Commentary on "Priests and Levites"

STEVE PITCHER

 

Day 6: Thursday, November 19, 2009

 

Today’s lesson is an excellent study of the sacrifice of the red heifer in ancient Israel. The lesson author does a good job of explaining many elements of the red heifer as they relate to what Christ accomplished during his life, death and resurrection during his earthly ministry. Let’s look at some of the important points made in this lesson.

Regarding the fact that Christ made a voluntary sacrifice, the author points out that, because the red heifer had never had a yoke upon him, “[t]here was no obligatory yoke upon Him, for He was independent and above all law.” This is quite an amazing statement. Not only was God the lawgiver, he was also “independent and above all law.” This points out the fact that Jesus was to redeem those who were under law as well as those who were without the law. Paul shows how this worked in his ministry in 1 Cor. 19:19-21:

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.

Jesus was born under the administration of the law in Israel. He was able to fulfill the law because he was the author. If he was independent and above all law, the law cannot be a reflection of the character of God. Only Jesus can be that. Hebrews 1:1-3 gives us a great summary of God’s revelation of himself through his Son, Jesus Christ.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

Other good points made in this lesson include the blood of Christ which cleanses, the spotlessness (purity) of the sacrifice, sacrifice made outside the camp and the cleansing by the water and the blood.

There are two points made in this study that must be handled carefully. First, the lesson states:

Christ in His own spotless righteousness, after shedding His precious blood, entered into the heavenly sanctuary to minister in the sinner’s behalf. And there His blood is brought into the service of reconciling God to humanity (see Heb. 10:21–23).

To state that the blood of Christ is “brought into the service of reconciling God to humanity” implies that there is a continuing service in the heavenly sanctuary where this reconciling takes place. Yes, Christ entered heaven itself and into the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:24). The blood was offered almost 2000 years ago on the cross, and Jesus does not offer his blood over and over again as did the Levitical priests. It was offered once and for all for, and the heavenly things were cleansed (past tense 2000 years ago, not in 1844) when Jesus ascended into the presence of the Father for us. The continuing work of the blood of Christ is not in the heavenly sanctuary, but directly to us, cleansing us continually from our sinful nature, and from the sins which we continue to commit while in this sinful flesh (1 Jn. 1:7-9).

The lesson author goes on to state:

The repeated sprinklings illustrate the thoroughness of the work that must be accomplished for the repenting sinner. All that he has must be consecrated. Not only should the sinner’s own soul be washed clean and pure, but he or she should seek purity and holiness in all aspects of his or her existence.

We must understand that each believer is called to live a pure and holy life. To confuse that purity and holiness with something that is accomplished by repeated sprinklings does not identify the difference between how we have been declared righteous before a holy God, and the walk that we continue in as we live in this fallen world.

When we were washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ at our conversion, we were transferred from the kingdom of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). Jesus became sin for us, and we became the righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor. 5:21 says, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

First John 2:7-9 reads:

If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Yes, we should seek purity and holiness in our daily walk with the Lord. However, this should not occlude the fact that we are the righteousness of God in Christ and are continually cleansed from all unrighteousness.

Other than these two items, the lesson author has done an excellent job of explaining the ministry of Christ in laying his life down for us, as foreshadowed in the sacrifice of the red heifer in ancient Israel.

 

Summary

1. The sacrifice of the red heifer is a beautiful foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
2. The blood of Christ cleansed the things in heaven nearly 2000 years ago, not in 1844. Heaven is the sanctuary to which Christ ascended. His ministry is not a continuing application of his blood to cleanse the heavenly sanctuary; this has already been accomplished. Jesus does not officiate in heaven as a Levitical priest; he is a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
3. As Christians, we are to live pure and holy lives. This purity and holiness is not to be confused with the righteousness and justification provided for us as Christ became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21).
4. The blood of Jesus, offered for us nearly 2000 years ago, keeps on cleansing us from all unrighteousness.

 

GO TO DAY 7

 

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