About that Heifer...

The laws concerning the red heifer don't make a lot of sense to us, and God didn't put a lot of ink in Scripture to explain it. He told us what to do, but not why. I can think of four reasons for this off-hand:

1. The spiritual mechanism behind the red heifer might be beyond our comprehension. Explaining them might be impossible or just confusing.
2. Some knowledge might be deliberately withheld from mankind because it's too dangerous for us to have. The Torah concept of witchcraft appears to be related to accessing or using forbidden knowledge and the hows and whys of the red heifer might fall into this category.
3. God just wants us to trust him on some things, to obey without knowing why. It's a test.
4. It could send us off on irrelevant bunny trails. Leaving distracting information out keeps us focused on what's important.

Also check out this video from Jon Behrens on the mystery of life and death in the red heifer:

Salvation, Sanctification, and Judgment

Numbers 19:1-22:1
Judges 11:1-33
John 3:9-21

A few thoughts on Chukat:

☼Red is the color of mortality and blood. A heifer is a cow that has never calved. The red heifer was to be completely consumed along with cedar, hyssop, and a scarlet thread. Cedar, hyssop, and scarlet appear to be a reference to the cross. The ashes of the red heifer were collected, mixed with water, and used to ritually cleanse a thing or person from contact with death. Water is typical of the Holy Spirit. In summary, something mortal and which bears no fruit is completely given over to God in association with the death of Yeshua on the cross. In combination with the baptism of the Spirit, it saves us from death. This sounds like Yeshua’s words to Nicodemus in John 3.

☼When Miriam died, there was no water to drink, and perhaps no water to mix with the ashes of the heifer to purify the people after her death. The people did not mourn her, but mourned themselves and their own discomfort. Shortly after that, they were sent back into the wilderness by the king of Edom. When Aaron died, the people mourned for thirty days and then defeated the king of Arad.

☼Bronze represents judgment. When the people rebelled again and were punished through poisonous snakes, God told Moses to erect a bronze serpent on a pole in the middle of the camp. When the people were bitten by the consequences of their sin, they could look up and see the judgment of God on a stake and be healed. Reference again the words of Yeshua in John 3.