Parasha Chukat

by

B’midbar (Numbers)  19:1 – 22:1

Haftarah:  Ezekiel 36:24 – 26

Brit Chadasha:  Jn. 3:9 – 21;  4:3 – 30 and 12:27 – 50

Parasha Chukat
חֻקַּ֣ת meaning “statute or ordinance”

  • Parasha Highlights:
  • Eternal Ordinance of the Red Heifer
  • The death of Miriam and Aaron
  • The cleft/split rock
  • Office of the High Priest is transferred from Aaron to Elazar
  • The altar judgement of the fiery serpents

חֻקַּ֣ת

  • We will begin with the ancient Hebrew definition of the word “Chukat.”  As you can see, this word begins with the 8th letter of the Aleph Bet, the Chet.  In its ancient form the Chet is a picture of a fence or wall and means to divide, separate or private.
  • This letter is pronounced with a guttural raspy sound.  The interesting thing is that there is another letter with the same sound.  The other letter is the Kaph which is a picture of a palm or an open hand.  This letter can be likened to an invitation i.e. “come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden.”  Its meaning is to open, allow or to cover.  This letter will have a completely different concept.
  • The reason the letter Chet was chosen in the spelling of “Chukat” is self explanatory.  Chukat is spelled, as I said, with the letter Chet.  This word will have everything to do with His covenant, as eight is the number of covenant, and it will have everything to do with being separated from the world, i.e. come out from among them and be separate.
  • The second letter of Chukat is the Quph which is a picture of the back of the head and means to be last, behind or least.  This letter is significant because it denotes the walk of an individual; either toward Jerusalem or away from Jerusalem because, this is the place where the “divine glory” will reside.
  • The third letter is the Tav which is a picture of crossed sticks and means mark, seal or covenant.  This letter is important because there is also another “T” sound in the Aleph Bet.  This is the letter Tet which, when examined, has nothing to do with the actual concept of “Chukat.”
  • Therefore, in its ancient form Chukat would read:  “Separate yourself from the world system and face Jerusalem, the place where YaHaVah placed His name forever, the place where all those who are sealed will reside.”
  • The numerical value of Chukat is 508; 5 + 8 = 13.  The number thirteen speaks to all 13 tribes of Israel.  Reducing to a single digit, 1 + 3 = 4.  Four is a number that related to Yeshua, whose mandate is to unite the Whole House of Israel at His second advent.
  • Num. 19:1 – 10:  “Now YaHaVah spoke to Moshe and Aaron, saying, ‘this is the ordinance of the law which YaHaVah has commanded, saying: speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come. You shall give it to Elazar the priest, that he may take it “outside the camp,” and it shall be slaughtered before him; and Elazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood seven times directly in front of the tabernacle of meeting. Then the heifer אֶת־הַפָּרָה )  ) shall be burned in his sight: its hide (אֶת־עֹרָה   ), its fleshאֶת־בְּשָׂרָהּ )  ) its blood אֶת־דָּמָהּ) ) and its offal shall be burned.  And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.
  • Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening.  And the one who burns it shall wash his clothes in water, bathe in water, and shall be unclean until evening. Then a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and store them “outside the camp” in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for the water of purification; it is for purifying from sin.  And the one who gathers the ashes (אֶת־אֵפֶר) of the heifer shall wash his clothes אֶת־בְּגָדָיו ) ) and be unclean until evening. It shall be a statute forever to the children of Israel and to the stranger who dwells among them.’”  **We can see that the intent of this statute is to include those who would be grafted in.
  • It’s clear that this entire ritual speaks to the completed work of Messiah Yeshua.
  • This picture shows us that the red heifer was sacrificed on the Mt. of Olives.  The very same location of the Akeidah and Yeshuas’ sacrifice.  The ramp takes us from the eastern gate, across the Kidron valley to the Mt. of Olives.
  • In fact the writer of Hebrews said thus:  Heb. 13:11 – 13:  “For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Yeshua also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered “outside the gate.” Therefore let us go forth to Him, “outside the camp,” bearing His reproach.”
  • Israel is on their wilderness journey at the time this statue was given. How was the location referred to as “outside the camp” determined? What is the starting point?  All sacrifices are made on an altar therefore the location of this altar should be significant.  Since ALL things begin from YaHaVah let’s consider the following.

