Idea Transcript
Golgotha Rediscovered! Where was Jesus Crucified? Since Constantine I the Christian world has been led to believe that Golgotha, the mount on which Jesus was crucified, is beneath the site where today the Holy Sepulchre Church is built. Helen, the mother of Constantine herself, is credited for identifying its location and instigating the building of the Church upon its site 1. But Jesus was crucified on a hill on the other side of Jerusalem that looks like the skull-pan of a head.
The early Christians knew that it was not the eyes of a skull or anything else that gave Golgotha its name, but rather because this hill looks like the top part of a skull. A spot there is called Golgotha,—of old the fathers’ earlier tongue thus called its name, “The skull-pan of a head:” Origin Against Marcion Book II 259 Being very near where the Roman Soldiers were located in Jerusalem, it proved itself as being convenient for crucifying criminals. The place of execution was just outside the Sheep Gate 2, where today the Lion’s gate is. The following bird’s eye view of the old city helps to orient some of the places in Jerusalem which are related to Golgotha. As can be seen in the picture, the Holy Sepulchre Church is on the west side of Jerusalem, while Golgotha is on the east side, northeast of the temple area. Even further northeast is the sacrificial place of the Red Heifer. As can be seen in this picture, as the priest would sprinkle the blood seven times towards the entrance of the temple, he would be looking directly over the top of Golgotha. Today the City of David is not within the old city wall. At the time of Jesus the southern wall of the city extended as far south as the pool of Siloam. 1
Severus History Book 2 33,8 And Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine (who reigned along with her son as Augusta), having a strong desire to behold Jerusalem, cast down the idols and the temples which were found there; and in course of time, through the exercise of her royal powers, she erected churches on the site of the Lord's passion, resurrection, and ascension. 2 Neh 3,1 Eliashib the high priest and his priestly brethren took up the task of rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They timbered it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, then continued the rebuilding to the Tower of Hananel.
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Jesus went out of the city through the Sheep Gate 3 carrying his cross himself. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. Joh 19,16a-17 Did not the ‘Sheep Gate’ get its name from the fact that it was through this gate that the sacrificial sheep were brought to the northern side of the temple where they were then slaughtered? Jesus was brought through the Sheep Gate as a lamb which was to be slaughtered.
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Joh 5,2 Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep (Gate) a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes.
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Approaching Golgotha. As Jesus was led out 4 of Jerusalem through the Sheep Gate he could see the base of Golgotha only a few meters away. After having his beard plucked out, his face brutally marred and his back opened up as he was whipped by the Roman soldiers, his strength was at its end. The soldiers recognized that he was struggling as he carried the heavy cross through the gate. Would he be able to carry the cross up the steep slope? Just at that moment Simon of Cyrene was coming into the city from the country. Just as Jesus passed through the Sheep Gate, the Roman soldiers took hold of him and forced him to carry his cross 5. As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. Lk 23,26 Many of the people in the crowd surrounding Jesus belonged to the group of Chief Priests, demanding his death. Others were bewailing him 6. Because Simon appeared to be a strong man, and did not belong to either of these groups, the soldiers forced him to follow Jesus, carrying his cross. Jesus had carried himself his cross from the Roman Quarters to Golgotha, a total distance of about three hundred meters. But it was Simon who carried his cross up the slope of Golgotha to the place of crucifixion. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him Joh 19,17-18a
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Mt 27,33 As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. Mt 27,32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 6 Lk 23,27-28 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 5
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In this picture it is evident that the Sheep Gate, where the Lion’s Gate is today, is directly adjacent to the base of Golgotha. John was correct in saying that Jesus carried his cross out to the place of the Skull. And the other three Gospels are also correct is saying that as Jesus went out of the city they forced Simon to carry his cross to the place on Golgotha where Jesus was crucified.
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Mount Moriah. The Israelites were very aware of their heritage resulting from the promises made to their forefather Abraham. They knew that in the land of Moriah Abraham had offered his son and that on this special mount which the LORD showed Abraham God swore his oath concerning multiplying and blessing his descendants. They also knew that God swore to bless all the families of the earth as a result of him offering Isaac. And it was on this mount Moriah, so very important in the heritage of Israel, that the temple was built. Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to David his father; for which provision had been made in the Place of David, in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2Chr 3,1 Even after so many centuries there was no doubt amongst the Israelites concerning the location of Mount Moriah. It was on the eastern edge of Jerusalem. After building the temple Solomon built the wall around Jerusalem. About four hundred years later both the temple and the wall were destroyed by the Babylonians. After seventy years many of the Israelites began returning from their captivity. Shortly thereafter Nehemiah led the building of the wall of Jerusalem, with the High Priest himself supervising the construction of both the section bordering the temple and the Sheep Gate. Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set up the doors of it; even to the tower of Hammeah they sanctified it, to the tower of Hananel. Neh 3,1 Those who enter the ‘Dome of the Rock’ can see the peak of the rock belonging to Mount Moriah. It was on this peak that the temple was built in the days of Solomon and then again rebuilt in the days of Ezra.
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Abraham Sacrifices Isaac. And it came to pass after these things, that God did prove Abraham, and said to him: 'Abraham'; and he said: 'Here am I.' And He said: 'Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and get you into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of.' Gen 22,1-2 Abraham left the land of the Philistines 7, heading towards the land of Moriah. On his third day 8 the LORD showed him the special hill 9! The LORD did not tell Abraham ‘Sacrifice your son on Mount Moriah’ but rather ‘offer him upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of.’ If this mount which the LORD wanted to show Abraham had already had a name, the LORD may very well have told him it. In the direct vicinity of Mount Moriah there are a number of mountains, now partially or wholly covered by houses and buildings. To the south is Mount Zion, to the west is Mount Akra, to the north is Mount Bezetha and to the east is the Mount of Olives. All of these mountains are larger and higher than Mount Moriah. But closer than any of these mountains, only three hundred meters away, is a twin mount having about the same size and being its same height. Abraham knew where the land of Moriah was. But he didn’t know the exact mount that the LORD was referring to. Did not the LORD tell him that he would show it to him? As Abraham was nearing the place, the LORD showed him the place from afar. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Gen 22,4 The two young men stayed behind with Abraham’s donkey as he and Isaac approached the mount. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife; and they went both of them together. Gen 22,6 Isaac carried the wood upon himself for the whole distance from where they left the donkey to the top of the hill. His beloved son carried upon his back the very wood by which he was to be burnt. What is the mystery of these twin mountains? On one of them the temple was built. But what about the other? Even today this mount outside the city wall looks desolate and forgotten; a place where Muslim families bury their dead. Does anyone even know whether it has a name?
