The children of Israel were anciently commanded to make an offering for the entire congregation to purify them from ceremonial defilement. This sacrifice was a red heifer and represented the more perfect offering that should redeem from the pollution of sin. This was an occasional sacrifice for the purification of all those who had necessarily or accidentally touched the dead. All who came in contact with death in any way were considered ceremonially unclean. This was to forcibly impress the minds of the Hebrews with the fact that death came in consequence of sin and therefore is a representative of sin. The one heifer, the one ark, the one brazen serpent, impressively point to the one great offering, the sacrifice of Christ. {FLB 199.2}

Israels børn blev i gammel tid befalet at gøre et offer for hele forsamlingen for at rense dem fra ceremoniel besmittelse. Dette offer var en rød kvie og repræsenterer det mere fuldkomne offer, der skulle genløse fra syndens besmittelse. Dette var et lejlighedsoffer for alle deres besmittelse, som skulle røre eller var kommet til at røre ved døde. Alle som kom i kontakt med døde blev på enhver måde betragtet som ceremonielt urene. Dette blev indprentet i hebræernes tanker med det faktum at døden var en følge af synd og der en repræsentant af synd. Kalven, arken, kobberslangen pegede slående hen på et stort offer, Kristi offer.