Throughout the Old Testament we see Jesus in the manner of shadows and messiah types. Today, I will spend my time on an example of the shadow in Leviticus 14.
“Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:”
Leviticus 14:4 KJV
In this scripture we see the keywords cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop. The cedar being the tree, the cross that Jesus was placed on to die for our sins, and scarlet depicting his blood. Upon researching the hyssop, I found that it may not be the English mint, Hyssopus officinalis, but the Origanum syriacum which is known as Zaatar. Both plants are in the mint family. A prominent feature of any mint is its square stem. The Origanum syriacum is known to us as Syrian Oregano and is thought to be the biblical hyssop. The mints are aromatic. The Hebrew word that depicts the difference is the word ezob, and the modern Hebrew is ezov, thus rendering the English word hyssop. The Syrian Oregano, Zaatar is a prized herb used in their culinary dishes.
Where does the hyssop plant apply to in this shadow? The hyssop was used as a brush to apply the blood over the lintel and door posts of the houses the Hebrews were dwelling in Egypt during the Passover (Pesach, Pasha). The blood being placed on the doors of the homes and the people told to stay inside meant that their first born would survive. The blood being applied covered the indignation that was to come. The blood in this age covered. We think of the blood as covering our sins, but in the New Covenant it delivers us from sin because Jesus died on the cross to defeat sin and death, and to crush the head of Satan.
“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.”
Exodus 12:22 KJV
As we look in John 19:29, we see the hyssop how the hyssop was used. While writing this devotional I am looking at this scripture to see its meaning as in symbolism being used in the Old Testament. In Exodus, it is used to apply the blood. The vinegar, which is a ruined wine would mean to me as a blood that was corrupted by sin. Man’s fall into sin affected his life, corrupted everything on earth and is a curse. This curse is generational and affects the blood of men spiritually.
“Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”
There is another keyword in Leviticus 14 that is depicts what is to come. In verse 51 says,
“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:”
What are the additional the keywords that applies to the Cross? Here we see the words running water. Water depicts the Holy Spirit and life. It was upon the Cross that Jesus would die for our sins but would always be with us through the sending of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 and fulfilling the prophecy of Joel. The Holy Spirit empowers and enables the Church to function and continue the ministry and works of Jesus. From the Crucifixion sin was defeated, yet life, strength, authority, and strength come from the Holy Spirit being with us and in us.
How do we know that Jesus was the sacrifice in the Old Testament? We see the symbolism above, and I will add another shadow keyword, that is red heifer. In Numbers 19:6 it says,
“And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.”
The red heifer, the shadow and symbolism of the blood and perfection. The red heifer in order to qualify must not have any dark hair on its body at all. All the hair must be red. The red heifer is symbolic of the messiah that comes to do the work for mankind forgiveness. The work of forgiveness only comes by confessing our sins to Jesus, the Intercessor between us and the Father.
So, in conclusion, we see the keywords, the shadows all coming together in the Numbers 19. The cedar, scarlet, hyssop, and the red heifer. In the running water, the Holy Spirit is to come later as a mighty rushing wind to fill the temples of men, women, and children. As I look upon this shadow and think on how it all came to be, I see beauty in the manner God works and how much he loves all of us. His love being shown in willing to die for mankind.
Notes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origanum_syriacum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Za%27atar
All scripture used was taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, Biblegateway.
James G. Owen, Author 