The Red Heifer

Knowledge of the future has wide appeal.  This was evident when a work mate of mine who showed virtually no interest in living a godly life shared his fascination with the "red heifer" spoken of in Numbers 19.  I found this most strange.  "You may think I don't know about things like that," he said with a twinkle in his eye.  "I've been reading about it.  You gotta have a red heifer to have worship in the temple in Jerusalem.  They be looking for that heifer!"  I didn't know what to think.  He clearly felt as if he had obtained privileged information and was even smug about it.

He was correct a red heifer is required under the Law, though he didn't say anything about what practical function it served - that the ashes were used for making the water of separation to cleanse people who had come in contact with a dead body.  To him, the discovery of a red heifer was a sign of the culmination of end time events, that when a young cow which met the biblical criteria provided proof the temple in Jerusalem would be rebuilt.  We had many conversations over the years we worked together, but this one had the most impact because it was totally "out of left field."  Common themes of his conversations were about sport, women, shooting pool, his business savvy, and how confident he was.  I saw no evidence of interest in leading a life which honoured God and His Word, yet at the same time he was deeply intrigued concerning finding a red heifer and the fulfillment of prophecy.

The thing I felt tragic about my colleague's perspective is how he believed knowledge indicated faith when it was nothing of the sort.  Knowing about a red heifer and believing people at the Temple Institute were searching for one would not help him be cleansed from his own sin.  It is very fine to find a red heifer, but under the Law only a cleansed and sanctified priest could administer this water of separation on the third and seventh day.  What is the point of having a perfect heifer without a sanctified priest?  Under the Law without the temple, altars, anointing oil, and blood of the sacrifice, this cannot be done.  Thankfully Jesus is for His followers both sacrifice and High Priest, having washed us in His blood through repentance and faith in Him.  The water of separation was for people who had been in contact with the dead, and we who were ourselves dead in sins have been born again by the life of Jesus Christ.

How wonderful it is God has given us minds to think and a conscience which is sensitive to things of God!  I pray my friend and many others like him who are interested in random passages of scripture would take the next step of having their hearts and minds transformed by saving faith in Jesus Christ.  Only when we have the Spirit of God within us can we have understanding and practically apply scripture to our lives and what we see in the world around us.  Seeing a kosher red heifer would be rare and interesting, but wouldn't it be wise to consider the Messiah who is coming to judge the nations?

No Sacrifice Enough

In the Law God made provision if people or the nation sinned unintentionally.  When it came to the attention of the guilty party they were directed to offer sacrifices for the atonement of sin.  I was surprised to read in the passage immediately following there was a situation, however, when no sacrifice was acceptable for sin.  In contrast Numbers 15:30-31 reads, "But the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is native-born or a stranger, that one brings reproach on the LORD, and he shall be cut off from among his people. ³¹ Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken His commandment, that person shall be completely cut off; his guilt shall be upon him."  The word "presumptuously" conveys the motive of the person who committed the offence before God and could be described as self-exalted, haughty, and wilfully promoting sin.

If it was determined someone knew the Law and flaunted it intentionally, proudly and defiantly in opposition to God's command, there was no sacrifice offered for such a one.  As followers of Jesus today are beneficiaries of all our sins being atoned for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, this is quite shocking.  In the verses immediately following, there is an account of a man who was seen gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.  Numbers 15:32-36 states, "Now while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. ³³ And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron, and to all the congregation. ³⁴ They put him under guard, because it had not been explained what should be done to him. ³⁵ Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man must surely be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp." ³⁶ So, as the LORD commanded Moses, all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him with stones, and he died."

It is clear from the context the man was not ignorant of the Law.  Gathering sticks may seem a small offence, but because his heart was defiant and proud before God there was no atoning sacrifice possible for him.  His open rebellion of gathering sticks in violation of the Law was an insurrection God nor man was to overlook.  Here the insidious and destructive nature of sin is played out for all to see:  the wages of sin is death, and for the proud and unrepentant there is no atonement or salvation possible.  Now I do not presume to know the eternal state of this man's soul, for it is possible for those guilty of great crimes to be saved.  God is gracious.  But as a Christian I am reminded of a New Testament passage where this same precept is held forth in Hebrews 10:23-27:  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ²⁵ not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. ²⁶ For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries."  If we sin wilfully after receiving knowledge of the truth, we can expect to be judged like that proud man who gathered sticks.

Rather than fearing potential judgment, how much better it is to humble ourselves before God in reverent fear!  Those who fear and love God will not fear even death.  We are not worthy for one of our sins to be forgiven by a holy God, yet He purchased our atonement and salvation with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  If you fear for your salvation because of wilful sin you know, it is high time to repent.  If we are afraid of God's judgment, we should stop living like God's enemies and obey Him as loyal sons and daughters.  To obey God is better than sacrifice, and for those who remain in pride no sacrifice is enough - even the sacrifice of Jesus.