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Gen 21,34 And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days. Gen 22,4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. 9 Melito Fragments 5,5 For as a ram was He bound, says he concerning our Lord Jesus Christ, and as a lamb was He shorn, and as a sheep was He led to the slaughter, and as a lamb was He crucified; and He carried the cross on His shoulders when He was led up to the hill to be slain, as was Isaac by his father. 8
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The Place of the Skull. Could it be that the saying 10 ‘In the mount where the LORD is seen’ is referring to the shape of the mount; in appearance as the top part of the head which represents the LORD? Golgotha is also referring to the shape of the mount; in appearance as the top part of a skull. Both names would then be referring to its physical appearance. During the lifetime of Abraham this top of a head was covered with vegetation, as indicated through a ram having its head caught in the thicket 11. Abraham saw in the shape of the mount the top of the head of the LORD. And from that day on it was referred to as the mount where the LORD is seen. Over the centuries, because of disobedience to the LORD, famine caused this beautiful head adorned with vegetation to look more like the top of a skull, completely bald, void of vegetation. The mount was then given its second name, ‘Golgotha’, meaning ‘The Place of the Skull’. It was on this mount, at a time when the leaders of Israel were in rebellion against the LORD, that the Messiah was crucified. Could it be that the LORD purposefully made this mount to look like the top of a head, to depict himself in the mount looking at something? But what is the LORD looking at?
What a strange coincidence! The skull itself is facing directly towards the other twin mount, where once the temple was and today the ‘Dome of the Rock’ is situated. The name ‘YHWH Jireh’ means The LORD will see 12. Could it be that the words of Abraham are in themselves a riddle 13, and the one who solves the riddle will also solve the mystery concerning the location of the mount? The mount in which the LORD will be seen is also the mount from which the LORD will see. And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see, as it is said to this day: On the mountain, the Lord will be seen. Gen 22,14 Judaic Press Could the LORD have intended to reveal in this way that he looks upon the sacrifices of Israel from the mountain which is looking directly towards the altar? Is it not for this reason that David built his
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Gen 22,14b as it is said to this day: 'In the mount where the LORD is seen.' Jewish Publ. Society 1917 Gen 22,13a And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. 12 Both the Stone Edition as well as that of Judaica Press translate ‘JHWH Jireh’ as ‚’The LORD will see‘ and not ‚The LORD will provide‘. 13 Judg 14,12a And Samson said to them: 'Let me now put forth a riddle to you; 11
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altar in this peculiar place, directly before the LORD, and the LORD saw his sacrifice and answered with fire from heaven 14? This mount is northeast of Mount Moriah. Was not Moses commanded to sacrifice the burnt offerings and the sin offerings on the north side of the altar, before the LORD? And if his offering be of the flock, whether of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt-offering, he shall offer it a male without blemish. And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD Lev 1,11 Since the temple itself faces east, would not the one who sees the sacrifices be northeast of the altar? Now for the second time this mount is being referred to as the place where the LORD sees. It was not by some coincidence, but planned that this mount appear as the top of a head. The sacrifices which occur on the north side of the altar are seen by the LORD, for they are done before the LORD. And Abraham named that place, The Lord will see, as it is said to this day: On the mountain, the Lord will be seen. Gen 22,14 Judaica Press What an interesting combination! ‘JHWH Jirah’ means ‘The Lord will see’ and refers to him seeing from here the sacrifices of Israel. And the saying ‘where the LORD is seen’ is referring to the shape of the head. Has not this mystery been hidden since the days of Abraham? Now the LORD dwelt on the top of Mount Moriah in his temple in the inner room called the Holy of Holies. When his divine presence was manifest, he could be seen as a cloud over the Holy of Holies even from as far away as Mount Scopus 15. It was from this place that the LORD saw his Son suffer as a sacrifice for sin. And just as all sin sacrifices 16, Jesus was facing southwest as he was crucified, towards the temple, with Caiaphas the High Priest east 17, behind him, facing west. From here the LORD heard his cries of distress 18. Do not all the laws concerning altar sacrifices reflect the different aspects of the atonement accomplished on the top of Mount YHWH Jireh? Was not this twin mount, Moriah, his holy hill 19? And from his holy mountain 20 he heard the crying of his Son as he suffered on Golgotha.
Do not these twin mounts speak of two covenants, one pertaining to Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites, and the other pertaining to all the nations of the earth? He made an oath that his descendants would be as abundant as the sand on the seashore. And then the LORD swore that all the nations of the earth would receive a very special blessing through his seed as a result of his obedience. His twin oaths were made on the twin mounts!
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1Chr 21,26 And David built an altar there to the Lord, and he offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings, and he called out to the Lord, and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of the burnt offerings. 15 Talmud - Mas. Berachoth 61b ONE SHOULD AVOID SHOWING DISRESPECT TO THE EASTERN GATE BECAUSE IT IS IN A DIRECT LINE WITH THE HOLY OF HOLIES, etc. Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: These rules apply only to this side of Mount Scopus and to one who can see the Temple. It has also been recorded: R. Abba the son of R. Hiyya b. Abba said: Thus said R. Johanan: These rules apply only to this side of Scopus and to one who can see [Jerusalem], and when there is no fence intervening, and at the time when the Divine Presence rests on it. 16 MISHNAH Parah 3,9. IT (the red heifer) WAS BOUND WITH A ROPE OF BAST5 AND PLACED ON THE PILE WITH ITS HEAD TOWARDS THE SOUTH AND ITS FACE TOWARDS THE WEST. THE PRIEST STOOD IN THE EAST WITH HIS FACE TOWARDS THE WEST. 17 Talmud Yoma 35b HE CAME TO HIS BULLOCK AND HIS BULLOCK WAS STANDING BETWEEN THE HALL AND THE ALTAR, ITS HEAD TO THE SOUTH AND ITS FACE TO THE WEST. AND THE PRIEST STOOD IN THE EAST WITH HIS FACE TO THE WEST. 18 Ps 3,4 With my voice I call to the LORD, and He answers me out of his holy mountain. Selah 19 Ps 99,9 Exalt you the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy. 20 Ps 3,4 With my voice I call to the LORD, and He answers me out of his holy mountain. Selah
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By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Gen 22,16b-18 Was not even this wood foretelling how Jesus would carry himself the cross 21 by which he would die?
and on the other the Messiah was sacrificed as a ram 22 for the transgressions of his people 23. One of the twin mounts is very popular and well known, and is called Mount Moriah. But what about this other mount, whose identity was lost through the darkness which came upon the Church? Was it not the unknown twin to which the LORD sent Abraham to sacrifice his son? It did not even have a name yet. And on this day Abraham gave the mount its name. And Abraham called the name of that place Adonai-Jireh; as it is said to this day: 'In the mount where the LORD is seen.' Gen 22,14 Abraham was not giving Mount Moriah a new name, but rather was naming its twin where he had led Isaac to be sacrificed. This mount was named ‘YHWH Jireh’ by Abraham. Golgotha had a name long before Jesus was crucified on it! But what mysteries can be revealed through this name? On which of the twin mounts is it where the LORD is seen? We really don’t know today exactly what Mount Moriah looked like at the time of Abraham, for its appearance was covered by the temple and later almost totally covered by Herod the Great as he made the temple platform. But we do know what Mount Moriah’s twin looks like, for the appearance of this forgotten mount has not been altered by man even to this day. It looks like the top of a head. Could it be that this is why Abraham referred to it as ‘the mount where the LORD is seen?’
