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Numbers 19:1-22 The Water of Purification and its Preparation

[Study Aired September 11, 2023]

Num 19:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 
Num 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: 
Num 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: 
Num 19:4  And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: 
Num 19:5  And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 
Num 19:6  And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 
Num 19:7  Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
Num 19:8  And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 
Num 19:9  And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. 
Num 19:10  And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever. 
Num 19:11  He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. 
Num 19:12  He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean. 
Num 19:13  Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. 
Num 19:14  This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
Num 19:15  And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
Num 19:16  And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 
Num 19:17  And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
Num 19:18  And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
Num 19:19  And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. 
Num 19:20  But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean. 
Num 19:21  And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even. 
Num 19:22  And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even. 

Introduction

In chapter 18, we are shown the service to be rendered and the compensation or the reward given to the Aaronic priesthood, which represents the elect, and how the work of the Levites (our brothers and sisters in Babylon) is to aid the work of the elect. Chapter 19, which is the focus of our study today, follows up with the potential threats to the performance of the priesthood service and the Lord’s provision to sanctify us as we journey in this wilderness of life. As we are aware, there are so many things that can easily defile us to be disqualified in performing our role as priests in this life. During the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, Aaron and his sons (the priests) were prone to being easily defiled, thus preventing them from performing their role as Priests. For example, just touching a grave makes one defiled. Our situation as we see this age gradually coming to an end is very challenging. We can easily be defiled in our heavens through false doctrines of which our Lord Jesus warned us:

Mat 24:3  As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 
Mat 24:4  And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray.
Mat 24:5  For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 

Mat 24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Act 20:29  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 
Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 

2Pe 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
2Pe 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

The propensity for the people of Israel to be defiled as they journeyed through the wilderness was extremely high, and so this chapter focuses on the preparation of the water of purification, which is able to cleanse the people to make them clean. Today’s study is to enlighten our understanding on this water of purification, which is cleansing us as His priests so that we can perform our duties as priests of the Lord in this life. 

Num 19:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 
Num 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:

The red heifer here is Christ who redeems us from our sins.  The color red qualifying the heifer, therefore signifies Christ in His humanity. The heifer being without blemish indicates that Christ was without sin. The fact that the heifer was ‘without spot’ means that Jesus Christ was perfect. The heifer was also not under any yoke which implies that Christ was not under any bondage to sin or anyone. Our Lord Jesus Christ was therefore the perfect sacrifice to take away our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 

1Jn 4:10  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 
Rom 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 
Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 
Rom 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 
Rom 3:26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Num 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: 

The fact that Eleazer, the Priest, was the one who led the red heifer, representing Christ, outside the camp to be slaughtered in verse 3 implies that we, His elect, all contributed to the death of Christ. In Acts 4:27-28, the list of all those who murdered Christ was mentioned as follows:

Act 4:27  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 
Act 4:28  For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

Does this list exclude anybody? No. We are all guilty of Christ’s murder. However, this outrageous act did turn out to be for our salvation. This is what our Lord said about us being guilty of the blood of the prophets:

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51  From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Num 19:4  And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: 

Verse 4 shows us that the blood of Christ (red heifer) cleanses our temple (our hearts and mind) from all unrighteousness. Eleazer cleaning the tabernacle seven times with the blood of the red heifer signifies Christ completely cleansing our hearts and mind with His blood.

Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 
Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 
Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 
Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 
Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 
Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 
Heb 9:18  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 
Heb 9:20  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 
Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 
Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 
Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 
Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 
Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 

Num 19:5  And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 
Num 19:6  And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 

Where there is burning, there is the judgment of God as shown in the following verses:

Deu 32:24  They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. 

Job 41:19  Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

Isa 4:4  When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

Verse 5 and 6 therefore signify the judgment of the Lord in His humanity which resulted in His total obedience to His father, and therefore He became the author of eternal salvation for His elect, the priests, and for the rest of the world.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

We need to understand the significance of the cedar wood, hyssop and the scarlet which were cast into the midst of the burning of the red heifer. Cedar wood, hyssop and the scarlet are essential ingredients in the purification process according to the law of Moses as shown in the following verse:

Lev 14:51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:

Cedar trees are considered to be the first of trees. The Bible describes the cedar tree as strong, durable, graceful and beautiful. It is known for its longevity and resistance to decay. It is a symbol of Christ’s considerable spiritual stature, excellence and perfection in God. In the case of cedar wood, it represents Christ in His humanity.

