Jesus Christ’s Blood as Redemption for Eternal Life (Numbers 19:1-10)
Today we will share the grace of God with Numbers 19. Numbers 19 was the Word that God gave to the priest Eleazar. And if you look in verse 1 it says the Lord said this to Moses and Aaron first. Because Aaron was the high priest and Moses was the prophet as well as the leader. And in verse 2, “This is the requirement of the law that the Lord commanded.” He commands the Israelites to bring a red heifer without defect or blemish that has never been under a yoke, give that heifer to Eleazar the priest it is to be slaughtered in his presence.
Until this point there hasn’t been a specific mention of a red heifer, but God is mentioning it today. And the fact that the heifer has never been under a yoke means that he has not reached full adulthood. And God commanded among the priest, Eleazar would be the one in charge of this and verse 4 says that, “Eleazar the priest is to take some of his blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times in front of the Tent of Meeting” and verse 5 says, “While he watches it, the heifer is to be burned it’s hide,flesh, blood and intestines ” It means that sprinkle the blood and burn everything else.
And at the same time it says in verse 6, “the priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool and throw them onto the heifer” from this later on the sin comes out. And from this burning there’s ash and later on, they’re going to do something with the ash. Because this priest has touched this heifer he is now unclean so he must wash his clothes and bathe himself in water and he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. God hates the unclean the most. We might be unclean physically, or spiritually. So I think God is talking about both types of uncleanliness in the wilderness and later on, when he burned up all the heifer he made them do something with the ash as well.
So why is it that the Israelites were commanded to, slaughter this red heifer, sprinkle its blood, burn the rest of it and then do something else with the ash later on. From today’s perspective it’s quite strange. But if you go back to the biblical times, what do you think this means. What do you think the Israelites did for God to command them to do this. If you look in verse 9, it says that this will be purification from sin. It means that they committed sin. What is the sin? For the Israelites that broke the Ten Commandments that God gave to Moses, God gave them a way to purify their sins with the burning of this heifer.
So the priest who sprinkled the blood of the heifer is ceremonially unclean and must watch himself and his clothes. In verse 9 it says that the one who burns the heifer is also ceremonial unclean and must wash himself and his clothes.
In Numbers 19:9, “A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin.” It means they purify from sin with the ashes from the heifer in the water. this is talking about the atonement for sin, and as we read this, we probably don’t think about it very much. Do you know why? It’s because all of us have a heart, “I live my life however I think is right, so what does God have any say in this?” So when we hear these verses, “What is He talking about?” But the reason why God is giving us this is because God is giving us His Word and when we live our life outside of God’s Word, that is sin and this is the method God gave us to atone for our sins.
But usually when we listen to God’s Word, the feeling we get is, “Why is this such a big sin?” What that means is, you’ve lived your life however you felt like, but people weren’t created to live however they wanted. The desire to live my life however I want was actually a thought given to us by Satan.
The longer our thoughts are captured by the thoughts given by Satan, the more we will look at God’s Word and say, “Why is He telling us things like this? Everything has to work out according to my desires and thoughts; what does God’s Word have to do with me? Whatever I want has to be fulfilled, but this Word is irrelevant to me.” This kind of person must give a sacrifice to atone for their sins.
Even though these are the words from the Old Testament, it’s normal for us to feel spiritually moved by these words because God guides us through His Word. But if we become numb to God’s word but instead we are centered on our thoughts, that in itself is sin. Then, even before you commit an act of sin, the sin has already begun inside of you.
Satan will hold onto you through the sin within you, and Satan drags us towards disasters. It was the same in the Old Testament, we have to follow the Word God gives us. If we disobey God’s Word or go outside of God’s Word, this is the method God gave us to atone for that sin.
But back in the biblical times, the Israelites were thinking, “Why is God so bothersome? Can’t He just leave us alone to live our lives? Why does He keep telling us to slaughter animals and to burn things to atone for our sins?” It ultimately means we want to live however we want, and that’s the reason they were destroyed.