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Augustine City Of God 16 32,7 And on this account Isaac also himself carried to the place of sacrifice the wood on which he was to be offered up, just as the Lord Himself carried His own cross. 22 Gen 22,13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the stead of his son. 23 Isa 53,8 JPS By oppression and judgment he was taken away, and with his generation who did reason? for he was cut off out of the land of the living, for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due.
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Solomon Builds the Temple. As Solomon built the temple, he was aware that the alter his father David built was at the threshing floor of this same Mount Moriah, in the outskirt of Jerusalem. Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared to David his father; for which provision had been made in the Place of David, in the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. 2Chr 3,1 The altar of David was not built on the top of Mount Moriah, but on its threshing floor. Wheat would not be carried to the top of a mountain to be threshed. Instead, this threshing floor was somewhere between the twin mounts. It was here that the sword of the angel with the pestilence was stayed, in the outskirt of Jerusalem. And when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people: 'It is enough; now stay your hand.' And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 2Sam 24,16 The angel of the LORD approached Jerusalem from the east side. As he came near to the threshing floor he had to pass by Golgotha, which was just outside the city. It was in the valley between these twin mounts, between heaven and earth 24, that the angel of the LORD stopped. Already seventy thousand Israelites had died 25 and only God knew how many more would have died had it not been for something that these mounts reminded him of. The angel never entered Jerusalem, for as the angel passed over the twin mount just outside Jerusalem, the LORD repented of the evil he was planning to bring. Why was it at this place, just outside the eastern outskirt of Jerusalem, that the LORD repented of the evil? Could it be related to the sacrifice of Abraham, foretelling the sacrifice of his beloved Son Jesus, the Messiah? Could it be that in this way he revealed to David how these twin mounts played the decisive role in God showing mercy for the sins of his people? Was it not at this threshing floor that David found mercy and his requests were heard? At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he sacrificed there. 1Chr 21,28 From that time on David knew that this place was very special. Until this happened he had been sacrificing in Gibeon, where the Tabernacle of the Lord and the altar were 26. Through the behavior of the angel David realized that this place at the threshing floor between the twin mounts brought him protection, a protection which he did not find in Gibeon. But David could not go before it to inquire of God, because he was frightened by the sword of the angel of the Lord. 1Chr 21,30 How clearly did the LORD reveal to David that he sees the sacrifices made before Him, between these two twins! The LORD sees from ‘JHWH Jireh’ and the LORD sees from his Holy Mount, where the temple was built, on Mount Moriah. As the angel passed over Golgotha, it could not proceed into the city and mercy was shown to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
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1Chr 21,16 And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces. 25 2Sam 24,15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men. 26 1Chr 21,29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt-offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon.
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Is not this similar to the mercy revealed to the firstborn of Israel on the Passover, as the blood upon the doorpost spared them from the angel of death? And where did the LORD command Moses that the Passover Lambs were to be slaughtered? you may not sacrifice the passover-offering within any of your gates, which the LORD your God gives you; but at the place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell in, there you shall sacrifice the passover-offering at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that you came forth out of Egypt. Deut 16,5-6 There was only one place where the LORD permitted for the Israelites to sacrifice the Passoveroffering, and that was before the LORD on the north side of the altar at the temple in Jerusalem, between these two twin mounts!
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The Red Heifer. What other mysteries might be connected to Golgotha? Shortly after my ordination as Priest in November, 2006 I began understanding some of the mysteries of the Red Heifer. On Friday, the 5th of June, 2009 I was visiting Jerusalem, on my way to the Jordan river to rebaptize someone in one of my bible groups. One of the mysteries revealed through the statute of the Red Heifer is that that only baptisms performed in the prescribed way are valid. The immersion on the seventh day only cleanses those who were first sprinkled with the ashes of the Red Heifer on the third and seventh day. It must be a clean person who sprinkles, and he must use hyssop for sprinkling. And on the seventh day, before entering the water to be cleansed, the person must wash his clothes! One of the remarkable aspects concerning the statute of the Red Heifer is the importance that everything be done exactly as prescribed. In Parah Mishnah, understood as being the oral Torah concerning the Red Heifer, the words ‘valid’ and ‘invalid’ are found in 59 of the 116 verses! Through the law of the Red Heifer the LORD wishes to reveal that there are requirements which must be fulfilled for a valid baptism. How incredibly important were these ashes of the Red Heifer! If an unclean person refused to be sprinkled and then immersed as prescribed, he thereby defiles the tabernacle of the LORD and must be banned from Israel. And if anyone came in contact with this water
Why did the LORD repeat this warning twice as he spoke to Moses? Was it not to emphasize its importance, foretelling that unless a person is baptized through faith in the gospel concerning Jesus’s death and resurrection he will not enter heaven, where the LORD dwells?
Because this is repeated twice and immersed exactly as prescribed, not only the sprinkling, instead of making clean, would make Could it be that there is a mystery concerning how the Church lost the knowledge of where Golgotha is located? appe in occur 165 times. followed by the priests, the words valid and invalid occur
All those who were not first sprinkled with the water mixed with the ashes on the third day (hearing through the Spirit the message of the death and resurrectionis performedis Together with two others we passed through the Lion’s Gate. It was my very first time in the east side of Jerusalem. As we were sitting on a bench the LORD spoke to me, saying he wanted to show me something. I told the two older women, ‘I am going for a short time, but I will be back soon.’ Just behind where we were sitting I began climbing a steep slope. As I was about half way up Jesus told me that this mount was Golgotha.
