For some reason, a less than normal number of current events stories caught my attention this week, so I will briefly mention four and then present some information on the Red Heifer.

First, last weekend (Aug. 10-11 in the U.S.) about 150,000 people went to the Wailing Wall in Israel to pray, grieve and repent over their sins.

150,000 people in a nation of nine million is a significant number (equivalent to about five and one-half million in the U.S.).

The situation in the U.S. would probably improve a great deal if someone could get five and one-half million Christians to pray, grieve and repent over their sins in one weekend.

Second, the Muslim Grand Mufti in Jerusalem had ordered all of the mosques in Jerusalem closed on the Ninth of Av except the Dome of the Rock.

He did this to force the Muslim worshippers in Jerusalem to go to the mosque on the Temple Mount.

When the Muslims got there, radical Muslims urged them to riot.

More than 1,700 Jews arrived to go up on the Temple Mount, but the situation was tense, and the Israeli police wouldn’t let them go up.

Some of the Muslims started throwing chairs and stones at the Israeli police, and several police were injured.

They cleared the Muslims off of the Temple Mount and opened the gate for the Jews to go up.

It was illegal for the Jews to dance, sing and pray on the Temple Mount, but this became an opportunity for them to sing psalms, pray and rejoice over their presence on the Temple Mount.

The day of mourning (Tisha B’Av) became a day of rejoicing for the Jews on the Temple Mount.

Third, I have often written about the Battle of Gog and Magog.

Russia, Iran, Turkey and others will attack Israel in the latter days and latter years.

When they do, God said “my fury shall come up in my face… “Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel” (Ezek. 38:18-19).

The Israel Bible reads, “a great earthquake shall befall the land of Israel.”

This week, Israel decided to hold a week-long multi-national drill to test her preparedness for a major earthquake.

Fourth, on Aug. 12, 2019, it was reported that the godless, pagan, UN wannabe-world-government is already trying to assume control of the world by telling the U.S. what it expects with regard to immigration, abortion, human rights, etc.

U.S. citizens need to be very careful about the people they vote for.

We can’t prevent a satanic world government and religion from rising after the Rapture, but the people that get elected can impact how soon it will happen.

Fifth, the ashes of a red heifer could be the last thing that is needed for the Jews to rebuild the Temple.

Many Jews believe the ashes of a red heifer are a sign that Messiah will soon appear (Some prophecy teachers believe they are a sign of the Second Coming).

The Scriptures are found in Numbers 19:1-22, and they refer to an ordinance of the law that was commanded by the Lord (vs. 2).

They involve the cleansing of defiled people, especially those that had anything to do with the tabernacle (setting it up, taking it down, carrying it in the wilderness, carrying the furniture or vessels, serving there, etc.), and those who had anything to do with a deceased person (caring for them, being with them at the time of their death, preparing their body for burial, burying it, etc. (Num. 19:4, 11, and 14).

Notice that God told the Jews to sacrifice a heifer—a young female cow.

The Bible doesn’t say why God told them to use a heifer, but some Jewish sages say the heifer is a reminder that the Hebrews in the wilderness defiled themselves by making a golden calf (Ex. 32:4, 7).

Notice that God told them to sacrifice a Red heifer.

Red is the color of sin: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18).

Jesus was made sin for us, and our sins were laid on Jesus (2 Cor. 5:21a; Isa. 53:6).

Notice that the Jews were to sacrifice a heifer without blemishes and spots.

God required them to use a perfect red heifer (Num. 19:2).

Just two hairs that were not red disqualified it.

Jesus qualified as a sin sacrifice because He was without blemish and spot (1 Pet. 1:19).

He knew no sin, did no sin, and had no sin in Him (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 Jn. 3:5).

Notice that they were to use a red heifer that had never worn a yoke.

In Old Testament times, a yoke was put on work animals to pull a plow, a cart, etc.

A red heifer that has never been yoked is an animal that has never worked (Num. 19:2).

Works have nothing to do with cleansing or getting rid of defilement.

We are saved by grace, not by works (Eph. 2:8-9).

Notice that the Red Heifer was slain outside the camp.

