“And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, This is the ordinance of the law which the Lord hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:” (Numbers 19:1-2)
How in the world can a red cow cause so much controversy? The cow I’m referring to is of course the red heifer of Numbers chapter nineteen.
The ordinance of the red heifer was a divine command from God to Moses and Aaron. It was for the purpose of bringing the Children of Israel back into purity from being in contact with death. If you continue to read the nineteenth chapter of Numbers, you will find the instructions for this ceremony which included burning the heifer with cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet. The ashes from the burnt heifer would then be mixed with pure water, and used to sprinkle the people, as well as everything used in the Tabernacle service.
IS IT THE DAILY SACRIFICE?
Inevitably, when there is discussion about the Ceremony of the Red Heifer, people confuse it with the daily sacrifices for sin. In Bible times, the daily sacrifices for sin happened morning and evening in the courtyard of the Temple, upon the brazen altar. Since the temple was destroyed in 70A.D., the daily sacrifices ceased. They will resume once the third Jewish Temple is rebuilt.
The burning of the red heifer is technically a ceremony for purification, not a sacrifice for sin. The ashes from one heifer were saved, and mixed with new ashes before they ran out. In this way, the ashes were perpetual through the generations.
WHY DOES ISRAEL NEED A QUALIFIED RED HEIFER?
Scripture tells us that a third Jewish temple will be built in the near future before the return of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. In order for the Temple to be built, and temple service to resume, everyone involved, plus the Temple Mount and all instruments and furnishings must be sprinkled with the water of purification made from the ashes of the red heifer.
Recent progress toward peace between the Jews and various Muslim nations through the Abraham Accords show that the stage is being set. In the near future, there will a a two-state solution deal made between the Israelis and the Palestinians. When this deal is done, it will allow for the building of the third Jewish temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem right beside the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque. While it seems inconceivable from the natural viewpoint, knowing the history of hostility between these two groups, scripture assures us it will happen.
“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.” (Revelation 11:1-2)
Organizations like the Temple Institute in Jerusalem have already recreated all of the Temple furnishings, instruments for sacrifice and have qualified priests of the lineage of Aaron ready to perform the daily sacrifices. Everything is in place and waiting for a peace deal that will allow Temple construction to begin.
Other than the soon coming peace agreement, the only other missing element to building the third temple has been the ashes of the red heifer. However, that has recently changed.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HEIFER
In order to be qualified (pure) to be used in the purification ceremony, the heifer in question must meet several requirements. According to Numbers 19, it must be at least in its third year of life, a heifer (unbred female), completely red in color, have no blemish and have never been used for any work or had a yoke placed upon it.
HOW HARD COULD IT BE?
Considering the short list of requirements, how hard could it possibly be to find a qualified red heifer for this ceremony? Harder than you might imagine. When the second Jewish temple was destroyed by the Roman army in 70AD, the ashes which were being used at that time were hidden and/or lost.There hasn’t been a qualified red heifer in Israel for over 2,000 years…Let that sink in…TWO THOUSAND YEARS! …Two Millennia…Until recently.
THE MIRACLE OF ACQUIRING THE HEIFERS
In September of 2022, a Texas rancher named Byron Stinson facilitated the shipment of five red heifers from a ranch in Texas to Israel. These cattle had been meticulously inspected multiple times by Jewish rabbis to insure their purity. In their third year. No two hairs of any color but pure red could be touching. No blemish whatsoever. They watched, waited and inspected with bated breath, until finally the heifers could be proclaimed pure.
There were many miraculous elements leading up to the shipment of the cattle, but two stand out:
1. Normally, it would be required for cattle being shipped to be tagged in their ears. Of course, this would have disqualified the heifers immediately to be used in the purification ceremony. Because it was in the middle of the covid pandemic, however, the cattle were allowed to be shipped without being tagged, preserving their purity.
2. Also because of covid, no livestock were being shipped into or out of Israel (as well as other countries.) There was a little known provision, however, that up to five pets could be shipped in. Miraculously, five heifers were able to be shipped, under this provision, arriving in Israel on September 15, 2022.
SIDE NOTE
Remember the story of Jacob working for his uncle, Laban in Genesis 30-31. He received cattle for payment. Over time, he amassed a large herd of “ringstraked, speckled and spotted” cattle. When he left Laban’s employment, these are the cattle he took home to Israel. These spotted cattle would have mixed with whatever native cattle were in Israel, and diluted the solid-colored bloodlines. This is a major factor in why it has been so difficult to find a pure red heifer for the purification ceremony. *Jewish history tells us that there have only been nine qualified red heifers since the time of Moses…until now.
THE MIRACLE OF ACQUIRING THE ASHES
A “practice’ burning of a heifer was done on July 1, 2025. This was done by the exact standards that a “real” burning would be done. It was performed in order to make sure everyone involved knew how to perform their role, and also to know how much ash one heifer would produce.
Even though it was intended to be a practice run, according to Byron Stinson, something miraculous occurred that allowed it to be authentic. In an INTERVIEW with Dave Robbins of Endtime Ministries, Mr. Stinson gave this account of the event. (Paraphrased):
He said they were attempting to load the heifer to be used for the practice burning. It was a small heifer that had become disqualified in some way. She was avoiding the cattle trailer, and they kept trying to hem her in, and press her into the trailer. While they were trying to corral her, one of the big, beautiful pure heifers simply walked into the trailer by herself.
Mr. Stinson said in the interview that he told the others he would get her out of the trailer. But seemingly without even thinking about it, one of the rabbis made an instant decision to leave the qualified heifer in the trailer, and use her.
What was suppose to be a practice burning, turned out to be a perfectly done ceremony, with a perfectly pure and qualified red heifer. The ashes from this heifer were collected and saved.
If, at some point in the future, they decide to burn another qualified heifer, and use its ashes, they have that prerogative, but for all practical and biblical purposes, they can use the ashes they already have.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
The only thing still missing to build a third Jewish Temple is a peace agreement between the Jews and the Palestinians. The signing of this agreement/covenant will begin the final seven years before Jesus returns, and will happen in the near future. When it does, construction on the Temple will begin very quickly. The Jews have waited 2,000 years to worship in their Temple on the Temple Mount. They are more than eager to get started.
Still, you may be asking what that has to do with prophecy, the endtime or you personally. When the Temple is built, animal sacrifice will resume. It will be into this Temple that the antichrist will step, stop the daily sacrifices and proclaim himself to be God (Messiah.) This event is known as the abomination of desolation, and will trigger the great tribulation and the final three and a half years before the return of Jesus Christ.
IN SUMMARY
While we shouldn’t allow endtime events to cause us fear and anxiety, we should pay attention in order to know where on the timeline we are. There has never been a more exciting time to be alive and serving God! If you have questions regarding endtime prophecy, events or how to make sure you are right with God, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Another great source of information on the topic is ENDTIME MINISTRIES.
Warm Regards In Jesus Name,
-Pat