Hamas and the Red Heifer

Gary discusses an article that makes the claim that Hamas attacked Israel in order to stop the sacrifice of the “red heifer.”

Remember how Jesus had described the temple to the Jews as “your house” and how it would be left to them “desolate” (Matt. 23:38). Earlier Jesus had inspected the temple (21:12-17). There He called it “My house” (21:13) and cited two passages from the Old Testament that indicated the judgment that was coming to “this generation” (24:34), the generation of His day (Isa. 56:7; Jer. 7:11).

This was the second-time Jesus had cleansed the temple (John 2:14; 21:12-14). In His office as Priest, Jesus was following the law regarding the leprous house. If the owner finds red or green indentations on the walls, the priest is called to inspect the house. Before he enters, the house is emptied so the possible infection does not affect the contents and make them unclean (Lev. 14:34-36). If during the inspection he finds “the mark on the walls of the house has greenish or reddish depressions and appears deeper than the surface, then the priest shall come out of the house, to the doorway, and quarantine the house for seven days” (vv. 37- 38). On the seventh day, the priest makes another inspection.

If the mark has indeed spread in the walls of the house, then the priest shall order them to tear out the stones with the mark in them and throw them away at an unclean place outside the city. He shall have the house scraped all around inside, and they shall dump the plaster that they scrape off at an unclean place outside the city. Then they shall take other stones and replace those stones, and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house (Lev. 14:39-42).

After this is done, the priest makes one final inspection. “If he sees that the mark has indeed spread in the house, it is a malignant mark in the house; it is unclean. He shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an unclean place” (14:44-45).

After the completion of Herod’s temple in AD 63, the ascended Christ makes a final inspection and declares it to be unclean because the Old Covenant sacrificial system was still operating. God’s perfect sacrifice was being rejected for the continued sacrifice of animals, “for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4).

Wars and Rumors of Wars

A mountain of scholarship shows that the prophecy given by Jesus was fulfilled in exacting detail when He said it would: before the generation of those to whom He was speaking passed away. Jesus predicted that He would return within the time period of that generation alone. Unfortunately, too many Christians are giving the wrong answer when skeptics claim Jesus was mistaken. Everything Jesus said would happen before that generation passed away did happen.

Buy Now

Gary discusses an article that makes the claim that Hamas attacked Israel in order to stop the sacrifice of the “red heifer.” Whether it’s true or not, it’s still a very interesting point that influences Christians, Jews, and now, Muslims. The problem is that there is no need, or Scriptural prediction, for any “red heifer.” As the perfect Sacrifice, Jesus fulfilled everything necessary.

Click here for today’s episode

Click here to browse all episodes of The Gary DeMar Podcast

American Vision’s mission is to Restore America to its Biblical Foundation—from Genesis to Revelation. American Vision (AV) has been at the heart of worldview study since 1978, providing resources to exhort Christian families and individuals to live by a Biblically based worldview. Visit www.AmericanVision.org for more information, content and resources