This was a special provision to meet wilderness defilement. Our standing as Christians before God is founded on the accomplished work of the cross (Lev. 16). Our whole condition as sinners has been divinely met, and that for God and eternity, by the blood of Jesus. Our weakness, infirmity, and sorrow as saints have their blessed answer in the unchangeable priesthood of the Son of God on high; while positive failure and defilement, contracted while passing on to our eternal rest, are securely provisioned for in the advocacy of Christ with the Father, in answer to which the spirit brings the written Word (the running water, Num. 19) and the remembrance of Christ in agony and death (the ashes, Num. 19) to bear upon the conscience of the erring one. Confession full and thorough follows, and the result is that the impaired communion with God is again restored. But be it carefully noted that this is Divine provision for a saint of God, one whose standing is in Divine righteousness, and of whose eternal safety there is not the least doubt.
The red heifer must be spotless, unblemished, "wherein is no blemish," and "upon which never came yoke." Thus is Christ set forth in the absolute perfection of His nature, and in the holiness of His life. Like the sin offering, the animal was wholly consumed outside the camp, but with this marked peculiarity that the fat and the blood—the excellency and the life—were also consumed, save a little of the blood, which was reserved, and sprinkled seven times (perfection) before the Tabernacle. Thus the witness of death was brought before the eye of God. Cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet were then cast into the midst of the burning. Human nature in its best estate (cedar), in its lowest forms (hyssop), and all earthly glory (scarlet) for the Christian, went in the cross of Jesus. The ashes—remembrance of Christ's agony and wrath of God—were carefully gathered up as a "purification for sin," and along with running water—figure of the searching and convicting Word of God—were sprinkled by a clean person on the defiled one, on the third and seventh days. The third day's sprinkling was in view of his sin, the second sprinkling was in light of God's grace. The first would lead to a deepening sense of what sin is in light of what Jesus suffered, and the other application of the ashes and water would as surely lead to a more profound sense of what grace can accomplish as the fruit of the cross.
Blessed Savior, we will soon be with Thee, and our sinning and our suffering will be all over.
Jesus in death presenting Himself to accomplish the will and glory of God. It is the God-ward aspect of the cross of Christ (Heb. 9:14).
Jesus as man presenting to God an unblemished life, with all its grace and moral perfectness; of Him who was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners."
A slain Christ the ground and material of communion whether for God, the Church, or any individual member of the priestly family.
The offering could be of the herd, flock, or birds. Thus the animals specified are bullocks, goats, sheep, rams, lambs, turtle doves, young pigeons. Here the offerer is prominent; he offers the animal, lays his hand upon its head, kills it, flays it, cuts it into pieces, and washes the inwards and legs in water. When it was an offering of birds the priest killed it; but that was an exception, not being directly priestly work. The priests sprinkled the blood and arranged the various parts on the altar. The trumpets were to be blown over these offerings on special occasions, as a memorial before God (Num. 10:10). This was the highest in character and the first in order of all the sacrifices. On the entrance of Israel into the land, no burnt offering was complete without an accompanying meat offering; God would have the death and life of His Son thus prefigured before Him,
The offering consisted of "fine flour" or "green ears of corn." Its adjuncts were frankincense, oil, salt. The oil "mingled" with the flour sets forth the truth of the Divine conception of the human nature of our Lord (Matt. 1:20); while the flour "anointed" with the oil would as fittingly signify the weighty truth expressed in Acts 10:38. God's part was a handful of the flour with the oil, and "all the frankincense". This offering, as setting forth the holy humanity of our Lord, is not only a sweet savor offering, but is termed "most holy." Salt was not to be omitted. Honey was not to form an ingredient. This offering was based upon and its value declared by that which God found in the burnt offering. The meat offering for a priest was wholly consumed, none of it being eaten.
This offering could be of the herd (male or female) of the flock (male or female) Bullocks, lambs, and goat are specified animals. The fat and inward burnt on the altar as sweet savor. The breast (love) and other parts eaten by the priestly family. The shoulder (strength, heaved before the Lord, and eaten by the officiating priest The remainder of the, animal (if any) was burnt on the third day, as communion with God could only be maintained in connection with the sacrifice. The trumpets were to be blown over these sacrifice on all solemn occasions and seasons of gladness (Num. 10:10). Laid on the altar of burnt offering, as was also the meat offering, both of which derived their worth from the moral value expressed in the burnt offering -what God found in the blessed and voluntary surrender of Jesus to accomplish tb will of God.
REFERENCES. Lev. 1; 6:9-13. Num. 15:3-12. 2 Chron. 7:1-7.
REFERENCES. Lev. 2; 6:14-23. Num. 15:4-9. Ex. 29:40-42.
REFERENCES. Lev. 3; 7:11-21. Num. 18:17, 18.
The special ordinances of the Red Heifer for Wilderness Defilement (Num. 19) and the Passover, commerorative of Redemption (Ex. 12) with the annual Atonement (Lev. 16) are exceptions.
Jesus on the cross made sin for us. The judgment of God borne and sin condemned in the holy sacrifice of Christ.
Sins and transgressions against God or man divinely met by Christ's sacrifice, and restitution insisted upon.
The joy of God and man in the voluntary death-and life-obedience of Jesus.
This offering could be of he herd (male or female), of the flock (male or female),of birds, and in one case of a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour. The goat was pre-eminently the sin-offering. The sin, trespass, and meat offerings were termed "most holy." Here the offerings varied according to the position of the offender; sin being measured by the character of God, and the responsibility of the person by the position he was divinely set in. Thus the value of the animal and the application of its blood are important points in these sin offerings. Sins of ignorance were not passed over, but could only be met by sacrifice. The very poorest were thought of by God; they could bring a pair of birds, or even the tenth part of an ephah of flour. The fat ( excellency) of this offering could ALONE be burned on the altar and go up to God as a sweet avour.
This offering was of rams and lambs. In these offerings the main thought is not what I am, but what I have done. Having injured another, it can only be met by sacrifice, and the injury repaired by full and righteous restitution. Most of the particulars bearing upon the sin offering equally apply to these sacrifices. There was no laying on of hands on the victim's head (identification), as in the case of the sin offerings. Sacrifice, restitution, with an additional part added as compensation, accompanied with confession, are characteristics of these offerings. The guilt of the person is more in view in the sin offering; here it is the injury done, whether to God or man,
This offering consisted of "strong wine" poured unto the Lord in the Holy Place (Num. 28:7). A drink offering was to accompany the daily morning and evening burnt sacrifice. This offering could only be offered in connection with that which set forth the death and life of Jesus, namely, the burnt and meat offerings. The fourth part of WINE and the fourth part of OIL teach that our joy (wine) is proportionate to the power of the Holy Ghost (oil). The wine and the oil always correspond in quantity. Drink offerings will yet again be poured out before the Lord in expression of millennial gladness. The touching expression of Paul in Phil. 2:17 refers to this blessed character of offering: "Yea, and if I be poured out as a libation on the sacrifice and ministration of your faith."
REFERENCES. Lev. 4; 5:1-13; 6:4-30; 10:16-20.
REFERENCES. Lev. 5:14-19; 6:1-7; 7:1-7; Num. 18:9, 10.
REFERENCES. Ex. 29:40-42; Num. 15:1-13; 28: 7.
Salt (incorruption) was indispensable in all meat offerings, and in all the sacrifices it was to be offered. In no case was honey (mere natural affection) nor leaven (sin) to be burned on the altar. “Azazel” meaning goat of departure, occurs four times, and only in Lev. 16