5 April 2015: Lakewood, New Jersey is well known as having a very large Jewish community and the Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), a Haredi Yeshiva founded five years prior to the creation of the State of Israel. With a student population of 6,500 students the BMG is one of the largest Haredi Yeshiva outside of Israel, if not the largest.
As reported by a local newspaper, The Lakewood Scoop, just three months ago, 11 January 2015, a group of the Rabbis from the BMG were called to a farm in nearby Howell, NJ that is run by a Jewish businessman named Herb Celler, the son of Auschwitz survivors, to investigate the possibility that a pure Parah Adumah - Red Heifer - is present on the farm (image above). Upon concluding their close inspection of the red heifer the now extremely impressed and excited Rabbonim sent word via eleven high definition photographs to their brethren in Eretz Israel.
As most of the Bride of Christ has come to be informed over the years, the Haredi expectations of the appearance of a pure Red Heifer has become eschatologically important to us as well. A living, unblemished (kosher) red heifer within just a very few miles drive of where I live in New Jersey, is almost inexpressible, but I'll try.
For Haredi Jews ever since the restoration of all Jerusalem, the site of the Temple Mount, to the state of Israel in June 1967, there has existed the expectation of the appearance of a pure Parah Adumah is a sure sign to them of the coming of the Moshiach and the rebuilding of the 3rd Temple. For us this red heifer represents a clear signal of the nearness of a specific God-breathed purification rite (in the above linked Numbers 19) for the construction of the 3rd Temple which is a real-world indicator concerning the imminent nearness for fulfillment of the angel Gabriel's prophecy regarding the 70th Week. Talk about chills going up and down one's spine and hairs standing on end! A truly incredible sight is this red cow!
By the way, Mr. Celler turned down an offer that came out of New York of one million dollars for this cow. He said this cow is not for sale and he is sending this gift from God to Israel as a gift.
Now, just to make sure everyone who reads this understands the issue clearly, here is the GotQuestionsDotOrg entry on this subject:
Question: "What is the significance of a red heifer in the Bible? Is a red heifer a sign of the end times?"
Answer: According to the Bible, the red heifer—a reddish-brown cow, probably no more than two years old which had never had a yoke on it—was to be sacrificed as part of the purification rites of the Mosaic Law. The slaughtering of a red heifer was a ceremonial ritual in the Old Testament sacrificial system, as described in Numbers 19:1-10. The purpose of the red heifer sacrifice was to provide for the water of cleansing (Numbers 19:9), another term for purification from sin. After the red heifer was sacrificed, her blood was sprinkled at the door of the tabernacle.
The imagery of the blood of the heifer without blemish being sacrificed and its blood cleansing from sin is a foreshadowing of the blood of Christ shed on the cross for believers’ sin. He was “without blemish” just as the red heifer was to be. As the heifer was sacrificed “outside the camp” (Numbers 19:3), in the same way Jesus was crucified outside of Jerusalem: “And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood” (Hebrews 13:11-12).
The Bible does teach that one day there will be again be a temple of God in Jerusalem (Ezekiel chapters 41-45). Jesus prophesied that the antichrist would desecrate the temple (Matthew 24:15), and for that to occur, there obviously would have to be a temple in Jerusalem once again. Many anticipate the birth of a red heifer because in order for a new temple to function according to the Old Testament law, a red heifer would have to be sacrificed for the water of cleansing used in the temple. So, when a red heifer is born (which is quite unusual) it might be a sign that the temple will soon be rebuilt.
Hi Sean,
ReplyDeleteI didn't know a red heifer was kosher from outside Israel. That's good news. Another part coming together. Thanks for the info.
jmoll106,
ReplyDeleteThe first candidate Red Heifer came from Texas, but it developed white/black hairs (blemishes) before it came of the correct minimum age (2 years old).
This red heifer raised by Herb Celler was declared acceptable (kosher) by the BMG Rabbonim at the two-year old threshold. This was so stated in the video.
This is excellent news! But I thought they already had found one last summer. Was it the one mentioned in the previous comment from Texas?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteThat red heifer was announced by Rabbi Chaim Richman of the Temple Institute much too prematurely. He had to retract that statement when the calf, which had been named 'Talia' developed blemishes prior to its coming of age.
However, the experience of dealing with an extremely rare candidate red heifer has left the Temple Institute better prepared to handle all of the issues involved with a true, kosher red heifer, as is apparently now the case.