Jesus died outside the gate (Heb. 13:12).

Notice that the blood was sprinkled seven times in front of the Tabernacle (Num. 19:4).

Seven is the number of completeness, so sprinkling the blood seven times signifies complete cleansing.

Notice that the blood was sprinkled in front of the Tabernacle to cleanse it (Num. 19:4).

We are cleansed by the blood (1 Jn. 1:7-9); have access to God by the blood (Heb. 10:19-20); overcome Satan by the blood (Rev. 12:11); have been purchased with the blood (Acts 20:28); are justified through faith in the blood (Rom. 3:25); are redeemed through the blood (Eph. 1:7) and more.

Since God required the sprinkling of the blood of a red heifer in front of the Tabernacle in the past, it is believed that God requires the sprinkling of the blood of a red heifer in front of the Temple that is built in the future.

Notice that the Jews collected the ashes.

Completely burning the red heifer so that nothing remained but a pile of ashes signifies that the sacrifice was finished.

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost” (Jn. 19:30).

Notice that three things were burned with the Red Heifer (Cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet, Num. 19:6).

Cedar was considered an incorruptible wood.

It was used by royalty in their palaces (II Sam. 5:11, 7:2) and in the Temple (I Kings 6:18; Ezra 3:7).

Jesus was incorruptible royalty (Psa. 16:10; Luke 1:31-33; Matt. 27:38; Rev. 19:16), and He will be our Temple in the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:22).

Hyssop was used to sprinkle the blood on the lintel and side posts of the houses in Egypt before the death angel passed over (Ex. 12:22).

It was used to lift the vinegar-filled sponge to the mouth of Jesus when He died on the cross (Jn. 19:29).

Following his sin, David said, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean” (Psa. 51:7).

For those who apply the blood, Jesus is our Passover, and His death on the cross will make us clean (I Cor. 5:7).

Scarlet symbolizes sin (Isa. 1:18).

“Come now, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18).

Jesus was made sin for us (II Cor. 5:21).

Notice that the ashes were placed in a clean place outside the camp (Num. 19:9).

Jesus was buried in a new tomb that had never been used outside the Temple compound (Luke 23:53).

According to some Jews (not the Bible), the ashes were ground up (like the golden calf in the wilderness), pulverized, beaten with rods and sifted.

Jesus was severely beaten, and His visage was marred more than any man (Mk. 15:15; Isa. 52:14).

Thoroughly burning the red heifer produced white ashes.

“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isa. 1:18a).

The death of Jesus is the only thing that will permanently remove the defilement of sin.

Notice that some of the ashes were mixed with water (Num. 19:9).

Jesus died that He might sanctify, and cleans the church with the washing of water by the word (Eph. 5:25-26).

Notice that the water had to be running water, also called living water (Num. 19:17).

Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, if you had asked of me, I would have given you living water (Jn. 4:10).

The Bible doesn’t say, but it only took a small pinch of ashes to cleanse all of Israel, and one drop of the blood of Jesus can cleanse the whole world.

When you think red heifer, getting rid of defilement or sin, etc., think Jesus.

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com

In early Aug. 2019, four stories broke that, if true, indicate that Israel is edging closer to rebuilding the Temple, resuming the animal sacrifices, etc.

If you don’t know about the ashes of the Red Heifer, I wrote an article for Rapture Ready several years ago that you might want to read (go to raptureready.com; scroll down to the bottom of the page; type “Red Heifer” in the search window; click; look for “Red Heifer by Daymond Duck,” and click).

First, the Jews can’t rebuild the Temple and resume the animal sacrifices without the ashes of a sacrificed, unblemished red heifer (Num. 19:1-22).

The Jews have gone to great lengths to raise an unblemished red heifer, and there have been reports that they now have one and perhaps more.

Anyway, on Aug. 7, 2019, it was reported that Jewish priests are practicing the rituals that are necessary for sacrificing a red heifer.

These priests want to make sure that they follow every jot and tittle of God’s instructions and that they have enough ashes to purify all of the Jewish people.

Their practice includes sacrificing real cows because they now believe that they are close to a real opportunity to rebuild the Temple.