People don’t fail because they do something that resulted in failure but they had a heart that in itself was bound to fail. “Why do I have to live according to God’s Word? Can’t I just live freely? It’s not like I am doing anything bad, I just want to live a diligent life, but why does the Word of God keep telling me to do this or do that?” That’s a person who is seized by the devil, it’s the state where I’m completely my own god, and that person’s thoughts, that state brings about all the problems.
But we don’t often think this way, just when we face a problem, we think, “Why is this happening?” Or when an incident takes place, we ask, “Why is this happening?” If someone doesn’t prioritize God’s Word and they only prioritize their thoughts or their plans for their life, God creates an incident that makes them turn to God’s word and only then do they turn back. “If God made us His children, why didn’t he just let us freely? Why does He keep giving us His Word?” The freedom you’re thinking of is a freedom that people talk about.
We can actually only have true freedom when we’re within God’s Word, but the way Satan works is he makes us think, “This is so oppressive, and God’s Word is only hindering me from living my life.” Human beings were created in God’s image; we were never created to live on our own. Human beings were never created to plan out our own lives and to live according to our mental strength, but the devil tells us, “You are like God, you can plan your life and create your life however you want,” and that inspires us and motivates us, but that’s actually the beginning of the failures and curses of our lives.
That’s the method Satan uses to hold onto us. When Satan holds onto us, he drags us towards disasters. Initially, it feels like it would be better if I could live my life however I want but later on, things beyond your control will keep happening. This is where we get our way of living, our way of studying, and our way of working. It seems like your job is yours, but it’s not actually yours, it’s something God gave to you, then I shouldn’t do whatever I want with it.
When I say, “I wanna do what I want,” it sounds like good words, but it drags us towards disasters. It’s the same with our studies as well as every endeavor of our lives. Our lives are not destroyed with the problems we see with our eyes, but our lives have already begun in a state of failure, and that’s why this time is so important, because right now is the time when God’s Word comes upon us, and what’s important is, is my life is seized by God’s Word.
In the Old Testament, they had to slaughter calves, heifers, and lambs but why? That was God’s method. It’s possible we may question, “Do we really have to do that?” If you’re asking that, why don’t you be God instead? Do you understand what I mean? This is God’s method, but if we ask, “Do we really have to do that?” Then either, you be God, but you can never be God, but you have something inside you that wants you to be god, “Why are You bothering me so much? Why are there so many conditions? I wouldn’t do it like this,” but you don’t realize this heart is a big problem, that is actually the method that creates Failure in your life.
Only God is the truth, only God is the way, and only God is the blessing, but He says He will give you the blessings. But instead, Satan gives you all these other excuses to make you leave the blessings, and the central core of that is, “I want to do what I want to do,” but later on, when you get a mental problem, you can’t do whatever you want to do.
Later on, when the work you’re doing is destroyed, you can’t bring it back to life on your own. God has no choice but to keep on showing us that our lives don’t work out the way we want. God shows us that through the works Satan does in our lives, but instead, if you remain within God’s Word, you’re bound to see that God really does work and bless us.
In the Old Testament, God made the Israelites slaughter lambs and heifers and other animals because we have to do things according to God’s Word. In reality, God doesn’t have to make this, right? But do you think if God doesn’t give His Word, will we remember Him? We would never remember God, so this is God’s way of blessing us. We think, “God, can’t You just forget all of this and let us be?” But if he lets us be we forget God. God is telling us to do this in our everyday life, because we need to remember God’s word in our everyday life, so God is giving us the atonement for sins so we can return whenever we make a mistake. This is the style of life for the chosen, saved children of God.
