Contaminating Purification: a contradiction?
Today’s reading: Numbers 19:1-21:35
My selection: Numbers 19:7
7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may come into the camp. But the priest shall be unclean until evening.
My reflections: The priest became “unclean” as he offered a sacrifice for purification. Here we have either a great contradiction or the indication of the need for a better sacrifice. It is not a contradiction but one more indication that the Old Testament sacrifices were not adequate to remove sin. God was establishing the fact that man is sinful and is not able to make an offering which is sufficient to remove his sins and leave him clean and acceptable before the Holy One.
My challenge: Jesus Himself was made sin for us that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (II Corinthians 5:21). His was the only sacrifice that did not contaminate the priest. Praise God today for His great salvation through the sacrifice that cleanses us of our sin.
NOTE: For further reading on this see Hebrews 4:14-10:18 which discusses in detail the superiority of Christ to Aaron (4:14-7:28) and the superior priesthood of Christ (8:1-10:18).
Tomorrow’s reading: Numbers 22:1-24:14