Parah Adamah: The Red Heifer – Part II

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The Parah Adamah, the Red Heifer is indeed something quite unique and special to God. But what makes it important to us? What can we learn from this animal and its sacrifice that results in a special cleansing?

In Part 1, we learned from the pictographs in Parah Adamah that we are to:

 Pay attention, for the Father is going to open a doorway to life for us through the waters of life and the blood of the Prince, His Son.  

Is there be anything else in this sacrifice that might point us to the future Messiah? Let’s first look at the three items that were burned with the Red Heifer that are described in Numbers, chapter 19 verse 6:

And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 

From Leviticus, chapter 14 verses 4 through 6 we learn that each of these was used in the cleansing ceremony for lepers. From a book I read a long time ago called None of these Diseases by McMillen, MD., we can see why. Cedar is known for its rot and disease resistance. Hyssop oil is both antibacterial and a powerful antiseptic. The tola worm which is the dye for the scarlet (fabric) contains an astringent that prevents bleeding in minor abrasions.

The scarlet of the tola worm is a picture of Christ and His blood. Even the robe Christ wore as He was being mocked was scarlet.  The power of healing and the blood are directing us to the Messiah to come.

What else is special about the water containing the ashes of the Red Heifer and these three items? Numbers chapter 19 verse 9, says this:

And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, 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. 

The word separation is the word Niddah and means to set apart usually because of uncleanness. What might the ancient pictures of the Language of the Garden show us here? Niddah is spelled Noon Dalet Hey.


Noon is the picture of the fish  and means activity or life.


Dalet is the picture of the door and means a doorway, a place of decision, or an entrance to life or death. 

 

Hey is the picture of the man  with arms lifted up to the heavens and means to behold or to pay attention.

 

The pictures of the waters of separation or Niddah show us this:

Behold the doorway that leads to life.

In the Gospel of John chapter 4 verse 10, the woman at the well is told this:

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.  

1 John chapter 5 verse 6 declares this about Jesus:

This is he the came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.  

The ashes of the entire body and the blood of the Parah Adamah along with the elements of healing are pictures of the coming Messiah. They are kept in the waters of Niddah for the purification of sin. They are the doorway the leads to life free from the death that sin represents.

Why did Eleazar, the son of the High Priest, sprinkle the blood of the Red Heifer before the sanctuary seven times? Seven is the number of spiritual perfection and it was the number of times oaths were repeated. It was a sign of a covenant. But why didn’t Aaron the High Priest do this? Why was this delegated to his son?

This points out the ancient paradox: why does the priest who cleanses with the waters of separation and purifies the defiled with it become defiled by it as he uses it? It appears that Eleazar performed this task to keep his father the High Priest from being defiled. How do we explain this?

In the Gospel of John chapter 13, Jesus begins to wash his disciple’s feet and Peter objects in verse 8:

Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.  

We begin to see our predicament. No matter how much good we can do for others, we are unable to cleanse ourselves from sin; we must depend on our Messiah to do that for us. He must wash us with the waters of separation to cleanse us from sin.

The writer of Hebrews explains this for us in chapter 2 verse 17:

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.  

This water of separation or purification is necessary for Israel today to purify the Levitical priesthood as well as the temple mount and the implements of worship. Before the third temple can be built there must be the ashes of the Parah Adamah.

The last one was born nearly 2000 years ago and many Israelites believe the next one will signify the building of this third temple and usher in the reign of Messiah in Jerusalem. This time might be very close at hand, there may be a Parah Adamah alive today.

Jesus reminds us in Luke chapter 21 verse 28:

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.​

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One Comment Add yours

  1. SHAWNA KEIZOR says:

    I have a question about the Hebrew letters in this article. The Hebrew letters you show to spell ‘Naddah” do not match my Hebrew Alphabet book or chart. Am I missing something here???

    Thank you!
    Shawna

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