“Take all the fat that covers the inner organs, the covering of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and offer them up in smoke on the altar. But the bull’s flesh, skin and dung you are to destroy by fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.“-Exodus 29:13-14
Okay, in the last post we went over the what is aptly termed “The Sacrifice of Consecration”.
A bullock was brought inside the outer courtyard, killed and then only the fat covering its inner organs was burned up on the brazen altar.
However, what’s important to note is that the ENTIRE REST OF THE ANIMAL including the meat, bones, and hide was taken outside the camp of Israel and burned and offered up.
This was called a SIN OFFERING.
I want you to take note of this important point because I believe it coincides with another most important sacrifice that prophecy buffs are keenly anticipating.
I’m talking about the Red Heifer sacrifice.
That’s right.
I believe this very first sacrifice of the bull in the Tabernacle points to and is a model for the Red Heifer sacrifice.
For those of you who aren’t aware, the Red Heifer is going to be an important requirement for the consecration of the new Temple that I believe will soon be built in Jerusalem.
The reason I’m saying this inaugural sacrifice of the Bull here in Exodus 29 is a model for the Red Heifer sacrifice is because of a most unusual and mysterious feature common to both of these sacrifices.
That feature is this.
In both cases, the sacrifice is NOT offered in a Holy Place.
It isn’t even offered in a ritually clean place as might be expected.
It is offered in an UNCLEAN place, OUTSIDE THE CAMP of Israel.
Here’s a good rule of thumb you can use to understand Torah Biblical lingo.
Whenever you come across the phrase “outside the camp”, this is referring to an area that is RITUALLY IMPURE.
Remember that point because this understanding is going to prove mighty useful moving forward.
All of the other normal and regular sacrifices that Israel was required to perform had to be done at the Brazen Altar.
In other words, they had to be done INSIDE THE CAMP.
However, per God’s command, the remains of the animal for this inaugural “Sacrifice of Consecration” and later the Red Heifer must be sacrificed outside the camp.
This brings me to my next most important point.
What other most important sacrifice was done outside the camp as a sin offering?
The answer is that many hundreds of years later, Yeshua would be taken OUTSIDE THE CAMP, and crucified for the sins of Israel.
CONNECTING THIS TEACHING TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
“So too Yeshua suffered death outside the camp,
in order to make the people holy through his own blood.”
-Hebrews 13:12
It is all very complicated. My wife wants to eat the fat on meat and I said the Jews were not allowed to eat fat or blood on meat. She says we are not under the law now. So one can see how even little things can be very complicated. I take the point that the red heffer was a prophecy that Jesus was sacrificed outside of the camp. Thankyou