The Moedim – Pesach and Purity
First observance
Recorded in Num. 9:1-14 in the Israelites’ second year in the Wilderness. Celebrated on the 14th day of the first month but some men were ritually unclean because of contact with a dead body and therefore could not come to the Tabernacle for the celebration. What were they to do?
FIrstly, they were allowed to celebrate the Passover a month later in the second month, after they had been made ritually clean again. This was what happened in Hezekiah’s day – see 1 Chron. 30.
Secondly, although not recorded in Numbers 9, the Lord made provision for cleansing from ritual uncleanness contracted, not through sin, but performing regular duties like burying the dead, or accidental impurity occasioned by the death of someone in the same environment (e.g. in the tent they were living in). This procedure is recorded in Numbers 19 – not to be confused with the offerings for impurity recorded in Leviticus 5:2-3.
Red Heifer Numbers 19 & Heb. 9:11-15
Deals with ritual uncleanness from being in proximity to human death, which results in ritual impurity for 7 days. (Uncleanness from touching dead animals or human uncleanness – waste or discharges – results in uncleanness for 1 day – until the evening – and is dealt with by the trespass offering Lev. 5:1-13 and bathing Lev. 11:24-25. NB Special case for leprosy Lev. 13-14)
“We might have expected this chapter to occur in Leviticus. Is it not incongruous in this narrative of the pilgrimage? Nay; this is the most appropriate place, since in the desert march we are more exposed to the touch of defilement, such as needs daily cleansing, lest we be shut out from fellowship with God.
“It was easy for the Jew to contract ceremonial defilement. To walk over a grave was enough. But the ashes of the heifer mingled with spring-or running-water restored the polluted soul to the family and the Tabernacle. So as we confess our sins, we are sprinkled from an evil conscience, we are restored to unity with God and His people, and we walk in newness of life.”
F. B. Meyer
Numbers is the book of the Wilderness and this chapter gives provision for cleansing in the daily walk, provision for the wilderness journey. Context is ch. 17. After the rebellion of Korah and the confirmation of Aaron’s priesthood, the people are terrified and say “Whoever comes near the tabernacle shall die! Shall we be consumed with dying?”, God provides a priesthood to bear their iniquity (ch. 18, esp. v.1-3) and a system for cleansing from defilement in ch. 19. It’s not the penalty of sin that is dealt with here but the pollution caused by sin and contact with death.
So with us. We have a great High Priest who has presented His blood in the heavenly sanctuary to avert the death penalty that we were under, and now cleanses us from the defilement we pick up from living in this scene of death! Heb. 2:14-17; 7:25; Eph. 5:26-27; Jesus explains this in John 13:7-10.
We note that Jesus could touch a dead body or funeral bier and not be polluted, as death had no claim on Him as He was sinless and He was the One Who would conquer death! (Rom. 6:9; 1 Cor. 15:55-56)
Numbers chapter 19 Key points
Three stage process:
v. 2-8 The red heifer is burnt
v. 9-10 The ashes are collected and curated
v. 17-21 The ashes and running water are applied for cleansing
The whole process speaks of the death of Yeshua as applied to believers for their sanctification
v. 2 unblemished, no yoke (of sin) on Yeshua but He spoke of “My yoke” (of obedience to the Father) Matt. 11:28.
- Hebrews “Yet without sin” Heb. 4:15
- Peter “Who did no sin” 1 Pet. 2:22 (Isa. 53:9)
- Paul “Who knew no sin” 2 Cor. 5:21
- John “In Him is no sin” 1 John 3:5
v. 3 not killed by the Priest – Jesus was both Priest and Sacrifice, but He could not be a Priest while on earth Heb. 8:1-4
One shall slay it (see Acts 2:23) Outside the camp (see Heb. 13:12; the world and its religious systems Gal. 1:4; 6:14) where Golgotha was located.
v.4 But the priest takes the blood to the tabernacle and sprinkles it directly before it (see Heb. 9:23-24 where Yeshua present His blood in the heavenly tabernacle). Note the blood is sprinkled but once. But the ashes (the remembrance) are effective as long as they last – a very long time as just a pinch is required (The Rabbis record that just 9 red heifers were killed in the period of the first and second Temples). Jesus’ sacrifice is sufficient for all time (Heb. 10:12) and effective for as long as He lives (Heb. 10:14; 7:25)
v. 6 cedarwood and hyssop – the full range of creation (1 Kin. 4:33) the “expression of nature from her highest elevation to her lowest depth”, the full range of what natural man can produce is consigned to the flames; scarlet = worldly glory Gal. 6:14 – none of it is capable of removing our culpability – ask Lady MacBeth!
v. 9 purification – not atonement nor redemption, but sanctification and separation – outside the camp – the camp of worldly religion and worldly achievement
v. 17 some of the ash and running (or spring) water – not a fresh sacrifice nor yet a fresh application of the blood, but the remembrance of the single sacrifice of Yeshua, our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and bodies washed with pure water (Num. 19:19; see Heb. 10:22; Eph. 5:26)
Application
Knowing that “Christ our Passover” has been sacrificed for us and therefore has redeemed us, and having been cleansed, we can, as Paul says in 1 Cor. 5, keep the feast (Feast of Unleavened Bread) in sincerity and truth – living sanctified lives to bring Him glory!