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Numbers Chapter
Nineteen
Numbers 19
Chapter Contents
The ashes of a heifer. (1-10) Used to purify the unclean.
(11-22)
Commentary on Numbers 19:1-10
The heifer was to be wholly burned. This typified the
painful sufferings of our Lord Jesus
both in soul and body
as a sacrifice
made by fire
to satisfy God's justice for man's sin. These ashes are said to
be laid up as a purification for sin
because
though they were only to purify
from ceremonial uncleanness
yet they were a type of that purification for sin
which our Lord Jesus made by his death. The blood of Christ is laid up for us
in the word and sacraments
as a fountain of merit
to which by faith we may
have constant recourse
for cleansing our consciences.
Commentary on Numbers 19:11-22
Why did the law make a corpse a defiling thing? Because
death is the wages of sin
which entered into the world by it
and reigns by
the power of it. The law could not conquer death
nor abolish it
as the gospel
does
by bringing life and immortality to light
and so introducing a better
hope. As the ashes of the heifer signified the merit of Christ
so the running
water signified the power and grace of the blessed Spirit
who is compared to
rivers of living water; and it is by his work that the righteousness of Christ
is applied to us for our cleansing. Those who promise themselves benefit by the
righteousness of Christ
while they submit not to the grace and influence of
the Holy Spirit
do but deceive themselves; we cannot be purified by the ashes
otherwise than in the running water. What use could there be in these
appointments
if they do not refer to the doctrines concerning the sacrifice of
Christ? But comparing them with the New Testament
the knowledge to be got from
them is evident. The true state of fallen man is shown in these institutions.
Here we learn the defiling nature of sin
and are warned to avoid evil
communications.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on
Numbers》
Numbers 19
Verse 2
[2] This
is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded
saying
Speak unto
the children of Israel
that they bring thee a red heifer without spot
wherein
is no blemish
and upon which never came yoke:
Red — A
fit colour to shadow forth the bloody nature of sin
and the blood of Christ
from which this water and all other rites had their purifying virtue.
No blemish — A
fit type of Christ.
Upon which never came yoke — Whereby may be signified
either that Christ in himself was free from
all the yoke or obligation of God's command
till for our sakes he put himself
under the law; or that Christ was not forced to undertake our burden and cross
but did voluntarily chuse it. He was bound and held with no other cords but
those of his own love.
Verse 3
[3] And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest
that he may bring her forth
without the camp
and one shall slay her before his face:
Eleazar —
Who was the second priest
and in some cases
the deputy of the high-priest. To
him
not to Aaron
because this service made him unclean for a season
and
consequently unfit for holy ministrations
whereas the high-priest was
as far
as possibly he could
to be preserved from all sorts of defilement
fit for his
high and holy work.
Without the camp —
Partly because it was reputed an unclean and accursed thing
being laden with
the sins of all the people; and partly to signify that Christ should suffer
without the camp
in the place where malefactors suffered.
Verse 4
[4] And
Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger
and sprinkle of her
blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:
Before the tabernacle — Or
towards the tabernacle
standing at a good distance from it
even
without the camp
yet turning and looking towards it. For here is no intimation
that he went into the camp before this work was done
but rather the contrary
is implied
Numbers 19:7. And because being defiled by this
work he could not come near the tabernacle
it was sufficient for him to turn
and look towards it. This signified his presenting this blood before the Lord
by way of atonement for his and the people's sins
and his expectation of
acceptance and pardon only from God
and from his mercy-seat in the tabernacle.
And this typified the satisfaction that was made to God
by the death of
Christ
who by the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God
and did
as it were sprinkle his own blood before the sanctuary
when he said
Into thy
hands I commend my spirit!
Verse 5
[5] And
one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin
and her flesh
and her blood
with her dung
shall he burn:
Burn the heifer — To
signify the sharp and grievous sufferings of Christ for our sins.
Her blood —
All of it
but what was spent in sprinkling.
Verse 6
[6] And the priest shall take cedar wood
and hyssop
and scarlet
and cast it
into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
Cedar-wood
hyssop
scarlet — All which are here burnt
and as it were offered to God
that they might
be sanctified to this holy use for the future; for of these kinds of things was
the sprinkle made wherewith the unclean were sprinkled
Leviticus 14:4.
Verse 7
[7] Then
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 even.
Shall be unclean —
Partly to teach us the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood
in which the
priest himself was defiled by some parts of his work
and partly to shew that
Christ himself
though he had no sin of his own
yet was reputed by men
and
judged by God
as a sinful person
by reason of our sins which were laid upon
him.
