Hamas and Israel’s Red Heifers

On October 7, 2023, the terrorist group Hamas launched coordinated attacks against Israelis, killing 1,200 of them and taking over 200 hostage.

Many news outlets and media publications amplified the various reasons Hamas gave as to why they went on their rampage of terror, but they neglected to highlight one key reason, and it’s not what you would expect.

Red heifers.

Yes, heifers from Texas that had been shipped to Israel to be sacrificed at the Temple Mount where currently sits the Al-Aqsa Mosque were one of the triggers which lead to the attacks on Israel.

Back in 2022, five red heifers arrived in Israel after a Christian farmer in the United States had raised the animals for the Holy Land. The animals had to meet specific qualifications to be used for the sacrifice. Jewish rabbis inspected the cattle as they had to first fulfil very specific requirements. Once the cows passed inspection, they made their journey to Israel.

Upon their arrival, roughly 300 people welcomed them to their new home. Before their departure to land which had been secured in Haifa, the shofar was sounded (the shofar is a horn used in Judaism).

Significance

Since Apostle Paul’s letters to the Thessalonian church in A.D. 51, believers have been waiting in anticipation for Christ’s second return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

All throughout Scripture, signs and prophecies are spoken of which point to the soon return of the Messiah.

One such event is the appearance of unblemished red heifers, an event not seen in 2,000 years.

Whilst there are several designations within the Jewish faith, it is the Orthodox who have had the most intensive focus on the construction of the third temple in Jerusalem, but, in order to reinstate an Old Testament sacrificial system, the red heifers are required to resume rituals.

Equally significant to the Jewish meaning attached to the red heifers is the meaning they have to Christians as they signal the end of the age.

What Does the Bible Say?

In the Old Testament, God gave clear directives to Moses and Aaron regarding the sacrifice of red heifers (Numbers 19:1-10), they must be a defect and blemish-free heifer that has never carried a yoke.

The instructions given for the sacrifice of the heifers were different from those given for other offerings. This sacrifice was to be made by the priest Eleazar who was to take the red heifer outside the camp and slaughter it as opposed to traditional sacrifices which were to be made inside the camp.

Eleazar was then to “take some of its blood with his finger” and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting (Numbers 19:4). At that point, the whole red heifer, including its dung, would be burned in Eleazar’s sight.

End Times Significance?

Followers of Judaism believe the arrival of the red heifer indicates the Messiah will come.

According to one Judaist custom, the Mishnah records only nine perfect red heifers that were ever used between the time of the Tabernacle to around A.D. 70. The arrival of a possible tenth perfect red heifer gives those in the Jewish faith hope for the rebuilding of the temple, as well as the Messiah’s appearance.

As for Christians, just one red heifer arriving in Jerusalem that has been approved by a rabbi means the rapture is imminent as we believe a third temple will be built during the End Times.

At present, it is the Orthodox Jews who are pushing to see the full construction of the third temple. Their efforts have included: making temple instruments, they have blueprints for the temple, making temple fixtures, and identifying priests from the line of Levi.

Even with the arrival of the five red heifers, there could still be complications. Some Orthodox Jews maintain that sacrifices cannot proceed without the ashes from the original red heifer mixed in with the new ashes.

Another stipulation is for the red heifer to be sacrificed before it reaches its third year.

According to Jews who want the third temple built, their Messiah King will come to rule once the temple is complete. The question is, where will it be placed? Premillennial Christians believe that whenever and wherever the third temple is built, its completion means the End Times have arrived.

“For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Hebrews 9:11-14

As we wait for the Lord’s soon return, we are to occupy, to go and make disciples and to walk in accordance with that which God has outlined in His Word. For those who are “in Christ”, we are not waiting for the Messiah, we know Him!

We have a mediator sitting at the right hand of God, Jesus Christ, who was the lamb that was slain to atone for the sins of the world. This is the message we carry! Redemption is found in the blood of the lamb, Jesus Christ. Nothing else carries this power.

“For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” Hebrews 9:15

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