The Red Heifer
by Terry Wane Benton
The Muslims have occupied the place of the Jewish temple with the Dome of the Rock for centuries. There are Jews who want very badly to remove the Muslims and the Dome of the Rock so that the Jews can rebuild a temple in that place. Their temple was destroyed according to the prophecy of Daniel 9:24ff and the clear prediction of Jesus in Matthew 24 and Luke 21. That temple was destroyed to show that God was with Jesus and not with the Jews who rejected Jesus. Paul said they were cut off from God’s blessed olive tree because of their unbelief (Romans 11). The nation of Israel is not God’s people. They rejected God when they rejected Jesus, and they were cut off from God’s favor.
There are no biblical predictions that God will reestablish them as a nation. All nations are equally blessed as individuals from all nations are converted into Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Galatians 3:26-28). All who are converted into Christ become the true spiritual Israel, the true seed of Abraham. When Jesus comes again, it will not be to set up an earthly kingdom in earthly Jerusalem, and He will certainly not divert back to the old system of Judaism with its Levitical priesthood and animal sacrifices. Why would He take us back to the inferior system of the earthly temple? We have a greater temple now (Ephesians 2:19f; I Peter 2:5-9) and brings marvelous light to the souls of His converts, the true spiritual Israel, His blessed church.
There was much scriptural abuse to try to trick people into thinking God still has a future plan to restore Israel and their old temple system, but that is only wishful thinking based upon twisted Scriptures and a whole lot of wishful imagination. Some are saying that when the Jews offer the “red heifer,” an old ritual of cleansing, this will signal that the Jews are about to run the Muslims out and retake the temple mount, cleanse the defiled area, and begin removing the Dome of the Rock and start rebuilding the old Solomonic temple. Of course, if they ever try this, it will initiate a full-scale war with all the Muslims, and God has had no interest in restoring earthly Judaism. He had it destroyed in AD 70 permanently because Jesus’ greater temple is spiritual for all nations. The greater temple that has God and His blessings is not earthly. All spiritual blessings are in Christ (Ephesians 1:3,7). There are no spiritual blessings associated with the Muslim’s Dome of the Rock, nor with the Jews, even if they succeeded in rebuilding an earthly temple there. All nations can have God’s favor and blessings only by coming into “the heavenly places in Christ” and becoming His servants in His spiritual and far greater temple built upon Jesus. Read all the above scriptures!
When God had the Romans destroy the earthly temple in AD 70, it was a permanent declaration that God is not associated with that temple nor the people who utilized it. It destroyed the Levitical priesthood records so that the Jews lost clear genealogical proof of legitimate priesthood to Aaron and his sons. They cannot offer an acceptable “red heifer” sacrifice to cleanse anything since they cannot prove beyond doubt that they have certifiable Levites to perform the sacrifice. Further, the priesthood has been changed to Jesus (Hebrews 7:11ff), and the only acceptable sacrifice for cleansing is Jesus. Animal sacrifices are not acceptable to God. So, even if a Jew offers the red heifer as a signal of cleansing, it means nothing to God. He has no plans to return to the inferior system of an earthly temple with animal sacrifices.
Do not be deceived! All of God’s blessings are offered now in Christ, and none are associated with the old system of Judaism, and there is no divine plan to return the Jews to the inferior temple that God destroyed and has kept the Jews from it all these years. He wants all nations, including the people of earthly Israel, to believe His word and yield to Jesus as the king of kings and Lord of lords. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6). God does not accept animal sacrifices, and the red heifer would be no exception. Jesus’ precious blood is “once for all” people and all time. You either convert your heart and life to Him, or you remain under the curse of eternal death or separation from God. When Jesus comes, it will be to deliver up His kingdom (I Corinthians 15:22f), and His people will be “caught up” (I Thessalonians 4:17ff) to meet the Lord in the air, and there we will always be with the Lord. Don’t be deceived by twisted scriptures, wishful thinking, and wild imaginations! All God’s favor is associated with His church in Christ, not earthly Israel!
