wds6:
From the Book of Numbers, Chapter 9:
"19:1
And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
19:2
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:
19:3
And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her
forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face"
( http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/num/19.html )
The Red Heifer is a mythical beast that, according to certain
interpretations of prophecy, will appear shortly before Armageddon.
All Christian and Judaic intepretations of this verse seem to revolve
around Armageddon. I did not find a single Red Heifer link that was
not explicity concerned with the Apocalypse. So we can assume that is
where the answer to your question lies.
The standard Armageddon theory goes something like this: according to
the Book of Revelations the world will end upon the return of the
Messiah and God's chosen will ascend to heaven. The Messiah will
return on Temple Mount, and can only return after the Third Temple has
been constructed there. (
http://www.disinfo.com/pages/article/id2636/pg1/ )
The sacrifice of a flawless Red heifer is necessary to ensure
appropriate construction of the Temple.
From Dr. Gary Collett, Apocalyptic Biblical Scholar
( http://www.haydid.org/redcow.htm ):
"The significance for us is in regard to the rebuilding of the Temple.
The Temple Mount has been trodden down by Gentiles for nearly 2000
years. The Temple was destroyed after it was defiled by Titus and has
laid waste until covered over by Islam. Before a Temple can be
rebuilt, the site must be cleansed. Before animal sacrifice can be
reinstated, the site and stone altar (of course an altar must be
constructed first) must be cleansed."
The Red Heifer is to be sacrificed (Numbers 19:1-22 gives very
detailed instructions as to how) and burned. The ashes will be used
to purify the temple site to ensure that it will be worthy of the
Messiah.
Search Strategy:
"red heifer" +bible
"temple mount" +armageddon
Sites Used
The Skeptics Annotated Bible
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/19.html
The Temple Mount
http://www.templemount.org/
Disinformation
http://www.disinfo.com/
Haydid Learning Center
http://www.haydid.org/
Links of Interest
Rabbinical Analysis of _The Mystery of the Red Heifer_
http://www.templemount.org/heifer.html
Red Heifer Sightings
http://www.bible-prophecy.com/redheifer.htm
hope this helps,
-actualwolf |