Verse 9
[9] And
a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer
and lay them up
without the camp in a clean place
and it shall be kept for the congregation of
the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
For a water —
Or
to the water
that is
to be put to the water
or mixed with it.
Of separation —
Appointed for the cleansing of them that are in a state of separation
who for
their uncleanness are separated from the congregation.
It is a purification for sin — Heb. a sin
that is
an offering for sin
or rather a mean for expiation
or cleansing of sin. And this was a type of that purification for sin
which
our Lord Jesus made by his death.
Verse 10
[10] And
he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes
and be
unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel
and unto
the stranger that sojourneth among them
for a statute for ever.
The stranger — A
proselyte.
Verse 12
[12] He
shall purify himself with it on the third day
and on the seventh day he shall
be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day
then the seventh day he
shall not be clean.
With it —
With the water of separation.
On the third day — To
typify Christ's resurrection on that day by which we are cleansed or
sanctified.
Verse 13
[13]
Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead
and purifieth not
himself
defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off
from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him
he
shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
Whosoever toucheth — If
this transgression be done presumptuously; for if it was done ignorantly
he
was only to offer sacrifice.
Defiled — By
approaching to it in his uncleanness: for holy things or places were
ceremonially defiled with the touch of any unclean person or thing.
Is upon him — He
continues in his guilt
not now to be washed away by this water
but to be punished
by cutting off.
Verse 16
[16] And
whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields
or a dead
body
or a bone of a man
or a grave
shall be unclean seven days.
With a sword — Or
by any other violent way.
Verse 17
[17] And
for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of
purification for sin
and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
Running water —
Waters flowing from a spring or river
which are the purest. These manifestly
signify God's spirit
which is oft compared to water
and by which alone true
purification is obtained. Those who promise themselves benefit by the
righteousness of Christ
while they submit not to the influence of his spirit
do but deceive themselves; for they cannot be purified by the ashes
otherwise
than in the running water.
Verse 20
[20] But
the man that shall be unclean
and shall not purify himself
that soul shall be
cut off from among the congregation
because he hath defiled the sanctuary of
the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is
unclean.
That shall not purify himself — Shall contemptuously refuse to submit to this way of purification.
Verse 21
[21] And
it shall be a perpetual statute unto them
that he that sprinkleth the water of
separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation
shall be unclean until even.
Shall wash his clothes — Because he is unclean. It is strange
that the same water should cleanse
one person
and defile another. But God would have it so
to teach us that it
did not cleanse by any virtue in itself
or in the work done
but only by
virtue of God's appointment: to mind the laws of the imperfection of their
priesthood
and their ritual purifications and expiations
and consequently of
the necessity of a better priest and sacrifice and way of purifying; and to
shew that the efficacy of God's ordinances doth not depend upon the person or
quality of his ministers
because the same person who
was polluted himself
could and did cleanse others.
He that toucheth the water — Either by sprinkling of it
or by being sprinkled with it; for even he
that was cleansed by it
was not fully cleansed as soon as he was sprinkled
but only at the even of that day.
Verse 22
[22] And
whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that
toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
The unclean person —
Not he who is so only by touching the water of separation
Numbers 19:21
but he who is so by the greater
sort of uncleanness
which lasted seven days
and which was not removed without
the use of this water of purification.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Numbers》
19 Chapter 19
Verses 1-22
A red heifer without spot.
The red heifer
I. It is
undoubtedly true that even the true Israelite
the true believer in Christ
is
the subject of daily defilement.
1. Some of our defilement arises from the fact that we do actually
come into contact with sin
here imaged in the corruption of death. The best of
men are men at the best
and while they are only men they will still sin. We
are in close connection with sin
because sin is in ourselves. It has dyed us
through and through
staining the very warp and woof of our nature
and until
we lay aside these bodies and are admitted to the Church of the first-born
above
we shall never cease very intimate connection with sin.
2. Moreover
we get defilement from companionship with sinners. This
dusty world must leave some mark upon our white garments let us travel as
carefully as we may. “I am black because the sun hath looked upon me
” must
ever be the confession of the bride of Christ. This world is full of the
spiritually dead
and since we live we must be often rendered unclean among the
sinful
and hence we need a daily cleansing to fit us for daily fellowship with
a holy God.
3. One reason why we are so constantly defiled is our want of
watchfulness. You will observe that everything in the tent of a dead man was
defiled except vessels that were covered over. Any vessel which was left open
was at once unclean. You and I ought to cover up our hearts from the
contamination of sin. It were well for us if we kept our heart with all
diligence
since out of it are the issues of life.