Isa 9:10  The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars [Strong and Durable].

Psa 80:10  The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars [Graceful and beautiful].

Eze 17:23  In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

Throwing cedar wood into the burning of the red heifer means that Christ was judged in His humanity as He suffered for our sake.  It also means that Christ’s coming to us is with judgment.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Hyssop is an evergreen plant of the mint family. It was first used in the Bible as a sort of paintbrush to apply a lamb’s blood for cleansing. This usage had been consistent in the law of Moses. 

Exo 12:22  And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

As we can see, hyssop is therefore an instrument used for cleansing. In this life, it is we, His elect, whom the Lord uses to cleanse His people and therefore we are represented by the hyssop. Being thrown into the burning of the red heifer means the elect must fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh for the body’s sake in this age.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 

The next item thrown in the burning of the red heifer is the scarlet. The word “scarlet” properly refers to the insect “coccus ilicit”, the dried body of the female yielding coloring matter from which is made the dye used for cloth to color it scarlet or crimson. The first time this word was used in the Bible was as follows:

Gen 38:28  And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.

We, His elect, are the firstfruit of Christ who are the first to know Him in this life (first to come out). We therefore represent the scarlet that is thrown into the burning of the red heifer. Again, this implies that we are to fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh for the body’s sake in this age. The two items (the scarlet and the hyssop) serve as witnesses to the fact that, as His elect, we must suffer with Him in this life. 

It is also very insightful to note that the throwing of the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet into the burning of the red heifer also symbolizes that the elect together with our Lord Jesus will administer judgment in the lake of fire to all humanity to bring them to Christ, just as the son of God (Jesus) was with the three Hebrew boys (the elect) in the oven during Nebuchadnezzar’s time. In this case, the red heifer represents the beast within all humanity.

Isa 33:14  The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? 
Isa 33:15  He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;

Dan 3:24  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 
Dan 3:25  He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 
Dan 3:26  Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 

Num 19:7  Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
Num 19:8  And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 

The priest, or the one responsible for the burning of the red heifer, must wash his clothes or bathe his flesh in water in order to be clean. The washing of clothes and the bathing of the flesh in water all signify how the word of the Lord (water) cleanses us as we are given to know the truth of the word. 

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 
Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

The fact that the priest and the one unclean would continue to be unclean until the evening means that it takes a while to be cleansed from all unrighteousness. That is to say that being cleansed or sanctified is a process. It is not a one-time event. 

2Co 3:18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another [a process]. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Num 19:9  And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin. 
Num 19:10  And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute forever. 

As we are aware, ashes indicate that burning had taken place. The burning of the heifer shows us the suffering of Christ. Remember that during the burning of the heifer, cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet were added to the burning. We indicated that the hyssop and the scarlet represent the elect. The ashes of the heifer collected and preserved therefore include the ashes of the hyssop and that of the scarlet. The ashes of the heifer to be collected and preserved for the water of purification therefore is a symbol of the suffering we must endure in order to be cleansed. In other words, it is the fire of the word of the Lord. This implies that there is no cleansing when there are no fiery trials in our lives (fire of the word) since the ashes together with running water constitute the water of purification. 

Mat 13:20  As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 
Mat 13:21  yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word [the fire of the word], immediately he falls away.

The ashes of the heifer, which are a mark of suffering, are the same as the scars on the hands of our Lord Jesus when He appeared before Thomas and asked Thomas to put his finger into His scars as proof that He has resurrected. 

Joh 20:25  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 
Joh 20:26  Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 
Joh 20:27  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 
Joh 20:28  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 
Joh 20:29  Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

In verse 10, we are told that gathering ashes of a heifer makes one unclean. In another perspective, gathering ashes is the same as requiring evidence before believing, which makes us unclean. That was what happened to Thomas, and as a result, the Lord told him it is those who have not seen but yet believe who are blessed.  

The rest of the verses of this chapter focus on the sources of contamination which would require the use of water of purification.