It is really the law of love because the law of God is about loving God and loving people. Do not push yourself to follow this, but if you love God, you’re bound to follow His Word. But what happens if you love yourself more than you love God, like in 2 Timothy 3? Then you’re going to face suffering and disasters. If you live however you want, you’re not going to get blessings but fall into disasters. That’s why the remnants have to realize it’s such a blessing to hear God’s Word as you’re growing up when you’re young, otherwise you’ll hear something else.
Why are the adults shaking and struggling so much? It’s because there’s something they think is more valuable than God’s Word, and the core of that value is me. Because they lived the majority of their lives without receiving God’s Word, they’re very deeply rooted in prioritizing me, my things, and success, but that’s an incorrect idea of “me,” “my things,” and “my success.” Anything that starts from me is incorrect. It is the me God created. I am now a child of God because of Jesus Christ.” That is where we must begin.
It’s not my things, it’s God’s things. Why is there such a struggle between God’s things and my things? It’s because you’ve lived your entire life only for your things, then even though I listen to God’s Word, I think of it in terms of my things. You listen to everything centered on yourself, that’s why we have to share our forum with one another, because as you share your forum with one another, you realize what kind of person you are.
Otherwise, you’re going to be under the misconception that the Word you’ve received is correct. That’s why God is telling us to throw everything that is a lie into the wilderness. Throw away your beggar mentality where you’re trying to gain free handouts and blessings, that’s not the posture of a summit, that’s not the posture of a child of God. What is the characteristic of someone who has the accurate Word of God roote inside of them?
If you just ask, “Give me this, give me that,” that’s a beggar, you’re a child of God, what could you possibly ask for? Now, you take everything that’s yours to glorify God with the economy of light. But if someone is not rooted in the Word of God, they’ll think that they’re going to be at a loss, that means the idea of you is deeply rooted. It’s not about you, it’s not my things, but it’s God’s things.
“Pastor, are you just saying that so you can steal my things?” There’s nothing I can do if I steal your things. If I were stealing your things, I would be driving a Benz and I would be living in a much better place. But I actually drive a car that’s worse than yours and I live in a place that’s worse than yours, so I hope you won’t misunderstand this. I’m telling you God’s Word right now.
So, imagine how deeply rooted you are in “me-centeredness” that you’re misunderstanding God’s Word. If your faith is to that point, we have to do everything in faith through prayer. If you don’t have faith and you’re forcing yourself to do it, Satan is going to use that. Even my studies aren’t my studies; the Lord has given me these studies, but you think they’re your studies, and that’s where your suffering begins, that means you’re responsible for your own life, and now, you just have to bust your brain, thinking about how to live because you’re your own master. That’s not aligned with God’s Word, and that’s the beginning of the suffering of life.
It’s God’s things, God is the Master and it’s all for God’s glory. It’s not mine, it’s God’s glory, in other words, it’s God’s success. But it’s not aligning because we keep on holding onto incorrect things. Don’t just listen to God’s Word, you need to have a time where you deeply reflect on yourself within the word of God, in order for you not to fall into misconceptions. Because you’re looking at everything through the lens of “me-centeredness,” you’re looking at everything incorrectly. Because you’re looking at everything from the standard of “my things,” you evaluate everything by based on a standard of benefit or loss, or you’re only interested in what will bring you success, but that’s evidence that we’re seized by the devil. It’s evidence that you love yourself incorrectly.
Only God’s Word is the standard , it’s not me, I’m God’s child. It’s not about money, it’s about the economy of light. The economy of light isn’t given to us by the world, but it is an economy that is used for God’s kingdom through offering. But a self-centered person will think, “I can only give offering if God gives it to me first right?” So we’re always interested in getting more, because I have to get it first, “Only when I get from God will I give a little bit back to Yod, and then with the rest that I got I’ll use it however I want.” I’m sure you won’t get anymore until your mind changes because God doesn’t give answers to thoughts like that. We are giving the things of God to God for the economy of light to save lives.
As you’re doing that, the economy follows you, and that’s why the answers in the field follow you. Just like that, even though we’re receiving the same Word of God whether you’re interpreting it centered on yourself or on God, it’s a 180-degree difference. If you’re centered on yourself and we talk about evangelism, it’s really annoying because I have to give up my time and my pride to match this person’s level, that person is not properly understanding evangelism. It’s an evangelism they think about themselves, and that person should actually not evangelize because Satan is going to go into that person and make it very complicated for them, because they’re talking about an evangelism they’ve created for themselves.
But what is the evangelism that God’s Word tells us? “But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,” it means that God gives you the power to be a witness, but you’re always centered on yourself. Then, when God promises to give us the power of the Holy Spirit, we think, “He’s going to give me the power so I can get a lot of stuff.” God promised you the power to save other people but instead we’re always “me, me, me,” then the power will always avoid that person.
If you’re centered on yourself when God pours his power upon you then you’re just going to fight against God with it, and don’t you think that will be the work of the devil? That’s why God’s power is just going to avoid these people.
I hope you will receive God’s grace to understand God’s Word well today. If perhaps you’re receiving this Word and you’re uncomfortable because of it, it’s because the Holy Spirit is making you uncomfortable . When you’re saying, “I feel offended and uncomfortable,” that’s just Word you use when you’re talking to another person, but if the Word of God makes you feel that way, that’s your time to submit before God, but instead, people refuse to submit or give up themselves, and as evidence of that, they fight against the pastor, they don’t fight me directly but they say, “Why are his sermons like that?” For me, I’m just going to stay still, it’s your freedom to think that way or not, but because you still haven’t submitted, yourself God will bring you to this point.
When do you break down? God is going to make you submit before the thing you think is most valuable because you need to be receiving God’s grace even without receiving the things you think is valuable, so that’s the only way God will make you truly submit. But instead of forcing yourself to be submitted, just go back to being centered on God in your everyday life. If there’s something you’re really cherishing and thinking of valuable, God will take that away and only then you will submit to Him?
I’ve seen that a lot, and I myself am a witness of that, I don’t have to talk about anyone else because I’m a witness of that, and I’ve also seen a lot of people like myself and if someone is extremely stubborn, God will even call them early, I’m sorry to say. Those aren’t actually very good words to say, but if someone really blocks God’s will and really works against it, God calls them away quickly because God’s will is never broken , God’s plan is never blocked, and I’ve seen that.
I’m not threatening you at all, I’m just telling you the works I’ve seen. I’ve seen it in my own family, I’ve seen it within the church as well, and I’ve seen it outside of the church. It’s the people who are trying to block God’s plan, they’re not blocking God’s plan because that’s their goal, but the ego they have inside of them are standing in the way of God’s plan. God continues to touch them, but they refuse to submit, but God’s plan is never blocked, so that person will either be called quickly or be put into a position where they can no longer interfere.
I’m the same way, if I keep doing things according to my thoughts that aren’t God’s will, God doesn’t leave me alone. I know myself to the greatest level of sensitivity, what am I saying? From our perspective, we think that the words of the Old Testament of sacrificing a heifer are quite shocking, but it’s God’s Word, but we think God’s Word is so bothersome, then what do you like? I like vacations, I like playing and eating, we like that, and I like being able to do whatever I do without God interfering with my life, but that’s the beginning of every problem.
Then, what can we do? It’s impossible for us to follow God’s Word 24 hours a day, does that mean we have to continue sacrificing animals? That’s the reason Jesus Christ came to earth. Let’s look at Hebrews 9:11-12. ” When Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say it’s not a part of this creation, He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once and for all by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.” That means that we no longer have to sacrifice the blood of goats and calves, but by the blood of Jesus Christ, we have obtained the blood of redemption once and for all.
Hebrews 9:13-14, so whenever we sin, whenever we’re separated from God, “the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of the heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean winked by them so that they’re outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse ourcoscineces from act that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” It says here that the blood of Jesus Christ, given once for all of eternity who was given through the eternal Spirit, will cleanse our consciences from the acts that lead to sin and death.
