February 2007

A Sacred Red Cow
What could possibly be sacred about a red cow?

Two red heifers have been born in recent years -- one in the United States and another in Israel. The birth of a red cow denotes end times for children of God in most nations -- and this is especially true in the Middle East.

Remarkably, these two cows are believed to be
the first ones born in at least 2,000 years.

The heifer in Israel is hailed as a sign of the coming of the Messiah and decried by some as a walking bomb because of the spiritual interpretation put upon it. Believed to have been extinct for centuries, a red heifer is seen as the missing link needed for Jews to rebuild their ancient Temple in Jerusalem. Sacrificing the animal in its third year and using its ashes in a purification rite would allow them to return to the Temple site, a spot on this planet that is considered holy by Jews -- as well as Muslims and Christians.
With tensions extremely high between Israel and the Palestinians for many years, it is feared that the existence of these two cows is a significant sign of the times -- and could create an explosive situation. Rabbi Shmaria Shore is one of a select few who have stroked the nose of the unique animal born in Israel, which is being seen as a harbinger of the coming Messiah.

A red cow represents the risk of a massive religious war," said Avraham Poraz, a member of the parliament from the leftist Meretz Party. "If the fanatics get a hold of it and try to take over the Temple Mount, God knows what will happen. It only takes a few crazies to endanger all our lives."

"The red heifer is one of the most important signs that we are living in a special time," says Gershon Solomon, head of a special group dedicated to rebuilding the ancient Jewish Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.

Asked whether his group advocated that, Solomon would say only that he believed the Dome of the Rock and al-Aska Mosque could be dismantled and moved to Mecca -- a move that could hurt if not destroy prospects for regional peace. Even though mainstream religious groups have not rallied around the red cow as a symbol of things to come, some secular Israelis see her as a genuine threat. This is a very important prerequisite for rebuilding the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

When the red heifer's owner contacted the Temple Institute back in 2001, Rabbi Menachem Makover and Rabbi Chaim Richman traveled to the farm to inspect and validate her status. The rabbis found her to be kosher and were satisfied that this heifer could indeed be a candidate to be used in
the process of purification as described in the book of Numbers.

"And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 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: 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: 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: And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer. 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. And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even. 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. 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." Numbers 19:1-10

Religious tradition records that a red heifer in our generation is a herald
of the Messianic era. It is certainly an important development towards the rebuilding of the Holy Temple by the Jews and will be greatly resisted by
the Muslims. Sages taught that Israelis redemption can be compared to the dawn. "In the beginning, it progresses very slowly... but as it continues, it grows brighter and brighter..." Obviously, we are on a path to a major confrontation over this issue.

The sacred red cow in Israel is being protected by an armed guard in a skullcap and visited by rabbis and other seekers who are looking for ways
to explain the meaning of what is happening.

As most Christians understand, the Holy Temple must be rebuilt before
the Anitchrist can desecrate it by proclaiming himself to be God: "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4

The birth of two red cows after 2000 years is a credible sign that we are nearing the end of time!