9 The Typology of Circumcision
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The Red Heifer a Type of Christ
1What does the sacrifice of the red heifer[j] typify? 2It was to be a whole burnt offering by the oldest of sinners and then young men were to gather its ashes, and put them into vessels and they also tied a piece of scarlet wool with hyssop on a stick. (Again see a type of the cross and scarlet wool). 3This stick would be used by the young men to sprinkle the people one by one so that all of them may be cleansed from their sins. 4Understand the typology of this rite. The calf represents Jesus, and the men who offer it are those who led Him for slaughter. Afterwards the men are no longer sinners but innocent children. 5The young men who sprinkle the people represent the twelve who preached the forgiveness of sins and the purification of the heart. 6At the beginning, the Lord gave the authority to preach the Gospel to the Twelve for a testimony to the twelve tribes of Israel. 7Why then were there only three young men who sprinkled? For a testimony to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because these three received the covenant. 8The wool on the stick represents that fact that the kingdom of Jesus was founded upon the cross; therefore they who believe in Him will live forever. 9The hyssop and wool were put together to signify that in His kingdom the days will be evil and polluted days, in which, however, we will be saved; and because anyone who had a physical disease was cured by the cleansing efficacy of hyssop. 10These things are clear to us, but they are obscure to the Jews, because they no longer hear the voice of the Lord.
Commentary
In Hebrews 9, Paul also wrote that the Red Heifer ceremony pointed to Christ. John 19:29 revealed that hyssop soaked in vinegar was given to Jesus.
The Red Heifer was a whole burnt offering; its ashes were taken to use for purification rites. A small amount of the ashes were sprinkled on large water pots to create holy water. This water of purification would then be used to sprinkle on people to make them ceremonially clean. We see these same water pots in John 2 where Jesus used them to change the water to wine.
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