One of the most important sections of the book of Numbers now lies open before us, presenting for our consideration the deeply interesting and instructive ordinance of “The Red Heifer.” A thoughtful student of Scripture would naturally feel disposed to inquire why it is that we get this type in Numbers and not in Leviticus. In the first seven chapters of the latter book we have a very elaborate statement of the doctrine of sacrifice, and yet we have no allusion whatever to the red heifer. Why is this? What are we to learn from the fact that this beautiful ordinance is presented in the book of Numbers and no where else. We believe it furnishes another striking illustration of the distinctive character of our book. The red heifer is pre-eminently a wilderness-type. It was God’s provision for defilements by the way, and it prefigures the death of Christ as a purification for sin, to meet our need in passing through a defiling world home to our eternal rest above. It is a most instructive figure, and unfolds most precious and needed truth. May the Holy Ghost, who has penned the record, be graciously pleased to expound and apply it to our souls.
“And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke.’” (Ver. 1, 2.)
When, with the eye of faith, we gaze upon the Lord Jesus, we not only see Him to be the spotless One in His own holy Person, but also One who never bore the yoke of sin. The Holy Ghost is ever the jealous Guardian of the Person of Christ, and He delights to present Him to the soul in all His excellency and preciousness. Hence it is that every type and every shadow designed to set Him forth exhibits the same careful guardianship. Thus, in the red heifer we are taught that not only was our blessed Saviour as to His human nature intrinsically and inherently pure and spotless, but that as to His birth and relationships He stood perfectly clear from every mark and trace of sin. No yoke of sin ever came upon His sacred neck. When He speaks of “My yoke” (Matt. xi. 29.), it was the yoke of implicit subjection to the Father’s will in all things. This was the only yoke He ever wore; and this yoke was never off for one moment during the entire of His spotless and perfect career—from the manger, where He lay a helpless babe, to the cross, where He expired as a victim.
But He wore no yoke of sin. Let this be distinctly understood. He went to the cross to expiate our sins, to lay the ground-work of our perfect purification from all sin; but He did this as One who had never, at any time during His blessed life, worn the yoke of sin. He was “without sin,” and as such, was perfectly fitted to do the great and glorious work of expiation. To think of Him as bearing the yoke of sin in His life, would be to think of Him as unfit to atone for it in His death. “_Wherein_ is no blemish, and _whereon_ never came yoke.” It is quite as needful to remember and weigh the force of the word “whereon” as of the word “wherein.” Both expressions are designed by the Holy Ghost to set forth the perfection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was not only internally spotless, but also externally free from every trace of sin. Neither in His Person nor yet in His relationships was He in any wise obnoxious to the claims of sin or death. He—adored forever be His blessed name!—entered into all the reality of our circumstances and condition; but _in_ Him was no sin, and _on_ Him no yoke of sin.
“Touched with a sympathy within, He knows our feeble frame; He knows what sore temptations mean, For He has felt the same.
“But spotless, undefiled, and pure, The great Redeemer stood, While Satan’s fiery darts He bore, And did resist to blood.”
“And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face.” (Ver. 3.)
The thoughtful reader of Scripture will not pass over any expression, how trivial soever it may seem to be. Such an one will ever bear in mind that the book which lies open before him is from God, and therefore perfect—perfect as a whole—perfect in all its parts. Every little word is pregnant with meaning; each little point, feature, and circumstance contains some spiritual teaching for the soul. No doubt, infidels and rationalists altogether fail in seizing this weighty fact, and, as a consequence, when they approach the divine volume, they make the saddest havoc. They see flaws where the spiritual student sees only gems; they see incongruities and contradictions where the devout, self-distrusting, Spirit-taught disciple beholds divine harmonies and moral glories.