Num 19:11  He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. 
Num 19:12  He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
Num 19:13  Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him. 
Num 19:14  This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

Spiritually, a dead body of any man refers to a person who is spiritually dead. Touching a dead body therefore means accepting the false teachings or doctrines from a spiritually dead person. As stated in verse 11, such a person becomes unclean for a complete period of his or her life until the person has access to the water of purification. In verse 12, purifying himself on the third day means that it is through the process of judgment that such a person will become spiritually mature or clean and shall be regarded as being clean over his complete (7 days) walk with Christ. This also implies that if such a person does not experience the process of judgment, such a person will not be clean or spiritually mature. 

In verse 13, we are told the consequence of touching a dead body of a man, that is, accepting false teachings or doctrines from a spiritually dead person. It defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and in the final analysis, such a person is cut off from the elect if he or she does not accept the judgment, or the fiery trials produced by the fire of the Lord’s words (water of purification). Defiling the tabernacle of the Lord means that our hearts and minds become defiled with false doctrines. Verse 14 says that if a man dies in a tent and we continue to come into the tent of the dead man, we shall be defiled for the rest of our walk with the Lord (complete 7-day period). What this implies is that if a person in our midst (in a tent) becomes spiritually dead and we continue to fellowship with such a person, we end up defiling our hearts and minds for the complete period of our walk when we continue to fellowship with the spiritually dead person. This scenario is what the apostles warned us about as follows:

Jud 1:3  Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 
Jud 1:4  For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Jud 1:8  Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 

Jud 1:10  But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
Jud 1:11  Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Jud 1:12  These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 
Jud 1:13  wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
Jud 1:14  It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 
Jud 1:15  to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 
Jud 1:16  These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. (ESV)

Num 19:15  And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean. 
Num 19:16  And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 

Verse 15 talks about the fact that an open vessel, without a cover fastened to it, is prone to being contaminated or unclean. We are the open vessel that must have a cover. Having a cover means we must be able to test the spirit to see if it is of the Lord. If we are not able to test the spirit, then we are just like an open vessel without cover which makes us unclean. 

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Verse 16 deals with being unclean by touching anything associated with a dead person – the dead body, a bone of a man or a grave. This means that we should not share fellowship with anyone who we know is spiritually dead, otherwise we end up becoming spiritually dead for a certain complete period of our walk with Christ (unclean for seven days). During Paul’s time, the church in Corinth was still having fellowship with a man who even slept with his father’s wife, although this deed was known within the church. This was Paul’s advice to the church:

1Co 5:1  It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 
1Co 5:2  And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. 
1Co 5:3  For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 
1Co 5:4  When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 
1Co 5:5  you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. 
1Co 5:6  Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 

1Co 5:9  I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people 
1Co 5:10  not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 
1Co 5:11  But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. (ESV)

Num 19:17  And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:
Num 19:18  And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave:
Num 19:19  And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even. 

It takes running water and the ashes of the burnt heifer for purification for sin. The running water here refers to the living and active word of the Lord.

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

As indicated earlier, the ashes of the burnt heifer refer to the fiery trials we endure or the fire of the word, which together with the living word of the Lord, causes us to learn righteousness or become clean. A clean person dipping the hyssop in the water and sprinkling it upon the tent means that it is the elect who, through what every joint supplies, helps those who have been overtaken by a fault to cleanse their hearts and mind with the truth of the word of the Lord. The clean person or the elect sprinkling upon the person who is taken in a fault on the third day means that it is through the process of judgment of our old man that we become clean or spiritually mature. The fact that he shall purify himself on the seventh day after washing his clothes and bathing himself in water signifies that the complete period of his walk with Christ shall be characterized by knowing the truth of the word of the Lord which is able to make one clean.  

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 

Num 19:20  But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean. 
Num 19:21  And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even. 
Num 19:22  And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even. 

These verses show us that if we do not walk by the truth of the word of the Lord (water of purification), we shall be alienated from the people of God or the elect. This means that we must pay heed to what we hear. It is not by our own power that we can walk in the truth of His words, but if we depend on Him, He will drag us to walk in His truth. 

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 

May the Lord help us to be doers of His word as we see the day approaching! Amen!!