4. Sin is so desperately evil that the very slightest sin defiles it.
He who touched a bone was unclean. It was not necessary to put your hand upon
the clay-cold corpse to be defiled; the accidently touching with the foot a
bone carelessly thrown up by the grave-digger; even the touching it by the
ploughman as he turned up his furrow
even this was sufficient to make him
unclean. Sin is such an immeasurably vile thing that the slightest iniquity
makes the Christian foul--a thought
an imagination
the glancing of an eye.
5. Sin
even when it is not seen
defiles
for a man was defiled who
touched a grave. Oh
how many graves there are of sin--things that are fair to
look upon
externally admirable and internally abominable!
6. The Jew was not only in danger of defilement in his tent and when
he walked the roads
but he was in danger m the open fields; for you will
observe
it says
that if he touched a body that had been slain in the open
fields
or a bone
he should be unclean. Wherever you go you find sin!
II. A purification
has been provided. The ransomed Church of God need daily to be washed in the
fountain
and the mercy is that the precious blood shall never lose its power
but its constant efficacy shall abide till they are
every one of them
“Saved
to sin no more.”
1. There is a propitiation provided for daily defilement
for first
of all
if it were not so
how melancholy were your case and mine!
2. The Lord must have provided a daily cleansing for our daily
defilement
for if not
where were His wisdom
where His love? He has provided
for everything else.
3. The work of our Lord Jesus Christ assures us of this. What is
there opened for the house of David
for sin
and for uncleanness? A cistern? A
cistern that might be emptied
a waterpot
such as that which stood at Cana’s
marriage feast
and might be drained? No; there is a fountain open for sin and
uncleanness. We wash
the fountain flows; we wash again
the fountain flows
still. From the great depths of the deity of Christ
the eternal merit of His
passion comes everlastingly welling up. Wash! wash! It is inexhaustible
for it
is fountain-fulness.
4. The work of the Holy Spirit also meets the case
for what is His
business but
constantly to take of the things of Christ and reveal them unto us; constantly
to quicken
to enlighten
and to comfort? Why all this but because we are
constantly in need
perpetually being defiled
and therefore wanting
perpetually to have the purification applied?
5. Facts show that there is a purification for present guilt. The
saints of old fell into sin
but they did not remain there.
III. The red heifer
sets forth in a most admirable manner the daily purification for daily sin.
1. It was a heifer--an unusual thing for a sacrifice to be a female;
and we scarcely know why it should be in this case
unless indeed
to make the
substitution more evident. This red heifer stood for all the house of
Israel--for the whole Church of God; and the Church is always looked upon and
considered in Scripture as being the spouse--the bride--always feminine.
Perhaps
to make the substitution obvious and complete
to show that this
heifer stood in the stead and place of the whole seed of Israel
it was chosen rather
than the customary bullock.
2. It was a red heifer--bringing to the mind of the Israelites the
idea of blood
which was always associated with atonement and putting away of
sin. Surely when we think of Christ
we always associate Him with the streaming
gore when we are under a sense of sin.
3. It was a heifer without spot--denoting the perfection of Christ’s
character.
4. Observe that the red heifer was one whereon never came yoke.
Perhaps this sets forth how willingly Christ came to die for us; not forced
from heaven
but freely delivering Himself for us all. An interesting
circumstance about this red heifer is that it was not provided by the priests;
it was not provided out of the usual funds of the sanctuary
nor yet by the
princes
nor by any one person.
5. The children of Israel provided it. What for? Why
that as they
came out of their tents in the desert
or their houses in Jerusalem
and saw
the priests leading the red heifer
every man
and every woman
and every child
might say
“I have a share in that heifer
I have a share in that victim which
is being led out of the city to be consumed.” I wish--oh! I would to God I dare
hope
that every man and every woman here could say
“I have a share in Jesus
Christ
” for that is the meaning of this national provision
to let us see how
Christ shed His blood for all His people
and they have all a part and all an
interest in Him.
6. As we noted what this victim was
there is yet to be observed what
was done with it. Again
let me beg you to refer to your Bibles to see what
became of this red heifer.
The law of the red heifer applied
The record of the law of the red heifer unfolds some traces of the
manner
times
and substance of God’s teaching in those days when the children
of Israel “could not steadfastly look to the end.”
1. His method was largely to use symbols
but not to the withholding
of words. As objects lying in darkness cannot be presented but must be
represented
so the truths suited to the manhood of our race were taught in
that method to earlier generations.
2. The symbols of the Jewish worship were instituted at special
times. God did not put it forth as a system. He did not place it as a
full-grown tree in a wood. It is like a house to which have been added rooms
and offices and hall as the growth of the family has demanded more scope in
which to maintain new and higher thoughts. Wider views of what they need
towards God cause Him to send out the beams of a light which is to dispel every
doubt and fear.
