The Truth About the Red Heifer of Israel (What the Bible Actually Says)
- Jamey Escamilla
- Apr 15
- 11 min read
In recent years, the buzz around the red heifer of Israel has surged.
Red heifer news reports of flawless heifers in Israel coming from Texas in 2022 have stirred excitement among those who believe we are living in the end times.
For many, the appearance of a red heifer signals that the Third Temple will soon be rebuilt and that major prophetic events are just around the corner.
But what if the stories aren’t quite what we’ve been told, and what if the red heifer prophecy doesn’t mean what we think it means?
In this article, we’ll explore the question, “What does the red heifer represent in the Bible?”
We’ll also simplify things as we investigate the Israel updates, Bible verses, and the red heifer ceremony…
… and why a growing number of Christians believe it may have already served its purpose centuries ago.
ALL THINGS concerning the red heifer meaning can be found here.
Hang around until the end to get a link to a 7-part FREE (and fun!) series on Bible prophecy!
Let’s dive in!
What is the Red Heifer of Israel?
The red heifer (Hebrew: parah adumah) comes from Numbers 19, where God gave specific instructions for ceremonial purification in ancient Israel.
Numbers 19:1-10 ESV
1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “This is the statute of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish, and on which a yoke has never come. 3 And you shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered before him. 4 And Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger, and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. 5 And the heifer shall be burned in his sight. Its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned. 6 And the priest shall take cedarwood and hyssop and scarlet yarn, and throw them into the fire burning the heifer. 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. 8 The one who burns the heifer shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his body in water and shall be unclean until evening. 9 And a man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place. And they shall be kept for the water for impurity for the congregation of the people of Israel; it is a sin offering. 10 And the one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. And this shall be a perpetual statute for the people of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them.
The heifer was to be sacrificed outside the camp, and its ashes were used in water for purification.
What is the significance of a red heifer in the Bible?
The red heifer sacrifice was not a typical sin offering but a purification ritual tied deeply to holiness, death, and access to God.
Simply put, it was the way they purified themselves to go into the temple.
No Red Heifer of Israel Sacrifice = No Temple Entrance
If there was no flawless red heifer to be burned for ashes, there was no purification, and therefore, no way for priests or anyone to enter the temple.
This is why the red heifer was so crucial to the ancient Israelites. Without it, the work could literally not be done.
The Significance for Today - The Red Heifer and End Times
What does the Bible say about the red heifer for today?
No scripture in the New Testament speaks of a red heifer update that pertains to our future or our current day.
Please note: that statement is not to immediately “debunk” or contradict what most people are saying about the subject today.
Everyone will tell you that a prophetic red heifer is not explicitly mentioned but is “obviously implied” due to other scriptures.
For example, if I told you that I’m going swimming later today, you could reasonably assume that there will be water.
The same goes for the red heifer. Because of other circumstances perceived in the Bible, most people believe they can reasonably assume that a red heifer will be coming in the future.
Everyone will quickly tell you that the blood of Christ has atoned for all sin, and the blood of a red heifer is not currently needed:
Hebrews 9:13-14
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
The writer clearly says that the “sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer” cannot cleanse anyone.
Christ has already done that.
So, why are people saying that a red heifer is supposed to be revealed and is vital to end-time prophecy?
Hasn’t the sacrifice of Christ proved to be enough for once-and-for-all sanctification?
Are these red heifer supporters blaspheming the blood of Christ?
Let’s get the doctrine straight.
Many believe that a future 7-year Great Tribulation is coming and that when this time begins, God will rapture the church off the earth and go back to dealing only with the Jews.
And if you believe this, then you probably also believe that lots of end-time scriptures that speak of a “temple” are referring to a third temple, such as this one:
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.
Futurists believe that the man of lawlessness here (they say this is the Antichrist) takes his seat “in the temple.”
Since they feel that this refers to a future coming Antichrist and a “day of the Lord” where the end of all things takes place, this “temple” here must also be in the future.
We currently do not have a temple because the last one was destroyed in AD 70.
So, they imply that this “temple” will be a future, rebuilt, third temple.