Second, on Aug. 5, 2019, it was reported that two Jews visited a very important rabbi in Israel (in late July) with a question from Pres. Trump, “When will the Messiah arrive?”

According to the report, there are many skeptics, but it added that some Jews believe that Pres. Trump will play a role in the rebuilding of the Temple.

They said Gentiles (the Romans) destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D., so Gentiles must participate in the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.

They added that Gentiles need to make amends for what they have done.

According to them, Pres. Trump made partial amends when he moved the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and he can complete the process by opening the door for Israel to rebuild the Temple.

The Jews will construct the Temple, but they need the participation of Gentiles.

The stated purpose of the two Jews visiting the rabbi was to get the rabbi’s opinion on when the Messiah will appear so Pres. Trump will know how much time he has to act.

The rabbi didn’t give a clear answer to the question (no one but God knows).

I honestly don’t know what to think about this article, but if Pres. Trump is going to get involved in rebuilding the Temple, I suspect it needs to be before he leaves office.

Third, it is common knowledge to religious Jews that several disasters have happened to Israel on the Ninth of Av (the ninth day of the fifth month on the Jewish religious calendar).

The ten spies returned from the Promised Land in unbelief on the Ninth of Av, resulting in the Jews having to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, both Temples were destroyed on the Ninth of Av, etc. (for more examples, google Tisha B’Av).

For this reason, the Ninth of Av is a day of mourning (a day of disaster) in Israel.

Anyway, the Temple Institute (the group that is making the clothing for the priests, the furniture for the Temple, etc.) recently released a video calling upon the Jews to stop focusing on the disasters of the past and to start focusing on the promises of the future (a rebuilt Temple, the coming of Messiah, redemption for Israel, peace on earth and hope for the world, etc.).

According to the Temple Institute, the Temple Mount has been in the hands of Israel for more than 50 years, and it is time to turn the day of mourning over past events into a day of rejoicing over future events.

Fourth, early morning visitors to the Temple Mount have been seeing a group of ten or so wild foxes.

This is very unusual because foxes usually hang out in deserted areas, but Jerusalem and the Temple Mount are anything but deserted areas.

It is also very unusual because this is the month of Av, and it is customary for the Jews to publicly read Jeremiah’s book of Lamentations on the Ninth of Av.

There are five chapters in Jeremiah’s book of Lamentations, and chapter 5 verse 18 talks about foxes walking upon the Temple Mount because Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed and there was no Temple on the Temple Mount.

Also, there is a story about foxes on the Temple Mount in the Jewish Talmud (a collection of Jewish writings; Makkot 24b).

The Talmud story says four rabbis visited the Temple Mount and saw foxes near the place where the Holy of Holies was located when there was a Temple.

Three of the rabbis cried at the sight of the foxes, but the fourth rabbi laughed.

He said the prophet Micah foretold the destruction of Jerusalem (Mic. 3:12) and the prophet Zechariah foretold the restoration of Jerusalem (Zech. 8:1-15).

He declared that the prophecy of Micah had proven to be true, so the prophecy of Zechariah would prove to be true.

The foxes on the Temple Mount in the month of Av and the verse in Lam. 5:18 are a reminder that the sin of the Jews angered God and brought on the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

But God’s grace and mercy will ultimately prevail over His anger, and Jerusalem and the Temple will be rebuilt.

This is the point: Is it a coincidence that several foxes have appeared contrary to their nature in a highly traveled place in Jerusalem at a time when Jews read Scripture about foxes on the Temple Mount, and there is a story in the Jewish Talmud that ties it to the restoration of Jerusalem?

I am just naïve enough to believe that God inspired the Scriptures, He knows the future, and He may be using foxes to tell us something.

There is too much going on for all of this to be coincidence.

This is why some rabbis believe foxes were originally a sign of the Temple’s destruction and, in the future, they would be a sign of the Temple’s construction.

FYI: Here is a link to a very short video that you may want to watch:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/6PzT8vEvYPg

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.
Daymond & Rachel Duck
duck_daymond@yahoo.com