezekiel 44:7-8).• You’ve Got The Wrong Guy• As Christians we believe the construction of the Temple will precede the coming of the Messiah. Daniel (Daniel 9:27), Jesus (Matt. 24:15-21), Paul (2 Thes. 2:4), and John (Rev. 11:1) all confirm this. Therefore the one Israel will welcome as the Messiah who will help them build the Temple will in fact be the anti-Christ. Speaking to Israel, Jesus said, “I

have come in my father’s name and you do not accept me. But if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him” (John 5:43). And so it will be.• Even so, the birth of a calf that could become the 10th red heifer is important news for Israel and for prophecy students everywhere. For Israel it could mean that the coming of the Messiah is close, although the time before He comes will include the Great Tribulation. For the Church it could be one more sign that the rapture is even closer.• More and more prophecy scholars are agreeing that what’s unique about our time is not that there are specific signs telling us we’re at the end of the age. What’s unique is that all the signs we were told to look for are here. You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah. 06-28-14

Red Heifer. Follow Up A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

• Red Heifer. Follow Up• Monday, June 30th, 2014Coming Temple• Q. Is the red heifer’s ashes required to also cleanse the workers who will build the Temple? Meaning, will we have

to wait the 2 1/2 years for not only worship services to begin but the actual construction of the Temple to begin as well? If so, that means we must wait another 2 1/2 years for the heifer to reach adulthood, plus the time it will take to build the Temple (appx 1 year?), plus another 3 1/2 years for the anti Christ to defile it, plus another 3 1/2 years for the Lord’s return. That means if this is indeed the pure red heifer that will be used, and if the construction workers must wait 2 1/2 years to be purified by it before beginning construction, that puts the Lord’s second coming at least 10 1/2 years away. Correct?

• A. In Biblical times people who were unclean could not participate in communal activities, of which visiting the Temple was one. Also, some Jews will not go on the Temple mount today for fear of accidentally defiling the Holy Place. Therefore I believe the workers on the new Temple will need to be ceremonially clean.

• Finding the ashes of previous red heifers would certainly shorten the timeline you’ve estimated. As I understand things, they will need to be found to purify the people involved in preparing the current sacrifice. There are three possibilities that Temple Institute officials have suggested. They could be found as the result of a more intensified search. Or the location could be revealed to someone supernaturally. Or the Messiah could identify the location when He arrives.

• It has occurred to me that one of the ways the anti-Christ could win over the Jewish officials is to reveal the location of the ashes himself. He is the one who will make the Temple possible and he will also appear to perform miracles. Certainly Satan knows where the ashes are and could tell him. Also, the temple construction period could overlap with the first half of Daniel’s 70th Week. Therefore it may not take as much time as we think.

• But none of this will influence the timing of the rapture, which could literally happen any day now.

The Nails Acts 2:23 John 20:25, Hyssop Exodus 12:22 Numbers 19:6 Psalm 51:7

John 19:29 Hebrews 9:19 Leviticus 14:4, Gambling Luke 23:34 John 19:24 Psalm 22:18 , Unbroken Bones Psalm 22:14, Psalm 34:20 John 19:36

• The Nails• Dr. Reagan: Where were the spikes put in the hand?• Dr. Fleming: It's interesting that in this particular case we only have one

finding so far where we know the person died by crucifixion in Jerusalem. It shows the spike is where you would have a wristwatch. That's not where we traditionally would think in the hand. But, what's interesting is that the Hebrew word for hand covers from the shoulder down. So, wounds in Jesus' hands do not need to mean an English hand from the wrist up. Probably the nail would enter where the wrist bones pull together at the ulna and radius, and there would be put the spike.

• Dr. Reagan: How long did it normally take to die?• Dr. Fleming: You could last for days depending on whether you had been

scourged or not.• We have two spikes here because a piece of acacia wood was found under

the head of the nail in the crucified person we have talked about. In our replica you can see in this case the soldier hammered the spike into a piece of wood first like a washer so it would be less likely the body could pull out over the spike.

• Another aspect, the criminal normally carried a sign through the streets with his crime posted around his neck. It'd say, "I'm a robber," or a thief or whatever. For Jesus His sign read, "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." It was also nailed above His head. That was probably the sign He carried for mocking.