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I had a camera and took some pictures. As I returned I told the two women about what the LORD had told me. On Monday we then had the baptism in the Jordan River. After the baptism I returned to Jerusalem alone to take some pictures of Golgotha. As I was standing on the Mount of Olives making pictures of how Golgotha looks like the upper part of a skull the LORD again spoke to me. He said, ‘Make a direct line from the temple (Dome of the Rock) and Golgotha and you will find where the Red Heifer was sacrificed.’ So I started heading north along the Mount of Olives, continually looking behind me at Golgotha to discern how far it was until I reached the place in a direct line with the temple and Golgotha. As I was walking down a small path the LORD said ‘There it is’. What I saw at that moment was absolutely nothing except a bit of rock on the path. I answered, ‘But there must be proof’. He answered, ‘If you look, you will find the eight clean places built, one for each of the eight Red Heifers.’ Through my research in the Talmud and the Mishnah I knew that there were eight Red Heifers sacrificed here. Within minutes I had found these clean places as well as the place on the base of the Mount of Olives where the people came to mix the ashes with the water.
Each of the clean places hewn out of stone had in them long cavities which looked like wine shelves where the bottles having the ashes would be placed for a few days according to the commandment the LORD spoke to Moses 27.
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Num 19,9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of sprinkling; it is a purification from sin.
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While I had been walking I hardly noticed how exact the line was from the Dome of the Rock heading over the middle of Golgotha. If the sacrificial place had been built only meters away this would not be the case. Was it not intentional that the sacrificial place was built here?
The north eastern corner of the temple ground begins just meters away from the top of the this mount. According to the law of Moses, the hinder part of the temple was to be built facing west 28. The north side is where the tables with the showbread is laid 29, and the south side is where the candlestick was placed. The front side of the temple faced east. And just as the high priest was removed, so was the priest burning the heifer removed to the cell lying in the north-eastern corner before the Temple Yoma 4a
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Ex 26,22 And for the hinder part of the tabernacle westward you shall make six boards. Ex 26,35 And you shall set the table without the veil, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.
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The Place where the Red Heifer was Sacrificed. What a strange view from this site on the Mount of Olives! The line of view to the temple goes directly over Golgotha. If the doors of the temple were open and the curtain of the temple raised 30 you would be able to see the southern entrance door of the temple. This is the view the priest had who sprinkled the blood of the Red Heifer. Middoth 2,4 ALL THE WALLS OF THE TEMPLE WERE HIGH EXCEPT THE EASTERN WALL, SO THAT THE PRIEST WHO BURNT THE RED HEIFER MIGHT WHILE STANDING ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNT OF OLIVES BY DIRECTING HIS GAZE CAREFULLY SEE THE DOOR OF THE HEKAL AT THE TIME OF THE SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD From this special platform built in the days of Ezra during the consecration of the second temple, the deputy High Priest could see the southern entrance door of the temple. Since the Red Heifer sacrifice required that the priest see this door while sprinkling the blood seven times 31, for all eight Red Heifers 32 the curtain of the temple was raised. If the eastern wall of the temple was made lower for his view then certainly the wall of Jerusalem at this place would not have obstructed his view either.
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Talmud Tamid 33b WHEN THE HIGH PRIEST WENT IN TO PROSTRATE HIMSELF,THREE PRIESTS SUPPORTED HIM, ONE BY HIS RIGHT AND ONE BY HIS LEFT AND ONE BY THE PRECIOUS STONES. WHEN THE SUPERINTENDENT HEARD THE SOUND OF THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE HIGH PRIEST AS HE WAS ABOUT TO ISSUE [FROM THE HEKAL], HE RAISED THE CURTAIN FOR HIM. 31 Num 19,4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. 32 Parah 3,5 MOSES PREPARED THE FIRST, EZRA PREPARED THE SECOND... SEVEN WERE PREPARED SINCE THE DAYS OF EZRA. AND WHO PREPARED THEM? SIMEON THE JUST AND JOHANAN THE HIGH PRIEST PREPARED TWO ELIEHOENAI THE SON OF HA-KOF AND HANAMEL THE EGYPTIAN AND ISHMAEL THE SON OF PIABI PREPARED ONE EACH.
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As Jesus died on the cross he was directly in the priest’s line of view towards the southern temple door. Not only was the blood sprinkled towards the entrance of the temple, it was also aimed at the very place where Jesus would one day be sacrificed, thereby establishing the everlasting covenant 33. And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. Num 19,4 The face of the priest as he sprinkled the blood would be facing the same direction as the skull pan; exactly in the direction of the entrance of the holy of holies. IF [THE BLOOD] WAS SPRINKLED BUT NOT EXACTLY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ENTRANCE OF THE HOLY OF HOLIES, IT IS INVALID. Parah 4,2 Why did those in the days of Ezra choose this exact place for the sacrifice of the red heifer, looking directly over this mound? If it had only been built a few meters away in any direction his view would not be directly over Golgotha.
Standing on this platform the deputy High Priest looked directly over Golgotha as he sprinkling the blood. As spoken of in the Mishnah Parah, there was a pit made before the platform, upon which the Red Heifer was sacrificed. This pit was made of stone and had a hollow 34 under it to protect from a grave in the depth. IF IT WAS BURNT OUTSIDE ITS PIT, OR IN TWO PITS, OR IF TWO COWS WERE BURNT IN THE SAME PIT, IT IS INVALID. Parah 4,2
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Isa 55,3 Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples. Behold, you (the Messiah) shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. 34 Tosefta Parah 3,9 The spaces beneath the place of its pit and its woodpile and the house of immersion were hollow because of a grave in the depths.
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THE PRIEST STOOD IN THE EAST WITH HIS FACE TOWARDS THE WEST. Parah 3,9 Where was Caiaphas and the Chief Priests during these six hours on which Jesus hung on the cross? Were they not east of him, not even wanting him to see them? His friends from Galilee were before him a good distance away 35, but the Chief Priests responsible for his crucifixion were behind him. My friends and my companions stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off. Ps 38,11 Is not the priest required to be behind all of the sacrifices 36? The Gate. What other things did Jesus see as he hung on the cross? He was crucified looking west, towards the eastern wall of the city. The gate through which he had come carrying his cross was also in his view. I became a byword for them. They who sit at the gate gossip about me; drunkards make me the butt of their songs. Ps 69,12-13 Was not Golgotha directly next to the sheep gate leading outside the city, approximately at the same place that the Lion’s gate is today? And was not Jesus able to see it as he turned his head only a bit to the right?