The Inner Battle

When I am faced with difficult situations, I find many times a resulting conflict within me.  It is often trying times in life which bring the conflict of the flesh and Spirit of a Christian to the surface.  If I could reduce the inner conflict to the lowest denominator, it would be the decision to walk in God's love or not:  will I choose to love the person according to the love I have received through faith in Jesus, or will I do what I think is best?  The love of God provides wisdom and understanding in how to navigate all the decisions of this life (Phil. 1:9-11)

In a delightful discussion this morning a mate of mine commented how the shield of faith goes before us to block fiery darts so they don't find their mark.  This is a rich insight.  When we walk in the Spirit, remaining vigilant to be led by God in our thoughts, words, and deeds, attacks and insults can be easily extinguished by the shield of faith.  But there will always be situations which catch us off guard, and those sharpened darts sting when they hit our sensitive flesh.  It is in this moment of pain where the conflict becomes personal and real, the exact moment where we must abide in the love of God.  This can also be the moment of victory through Jesus, when instead of retaliating according to the flesh we deny ourselves and choose to love and keep loving others - even the ones we feel are responsible for our pain.

The love of God is not like the "love" of the world, a love which is granted based upon the worthiness of others, a fickle love dependent on emotion, a love that gives only when we feel our needs have been adequately met, or expressed through sensuous encounters.  Walking in God's love is sacrificial, considers God and others, and is the ultimate expression of our faith in God.  It does no good to claim victory in the heavenly realm when we do not love our enemies; it is ridiculous to tout our spiritual authority when we walk according to the flesh in our dealings with men.  Show me a man who abides in Christ's love and I will show you a man before the demons flee because the power of God rests upon Him.

Win the inner battle to walk in the love of Jesus as led by the Spirit, and the outer battle will likely not resemble one.  Those conquered and abiding in Christ's love can walk in sure victory.

God Gives Strength Today

An intriguing balance exists as we embrace our role in God's work.  It is very easy to find ourselves tending to think God's plan and the fulfilment of His promises depends on us.  When we tilt this balance to our efforts, it exposes our limitations.  It makes obeying God an imposing task because we recognise we are being asked to do something we cannot.

An example of this is seen after God miraculously brought His people out of Egypt.  He promised to give them an exceedingly good land, one "flowing with milk and honey."  God had given the land to His people, but there was one big problem (at least to people who did not trust God):  the land was inhabited by strong people in fortified cities.  God had given the land to His people, and their role was to enter in and possess the land.  Naturally the people thought it fell to them to "take" the land, and did not believe they had the ability to defeat their giant foes.  They compared their strength to others, found it lacking, and suddenly slavery in Egypt started looking good.

The fact is, they didn't have the ability to take the land - not by themselves, anyway.  Based on the size of giants they saw they compared their attempts to fight as grasshoppers against men, and they identified with grasshoppers easily crushed underfoot.  The vast majority of the people did not bring the power, the promise, or their past deliverance to bear on the predicament which lay before them.  This is a mistake we can make as well, thinking our entrance to the inheritance God has allotted depends on our strength or natural ability.  Faith in God proves giants to actually be as grasshoppers (which were on the menu for the Jews, by the way), and only those who trust and obey God will experience this for themselves.  Many people stop short of the grace of God and do not possess the gifts or activate the calling He has placed upon their lives because they do not trust Him enough to acknowledge their own weakness and simply obey Him by entering in.

Caleb and Joshua tore their clothes in grief and urged the people to consider God and not be afraid.  They said in Numbers 14:8-9, "If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.' ⁹ Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them."  God had given His people land with defined borders, and this is a picture of the inheritance God has for us in this life, a fruitful and blessed future for all who are born again.  He puts His Spirit within us because He delights in us by His grace.  Caleb and Joshua were right to say God would bring them into the land and give it to them, but at the same time they needed to walk on their own two feet.  God will be with us, even as He was with them.  If God tells us to enter in, through His strength we can.

When you face struggles in this life as a Christian, don't forget to remember and strengthen yourself in the promises of God.  What He has said He will do.  Those giants in your life are as fearsome as a loaf of bread before our mighty God and Saviour Jesus Christ.  The LORD is truly with us and we need not fear them.  You may not be a "fighter" and feel ill-equipped for the journey ahead, yet since God is for us who can be against us?  It's we who fail to trust God.  Isaiah 40:28-29 says, "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. ²⁹ He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength."