Hebrews 9: 13 Commentary

One striking feature in Abraham’s life is that he has built altars for the Lord.(Gen.12:7,8;13:18;22:9)By making sacrifices on the altars,he saw Jesus at a distance.(See John 8:56;Heb.11:13)An interesting point to note when Abraham sacrificed some animals & birds(total 5)in Gen.15 is that an heifer was one among them.
In Num.19,we see an unusual sacrifice of a red heifer.An heifer is a young cow prior to the time that she had first calf.God has provided a way of ceremonial cleansing whenever the children of Israel would become unclean.
The heifer must be without blemish,without spot and must have never worn a yoke.It must be killed outside the camp in presence of the high priest & burned in his sight.Cedar,hyssop & scarlet were added to the fire.The ashes
must be kept in a clean place outside the camp.They were mixed with water to prepare the water of separation(water of purification)as it is a purification for sin.(Num.19:9).The water was sprinkled on people for ceremonial purification.When a person was defiled by having contact with a dead body,he would be unclean for 7 days.The water of purification would be sprinkled on him on the third day & on the seventh day & he would become clean at the end of the seventh day.If any one is defiled,he defiles the sanctuary.Offenses against the sanctuary would mean that it would bring wrath on the people.If any one has neglected this provision of cleansing,he would be cut off from among the congregation because he had deliberately committed sin by disobedience in spite of knowing the knowledge of the Law of God.The ashes of the heifer cleanse the flesh only.Those who observed the Law by making use of the provision for the cleansing ,they would be ceremonially cleansed & admitted into the congregation again & had liberty to worship God along with others.The ashes of heifer could not make inner cleansing in man.The sacrifice of the heifer points to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

By Alexander (wrote 499 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 6/28/2008 05:30 am

In Heb.9:13&14, the writer makes a comparison of the blood of bulls & of goats and the ashes of heifer with the blood of Christ with a view to prove that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is superior.
On the Day of Atonement,the blood of a young bullock was shed.It was offered as sin offering for the high priest& his family.The blood of a goat was also shed.It was offered as sin offering for the people of Israel.The atonement has been made by the high priest in the Most Holy Place of the tabernacle,by sprinkling the blood of the young bullock &that of the goat separately upon the Mercy Seat & in front of the Mercy Seat.(The word for Mercy seat has the same root as “Atonement”.It was mentioned in Heb.9:5 &Rom.3:25,where we find the word “propitiation.”)
The meaning of Atonement is “expiration made for wrong or offense,to make reparation”-reparation made by giving an equivalent for injury.The English word carries the meaning -to become at one,setting at one.Reconciliation or restoration has to be made between God& man as man had committed sin.The word “Atonement”,has an implication “to cover over sin.”By observing the rituals & ceremonies found in Lev.16,the sins of the people were”blood covered.”The people of Israel would be spared from the judgment of sins for one year because atonement has been made as per the Law.But the Day of Atonement has to be observed every year without fail by the people of Israel.We read in Lev.17:11,”..it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.”Heb.9:22 says,”..without shedding of blood is no remission.”The shedding of blood of young bullocks & goats & the atonement made by the blood of these animals only cleansed or sanctified the flesh temporarily.The sacrifices had to be repeated every year as they did not take away the sins.(Heb.10:3)Micah 6:6 says,”Wherewith shall I come before the Lord,and bow myself,with burnt offerings,with calves a year old?”The Old Covenant which contained many rituals & ceremonies was inferior.God had no pleasure in the animal sacrifices offered as burnt offering or sin offering.Whatever may be the quantity of animal sacrifices made,they would not be sufficient enough to make the atonement complete.(Ps.49:6-8;Heb.10:5-9).But the purpose of these sacrifices is to point the perfect sacrifice to be offered by Jesus Christ.The plan of God is that Jesus has to come in the flesh to offer Himself as perfect sacrifice for our sins.The First Covenant ceased to exist once Jesus has made that sacrifice. The First covenant was removed & the Second Covenant which is superior than the first one was established.
(Heb.10:9)

By Alexander (wrote 499 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 6/28/2008 01:38 am