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Lk 23,49 And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things. Talmud Tamid 30b IT WAS STRUNG UP IN SUCH A WAY THAT ITS HEAD WAS TO THE SOUTH WHILE ITS FACE WAS TURNED TO THE WEST, AND THE SLAUGHTERER STOOD TO THE EAST OF IT WITH HIS FACE TURNED TO THE WEST. 36
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Being just meters away from the gate he could easily hear the lyrics of their songs. But also they could see him so well that every expression of his face would be recognized. All passing by, either coming into or going out of this gate of Jerusalem would be able to see him as he suffered. They were also able to read the inscription made by Pilate in Hebrew, Latin and Greek. Now many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. Joh 19,20 Since Golgotha was near the city adjacent to the sheep gate everyone going in or out of the city could understand one of the three languages. Does not the testimony concerning Simon of Cyrene testify that Jesus was crucified near the gate? As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. Mt 27,32 As Jesus was going out of Jerusalem they forced Simon to carry his cross to the top of Golgotha. Simon had been in the country and was headed into the city through the gate. Before entering the city he was forced to carry the cross. They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. Mk 15,21 Yet at the same time John testifies that Jesus carried his cross himself to Golgotha.
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and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. Joh 19,17 Joh 19,17 John testifies that he went out, bearing his cross. When John says that he went out, he was certainly referring to him going out of the city. Jesus carried his cross himself until he went through the sheep gate. John says that he went out to the place called the place of a skull. If Golgotha was a long distance from the gate his testimony would have been different. Jesus bore his cross to Golgotha, which base was directly outside the city gate. Just before Simon entered the city, at the base of Golgotha, he was forced to carry the cross to the top of the mount. John testifies that Jesus carried his cross himself to Golgotha. He does not continue the testimony that after reaching Golgotha he still carried his cross. Because John knew that the other gospels mentioned Simon carrying his cross to the place where he was crucified, which was at the top of Golgotha, he did not see it necessary to repeat this. The Curtain in the Temple. It was required by the sacrifice of the Red Heifer that the curtain of the temple be raised. If the priest who sprinkled the blood could not see the door of the temple 37, the sacrifice of the Red Heifer was invalid. For this reason the curtain was always raised on these special occasions. After suffering six hours nailed to the cross and bearing upon himself the sins of all mankind, Jesus speaks his last words before departing from the earth. It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Lk 23,44-46 Were there not eye-witnesses of the curtain being torn just before Jesus died? And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. Mt 27,50-52a Those standing on the top of Golgotha as Jesus died witnessed these events. Just three hundred meters away they most likely heard a noise from the temple. As they looked to see what happened, they saw the curtain of the temple torn from top to bottom. Although not mentioned in the gospel directly, the deputy High Priest Caiaphas would have seen the southern door of the temple. Was it not required that the deputy High Priest who sprinkles the blood see this door if the sacrifice of the Red Heifer is to be valid? They also experienced a very unusual earthquake where rocks split and the tombs were opened. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Mt 27,54 These signs all happened spontaneous to Jesus dying on the cross. There was no doubt in the centurion’s mind that these awesome signs confirmed what Jesus had spoken so clearly, that he was the Son of God. Certainly Caiaphas himself was also shocked as he saw them, especially the tearing of the curtain before the temple entrance. As he looked at the southern temple door he certainly left Golgotha quickly and re-entered the city, but this time with an uncleanness that was to contaminate the whole Jewish nation.
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If one sprinkled and did not aim at the door , it is unfit. Parah 4,2 (Neusner)
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Then the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. But the priest shall be unclean until evening. Num 19,7 Caiaphas had just performed the most important sacrifice in the history of Israel, and yet returned into the camp unclean. Neither washing his clothes or being immersed had any cleansing effect. Was not the sacrifice of the Red Heifer a prophetic theater production of this event, where everyone who participated continued in their roles until evening? And immediately the face of the door of the temple was rent into two parts from top to bottom; and the earth was shaken; and the stones were split to pieces; and the tombs were opened; Diatessaron Tatian 52,2 This very early gospel, being a synopsis of all four gospels, claims that it was the curtain in front of the door of the temple which rent into two parts. In recent times many have considered the curtain to be that which was inside the temple, which nobody could ever see but the priests who did service in the inner sanctuary. But then how could it have been testified by eye witnesses at the scene of the crucifixion that they saw this curtain rip at the time of Jesus’ death? Would such an obscure sign that possibly nobody saw at all or per chance was seen only by a few priests in the inner sanctuary be recorded by Matthew, Mark and Luke in their gospels? Would not such a sign have been denied by the priests, similar to how the soldiers denied his resurrection? The eye witnesses testifying in the gospels were not speaking of some event that they later head of by a priest who might have witnessed this. This they saw themselves, just as the deputy High Priest saw it. But what about Pilate? He remained in the city during the crucifixion. As Joseph came and asked for the body of Jesus, he was surprised that he was already dead. So he sent a centurion to confirm that he was dead. How quickly did the centurion confirm his death 38. Does not this indicate that Golgotha was not far from the Roman Praetorium? Was not the choice of the Romans using Golgotha for crucifixions also a practical decision, seeing that it was just outside the city gate nearest to them? Did not this event happen forty years before the destruction of the Temple, in the year 30 39 CE 40, the year in which Jesus was crucified? During the last forty years before the destruction of the Temple the lot [‘For the Lord’] did not come up in the right hand; nor did the crimson-colored strap become white; nor did the westernmost light shine; and the doors of the Hekal would open by themselves Talmud Yoma 39b Is not the Talmud itself testifying to the years between the crucifixion and the destruction of the temple as being different than they were before this event? Did not the crimson-colored strap becoming white testify that the LORD accepted the sacrifices on the day of Atonement and forgave thereby the sins of Israel? After the crucifixion of the Messiah this no longer happened. It was no longer the blood of cows and goats which brought forgiveness of sins. From this time on nothing but the blood of Jesus brought atonement and those who had been contaminated by the uncleanness of
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Mk 15,43-45 Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. 39 Lk 3,1-2 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. (Jesus was crucified three years later) 40 Tiberius became Caesar in 14 CE. The 15th year of his reign was 28 CE. Jesus was crucified in 30 CE.
