The Red Heifer

     The ashes of a Red Heifer cow are necessary to purify priests to serve in the Temple, required in Numbers 19 in the Torah.

    The red heifer brings the promise of reinstating Biblical purity, welcoming the Messiah, and rebuilding the Holy Temple for all nations. This view is spearheaded for the ultra-orthodox Jews, the Haredim, by their Temple Institute located near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. They state, "The Temple Institute's ultimate goal is to see Israel rebuild the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, in accord with the Biblical commandments." They have acquired red heifers, have all the priestly vestments, vessels, and altars made to occupy Temple III, and the blueprints are prepared. Temple priests, kohanim, have been raised since childhood. The Sanhedrin is already in place. The ultra-orthodox Jews of this generation are encouraged make it happen. [Website at www.templeinstitute.org.]

     Red heifers are presently available, but there is an additional requirement. Torah scholar Maimonides (1138-1204) stated, "... and the tenth red heifer will be accomplished by the king, the Messiah; may he be revealed speedily, Amen, May it be God's will." Their anticipated Messiah is the Mashiach, or Anointed One. He will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5), and well-versed in Jewish law and righteous judgment (Isaiah 11:2-5). The Mashiach is not divine, but chosen by God as King. Several have been suggested as present candidates for Mashiach, including Netanyahu, an Ashkenazi through Rashi to King David.

     Jesus was rejected by many Jews because He did not take up a sword against the Romans. Some see the arrival of the Jewish Mashiach in, "So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider had a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer." (Revelation 6:2) The Mashiach King will have a crown HERE.

     Jews want a Temple, Muslims abhor a Temple, and Christians do not think they need a Temple. However in the Revelation (11:1-2) there will be a rebuilt Temple where the two witnesses will preach. Here the Antichrist, "Sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." (2 Thessalonians 2:4) Christians need a Temple III which precedes the return of their Messiah, Jesus Christ.

     Temple III will only be built over the rock where Abraham was poised to sacrifice Isaac, the rock where the Dome of the Rock now squats, so requires the Temple Institute. The Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque occupy the Temple Mount, Islam's third most holy site, from which Muhammad is said to have ridden his white stallion up to meet Allah. Destruction of the Dome of the Rock will likely trigger war, perhaps a wild ride of the 4-Horsemen of the Apocalypse, possibly the Great Tribulation. 

     Al-Aqsa Mosque and the red heifer prompted the current Israel - Gaza war. On Sukkot, October 4, 2023, thousands of Jews flooded the Temple Mount and many forced themselves into Al-Aqsa Mosque in desecration. Three days later, October 7, 2023, there was an unanticipated retaliation attack by Hamas from Gaza into Israeli settlements with many deaths, mutilations, and hostages taken. Israel's response was immediate and brutal. On the 100th day Abu Obeida, Hamas military spokesmen, in a public broadcast called the October 7 attack the Al-Aqsa Flood battle, also prompted by the detestable "red cows." Hamas' one-state goal is the elimination of Israel. Background and full text of speech HERE.

     Knowing such an outcome, who would blow up the Dome of the Rock? An American Christian and an Australian Christian have been previously arrested in their attempts, just so they could say, "Come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20) A number of earlier Jewish plots have been foiled. And there are certainly militant Muslims, like 12ers, that would do it to unite Islam against the world, and, of course, blame the Jews. But these bunglers didn't have today's technology.

     A drone is one of those whirligigs that can deliver your Amazon order or a well-placed explosive. A child's toy can be turned into a strategic weapon. Fly it to the top of the Dome and press the button. All it takes is one motivated fanatic who thinks God/Allah/Jehovah has called him to welcome Jesus/Mahdi/Mashiach by preparing the way. Only one religiously-motivated person with a nice toy, a chemistry set, and a little practice can change our world, digging millions of graves.

     So why is the red heifer in the line? We read in Numbers 19 that Moses was in charge of burning this cow without yoke or blemish, along with cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool thrown in the fire. The ashes were mixed with pure water and the solution would purify an unclean person who has come in contact with death. Everyone is considered unclean today. There were nine red heifers burnt and used through the destruction of Temple II in 70 AD. Jews added to the Torah the Mishnah Tractate Parah. Moses and the priests in Solomon's Temple and Temple II had the ashes of a red heifer for purification, so they must also have those ashes. A true Jew must have a 10th red heifer for purification. Details explained HERE.

     Makes no sense? The ritual with the red heifer is known as a hok, a biblical law for which there is no apparent logic. It has the unexplained effect of making the persons who prepared the ashes ritually impure, but all who were sprinkled became ritually pure. Just do it. Even the Quran said, "Remember when Moses  said to his people, 'Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow.' They replied, 'Are you mocking us?' Moses responded, 'I seek refuge in Allah from acting foolishly!'" (Al-Baqarah 2:67) Perhaps there is a parallel with the Golden Calf coming of age.

     From a Christian perspective you might like the Perry Stone video "Ashes of the Red Heifer" HERE. Stone relates the red heifer as a picture of Jesus and His crucifixion. He also notes the red heifer to precede a Temple III. The Temple Institute says they do not need the earlier ashes to mix with the new ashes, as suggested in the hunt for the location in the copper scroll. Might the red heifer be sacrificed for Passover to coincide with Jesus' sacrifice?

     Potential red calves have been monitored for several years but all eventually showed a few white or black hairs. In anticipation a sample non-red heifer was burned to Biblical specifications to determine how much "water of cleansing" can be prepared, noted in an August 15, 2019 report HERE.

     On September 15, 2022 five red heifer calves arrived in Israel, supplied by an Evangelical Christian from Texas. The Temple Institute noted, "the new arrivals were greeted and speeches were made by the incredible people who have put their hearts and souls and means into making this historic/prophetic day become a reality." The calves were taken to Shiloh, the location of the Tabernacle. On March 27, 2024 there was a Red Heifer Conference in Shiloh. This indicates there are 3 red heifers still red and of full age. There is the further suggestion that one could be burnt there instead of on the Mount of Olives and sacrifices done there on the site where the Tabernacle and Ark of the Covenant was for a good portion of 480 years. An interesting update HERE. But we still need a Temple III.

     One of the five red red-heifers was burnt on July 1, 2025 HERE. The Temple Institute has issued a denial, "Anyone who claims otherwise, that the heifer was kosher and the ashes produced from it are kosher for the purpose of purification, is mistaken and misleading, either intentionally or unintentionally."

     In March 2025 the story of the Texas Christian, Byron Stinson, who supplied the five red heifers appeared in the Texas Monthly magazine. One Man’s Quest for the End of the World Started on a Ranch in Texas He "was adamant that the ceremony was real—that the heifer they burned was unblemished and the ashes they produced are kosher," and goes on to say there are still two qualified red heifers at Shiloh.

     A trial red heifer was burnt and evaluated on August 15, 2019. Did the Temple Institute need to burn another trial? Or was it as Stinson said, kosher? The denial may be to avoid a similar El Aqsa Flood for the "red cow." The ashes and the water of purification may be available now, two more red heifers available for backup.

     The priests may have been already purified for sacrificing on the already prepared altar, waiting for the Mashiach to be announced. They just need to clear the Dome of the Rock from the Temple site. Perhaps a "stray" drone or missile from an Iran or Israel bombardment might start the process. May we wait upon the Lord.