  • The divine presence resides atop the mercy seat which is found on the cover to the Ark of the Covenant which resides in the Holy of Holies. There is a direct line of sight from the place where His presence resides to the:
  • 1.) Altar of Incense
  • 2.) The great altar
  • 3.) The altar where the red heifer is to be sacrificed
  • All three altars are facing the direction east.  In plain view, before Him who is to receive the offering.
  • The third altar, where the red heifer will be sacrificed must be east of the Mishkan and subsequently the Temple mount in Jerusalem.  The name of this altar is the מִפְקָד  altar and is likewise used to designate the eastern gate.
  • Ez. 43:21 defines מִפְקָד  as the appointed place.  “Then you shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and burn it in the appointed place (מִפְקָד ) of the temple, outside the sanctuary.”
  • How then, is the location of the third altar determined?  Recall the 70 elders who were commissioned long ago.  They alone had the authority to determine the location referred to as “outside the camp.”   (Rosh ha-Shanah 2:5, Sanhedrin 1:5 and Shebu’oth 2:2)
  • The measurement began at the center part of the camp, that is the wilderness camp, continuing in the eastern direction at least 2000 cubits to reach the place referred to in Scripture as “outside the camp.” (Secrets of Golgotha, Ernest L. Martin, pg. 27)
  • Why is this location, in the middle of the desert, even important to us?
  • The instructions regarding the red heifer sacrifice are a type and shadow of the location, outside the temple precincts, of the death of Yeshua HaMashiach.
  • Two thousand cubits from the center of the temple precinct in Jerusalem, in an easterly direction across the Kidron Valley, places us “outside the camp” directly atop the Mount of Olives, the location of the death of our Messiah.
  • Israel’s governing body also designed the ramp leading the red heifer as well as the sin offering to the Mount of Olives.
  • See also Joshua 3:1 – 4:  “Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from the Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.  So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; and they commanded the people, saying, ‘when you see the ark of the covenant of YaHaVah your Elohim, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.”
  • The waters of purification began in Parasha B’ha’alotkha which is found in B’midbar (Numbers) 8:1 – 12:16 speaking to ritual purity.
  • Num. 8:5 – 19:  “Then YaHaVah spoke to Moshe, saying: ‘take the Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them ceremonially. Thus you shall do to them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purification on them, and let them shave all their body, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bull with its grain offering of fine flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull as a sin offering.  And you shall bring the Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole congregation of the children of Israel. So you shall bring the Levites before YaHaVah, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites; and Aaron shall offer the Levites  before YaHaVah, like a wave offering from the children of Israel,
  • that they may perform the work of YaHaVah. Then the Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the young bulls, and you shall offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to YaHaVah, to make atonement for the Levites. And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to YaHaVah. Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine.  After that the Levites shall go in to service the tabernacle of meeting.  So you shall cleanse them and offer them, like a wave offering.  For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel. For all the firstborn among the children of Israel are Mine, both man and beast; on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself.
  • I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel.  And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the tabernacle of meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary.”
  • The concept of “sprinkling” originates in Ex. 29:21 which speaks to the sanctification of the Levites.  The Hebrew word for “sprinkle” is נָזָה.  In its ancient form, “naza” would read; “The heir will cut i.e. Brit,  to cut a covenant, for those who will behold Him.”  The numerical value of “naza” is 62; 6 + 2 = 8, the number of covenant.
  • Ez. 36:22 –  28:  “Therefore say to the house of Israel, thus says the YaHaVah Elohay: ‘I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.  And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am YaHaVah,’ says the YaHaVah Elohay, when I am hallowed in you before their eyes. For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your Elohay.”
  • The prophecy is given to the House of Israel.  If you are a gentile believer please read Romans 11 which tells you that when you accept Yeshua as your own personal savior, you become part of the House of Israel therefore you are entitled to partake of this prophecy,.  What will happen to you?
  • 1.)  You will be included in the “final ingathering.”
  • 2.)  The waters of purification will be sprinkled upon you.
  • 3.)  You will keep His statutes and judgments.
  • 4.)  You will become His people.
  • The Hebrew word for sprinkle in this context is זָרַק.  Once again we see the Zayin, which means to cut.  This speaks to the “brit,” the cut covenant.  This letter is followed by the Resh meaning beginning.  The last letter is the Quph which tells us that by this time, in order to be gathered by The Father, our head should be facing Jerusalem with the back of our head facing the world system.
  • In its ancient form this word would read:  “The cut covenant was from the beginning for all those who choose YaHaVah and His “rules of the Kingdom.”  the numerical value of “zaraq” is 307; 3 + 7 = 10, the Ten Words.  This tells us how to worship to be included in the final ingathering.