Animal sacrifices, including the red heifer sacrifice, will be reinstituted during this time.
Why Do They Say Animal Sacrifices Will Be Reinstituted?
For two reasons:
First, because futurists think that Daniel 9:27 is also an end-time scripture referring to our future and the Antichrist:
And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.
They interpret this to mean that “he (the Antichrist)” will make some type of covenant with the Jews for “one week (7 years/Great Tribulation)” which allows them to offer animal sacrifices in a rebuilt temple.
But in the mid-way point of those seven years, he will end that covenant and stop allowing them to sacrifice animals (“put an end to sacrifice”).
Second, if the temple is going to be rebuilt, animal sacrifices and the red heifer must be reinstated.
Because according to our scripture in Numbers 19, one was not allowed to work in or enter the temple without the red heifer sacrifice.
No red heifers = no temple work.
You cannot have a red heifer without a temple, and you can’t have a temple without a red heifer. They go hand-in-hand.
This is why there are so many red heifer updates online and within Christian prophecy circles.
This is the significance of the red heifer for today.
As you can see, many believers see the coming of the red heifer as a significant sign of the end times.
The subject fuels prophecy talk all around the world.
Many believers constantly search for this content online, searching things like “Red heifer sacrifice 2025” and “red heifer sacrifice date.”
But is all this true?
Is there an alternative way to view these things?
I think so.
But first, let’s look closer at how these red heifer ashes are affecting the church today.
Red Heifer Found? The Updates and Effects
In September 2022, five red heifers were brought to Israel, sparking global interest.
The red heifers were raised by a Texas rancher who also seems to strongly support Israel and the Temple Institute, an organization actively working to rebuild the third temple in Jerusalem.
According to his own site, Byron Stinson and his team were responsible for getting five perfect red heifers to Israel.
Now, over two years later, these animals are being tended in the historic region of Shiloh, where they still draw visitors from around the world.
It is important to know that the Texas rancher did all this because of his views about the end times.
He is a futurist, so he firmly believes that the third temple needs to be rebuilt, which consequently calls for red heifers.
The latest updates show that 2 of the five red heifers have been disqualified, shown not to be pure.
But the other 3 seem to be OK, even though there is conflicting evidence. Some content says they’re good to go, while others try to stir the pot a bit and say they’re not.
But again, there’s still one important thing missing.
The Third Temple Will Be Rebuilt?!?
Technically, the “pure” person can sacrifice the red heifer to create the ash and water mix as of right now. This could be done this year.
This water would then be used to purify people and the utensils, which would then be used to do the work of the temple.
However, there’s still one problem: No temple.
Simply put, even if the red heifer is sacrificed, this would only mean that the way has been made to do the work in the temple once it's rebuilt.
This means that eventually, some Jews and Christians will want the third temple rebuilt, which needs to be rebuilt on the Temple Mount, where the first and second temples used to stand.
But right now, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a significant Muslim mosque, and the Dome of the Rock are standing on the same site.
Naturally, some Muslims feel that these red heifers, especially if they’re sacrificed, will ignite and speed up the desire to build a third temple…
… which could mean that some radicals of the Jews and Christians could start a “holy war” to get the land back.
So, the fact that there are red heifers in Israel today does not mean that the third temple will be rebuilt any time soon.
Byron Stinson has also stated that they’re trying to raise more cows from the current red heifers so they can always have a constant number of new ones around, just in case.
All of this information teaches us one important thing:
Our views about eschatology as Christians do matter. They are extremely important and sometimes lead to actions that have ramifications.
For example, I know a man who believed the end was coming soon.
So, he stocked up tons of food. He had a lot of end-time food stored at his home.
The man has now died, and all the food seems to have gone to waste.
His beliefs led to specific actions:
Spending money
Fear-based living
Altering his house to accommodate the storage of food
Ending relationships with others because they disagreed with his eschatological views
Byron Stinson’s views about eschatology led him to raise red heifers because he felt that he could be the one to bring them to the world.
At this point, I would like to remind us all of one important thing:
The most important thing is making sure the Bible teaches all this.
