Cleansing the Defiled (Num. 19:1-22)

1/18/2009 9:36 PM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  Cleansing the defiled

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Numbers 19:1-22

            Message of the verses:  I will not copy and paste all of these verses in this SD because of the length of them.  This covers the entire 19^th chapter of Numbers and covers two sub-titles in Dr. Wiersbe’s book.  This is the third point in this chapter which deals with the Lord’s concerns on behalf of His people.

            I have studied this chapter before as it has prophetic values, but in this SD I will first cover the use of the ashes of the Red Heifer as how the children of Israel used in their daily lives.

            This sacrifice is very different than the other sacrifices in that the animal was not killed at the altar; in fact it was killed outside of the camp by a layman and not a priest although there was a priest present when the animal was killed.  The blood was not all collected as with other sacrifices for only a little was used as it was sprinkled towards the tabernacle seven times.  Then animal was then burned and the ashes were collected and put into a container.  When a person was found to be unclean that person had to be washed with some of the ashes mixed with water in order to be cleansed ceremonially.  The had both a physical and spiritual meaning as being unclean is a picture of sin and being clean is a picture of forgiveness.  The phrase   "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY." Is written seven times in the Scripture and six of them are in Leviticus.

            In the prophetic sense the ashes of the red heifer are used to make sure the articles used to sacrifice animals are washed by these ashes with water.  From what I heard in my studies that there were three of these heifers sacrificed and one was done near the birth of Christ and after the Romans destroyed the city and the temple in 70 AD it was hid in a place where priest were buried and where the ark of the covenant was also hid.  I heard that it was in a cave and needed to be found when the Jews rebuilt the temple in order to cleanse the articles in it.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I think that the thing that I can take from this lesson is the necessity of being cleansed whenever I sin as it says in 1 John 1:9:  “If you confess your sins He is faith and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.” 

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Continue to learn more about my Lord.
2. Continue to learn contentment.
3. Continue to trust the Lord to guide my path.

1/18/2009 9:53 PM