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Caiaphas would not be forgiven outside of believing on his name 41, which has remained the case concerning the Jewish nation even until today. In the time of the second temple a crimson-colored strap would be tied to the entrance door of the temple, behind the curtain, on the Day of Atonement. When the goat reached the wilderness and was pushed over the cliff, a miracle happened and the thread turned white. testifying that though their sins were as crimson, they became through the atonement as white as snow 42. This same atonement was also clearly indicated by the lot ‘For the Lord’ coming up in the right hand. Throughout the forty years that Simeon the Righteous ministered, the lot [‘For the Lord’] would always come up in the right hand; from that time on, it would come up now in the right hand, now in the left. And [during the same time] the crimson-coloured strap would become white. From that time on it would at times become white, at others not. Talmud Yoma 39a After the death of Jesus by the hands of Caiaphas and the elders of Israel, forty years before the destruction of the temple, never again did the lot fall in the right hand and never again did the crimson strap become white. Instead, during these forty years, the temple doors would open for no apparent reason 43. Could it be that they were trying to alarm those who came to the temple of its pending destruction? Today Golgotha and its surroundings outside the eastern wall of Jerusalem are full of graves. At the time of Jesus this was no different. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. Joh 18,41-42 By the sacrifice of the Red Heifer it was required that the ashes be brought by a clean man to a clean place. And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place. Num 19,9a This clean man was Joseph from Arimathea together with Nicodemus 44, both of whom were secretly disciples of Jesus and had therefor already been baptized. Is that not the difference of the uncleanness of the priest and the clean man who gathers the ashes to a clean place? And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. Num 19,10 The clean man was not required to be immersed; it was enough that he wash his clothes. Does not the washing of the clothes indicate repentance from the filth of sin 45?
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Act 4,10-12 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. 42 Talmud Yoma 68b BUT THEY HAD ANOTHER SIGN TOO: A THREAD OF CRIMSON WOOL WAS TIED TO THE DOOR OF THE TEMPLE, AND WHEN THE HE-GOAT REACHED THE WILDERNESS THE THREAD TURNED WHITE, AS IT IS WRITTEN: THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET THEY SHALL BE AS WHITE AS SNOW. 43 Talmud Yoma 39b and the doors of the Hekal would open by themselves, until R. Johanan b. Zakkai rebuked them, saying: Hekal, Hekal, why wilt thou be the alarmer thyself? I know about thee that thou wilt be destroyed, for Zechariah ben Ido has already prophesied concerning thee: Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 44 Joh 19,38-39 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 45 Isa 1,16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
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Are there not eight clean places hewn out of stone next to the place where the Red Heifer was sacrificed. Are not these eight clean places testifying even today to the eight Red Heifers which were sacrificed here on the Mount of Olives? Was it not required that for each new Red Heifer sacrifice a new clean place would be hewn out of stone? Was not this foretelling the laying of the body of Jesus in a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid? Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. Joh 19,41 Was not the body of Jesus placed for these few days in the tomb of a rich man? And they made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich his tomb; although he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.' Isa 53,9
And why was this beautiful clean place built east of where the Red Heifer was sacrificed? Were not the ashes always deposited east of the altar? And he shall take away its crop with the feathers thereof, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes. And he shall rend it by the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder; Lev 1,16-17a Was not the body of Jesus carried carefully to the tomb in a newly purchased linen cloth 46, just as the ashes were carefully carried by the clean man in newly made earthen vessels 47 to the newly hewn stone clean place? Just as the dove’s wings were pulled apart harshly, but not so much as to break them off the body, so were the arms of Jesus pulled apart harshly as he was crucified, but not so much as to have caused them to divide from his body. The priests serving in the temple testify to a special miracle which continually happened at the place east of the altar where the remainder of the bird was taken, in the place of the ashes. and Abaye said: The crop, the feathers, the ashes removed from the inner altar and from the candlestick were swallowed up in the very place [where they were taken off] Talmud Yoma 21a Was not this miracle of the ashes strangely disappearing testifying to the resurrection of the body of Jesus? And what about the ashes which were brought to the clean places 48 outside the camp, where 46
Mk 15,46 And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47 Mishna Parah 5,1 HE WHO BRINGS THE EARTHEN VESSEL FOR THE SIN-OFFERING MUST PERFORM IMMERSION, AND SPEND THE NIGHT BY THE FURNACE.
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also the bullock whose blood was sprinkled in the inner sanctuary was burnt 49? Command was given to bring the ashes here, but no command was ever given to remove these ashes from the stone clean places! Was not this the job the LORD himself took care of, by which he foretold the resurrection of his Son? Were not all of these laws foretelling that the tomb where Jesus was laid is just east of the altar outside the city wall? Is it not near Golgotha, certainly within a hundred meters from where he was crucified? Were not these clean places used for storing the ashes of the Red Heifer for only a few days, foretelling the tomb in which the body of Jesus would be laid for only a few days? After this time the ashes would be kept for the congregation for the purification from sin 50. In the same way the body of Jesus, after attaining atonement, did not decay, but rather is kept in heaven for the purification from sin. And was he not numbered with the common criminals, just as hyssop is reckoned as a common herb that grows virtually everywhere and has absolutely no value. Therefore, I will allot him a portion in public, and with the strong he shall share plunder, because he poured out his soul to death, and with transgressors he was counted; and he bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.. Isa 53,12 From this time on his ashes purify from sin, for he bore the sin of many. It pleased the LORD to make his life an offering for sin; he was A [RED] COW FOR THE SIN-OFFERING. The Ashes of the Red Heifer Mixed with the Water. IT WAS THEN DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS: ONE PART WAS DEPOSITED ON THE RAMPART, ONE ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, AND ONE WAS DIVIDED AMONG THE COURSES. Parah 3,14 The Israelites would go with vessels to the base of the Mount of Olives, adjacent to where the clean places and the place Ezra made for sacrificing the red heifer were. Here they would then fill their vessels with water from the water tower having ritually clean water. The earthen vessels having the ashes were stored in the two shelves next to the water tower, built in the same way as the shelves in the clean places. What happened after his body ascended to heaven? Were not the ashes to be mixed with the water? After his resurrection the Holy Spirit came, whereby his disciples were sent to sprinkle the unclean. Were not these unlearned Galileans comparable in their being and speech with hyssop? Were they not simply common people, and his disciples growing everywhere? And yet it was to them that the commission was given to sprinkle the unclean, that they might become clean. And what did he command them on that very day in which he ascended to heaven? He said to them, "Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mk 16,15-16 What is the sprinkling of the water mixed with the ashes? Is it not the proclamation of the death of Jesus upon those who are unclean? And is not the heavenly importance of his death, for the atonement of sins, revealed by the living water, which is the Holy Spirit?
