by Doreen Kajulu | 4 December 2020 08:46 pm12
Introduction
Hyssop is a small, bushy plant with aromatic leaves, commonly found in the Middle East. In the Bible, it holds deep symbolic significance, especially in the context of purification, sacrifice, and redemption. Though a humble plant, hyssop becomes a powerful image of how God cleanses His people physically in the Old Testament and spiritually through Christ in the New Testament.
1. Hyssop and the Ceremonial Cleansing of Leprosy
Under the Mosaic Law, hyssop was part of the ritual used to cleanse a person who had been healed of leprosy a disease that not only caused physical suffering but also rendered a person ceremonially unclean.
Leviticus 14:4–7 (NKJV):
“Then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedarwood, scarlet, and hyssop. And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water… He shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean…”
The act of sprinkling the blood mixed with hyssop symbolized purification and restoration. The disease of leprosy often served as a biblical metaphor for sin its defiling and isolating nature so the cleansing ritual with hyssop pointed forward to a deeper spiritual truth: we need divine cleansing to be restored to fellowship with God and others.
2. Hyssop and the Passover (Symbol of Redemption)
During the first Passover in Egypt, hyssop was used as a brush to apply the blood of the lamb to the Israelites’ doorposts. This act spared their households from the judgment of God during the tenth plague.
Exodus 12:22 (NKJV):
“And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning.”
This was not just a physical sign, but a prophetic foreshadowing of the blood of Christ, the true Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7), whose blood covers and protects believers from the eternal consequences of sin.
3. Hyssop in the Tabernacle Purification
Hyssop was also used in rituals that sanctified the Tabernacle, its utensils, and the people, as a means of ceremonial purification.
Hebrews 9:19–22 (NKJV):
“For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people…”
The author of Hebrews points out that “without shedding of blood there is no remission” (v. 22). This Old Covenant system was temporary and symbolic, pointing to the need for a better sacrifice Jesus Christ, whose blood cleanses the conscience and not just the body (Hebrews 9:14).
4. David’s Prayer for Inner Cleansing (Hyssop as Spiritual Symbol)
After his grievous sin with Bathsheba, King David repented and cried out to God in Psalm 51, asking not only for forgiveness but for spiritual cleansing.
Psalm 51:7 (NKJV):
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Here, hyssop is no longer about physical cleansing but spiritual restoration. David understood that only God could cleanse the stains of sin from his heart, just as hyssop was used in rituals of purification. His plea reflects the cry of every believer in need of mercy and sanctification.
5. Hyssop at the Cross (Christ, the Fulfillment of the Symbol)
Hyssop appears once more at a climactic moment during the crucifixion of Jesus.
John 19:29 (NKJV):
“Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.”
Why hyssop? Symbolically, it connects Jesus’ sacrificial death with the Old Testament cleansing rituals. The same plant used to apply the blood of the Passover lamb was now used at the cross of the Lamb of God. It is a powerful image Christ, the sinless Savior, was offering Himself as the final sacrifice for the purification of humanity.
6. The Spiritual Meaning Today: Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus
While hyssop was a physical tool in the Old Testament, its significance points us to a greater spiritual reality in the New Testament. Only the blood of Jesus Christ can truly cleanse our hearts from sin.
1 John 1:7 (NKJV):
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
We are not made clean by rituals or outward actions, but by faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross.
Conclusion: Have You Been Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus?
Hyssop in Scripture teaches us about the need for cleansing both ceremonial and spiritual. But now, in Christ, we have a better covenant. His blood is enough. It cleanses, heals, redeems, and restores.
So, the most important question is this:
Have you been washed by the blood of Jesus?
If not, don’t delay. These are the last days. Invite Him into your heart. Repent of your sins, and surrender your life to Him. He is faithful to forgive and make you new.
Maranatha – The Lord is coming.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2020/12/04/what-is-hyssop-a-symbol-of-cleansing-and-redemption-psalm-517/
Copyright ©2025 Wingu la Mashahidi unless otherwise noted.