The Red Heifer’s Ashes, The Old Covenant and the New Covenant 542 - 10 - 5 -

In Numbers 19 we read that a female red heifer without spot, etc., would be ceremoniously slain, blood sprinkled and the ashes stored for use either at the temple or in more remote areas of worship. The ashes of the red heifer, when mixed ceremoniously with water was considered "Water of purification."

Numbers 19:9, "And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes (H665) of the heifer (H6510), 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 separation (H5079): it is a purification for sin." It seems that the ashes of a red heifer burnt entire according to cleaning rituals prescribed in Numbers 19, had the ceremonial efficacy of purifying the unclean but of polluting the clean who handled them.

Fast forward hundreds of years to the day that Jesus performed his first miracle during the wedding at Capernaum.  I understand from another commentary that the jars used by Jesus to turn water into wine were actually meant for the water of purification, i.e. a religious use. Likely had the temple leaders knew of the use Jesus had made of the water purification jars they would have considered it an abomination. However and IMO, Jesus was simplifying the many laws of the “Old Covenant” into the redeeming knowledge that we are covered by the blood of the “New Covenant. A bit of a Remez? Perhaps a preview of the wine used during the Last Supper. 1 Corinthians 11:25, “After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”

As always, Paul says that so well in Hebrews12-14, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer (1151) sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth (G37) to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

H665
אפר
'êpher
ay'-fer
From an unused root meaning to bestrew; ashes: - ashes.

H6510
ָפָּרה
pārāh: A feminine noun referring to a cow, a heifer. It refers to female cattle. Heifers are female cattle that have not yet borne a calf. Israel is likened to a stubborn heifer (Hos_4:16). It is used derisively of the rich, narcissistic women of Bashan, "cows of Bashan"

H5079
נדּה
niddâh
nid-daw'
From H5074; properly rejection; by implication impurity, especially personal (menstruation) or moral (idolatry, incest): -  X far, filthiness, X flowers, menstruous (woman), put apart, X removed (woman), separation, set apart, unclean (-ness, thing, with filthiness).

G1151
δάμαλις
damalis
dam'-al-is
Probably from the base of G1150; a heifer (as tame): - heifer.

G37
ἁγιάζω
hagiazō
hag-ee-ad'-zo
From G40; to make holy, that is, (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: - hallow, be holy, sanctify.