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This week, we have a double parasha. Chukat, which means “statute,” Numbers, 19:1 – 22:1, and Balak, Numbers 22:2 – 25:9, the Moabite king who wants to destroy Israel. I’m just going to focus on some major points from each parasha.
Chapter 19 explains the sacrifice of the red heifer. The red heifer was designated as a type of sin offering, but it was for a very special type of sin. First off, the animal was to be a heifer. This would mean that it was a cow under three years old, which had never given birth. In addition, the color was to be red. This would immediately make the color of the animal unusual and set it apart from more common animals. In fact, this is the only sacrifice in the Old Testament that specifies the color of the animal. The animal was to be without defect or blemish, no spots or other imperfections. It was also never to have been put under a yoke, meaning it could not have done any work. All these requirements combined to mark the animal as special, and also as pure, since the animal would not have been defiled by having been impregnated or by having done labor usually done by beasts of burden. The color, red, would also have denoted the image of blood.
Next, we find that the animal was to be killed outside the camp. All other sacrifices designated as sin-offerings were made inside the camp, and later at the Temple, once it was built during the time of King Solomon.
Three individuals were involved with the sacrifice: The first red heifer sacrifice was offered by Eleazar, the priest, who was Aaron’s son. Once the heifer was slaughtered, Eleazar was to take some of the blood on his finger and sprinkle it towards the Tent of Meeting. Then the whole heifer was to be completely burned: hide, flesh, blood, everything. The priest who burned the heifer was to be ritualistically clean. Then another priest, who was also ritualistically clean, was to gather the ashes that resulted from the complete burning of this sacrifice. These ashes were then mixed with a “water of cleansing,” which was then used to cleanse people who had come in contact with a dead body. This was very important because we read later in Numbers 19 that if people remained in a defiled state without being purified by these ashes mixed with the “water of cleansing,” they would not be allowed to worship at the Mishkan, the Lord’s Tabernacle. The Lord’s House of Worship could not be defiled by one who was impure in such a manner. If a person did not become cleansed, and their uncleanliness stayed upon them, it was a requirement that the person be cut off from the community of Israel.
3 different people, each ritualistically clean, were involved with the red heifer sacrifice. However, once these priests participated in the sacrifice, for which they had to be ritualistically clean, they became unclean until evening. Those who were clean became unclean through offering this sacrifice, which would be used to purify others. They purposely had to defile themselves so that those who had been defiled could be made clean by the result of the red heifer sacrifice.
What a picture the red heifer sacrifice gives us of the atoning power of Yeshua for those who believe in Him. He cleanses us from our sin and allows us to draw near to God because He paid the ultimate price by dying on the cross. He who was sinless and blameless gave up His life as a perfect sin offering to atone for all sins, past, present and future. He who was pure, allowed Himself to experience the defilement of the sins of the entire human race so that He could once and for all be the perfect atonement for all people.
Parasha Balak begins in chapter 22 with the Moabites and Midianites forming an alliance against Israel. Israel had just destroyed Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites and their people. The Moabites were afraid that they were next. Instead of forming an army to fight against Israel, their king, Balak had another plan. He sends for Balaam, a renowned magician, to put a curse on the Israelis. Although Balaam rejects going with the first delegation that Balak sends to get him, he is a man for whom money, power and position mean a great deal, and he ends up going with a higher-level delegation that Balak sends next. God intervenes and comes to Balaam at night and tells him to go with that delegation, but only if they tell him to go, and that Balaam should only say the words that God puts in his mouth. The next morning, Balaam saddles his donkey and goes off to curse the Jewish people. It seems that the haste and willingness that Balaam has to curse the Israelis makes God angry and the angel of the Lord comes and stands in Balaam’s way as he is on his journey. Balaam’s donkey can see the angel, but Balaam cannot. The donkey refuses to try and pass the angel of the Lord. Balaam is quite angry at his donkey’s unwillingness and hits his donkey three times. Finally, Balaam’s eyes are opened and he also sees the angel of the Lord. The Lord tells Balaam to go ahead to Balak but only speak the word that God puts in his mouth.
Chapters 23 and 24 are Balaam’s prophecies. Three times, Balak takes Balaam to different places where he can see the encamped Israelis. Each time Balak asks him to curse the Israelis. Each time Balaam ends up either pronouncing a blessing upon the Jewish people or predicts the destruction of Israel’s enemies. Balaam even pronounces a Messianic prophecy in chapter 24, verse 17: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob And a scepter shall rise from Israel. At the end of chapter 24, it simply says that after these prophecies Balaam arose and departed and returned to his place.
Balaam is considered to be one of the worst enemies of Israel, in the same class as Haman. His heart was not right towards God or Israel. And even though it looked like he left and went home at the end of chapter 24, it was actually Balaam who gave Balak the idea to have Moabite women seduce the Israelis (Numbers 31:16), causing them to sin and because of that, a plague killed 24,000 people. Although his mouth pronounced blessings on the Israelis, his heart really wanted to curse them. And this was all from a man who knew that God existed because God spoke with him. This type of person is one of the most dangerous.
The conclusions for Balak:
It is important to have the right heart when dealing with God’s word. We want to represent it accurately. We don’t want to speak God’s word with our mouth, but in our hearts be thinking deceptive or mis-leading thoughts. Beware those who seem to represent the word of God, but are actually wolves, eager to pray upon, and lead, believers away from God’s path. There and more of these people around us today.
Secondly, we need to be careful of people who may utter the right words, but their actions are continually in conflict with their words. People of integrity follow through on their word.
Finally, our ultimate guide for representing God’s word accurately and with integrity is Messiah Yeshua. We need to look to no other for guidance in these two areas.