Our consciences is talking about our inner self. That means the Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of Jesus Christ Himself, is within us and continuously to interfere with our conscience and to make us into cleaner people. We talk about repentance, and that means instead of the blood of the heifer, we’re holding onto the blood of Jesus Christ and that is the true repentance. We remain within His life, then what happens?
Just like the message we heard on Sunday, only then are we liberated from our fear of death, and we can gain true freedom. We can only get this true freedom when we’re within the life of Jesus Christ. It’s no longer about whether we obey the law or not, but it is the power of the Lord that guides us forward. The direction He leads us in is not being centered on myself, but being centered on Christ. THe power of the Lord guides us in a way that leaves us no choice but to follow God’s Word, and we continue to go into the power of God that will lead to the conquering of Canaan, in other words, world evangelization.
Even though we read the verses from Numbers 19 in the Old Testament, the same God we believe in has given us the same Word. Whether it’s the blood of the sacrifice or the blood Jesus Christ shed on the cross, it’s the same, but the Word today is, “do not live your life so numb.” Living your life in a numb or senseless way means that you’re being dragged to the point where you don’t realize that living however you want in your life is you being dragged. You’re living blinded to the point where you think that living freely, however you want, is true freedom.
We have to escape from our thoughts that all our stuff belong to ourselves, “Why do you keep saying it’s God’s?” It’s better for you to say that everything belongs to God, and it’s better to know that everything is given to you by God. If you say everything belongs to me then I’m in charge of them, and because you don’t know when you’re going to lose your things, you live in fear, and this is all yours then you’re afraid of failing so you live in fear.
I’m sorry to tell you this, but the Lord God is the one who created the universe and is moving everything in it now, every single thing belongs to God and He is moving it with His Word. We go into His Word. If you’ve gone outside of God’s Word, then hold onto the covenant of Christ again and come back in. Now, you guys have to set a time where you look at and reflect upon yourself with God’s Word because we’re not creations who can automatically input something to program our actions.
Every single day, we’re constantly facing the decision of facing towards God or facing towards the world and Satan. Even today, my life before God. “Oh, but I received grace on Sunday,” that’s the grace you received on Sunday; but the “you” today is a “you” who still needs Christ, but if that fades away for you, then you’re going to run away on your own. How is it that I live however I want even after receiving grace? It means that’s only the extent of the grace you’ve received, and that’s why every single day, we need to have a time to reflect upon ourselves through His Word, because only then can we be led by God.
But the nature we’ve lived our life is completely irrelevant to that, in other words, we have the nature where we’re centered on ourselves and we’re just living by ourselves. As we live a few days like that, there will be yet another oppressive burden, suffering, or fear that oppresses us from within us. Therefore, every single day, the first thing you must do when you wake up is to confirm “you and God” ; otherwise, it just becomes “me, and me.” Then, that point of “me” and myself will become the start of all problems and fear in the day. From that point, you’re completely living an incorrect life.
It is not about “me,” but it’s about God and me, it’s all centered on God. Not my things, but the things God gave me. Not my plans, but the plans God gave me, which is world evangelization of saving all nations. You have to always align yourself with the Word of God like that. It’s like tuning yourself, like tuning an instrument. If you’re out of tune, you’re not going to make the proper tone, then your life will not be secure. You have to be aligned with God for your life to constantly have answers, and that’s how Satan is broken down. That’s how you can save other people.
That’s why today, during worship and especially every single day, it’s a time for you to confirm God’s Word. What happens if I can’t do this every day? Just do it whenever you remember. It’s not too late, just whenever you think about it, what are you doing at that time to align yourself with God? If you don’t adjust yourself to align with God, you live life however you want.
