Numbers 19

11–16 These verses detail the various ways in which an Israelite could become unclean through contact with a dead body. The special water of cleansing had to be applied to the unclean person on the third and the seventh day of his period of uncleanness; then he would be clean. Anyone who failed to purify himself was to be cut off from Israel (verse 13)—that is, prevented from having a part in the worship and the covenant blessings of Israel.

17–22 In these verses, the preparation and application of the water of cleansing are described. There was nothing magical about that mixture of ashes and water. But God ordained that those natural substances, ashes and water, would have spiritual significance—much as the water of baptism and the wine of the Lord’s Supper have deep spiritual significance for Christians today.

A ceremonially clean person then dipped hyssop, a brush-like plant (Exodus 12:22), into the water of cleansing and sprinkled the water on the unclean person or unclean object (verse 18); in this way the person or object became outwardly (ritually) clean.

Modern Christians may wonder what relevance this water of cleansing has for them. As we have seen before, the Old Testament rituals are a foreshadowing of the spiritual realities revealed in the New Testament. The blood of animals and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse someone outwardly, but only the blood of Christ can cleanse someone inwardly. Only the blood of Christ can cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God (Hebrews 9:13–14).

If an Israelite did not purify himself with this cleansing water, he was cut off; he had rejected the means of cleansing that God had provided. Likewise today, when one refuses to believe in Christ, that person has rejected God’s provision for the removal of his sins. Whoever believes in [Christ] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:18).