• We have three languages written on the sign. Romans signs had these little fly wings on the edge of them.

•The Hyssop Stick

• Dr. Fleming: What's also interesting is that Matthew, Mark, and Luke say someone put a sponge with sour wine on a stick. John uses the word hyssop stick which is a reed that grows nearby. You remember in the book of Exodus the ancient Hebrews are told to dip hyssop in the blood of a paschal lamb and swab it on their doorpost and lintel. Do you see now why John is mentioning the stick?

• There is a Passover connection with the crucifixion. There's a bloody doorpost and hyssop and redemption from death in Egypt. The Passover points to a bloody crucifixion post. Hyssop and blood bring redemption from death at the cross. John is drawing a paschal connection with Christ's death.

• The hyssop stick doesn't need to necessarily be a long pole. Someone doesn't want to touch a dying person, and Jesus doesn't have the strength. Remember the first time He didn't want something to drink, but later in the day He said, "I thirst." He doesn't have the strength to lift His head back. You can suck from a sponge if someone held it up to you.

• Now, the sour wine is a strong wine that has turned to vinegar. It doesn't hasten the death, but it is considered merciful because it makes you a little bit less aware of your surroundings after they put sour wine into your system. Those who loved Jesus would have been grateful that some sour wine had been offered to Him.

•Gambling

• Dr. Fleming: John's gospel mentions there were four soldiers at the cross. It's curious because Roman sources talk about four soldiers involved in crucifixions as well.

• A Jewish male had five items of clothing. Therefore, if there are four soldiers attending to the person being crucified, you can see what is going to happen. They are going to gamble for the fifth item of clothing. One soldier gets the turban that's usually tied around the head. One soldier gets the sandals. One soldier gets the outer robe which normally open in the front. Another soldier gets the sash to tie the outer robe. What remains is the long tunic, or the long tee-shirt.

• If I can speak as a Roman soldier for a minute, one of the perks of crucifixion is that you can sell the guy's clothes on the market. Who is going to buy a quarter of a tunic if you tear it into four pieces? So, the soldiers throw the dice.

• For Roman dice, believe it or not, they were made from the ankle bones of cattle. They land on four sides rather than six. Well, if there are four soldiers, you could cast lots to see who would be the lucky soldier to get the fifth item — the tunic.

•Unbroken Bones

• Dr. Fleming: Death by crucifixion was definitely brutal. Jesus was on the cross from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

• In Judaism, you are supposed to be buried the day you died, so that afternoon the Roman soldiers broke the leg bones to hasten the deaths. The first person on one side of Jesus, they broke his legs. The middle person — Jesus — did not need his bones broken as he was already dead. They never did break Jesus' legs. The third prisoner, again, his legs are broken.

• Jesus' bones not being broken has a very important Passover connection. The Passover sacrificial lamb's bones were not to be broken. Jesus became the unblemished sacrifice with unbroken legs. Not having his bones broken also fulfilled the Psalm 34:20 prophecy that His bones would not be broken.

•In the sixteenth part of this series with archaeologist Dr. James Fleming at his Explorations in Antiquity Center, we'll glean some biblical insights by looking at how Jesus would have been buried.

Exodus 12:22 Numbers 19:6, Hyssop

• The Hyssop Stick • Dr. Fleming: What's also interesting is that Matthew, Mark, and Luke say

someone put a sponge with sour wine on a stick. John uses the word hyssop stick which is a reed that grows nearby. You remember in the book of Exodus the ancient Hebrews are told to dip hyssop in the blood of a paschal lamb and swab it on their doorpost and lintel. Do you see now why John is mentioning the stick?

• There is a Passover connection with the crucifixion. There's a bloody doorpost and hyssop and redemption from death in Egypt. The Passover points to a bloody crucifixion post. Hyssop and blood bring redemption from death at the cross. John is drawing a paschal connection with Christ's death.

• The hyssop stick doesn't need to necessarily be a long pole. Someone doesn't want to touch a dying person, and Jesus doesn't have the strength. Remember the first time He didn't want something to drink, but later in the day He said, "I thirst." He doesn't have the strength to lift His head back. You can suck from a sponge if someone held it up to you.