Sound The Trumpet : Temple Institute Announces Discovery of Red Heifer in Anticipation of Third Temple

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“Temple Institute Announces Discovery of Red Heifer in Anticipation of Third Temple”
by Prophecy New Watch
July 8th, 2014

The rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem is a key prophetic event with tremendous significance. In addition to the actual building that is required, a tremendous amount of detail will need to be re-enacted, based on the specific requirements given by God in the Old Testament regarding both the numerous items, laws and rituals required to properly conduct the Temple worship, sacrifices and rites. One such key requirement is the slaughtering of a red heifer for its ashes, which would then be used in an ash water mix as a purification-for-worship prerequisite as recorded in the biblical book of Numbers Chapter 19.

A recent report by by Michael Snyder in End of the American Dream, explains why this is no mean feat: “A qualified red heifer has not been seen in the land of Israel for nearly two thousand years, and without one it would not be possible to resume Temple worship. But now a candidate has been found that could change everything. The Temple Institute in Jerusalem (dedicated to making preparations for the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple) has released stunning video footage of a red heifer that they believe meets the Biblical requirements.

This red heifer was born in the United States, and the owners of the red heifer contacted the Temple Institute in order to receive instructions about how to care for it. It is hoped that this red heifer will eventually be transported to the land of Israel and be used for the purification of the priests and the vessels that will be used in a rebuilt Jewish Temple”.

The Temple Institute has already successfully assembled other key requirements including: priestly garments made to Biblical specifications, musical instruments played by the Levitical choir, the golden crown of the High Priest, gold and silver vessels used in the incense and sacrificial services, a seven-branched Menorah made of pure gold, a golden Incense Altar and a golden Table of Showbread. They are currently on exhibit in Jerusalem’s Old City Jewish Quarter.

Michael Snyder explains that without the ashes of a red heifer, all of those preparations are in vain: before the Temple can be rebuilt and Temple worship can be resumed, a perfect red heifer must be found. This heifer is expected to also meet the following standards:

• It must never be yoked to work;

• It must never mate;

• It must be completely red—even two black hairs would render it invalid.

The heifer would historically be slaughtered and burned on a pyre, along with a cedar branch, hyssop sprig, and crimson wool. The ceremony took place on the Mount of Olives, opposite the Temple Mount.

A related story published in WND.com quotes Institute spokesman Rabbi Chaim Richman saying that the heifer is being raised according to the laws of the Torah at an undisclosed U.S. location. The heifer is said to be an Angus mix was in January and is not being tagged, branded or “used for any activity.” According to Richman, the reason the color of the heifer was to be red was “not for humankind to know…the knowledge the red heifer represents is way, way beyond our spiritual capacities.”

Perhaps not entirely: One revealed significance in the Bible about the color red is that it represents sin. Isaiah 18:1 says: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. “ Wikipedia.com lists scarlet and crimson as being shades of red, hence red is the primary or parent color.

There are other Biblical comparisons that suggest that the Old Testament red heifer was also in many ways a type or shadow of the blood atonement for our sins in the New Testament or covenant, paid for by Jesus Christ in his sufferings and death before He rose again. Gospel Herald.com for instance, draws out parallels, some of which are as follows:

• The red heifer was to be "without spot" and without a yoke typifying Christ's voluntary coming to redeem us and His sinless character even though He took our sins as His own (Hebrews 4:15).

• The red heifer was similar to, yet different from, the other offerings for sin. Nevertheless, the purpose was the same. It was a sin offering (just as Jesus who was “made sin”: For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

• The red heifer was a congregational, or corporate, offering (Numbers. 19:1). It was to be offered outside the camp as an impure thing, typifying Christ who was made to be sin and a curse for us. He suffered outside the established order of things (Hebrews 13:12).

• The heifer was to be "totally consumed with nothing remaining but ashes… the burning to ashes represents the total consumption and destruction of sin and sinners (Malachi. 4:1, 3)…He became sin itself in order that He might destroy him who had the power of sin and death (Hebrews. 2:14, 15)."

• The ashes were sufficient for all the people. When a person or a family needed purification, a fresh heifer was not required to be sacrificed. One was sufficient for all, including the sojourning stranger (Numbers 19:10). So the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient for everyone. It is everlastingly efficacious.

• The ashes were stored for all future needs. So the sacrifice of Christ is laid up for us as an inexhaustible fountain of merit to which we have daily access for the purging of our consciences (Hebrews. 9:13, 14; Zechariah. 13:1).

• The red heifer was offered alone. Christ was all alone. There is but one sin-bearer and He trod the winepress alone. He endured the contradiction (hostility) of sinners (those he came to save) against himself, alone (Hebrews. 12:3).

The significance to the salvation of mankind from sin during the Old Testament times when red heifers were sacrificed therefore becomes clear when compared and contrasted to the New Testament.

However despite the significance of the recent red heifer find, from the Bible prophecies yet to be fulfilled, other hindrances to the rebuilding of the Temple still remain. The primary one seems to be the strong Islamic resistance to Jewish buildings around the Temple mount; however the Temple Institute and the many Orthodox Jews working towards this goal remain undeterred.

Ultimately the prophecies will come true and God will undoubtedly take care of any seemingly insurmountable obstacles at the human level. We can count on it for “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Numbers 23:19).

So how should we react to the news of the red heifer findings? Perhaps Jesus would answer that question by reminding us of His words to us when on earth:
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near (Luke 21:28).”

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13