I. Liability for
social evil. What was there in the fact that a virulent disease had deprived so
many of life
to produce a conviction that God cannot be approached for
worship? Why should contact with a corpse
or entrance into a tent in which
human life had ebbed away
or even a bone
or a grave trod upon
be as a
barrier blocking up the way of the people to the sanctuary? Might the survivors
not reason thus: “If those who have died did wrong we have been equally wrong;
if we are not erased from the roll of the living there is
notwithstanding
an
evil chargeable to us; partakers in a like offence we are worthy of a like
condemnation; the evil has not exhausted itself on them
and we are liable in
some form for their calamities; we cannot in this state of pollution go into
the presence of God--is there not needed a purification from those social ills
whose last and most affecting sign is death?”
II. The ignominy of
death. The law recited in this chapter distinctly informs us that the presence
of
or contact with
the signs of the death of mankind
separated from
communion with God in His sanctuary. Would not thought be excited of some such
form as this--“It is clear that there is no moral defilement in mere closeness
to the signs of death
not to come into contact with them might be a sinful act--and
yet we are treated
as to our standing before God
just as if we had been
guilty of gross crimes. If God-appointed duties and circumstances render it
unbecoming
and even impossible
that we should keep free from those relations
to the dead mentioned by this law
why should we incur such a fearful result?
Surely there must be some virulent spreading poison rankling in men’s death. If
by its presence or touch an impassable gulf at once sinks between God and us
what an offensive attitude against Him must death assume I Much more than mere
sensational shrinking should creep over us before it. How can we avoid
engraving deeply on our hearts the thought that it is dishonourable to die!”
What is in death to make it so? This: that death is the seal of a Divine curse
on man.
III. Freedom from
the consequences of sin is by application of a prepared remedy. The several
parts in the process of preparing the water of cleansing bear emblems to show
what God requires for freeing from sin. The slaying of the heifer and the
sprinkling of its blood laid bare the foundation principles
that “it is the
blood which maketh atonement for the soul”--that “without shedding of blood is
no remission of sins.” Everything that blocked up the way to the favour of the
Lord is removed by the appointed sacrifices. He is reconcileable
and ready to count the evils of
the congregation satisfied for. Were the Israelites
then
entitled to say
“The offerings of atonement are made; sins are taken away; we are free from all
further hindrances to acceptance ; we need to care nothing more about what
happens to us”? No. If acceptable offerings have been made for the people
yet
events come to pass from which defilement will be caused to individuals
and
if this personal unfitness be not removed
perilous consequences must follow.
Uncleanness incurred from the dead--the great sign of moral pollution--prevents
approach to the holy Lord God. Separated from His presence on earth is a
forecasting of an eternal separation--“that soul shall be cut off from Israel.”
But He has a remedy for this too. He provides means of purification
and thus
of renewed access to Himself. Not only is the blood of bulls and of goats shed
but the ashes of a heifer is also to “ sprinkle the unclean
in order to
sanctify to the purifying of the flesh
” and render fit for all the privileges
of acceptable worship.
IV. To be without
fitness for standing before God acceptably is inexcusable and irretrievable.
Once purified did not do away with the necessity of being purified again
when
another defilement had been incurred. The new impurity must be removed by a new
application
and the cleansing remedy was constantly available (Numbers 19:9-10). God keeps in store that
odour which can counteract the poisoning air of death; that which will restore
to health at all times and never lose its efficacy; that which can be applied
for with the fullest confidence that it is provided against the renewed
impediments to serving God acceptably
and warrants “boldness to enter into the
holiest.” What could justify neglect of this remedy? What evasion was possible
when the uncleanness was so manifestly chargeable
and the provision for
removing it so easily procurable? Must not every trifler
delayer
or neglecter
be held guilty
without any palliation
of despising his Lord’s grace and
might? (D. G. Watt
M. A.)
The ordinance of the red heifer; a parable of the pollution of sin
and the Divine method of cleansing therefrom
I. The defiling
nature of sin.
1. Sin is defiling in its nature.
2. The defiling power of sin is of great virulence.
3. The defiling power of sin is widespread.
II. The necessity
of cleansing from sin.
III. The provision
of cleansing from sin.
1. It is Divine in its origin.
2. It involves the sacrifice of the most perfect life.
3. It is invariable in its efficacy.
IV. The application
of the provision for cleansing from sin. (W. Jones.)
The red heifer an analogue of the Christ
I. In its
characteristics.
1. Fulness of life.
2. Perfection of life.
II. In the
treatment to which it was subjected.
