Earthenware חֶ֫רֶשׂ

We are in chapter six of Leviticus with our word for today. חֶ֫רֶשׂ scorched clay, earthenware, potsherd. It is used 17 times in the Old Testament. Our word is used in the sense of a potsherd, a shard of pottery. A couple of good examples are found when Job uses one and describing the consequences of Israel’s sin. Job 2:7-8 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took חֶ֔רֶשׂ a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Isaiah 30:13-14 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach in a high wall, bulging out and about to collapse, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant; and its breaking is like that of a potter's vessel that is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a חֶ֔רֶשׂ shard is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern. We also see our word used in the sense of a clay vessel used for holding liquids. Isaiah 45:9 Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a חֶ֖רֶשׂ pot among חֶ֖רֶשׂ earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’? Our word is used in the context of instructions for the sin offering which is how it is used in our chapter today. Leviticus 6:27-28 When any of its blood is splashed on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was splashed in a holy place. And the חֶ֛רֶשׂ earthenware vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken. But if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured and rinsed in water. Did you notice that the earthenware was to be broken after it was used to clean the priest garment of blood that was splashed on it. This reminds us of Christ who’s body was broken to cleans us from sin. We see this imagery when Christ refers to his death as his body being broken when setting up the Lord Supper or Communion (1 Corinthians 11:24). There is an interesting use of our word. It is in a prediction of Christ death on the cross made a thousand years before it happened. I’ll close with some sections from this great Psalm. Also notice the other predictions describing Christ sacrifice for us on the cross. Psalm 22:1, 14-21, 27-28 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? … I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my strength is dried up like a כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet — I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O Lord, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog! Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen! … All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.