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Lev 6,11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp to a clean place. Lev 4,12 even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp to a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn it on wood with fire; where the ashes are poured out shall it be burnt. 50 Num 19,9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of sprinkling; it is a purification from sin. 49
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But why is it not sprinkled until the third day? Is it not because the heavenly atonement was accomplished as Jesus was glorified 51, after his resurrection on the third day? And does not the message of those unlearned Galileans as well as those who were to later join them include also the proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus? Those who are sprinkled by the water of the Holy Spirit and believe the message concerning his death and resurrection are then to be sprinkled again on the seventh day. Whoever did not get sprinkled on the third day is not to be sprinkled on the seventh day. Is not the seventh day indicating the entrance into the eternal covenant, just as the sprinkling the blood seven times indicated the establishing of the everlasting covenant? Similar to Deuteronomy, given just before the people of Israel crossed the Jordan into the promised land, so are those who are standing before the spiritual Jordan strictly charged to be faithful in keeping the covenant they are about to enter. After being sprinkled on the seventh day they are required to wash their clothes and repent, that they be cleansed from the filth of sin. Only after receiving the sprinkling of the third day, the sprinkling of the seventh day and the washing of the clothes are they then completely immersed in water. Does not this seven day purification reveal what is necessary for someone to be cleansed of their sins and enter the kingdom of God? How invalid it is to baptize people who have not first believed the message of the death and resurrection of Jesus! How invalid it is to baptize people who have not been instructed in the importance of faithfully living according to the terms of the everlasting covenant, which happens on the day of their baptism! And how invalid it is to immerse people before they have washed their clothes! Is not repentance required before baptism? Brothers, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit... And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” Act 2,37b,38,40 But with the hyssop in the hand to sprinkle. And what do they sprinkle? Is it not the message of his crucifixion? And when is this water to be applied? Is it not on the third day? The water having the ashes is applied on the third day. Those who preach about his crucifixion attest to him rising again on the third day. And those who refuse their sprinkling will not be clean on the seventh day. What will happen to those who refuse the sprinkling on the third day? Whosoever touches the dead, even the body of any man that is dead, and purifies not himself--he has defiled the tabernacle of the LORD--that soul shall be cut off from Israel; because the water of sprinkling was not dashed against him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. Num 19,13 Everyone who refuses those who sprinkle the water on the third day will never even come to the seventh day. They defile the tabernacle in heaven and must be cut off eternally from the inheritance of those in Israel who obey the voice of the LORD; they will be condemned. What is the very purpose of the ashes? Is it not to cleanse from the defilement of death? Does not this defilement cause the tabernacle of the LORD itself to be defiled? And is not this the reason that the LORD will cut off everyone who has this uncleanness from Israel? This is the law: when a man dies in a tent, every one that comes into the tent, and everything that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. And every open vessel, which has no covering close-bound upon it, is unclean. And whosoever in the open field touches one that is slain with a sword, or one that dies of himself, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. Num 19,14-16 51
Joh 20,17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
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Even going over a grave or touching the bone of a man brings this deadly uncleanness. The amazing thing about every uncleanness in connection with the red heifer is that those who have it are totally unaware of their uncleanness. If they do not believe what God says then they will never become aware of their uncleanness. And for the unclean they shall take of the ashes of the burning of the purification from sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel. Num 19,17 Why were these ashes referred two times as being for the purification from sin? Why was this sacrifice the only sacrifice of all where the atoning blood was not dashed about the altar, but burnt together with the flesh? Is it sin that is cleansed when someone inadvertently goes over a grave in the depths? These ashes being for the purification of sin is the key for understanding the prophetical mystery behind this sacrifice. When the time had come for all the prophecies in the law of Moses to have their fulfillment, on the very third day itself, these mysteries were revealed to the disciples by the Messiah personally. He said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, "Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Lk 24,44-47 How full of revelation concerning the Messiah is the law of Moses! Every word in Leviticus had a very special meaning, and as he opened their minds to understanding the scriptures the disciples could understand all of these mysteries spoken to Moses. But to those who remain in their uncleanness their minds are closed to all that the LORD spoke to Moses, even to that which is so very obvious. And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave. Num 19,18 Once their minds had been opened to understand the scriptures these Jewish clean men were sent to preach his salvation to the ends of the earth. Through the Jews salvation came into all the earth. These disciples sacrificed everything for the sake of the gospel. Though they were the most common of men and spoke in the most simple, unlearned method, reflected by using hyssop to sprinkle, yet there was nobody else on the face of the earth who could in any way compare to their heavenly importance. But what about the hyssop? Was it not tied together with three stalks, each stalk having three buds? THE PRESCRIBED RITE OF THE HYSSOP IS THAT THE BUNCH SHALL CONTAIN THREE STALKS BEARING THREE BUDS. R. JUDAH RULED: STALKS BEARING THREE BUDS EACH. Parah 11,10 On the third day both Jesus and the angels told the disciples that they were to meet Jesus in Galilee. Also, on the eve before his suffering he told them that he was going to go before them to Galilee. Why did he say this? On that very evening they met him! He was referring to something much more important than what happened on the eve of the third day. The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Mt 28,16-20 With every angel in heaven watching the planned rendezvous happened. And on this day Jesus gave the Church its commission of bringing his salvation to the ends of the earth. The water mixed with the sin-offering would be given in just a few days. Then they would take the hyssop and sprinkle the
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nations. Those who would listen to their message of his death and resurrection received the sprinkling of the third day. Those who received their message would then be sprinkled once again, on the day they were to be baptized, the seventh day. Is not the seventh day the day of covenant? Was not prophetic mystery of sprinkling the blood seven times foretelling the establishment of the eternal covenant? And on the seventh day those who are sprinkled with the water mixed with the ashes enter the covenant which was established by sprinkling the blood seven times. And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day; and on the seventh day he shall purify him; Num 19,19a What happens on this seventh day? Only those who received the sprinkling on the third day are present. If they were not sprinkled on the third day, then they would not become clean on the seventh. If they had not believed the message of his crucifixion and resurrection then there was no point in them receiving the sprinkling of the seventh day. As the children of Israel were on the eastern side of the Jordan they received the sprinkling of the book of Deuteronomy; this is the sprinkling of the seventh day. Hear, O Israel: Today, you are crossing the Jordan to come in to possess nations greater and stronger than you, great cities, fortified up to the heavens. Deut 9,1 How earnestly did Moses charge them to keep the covenant! How important it was to Moses that they understood the covenant! How fervently did he warn of what would happen if they did not keep the covenant! He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Acts 2,40 How earnestly did Peter charge those on the day of Pentecost to repent. How clearly did he testify to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. As the spirit descended the ashes were mixed with the water. And this unlearned fisher from Galilee, as common as any wild growing hyssop, testified to the whole house of Israel of the fulfillment of that spoken of by Moses, the prophets and the psalms. He was that first clean man sprinkling with the water mixed with the ashes on the third day. And as he began bringing many arguments and exhorting them to repentance and discipleship he was that first clean man who sprinkled on the seventh day. and he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. Num 19,19 Those who have been sprinkled on the third and seventh day are then to wash their clothes. The requirement of being clean is that we separate ourselves from the corruption of our generation. We must come out of our uncleanness and touch no unclean thing. Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call." Act 2,38 Jesus died as a sin offering as he was crucified on Golgotha. But in order to receive the forgiveness of sins, we don’t go to Golgotha. Instead we go to the Jordan River! It is in baptism that we receive that for which Jesus died. Peter was not Greek and he certainly did not speak in Greek to the Israelites gathered about him. Instead he spoke in their language, possibly in Hebrew but more likely in Aramaic. And what did he say? Did he not say the same words that were spoken to the deputy High Priest as he was standing in the immersion water adjacent to the water tower?