1. The heifer was sacrificed.
2. The heifer was sacrificed “without the camp.”
III. In the purpose
for which it was designed.
1. The red heifer was intended to cleanse from ceremonial defilement.
2. The ashes of the heifer were efficacious for this purpose: “How
much more shall the blood of Christ
” &c. (W. Jones.)
The ordinance of the red heifer
The special feature of the new ordinance is in the means taken to
make one sacrifice available for an indefinite number of cases. This was done
by the concentration
so to speak
of all the elements of the sacrifice in the
ashes which were to be preserved. Here we have the explanation of the casting
“into the midst of the burning of the heifer” of “cedar wood and hyssop and
scarlet” (Numbers 19:6). These represent the
appliances for sprinkling: the hyssop stalk with scarlet wool wrapped round it
fastened on a piece of cedar wood
which was held in the hand. By the casting
of these into the burning the idea of sprinkling was
as it were
perpetuated
in the ashes which were the residuum of the whole. These ashes could of course
be preserved and used for an indefinite time; and each time they were used
the
ideas which had
so to speak
been burnt into them
would be impressed upon the
minds and hearts of the devout. The ashes then represented the power of a past
sacrifice; “even in its ashes live its former fires.” The use of the running water
with the ashes (Numbers 19:17) has the same significance as
in the ritual for the cleansing of the leper in Leviticus 14:1-57. In making application
of the ordinance of the red heifer to ourselves
we find it specially
instructive in regard to the restoration of that communion with God which ought
to be the chief joy of the Christian
and which is too often broken by the
contracting of stains
so difficult to avoid
with sin “reigning unto death”
all around us. There are those who
under these circumstances
feel peculiarly
discouraged. They have the impression that it must be exceedingly difficult to
get back to their former position. They remember how long it took them at first
to be reconciled to God; and they think how much more difficult it must be now
that the evil has been allowed after the experience of God’s saving grace. It
seems a long and hard way back; and they have not courage to begin again. It is
a mistake The way back again is not long and hand. There are the ashes of the
heifer and the running water close at hand. There need be no delay
as if a new
animal must be obtained
and brought to the priest
and killed at the altar
and so forth. There is a shorter way. Look back to the Sacrifice offered long
ago once for all. There is the running water of the Word
which has in it
as
it were in solution
the strong ashes of the Sacrifice. There for evermore is
stored the virtue of that blood which “cleanseth from all sin.” There need be
no delay. For the ashes and the water
we have the Cross and the Word; and all
that is wanted is the immediate use of God’s “perpetual statute for purifying
the unclean” (Hebrews 9:13-14). (J. M. Gibson
D. D.)
The red heifer a wilderness type
A thoughtful student of Scripture would naturally feel
disposed to inquire why it is that we get this type in Numbers and not in
Leviticus. In the first seven chapters of the latter book we have a very
elaborate statement of the doctrine of sacrifice; and yet we have no allusion
whatever to the red heifer. Why is this? We believe it furnishes another
striking illustration of the distinctive character of our book. The red heifer
is
pre-eminently
a wilderness type. It was God’s provision for defilements by
the way
and it prefigures the death of Christ as a purification for sin
to
meet our need in passing through a defiling world
home to our eternal rest
above. When
with the eye of faith
we gaze upon the Lord Jesus
we not only
see Him to be the spotless One
in His own holy Person
but also One who never
bore the yoke of sin. He speaks of “My yoke” (Matthew 11:29); it was the yoke of
implicit subjection to the Father’s will in all things. This was the only yoke
He ever wore; and this yoke was never off
for one moment
during the entire of
His spotless and perfect career--from the manger
where He lay a helpless babe
to the Cross
where He expired as a victim. But He wore no yoke of sin. Let
this be distinctly understood. He went to the Cross to expiate our sins
to lay
the groundwork of our perfect purification from all sin; but He did this as One
who had never
at any time during His blessed life
worn the yoke of sin. He
was “without sin”; and
as such
was perfectly fitted to the great and glorious
work of expiation. “Wherein is no blemish
and whereon never came yoke.” It is
quite as needful to remember and weigh the force of the word “whereon
” as of
the word “wherein.” Both expressions are designed by the Holy Ghost to set
forth the perfection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
who was not only
internally spotless
but also externally free from every trace of sin. Neither
in His Person
nor yet in His relationships
was He in any wise obnoxious to the claims of
sin or death. He--adored for ever be His name!--entered into all the reality of
our circumstances and condition
but in Him was no sin
and on Him no yoke of
sin. (C. H. Mackintosh.)
──《The Biblical Illustrator》