Note: This red heifer is for the Temple purification ritual, and that is part of the process of bringing the Jews to redemption in Yeshua Messiah during the 70th Week. The saving of all Israel is God's plan as we know from Romans 11.
This is not for Christians, it is for the Jews. It is a sign of the time in which we live.
For Christians our focus remains on Yeshua our Messiah, and in light of this red heifer's being declared kosher we need be mindful of Hebrews 9:11-28 as we watch these events unfold and await His coming for our Harpazo.
Can the red heifer develop blemishes after the 2-yr mark?
ReplyDeleteI really like the attitude of the owner. Seems like a real stand-up guy who fears God.
Roz,
ReplyDeleteDoesn't matter once the calf has been declared kosher by the Rabbonim.
The real question is this: Is this red heifer truly the 10th and the one which will be burned and whose ashes will be used to make the purification water?
If so, then this is quite likely to occur in Israel before the fourth birthday on 2 April 2017.
Sean, when you said "the first candidate" were you saying that since 1967 the first possible red heifer was the one in Texas in 2000? Was trying to gauge how rare they are. Also I'm guessing that finding one of these from 70 AD til 1967 wasn't really on anyone's mind because there wasn't any use for it? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteYes, it was around that time, or even earlier in the 1990s when the candidate from Texas was first announced, but was disqualified in short order.
According the Orthodox sources this current candidate would be the 10th since Moses made sacrifice of the very first. There were enough ashes from Parah Adumah's number 2 through 9 to keep the ritual going through 70 AD. Afterwards there was no need for them.
Would it even be possible to have the 3rd temple constructed by April 2017? Or does the temple not need to be fully built by the time they would use this possible red heifer? Thanks Sean.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteThe Word of God has the answers to your questions. Read the Book of Numbers.
Numbers 19 is where we start for the Parah Adumah, but that is not where we begin reading. That's where God gave the very specific instructions to Moses regarding the Parah Adumah and what it was for, but a lot happened before that that is required reading to understand why the Parah Adumah was necessary. So read beginning at chapter 17 and I will pose questions.
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Did a Temple exist at that time? No, there was no Temple. Solomon built the first Temple of God hundreds of years later. There was the Tabernacle, but the people of Israel could not approach near to it.
So what does God instruct in Numbers 18? Who does he instruct and why are these instructions given?
So, finally, why was the Parah Adumah sacrificed and burnt for its ashes to be mixed with water in an elaborate ceremony? For what purpose of God was this done? Did we read Hebrews 9 as I suggested in my comment above so that we would understand this?
To create the waters of purification, to purify themselves by placing a very small quantity of the ashes in the water.
Can a Jew today become convicted of his/her sin and just believe, call out and receive Jesus as Messiah and be cleansed of all sin? Can anyone?
Of course.
But here we are in the realm of an Israel that is in disbelief, so they are going to have to be lead by God in the process He has determined to bring all Israel into salvation. This is not so much about a great Temple as it is about the salvation of Israel in Christ and the pouring out of the Spirit of God upon them.
I hope this has been instructive as to the purpose of the Parah Adumah.
Hi Sean,
ReplyDeleteI was just reading where Israel is going to try and raise their own "red heifers" on a farm in Israel. I know a temple will be built and be cleansed because the bible says so. With so many secular jews in Israel it will be exciting to see (if were here) what the catalyst will be to cause them to return to all the jewish biblical practices. Ps 83, Jer 49, Isaiah etc. I'm thankful for your insight into these things because it gives us who read your blog a king of sneak preview and to keep us looking up ready to meet our Lord.
Sean, Another piece of the prophetic puzzle that needs to be in place.
ReplyDeleteRabbi prepares for long-lost Biblical ceremony | Israel National News - Arutz Sheva
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/324648
Rabbi prepares for long-lost Biblical ceremony | Israel National News - Arutz Sheva
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/324648
Been expecting this, and it's another thing to get excited about!
ReplyDelete"At the same time, we are now looking forward to the two-year birthday of three more heifers that were and still are completely red. With God's help and if there are no mishaps, within half a year we have three red heifers ready for the Temple."
Just having the ashes already prepared is the important part.
Very excited! I keep checking in expecting to see more of the finer details that God has said he will do.
ReplyDeleteI think the finer details determine how close we are.
Yes, absolutely, the fine details put emphasis and exclamation points on all aspects of prophetic fulfillment. I'll put this news up front for all to see!
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