The red heifer, another type of Christ.
BUT what type do ye suppose
it to have been, where it is
commanded to the people of Israel,
that grown persons in whom sins
are come to perfection, should
offer an heifer, and after they had
killed it should burn the same;
2 But then young men should
take up the ashes and put them in
vessels; and tie a piece of scarlet
wool and hyssop upon a stick, and
so the young men should sprinkle
every one of the people, and they
should be clear from their sins?
3 Consider how all these are
delivered in a figure to us.
4 This heifer is Jesus Christ;
the wicked men that were to offer
it are those sinners who brought
him to death; who afterwards have
no more to do with it: for the
sinners have no more the honour
of handling it:
5 But the young men that performed
the sprinkling, signified those who
preach to us the forgiveness of
sins, and the purification of the
heart, to whom the Lord gave
authority to preach his Gospel:
being at the beginning twelve,
to signify the tribes, because
there were twelve tribes of Israel.
6 But why were there three
young men appointed to sprinkle?
To denote Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob, because they were
great before God.
7 And why was the wool put
upon a stick? Because the kingdom
of Jesus was founded upon the cross;
and therefore they that put their
trust in him, shall live for ever.
8 But why was the wool and
hyssop put together? To signify
that in the kingdom of Christ there
shall be evil and filthy days, in
which however, we shall be saved;
and because he that has any disease
in the flesh by some filthy humours,
is cured by hyssop.
9 Wherefore these things being
thus done, are to us indeed evident,
but to the Jews they are obscure;
because they hearkened not unto
the voice of the Lord.