What’s In Your Water: Ashes Of The Red Heifer Part 4 Of 9

Numbers 19:6“And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.”

This part of the law concerning the ashes of the red heifer must have really stumped King Solomon. 😵 Listen to this: While the sacrifice was being burned, the was priest required to throw in the three items mentioned in the opening scripture…..AND…..make sure that everything was completely burned up until it was ASHES. Why?? 🤔  

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The Key.

Cedar and hyssop are two types of trees, though hyssop is more the size of a bush than a tree.  Solomon himself was very knowledgeable about all kinds of trees according to 1 Kings 4.  But remember, he didn’t have the Key to figure all these things out, which is Jesus!

Solomon did not know that cedar and hyssop represent the majesty (cedars are majestic trees) and lowliness (hyssop is the smallest tree in Israel), respectively, of our Lord Jesus.  The trees depict the greatest to the smallest of things in nature and scarlet the glory thereof.

When the priest threw them into the fire, symbolically all of the greatest to the smallest and the glory of man’s so-called, “Righteous deeds,” were burned up until they were reduced to ASHES.

Self-Righteousness.

The Apostle Paul himself said that he counted his past as “dung,” referring to his self-righteousness, not only his misdeeds.  Before his conversion as you know, he was the epitomé of self-righteousness:  A Pharisee of Pharisses.  He followed the law to the letter…..or so he thought. That is what he now counted as “dung.”

Isaiah 64 says that “All our righteousnesses (plural) are as filthy rags.”  The burning to ashes of these three items being burned symbolizes that, because we have died with Christ, we are dead to the world and the world unto us.

No More Judgment!

Anything that has been reduced to ashes CAN NEVER BE BURNED AGAIN. This means the fire–the judgment–has already gone through it.  THERE IS NO JUDGMENT LEFT. That’s what happened to the sins of your a ENTIRE LIFE!  From the moment you were born again to the day you see Jesus face to face, THEY HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO ASHES!  It’s a perfect depiction of Romans 8:1, which says, “There is therefore NOW no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Legal Foundation.

This is why God can legally declare you and I Righteous.  He CANNOT reprove you.  He cannot because you stand in the perfection of His Son, and Jesus’ death was far and above an OVERpayment!  God would be UNjust to Jesus if He punished you for the sins that His Beloved Son so dearly paid for 2,000+ years ago.

Know what that means?  For the believer, ALL JUDGMENT–even death–is behind you!  Your physical body may cease to exist but you and I go on to live forever with Jesus, forever young, forever healthy, forever happy…FOREVER!

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You may follow the link below to part 5 where we will continue to explore more of this fascinating ordinance!

What’s In Your Water: Part 5 Of 9.