The Red Heifer

  • The Mishna teaches that up until the destruction of the Second Temple, ashes had been prepared from a total of only nine red heifers. The very first red heifer was processed by Moshe himself – as the verse states, “… have them bring you a red heifer.” The second was done by the prophet Ezra in the days of the First Temple, and during the entire era of the Second Temple only seven more heifers were used for ashes. This was enough to provide for the nation’s needs for purification throughout all those years.
  • The names of all the High Priests who prepared those seven heifers during Second Temple times are recorded by the Mishna: Shimon the Just and Yochanan each made two; El’yhoeini ben Hakof, Chanamel HaMitzri and Yishmael ben Pi’avi processed one heifer each.
  • Thus, from the time that Moshe received the commandment of the red heifer from the Holy One, blessed be He, until the destruction of the Second Temple, purifying ashes had been produced by the hands of these great leaders from a total of nine red heifers.
  • The Tenth Red Heifer Will be Prepared by the Messiah.  In recounting this historical record in his commentary to the Mishna, the great Maimonides ends with the enigmatic statement: “… and the tenth red heifer will be accomplished by the king, the Messiah; may he be revealed speedily, Amen, May it be Yahs will.”  (The Temple Institute)

Haftarah

  • Ezekiel 36:24 – 26:  

The Brit Chadasha

  • To restate:  “For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you back into your own land. I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.…”

The Brit Chadasha

  • Jn. 3:9 – 21;  4:3 – 30 and 12:27 – 50
  • John 3:9-21:  v 14…just as Moshe lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.
  • John 4:3-30:  v10…Yeshua answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of Yah, and who it is who says to you, ‘give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
  • John 12:27-50:…v28 “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’” Speaking to the 1st and 2nd advents.
  • V32…And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
  • In conclusion, the sacrifice of the red heifer is analogous to the ultimate sin offering of king Messiah.  Both of which occurred on the Mount of Olives, “outside the camp.”
  • Both of which occurred at least 2000 cubits from the center point of the temple precinct.
  • Distance and location! The distance as determined by the governing body and a direct line of sight from the divine presence in the Holy of Holies.
  • Something for you to consider:
  • The sin offering for the whole house of Israel (Lev. 13-21) is a bull. We can all see Yeshua as this offering.
  • The red heifer is just that, a female cow.  This offering is about Yeshua and His bride.  The three items also used in this ritual, the cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet thread speak to the completed work of Messiah.
  • The cedar wood = the stake
  • The hyssop = used to place vinegar at His mouth
  • The scarlet thread = the color of His blood that was shed for mankind
  • In the spiritual realm the red heifer offering creates a picture of the method that will be used for the brides redemption.
  • In the physical realm, her ashes mixed with living water are the waters of purification that will be sprinkled on the gathered bride.