Sometimes, getting caught up in searching for news and updates concerning the red heifers is easy.
We do this so much that we forget to return to the simplicity of the Bible.
News and YouTube videos do not dictate our theology—the Bible does.
Let’s go back to the drawing board for a second and make sure the Bible is really teaching this stuff.
I would like to share an alternative, more victorious view of all this with you.
Another Way to View the Red Heifer Prophecy
In order for red heifers to be significant for the end times, it has to first be proven that the Bible really does talk about a third temple.
Tommy Ice, a big supporter of the third temple, has stated:
“There are no Bible verses that say, “There is going to be a third Temple.” Rather the fact that there will be a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem at least by the midpoint of the seven-year tribulation period is supported by at least four scriptural references.”
Tommy Ice and Randall Price, Ready to Rebuild (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 1992), 197-198.
Although no clear scripture mentions a third temple, he says it can be proven with four scriptural references.
In other words, he’s saying that the scriptures are “alluding” to a third temple.
One of those scriptures is the one quoted above, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4.
It talks about the “man of lawlessness” coming and sitting in the temple.
Some in Thessalonica had become convinced that the "day of the Lord" had already arrived.
Rumors were swirling—through forged letters, spoken claims, and even supposed prophecies—convincing them that this climactic event was underway.
But Paul corrects this confusion. He insists the day won’t come until the “man of lawlessness” appears.
This figure, Paul says, will take his seat (Greek: kathisai, meaning “to sit down”) in the temple of God, exalting himself.
Many interpret this “man of lawlessness” as the Antichrist, and the “day of the Lord” as Christ’s final return.
From that view, if this man is to occupy the temple—and the Second Temple was destroyed in AD 70—then a Third Temple must one day be rebuilt.
However, another perspective is that the “day of the Lord” refers not to a future cosmic event, but to the judgment that fell on Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70.
This raises some questions.
Why would the Thessalonians think the day had come if it meant global cataclysm—falling stars, collapsing creation, and a visible return of Christ witnessed by all?
And why would they believe it had arrived if neither Paul nor they had been “raptured”?
None of those things had happened. So maybe the “day of the Lord” meant something different than they—and perhaps we—have assumed.
Likewise, we shouldn’t automatically equate the “man of lawlessness” with a future Antichrist.
Paul says the Thessalonians knew what was restraining him (2 Thess. 2:6). That suggests this figure may have been someone in their own time—someone they recognized.
The passage does not say “the Antichrist.” It says “the man of lawlessness.” So, we cannot automatically call him the Antichrist without building a case for it first.
To make a long story short, all of the scriptures used to teach a third temple mention a “temple,” of course.
But they’re not talking about a future rebuilt third temple. They’re simply talking about the temple which stood in their day—the second one…
…the one that was destroyed in AD 70, which was what the apostles called the day of the Lord.
Concerning the above scripture, a certain man in their day (not ours), who Paul called the “man of lawlessness,” was going to sit in the temple (the one they knew of in their day) and call himself God.
Then the day of the Lord would be underway, and the temple and their city would be destroyed.
It’s very simple.
I know that this leads to many more questions, and it’s probably something you’ve never heard.
But I encourage you to take a look at this other view.
We don’t need red heifers.
What About Daniel 9?
Now, I know what you’re thinking (especially since you know so much about futurism!)
Many believe that we will need red heifers and a third temple in the future, because they think Daniel 9 says so!
Again, they believe that Daniel 9 is teaching that God will go back to dealing with the Jews in the final seven years, which will mean a return to animal sacrifices.
But that all depends if God actually did stop the prophetic time clock.
I don’t believe he did.
But I won’t get into all of that here, since Daniel 9 is a huge topic all in itself.
There is a link to a teaching I did on Daniel 9 below.
Conclusion
I invite you to explore this alternative view about the end-times.
I would suggest doing it in this order:
Read about the red heifers (you just did it, so great job!)
Watch out 7-part FREE series on Matthew 24 and the end-times .
The red heifer of Israel has no significance for today or the future.
Do your own research and let me know what you think or if you have questions!
Comments