Numbers 19:1-8: a reflection

1The LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2“This is the statute of the law which the LORD has commanded. Tell the children of Israel to bring you a red heifer without spot, in which is no defect, and which was never yoked. 3You shall give her to Eleazar the priest, and he shall bring her outside of the camp, and one shall kill her before his face. 4Eleazar the priest shall take some of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the Tent of Meeting seven times. 5One shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her meat, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn. 6The priest shall take cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the middle of the burning of the heifer. 7Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the evening. 8He who burns her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the evening.

In the law of the red heifer, God provides a means of cleansing for those who have become defiled. The heifer is slaughtered and burned, and its ashes are kept to make a water of cleansing, by which the defiled could be purified. God did not leave his people without a way to be cleansed from their defilement; he provided a means of purification, so that those who had become unclean could be made clean again and restored to fellowship. The provision points beyond itself, for the writer to the Hebrews sees in it a foreshadowing of Christ, whose sacrifice cleanses us far more deeply, purifying not only the body but the conscience.

Notice God's provision for cleansing from defilement. His people could become defiled, unclean, cut off from fellowship; but God did not leave them without remedy. He provided the means of purification, the water of cleansing, so that the defiled could be made clean and restored. God's concern was not only to name defilement but to provide a way out of it, a means of cleansing. And this provision was a shadow of a greater cleansing to come: the cleansing Christ provides, whose sacrifice purifies us fully, not only outwardly but inwardly, cleansing the conscience from dead works. God has provided, in Christ, a full cleansing from our defilement.

That is worth taking to heart, for God has provided a full cleansing from our defilement in Christ. We can feel defiled by our sin, unclean, cut off, without remedy; but as God provided the water of cleansing for Israel, he has provided in Christ a far deeper cleansing, purifying us fully, our consciences as well as our conduct. God does not leave us in our defilement without a way to be cleansed; he has provided one in Christ. When you feel defiled by sin, without remedy, do not despair; God has provided a full cleansing in Christ, who purifies us more deeply than the water of cleansing ever could. Come to God for cleansing from your defilement, trusting the full cleansing he has provided in Christ, of which the red heifer's water of cleansing was a shadow; for God has not left us defiled without remedy, but has provided in Christ a cleansing that purifies us fully, conscience and all, and restores us to fellowship with him.

Lord, in the law of the red heifer, you provide a means of cleansing for those who have become defiled. The heifer is slaughtered and burned, and its ashes are kept to make a water of cleansing, by which the defiled could be purified. You did not leave your people without a way to be cleansed from their defilement; you provided a means of purification, so that those who had become unclean could be made clean again and restored to fellowship. The provision points beyond itself, for the writer to the Hebrews sees in it a foreshadowing of Christ, whose sacrifice cleanses us far more deeply. Show me your provision for cleansing from defilement. Your people could become defiled, unclean, cut off from fellowship; but you did not leave them without remedy. You provided the means of purification, so that the defiled could be made clean and restored. Your concern was not only to name defilement but to provide a way out of it. And this provision was a shadow of a greater cleansing to come: the cleansing Christ provides, whose sacrifice purifies us fully, not only outwardly but inwardly. Take that to my heart, for you have provided a full cleansing from my defilement in Christ. I can feel defiled by my sin, unclean, cut off, without remedy; but as you provided the water of cleansing for Israel, you have provided in Christ a far deeper cleansing. You do not leave me in my defilement without a way to be cleansed. When I feel defiled by sin, without remedy, keep me from despairing; you have provided a full cleansing in Christ, Lord. Help me come to you for cleansing from my defilement, trusting the full cleansing you have provided in Christ, of which the red heifer's water was a shadow.