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THEY LAID THEIR HANDS UPON HIM AND SAID, MY LORD THE HIGH PRIEST, PERFORM IMMERSION ONCE. HE THEREUPON WENT DOWN AND IMMERSED HIMSELF AND CAME UP AND DRIED HIMSELF. Parah 3,11 And what was the deputy High Priest wearing as he performed his two immersions at the Mount of Olives? IF IT WAS PERFORMED BY ONE WHO WAS NOT WEARING ALL THE PRESCRIBED GARMENTS, IT IS INVALID; AND IT WAS IN WHITE GARMENTS THAT IT WAS TO BE PREPARED. Parah 4,1 Speaking in Greek, the deputy High Priest was baptized by full immersion in white clothes. And exactly this is what Peter was charging all to do. They received his sprinkling of the third day as they accepted what he said concerning the crucifixion and resurrection of the Messiah. They received his sprinkling of the seventh day as he charged them earnestly to save themselves from their corrupt generation and prepared them with many other arguments to be faithful to the eternal covenant. And now those who washed their clothes of their filth would be immersed and receive that for which the sin offering had been burnt: the forgiveness of their sins. Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day. They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers. Act 2,41 On that day three thousand Israelites were cleansed of the uncleanness of death. They became thereby the founders, similar to Moses and Joshua, of a new covenant that the LORD made with the house of Israel. And they became clean men, charged with sprinkling the unclean with the ashes mixed with the water. Clothed with the Holy Spirit, they carried with them the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, they carried with them the water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer. Depart you, depart you, go you out from there, touch no unclean thing; go you out of the midst of her; be you clean, you that bear the vessels of the LORD. Isa 52,11 But what happened to the rest of the Israelites who refused the water with the sin offering? And we are all become as one that is unclean, and all our righteousnesses are as a polluted garment; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isa 64,6 Was not this foretold in the law of Moses? Did not even Moses speak of the time when many in Israel would reject the Messiah? I will set up a prophet for them from among their brothers like you, and I will put My words into his mouth, and he will speak to them all that I command him. And it will be, that whoever does not hearken to My words that he speaks in My name, I will exact [it] of him. Deut 18,18-19 How clearly did the law of Moses warn those who would reject the Messiah! Does not the LORD wish for all Israel to be saved? Yet though their number be as the sand of the seashore, only a remnant will be saved. If a person becomes unclean and does not cleanse himself, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation, for he has defiled the Sanctuary of the Lord; the sprinkling waters were not sprinkled upon him. He is unclean. Num 19,20 Though they be his beloved, chosen people, still every soul who rejects the sprinkling of the third day must be cut off from the congregation, for in his uncleanness he defiles the Sanctuary. How unaware are they of their uncleanness as they seek to live righteously according to the law of Moses! And yet it is the very most important law of Moses, the law concerning the red heifer, which testifies against them.
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This shall be for them as a perpetual statute, and the one who sprinkles the sprinkling waters shall wash his clothes, and one who touches the sprinkling waters shall be unclean until evening. Num 19,21 But what about those who sprinkle with the water? Are they not charged to wash their clothes? And since they are continually sprinkling, must they not continually wash? And so has the LORD ordained that the clean man who sprinkles live even as his Son Jesus lived; in purity and holiness. Whether watching television, playing computer games or giving place to spirits of lust, these clean men are charged to wash their clothes. But what about those who touch the sprinkling water, who came in contact it for any other reason than being sprinkled on the third and seventh day? Does not this same water which purifies the one from sin cause the other to become unclean? And so has the LORD ordained that all who in any way change the way of baptism as prescribed or perform a baptism in a way not prescribed, become thereby unclean. Whatever the unclean one touches shall become unclean Num 19,22a Whatever is touched by those who have become unclean by Caiaphas becomes unclean. The whole orthodox Judaism has been saturated by this uncleanness. Whatever is touched by those who have become unclean by touching the prescribed way of baptism become unclean. The whole Christian Church involved with baptizing infants and who have changed the form of immersion to sprinkling have been saturated by this uncleanness. and anyone touching him shall be unclean until evening. Num 19,22b All who touch those who are unclean become unclean themselves. The leaders of Israel and the leaders of the Church have become the greatest contaminators, bringing their uncleanness to millions. They mystery of the red heifer reveals the uncleanness of our age. But it reveals also the God’s only way out of this uncleanness. Was not the statute of the red heifer in the law of Moses foretelling many of the details concerning the crucifixion of Jesus, the Messiah? And is it not through the water of baptism after believing the message of his death and resurrection that we receive the atonement for which Jesus died? The View of the Priest Sprinkling the Blood Although there are few mountains in Israel that look more like a skull pan than Golgotha, still by far the greatest confirmation of its location is the relationship of Golgotha and the view the priest had as he stood on the platform and sprinkled the blood directly towards the front of the temple.
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As the deputy High Priest sprinkled the blood, he would have had to see into the door of the temple. The temple entrance was twenty cubits high (12,14 meters) with the eastern temple wall built lower to allow for this view. The floor of the temple was over thirty nine cubits above the eastern base of the temple grounds (23,67 meters). For we have learnt: The entrance to the Hekal was twenty cubits high and ten cubits wide, and that to the Ulam was forty cubits high and twenty cubits wide. Eiruvin 2a Was not the view of the priest sprinkling the blood intentionally prophetical of the new covenant which would be founded upon the blood Jesus shed on Golgotha? Was not this covenant made with the House of Israel, and later then opened to all those of the heathen nations who would repent of their sins and, through faith in the death of the Messiah’s atoning sacrifice, serve the God of Israel? Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jer 31,34
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Incline your ear and come to Me, hearken and your soul shall live, and I will make for you an everlasting covenant, the dependable mercies of David. Behold, a witness to nations have I appointed him, a ruler and a commander of nations. Behold, a nation you do not know you shall call, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, for the sake of the Lord your God and for the Holy One of Israel, for He glorified you. Isa 55,3-5 And He said, "It is too light for you to be My servant, to establish the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the besieged of Israel, but I will make you a light of nations, so that My salvation shall be until the end of the earth." Isa 49,6 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger of good tidings, that announces peace, the harbinger of good tidings, that announces salvation; that say to Zion: 'your God reigns!' Isa 52,7