Numbers 19:9-10
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 separation: it is a purification for sin.
And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.
A man that was clean was instructed of the Lord to minister on behalf of the congregation in a manner that would make them unclean.
At first thought I considered the work of the missionary who leaves homeland to try to reach souls for Christ, or I thought of the witness, who steps into a risky place sometimes because he longs to see souls saved.
But though each person is needed in the ministry it is not a true type of the minister because the New Testament counsels that as we try to reach these people we do so with fear "hating even the garment that is spotted by the flesh." we are not to make ourselves unclean in our desire to see another become clean.
This man is rather a type of Jesus Christ, who became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Christ alone became unclean that we could be made clean. Then for three days and three nights He was separated from His Father in the grave before He arose victorious over sin and death.
I am clean because He became unclean for me.
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 separation: it is a purification for sin.
And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.
A man that was clean was instructed of the Lord to minister on behalf of the congregation in a manner that would make them unclean.
At first thought I considered the work of the missionary who leaves homeland to try to reach souls for Christ, or I thought of the witness, who steps into a risky place sometimes because he longs to see souls saved.
But though each person is needed in the ministry it is not a true type of the minister because the New Testament counsels that as we try to reach these people we do so with fear "hating even the garment that is spotted by the flesh." we are not to make ourselves unclean in our desire to see another become clean.
This man is rather a type of Jesus Christ, who became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Christ alone became unclean that we could be made clean. Then for three days and three nights He was separated from His Father in the grave before He arose victorious over sin and death.
I am clean because He became unclean for me.
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