The Red Cow

The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, " this is the legal statute that The Lord has commanded: instruct the Israelites to bring you an unblemished red cow that has no defect and has never been yoked. Give it to Eleazer the priest, and he will have brought it outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. Eleazer the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. The cow must be burned in his sight. It's hide, flesh, and blood, are to be burned along with its dung. The priest is to take cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson yarn, and throw them onto the fire where the cow is burning.

A man who is clean must gather up the cow's ashes and deposit them outside the camp in a ceremonially clean place. The ashes must be kept by the Israelite community for preparing the water to remove impurity; it is a sin offering.

Numbers 18:1-6; 9

The red cow is a type of Christ who was slain outside the city. (Hebrews 13:12) Red is the color of earth, blood, sacrifice. It was wholly burned, signifying Jesus gave His all.

The sprinkling of blood also relates to the shed blood of Christ.

' therefore He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance, because a death takes place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.' Hebrews 9:15

This one cows ashes lasted 1000 years, the ashes were added to water and used in a purification ritual so that the Israelites could come near the Tent of Meeting.

Jesus' sacrifice was once and for all. A perfect sacrifice. Hebrews 10:1-10

How grateful am I! Oh my souls sings and rejoices in God my Saviour! I am brought close through the blood of the lamb, not the blood of animals, once and for all! Amen!