THE ORDINANCE OF THE RED HEIFER In chapter 18, God declared that it was possible to approach the Lord through His priests, here He reveals the need for sanctification, without it no-body can see God. Here He talks to us about "the ordinance of sanctification" by preparing the ashes that are used in the sanctification water, or "defilement water" (91), that is the purification from defilement. 1) The presentation of heifer as a sin offering [9]; its red color refers to Christ the Lord who was slain (Isa. 53:1-3). 2) "Without defect, in which there is no blemish and upon which a yoke has never come" [2], our Lord is without sin (John 8:46; 2 Cor 5:21). He never fell under the yoke of sin. 3) Eleazar (son of Aaron) stepped forth to take it outside the camp, and witness its slaying [3], just as Christ our Lord suffered on the Cross outside the gate (Heb 13:12,13). 4) "And Eleazar the priest shall take some of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of her blood towards the front of the tent of meeting seven times". It is the work of the Lord, that He sprinkles His Blood on the face of the Church, so it lifts Him up at liberty directing Him towards the Father. He sprinkles it throughout the ages (7 times) although He was slain only once, for He is still alive and everlasting. His one and only unrepeated sacrifice, remains everlasting in the Eucharist sacrament (the divine liturgy). 5) The burning of the heifer [5] points out to the assurance of the bodily death of Christ. As for the casting of cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet in its fire, the materials that are used in the purification of the leper (Lev 4:6-7), it points out to blending of ashes of the offering with the purification elements [the cross (cedar wood); the washing (Hyssop); the blood (scarlet)]. 6) The relationship between the ashes of the sacrificial offering, and the water presented for the purification (19:9) symbolizes the relationship between the Cross and Baptism (Col. 2: 12). 7) Whoever burns the sacrifice and gather its ashes, remains defiled until the evening [8-10], an indication of our iniquities born by Christ, Granter of purification who came in the fulness of time. The need for purification [11-13], whoever touches a dead body needs to get purified on the third day, so that he becomes pure by the seventh day; as if whoever does not experience the resurrection of the crucified Christ through baptism (Numeral 3) will remain defiled for the rest of his estranged days on earth (7 days). https://coptic-treasures.com/ 30 The water used in the purification ritual [14-22]: 1) If a man dies inside a tent, anybody that was inside the tent or enters it, will be defiled for 7 days, emphasizing the hideousness of sin (he compares it to a dead person), it defiles the person for the rest of his estranged earthly life (7 days), there is no remedy for it. The matter does not stop at mankind but it extends to the hard creations, for every uncovered utensil is defiled [15]. From the health aspect, it is apprehensible that death might be due to an infectious disease. Therefore it is imperative to discard the utensils that were used by the dead person. As from the spiritual aspect, it points out to the senses that are uncontrolled by the Holy Spirit, it is a utensil that is opened for corruption, it destroys the soul and body. 2) The treatment is the purification through the ashes of the offering and the living water in a vessel [16], the dipping of hyssop in that water and sprinkling it on the tent, the vessels and the people that touched the dead body or touched his tent. All this will take place on the third and seventh days [19]. This is the work of the Church, it takes the offering of the Cross to present it as a sacrament of purification through the water of Baptism. The invisible Christ (The clean man [9]) Himself does the sprinkling on the third day, with the power of His resurrection so that we may enjoy the total purification at the end of times (7th day).
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