Then, when you go out into the field, you need to have time to align everything in the field with God’s Word. You can’t do your work however you want, because God’s plan is within everything. You have to find God’s plan. You shouldn’t treat people however you want either because you have to find God’s plan for blessing within every person you meet. That’s how we were created, we are creatures of blessing. But the devil deceives us into thinking,“This is bothersome,” or, “If I live like this, something’s not going to work out.” But it’s not true because God has a plan of blessing within all events that happen, and within all people whom you meet.
Finding that is what we call continuous prayer, you’ve met a person, and you’re not going to be like, “Wait right there, I’m going to go pray and I’ll be right back.” You do that kind of prayer while you’re alone, so that’s why I say, when you wake up in the morning, if someone wakes up late in the day, do it whenever you wake up. But if you’re working and you say, “Wait right here, I’m going to pray and come back,” you’re going to get fired. You guys are in the midst of studying and working, and you keep aligning yourself with God’s plan in the midst of studies And work.
Let’s say there’s a huge problem, then because it’s a big problem, you have to concentrate. It’s a big problem it means your mind will always be focused on it you’re always going to be afraid and insecure, and you’re not going to hold onto the answer easily, that when you go into concentration prayer so you can find God’s plan within the midst of that problem, because within the big blessings are God’s big plans.
So, the conclusion of today’s entire message is, through the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ’s blood on the cross, he has given us an eternal redemption now His Spirit live within us continuously Interceding with our conscious so that we go into God’s Word, but you can’t stop it with that, otherwise your life will have no purpose or goal. You must save the 237 nations of the world with this, and that’s how God’s glory will be revealed. Of course, we’re living for God’s glory.
If the goal in your life is not for God, then the goal of your life is for yourself, and if it’s your goal, then it’s obvious it’s just your success, that means you’re living your life, centered on yourself. That’s why world evangelization and saving the 237 nations cannot be separated from your life, because that’s the entire goal and purpose of our life. If you align yourself with God then that is how naturally you will be led in that direction.
Prayer
Through Numbers 19 today, I hope you will have the blessing of aligning yourself with the Word of God every day. Let us hold onto the Word God has given to us today and pray. “God, if there’s a distance between myself and the word of God please give me the strength and faith to let myself go and follow Your Word.” It’s not about the words of the pastor, you shouldn’t care about the pastor, but if it is the right with the word of God then you follow it. Let us pray together.
Our second for tonight is the college retreat which is in progress now and there’s two more messages ahead, so may all the college students who will save America and the 237 nations of the world be led well. And if there are any of you who did not register this time, please listen to the recordings that are published later on. Because if you don’t follow God’s Word, you’re just going end up living however you want, however you think, and you think you’re doing well on your own, but you realize you’re in the incorrect place, so instead of trusting in yourself so much, I hope you’ll trust in God Instead. You trust in yourself, but we don’t have the power. Trust in the Triune God.
Then next week, Monday and Tuesday, there’s going to be the North American Businessperson’s conference. Let us pray.
Let’s now pray for all of our missions fields. Yes, it’s true we have a lot of faraway missions fields we should be praying for, but also in your everyday life the people that you meet God have placed the plan of blessing the 237 nations within your field. If you hold onto that covenant, then God will give you these blessings of meeting, otherwise you’re going to be filled with other meetings. Let us pray.
Let us sing one hymn, then we’ll have the benediction, we’ll have our personal prayers, the church intercessory prayers, and then go home. I hope you will have dreams about the Word you received today because that dream must come from the Words of the covenant God has given you. Everything else is a nonsensical dream.
After the benediction, I hope you enjoy the blessing of the intercessory prayer as well as your personal prayer, and then go home.
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of god, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and communion of the holy spirit, be upon all the heads of people of God who desire to hold onto the eternal covenant of Jesus Christ who said everything was finished on the cross to save the 237 nations of the world, be upon all the multiethnic people and the heads of all the remnants , be from now until forevermore always, amen.