Introduction
Tucked away among Numbers’ opening chapters of instructions, lists and names is a significant passage about a man or woman who takes a special vow to be devoted to God: a Nazarite. The word Nazarite means “one separated,” or “distinguished one,” to God. There is no continuing vow of a Nazarite in the New Testament. Yet as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are sanctified, both positionally before God and practically before the world. It is apparent through the aspects of the Nazarite vow that there are direct applications to us as believers. This series of articles will examine Numbers 6 and the Nazarite.
Structure of the Chapter
Numbers 6 has three parts, each of which will have a devoted article. First, verses 1-12 describe the vow of the Nazarite. We learn the distinguishing features of the Nazarite, including the procedure of restarting the vow due to unintentional defilement. Next, verses 13-21 consider the required sacrifices at the termination of the prescribed time of the vow. Lastly, verses 22-27 relay the Lord again speaking to Moses with a priestly blessing upon the people of Israel.
Vow of the Nazarite
Many commentators, modern or not, call into question the origins of these instructions. They suppose that since there is no example of a Nazarite in the Old Testament taking this vow for a set time, these instructions were progressively added to make this consecration increasingly more stringent. Yet the first verse overthrows all the pages of suppositions in both Christian and Jewish scholarship because “the LORD spake unto Moses.”1
A second important fact is that, unlike many Jewish regulations, either sex could take this vow of consecration and set themselves apart from the people of God. As a practical lesson for us today, we do not vow to set ourselves apart from other Christians, but holiness pertains to all believers. The devotion of sisters in the local assembly is no less than their public counterparts. Women in the NT displayed prominent devotion, including Mary in Bethany, the women funding the Lord’s journeys, those at the foot of the cross, the women beholding the cross from a distance, Mary Magdalene and other women going to the tomb. Consecration to God is as much a matter for the sisters as it is for the brothers.
The Grape
There were three ways that a Nazarite would separate themselves from other Israelites: the grape, their hair and special avoidance of death. The fruit of a vineyard played a prominent role once the children of Israel entered the land. One of the great evidences of the prosperity of the land was the cluster of grapes that required two spies to carry it back from the brook Eschol during Israel’s initial reconnaissance of Canaan (Num 13:23). Grapes, vineyards and winepresses were prominent in Israel, and therefore often taken up by the prophets as vivid pictures to Israel. Avoiding all things that came from the vine would be an obvious mark of separation.
What is our lesson? A separated person is one of sobriety and self-control. Titus 2 gives instructions to all age groups pertaining to their social lifestyle. Paul tells Titus they must strive for clear thinking. The easiest way for any person to lack clear thinking is to ingest alcohol or drugs, legal or not. The proverb says “wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging” when describing the character of impairing substances (20:1). We show our separation by a character of sobriety and self-control.
The Hair
The second way that a Nazarite was identifiable was by their hair. They were to allow the locks of their head to grow long. The famous Nazarite, Samson, was known for his long hair, which was linked to his power (Jdg 16:17). Again, recall that the vow of a Nazarite could be taken by either a male or a female. Contemplating males and females and long hair, we consider 1 Corinthians 11:14-15, where Paul argues from nature that men ought to have short hair and women long hair, the opposite being a shame. The Nazarite male with his long hair would bear shame for the Lord, while the Nazarite female who shaved her locks at the end of her vow would likewise bear shame.
What is our lesson? A separated person is one willing to bear shame for the Lord. In Acts 5:41, the apostles, when imprisoned and threatened because of the gospel, “[rejoiced that] they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” Shame is never our desire; the Lord Himself despised the shame (Heb 12:2), yet it cannot be avoided if we are to bring glory to Him in every situation.
Death
The final mark of a Nazarite concerns their avoidance of death. The Israelite was careful to avoid contact with death, but in some circumstances, it was necessary and required the ceremonial cleansing of the Red Heifer ritual (Num 19). The Nazarite was hypervigilant not to be contaminated by death to prevent needing to restart the timeframe of their vow; the text assumes that contact with death for the Nazarite is always accidental (vv9-12). Contamination by death was a serious matter, not merely to avoid resulting illness through contacting a dead body, but because sin is linked with death. Death came by sin through Adam (Rom 5:12), “sin … bringeth forth death” (Jas 1:15), and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23), fulfilling what God said when He told Adam, “In the day of thine eating of it – dying thou dost die” (Gen 2:17 YLT).
What is our lesson? A separated person must avoid sin and, when contaminated, confess their sin. The believer has died to sin (Rom 6:2), yet the flesh still tempts. We do not need to respond to the flesh any longer because we died with Christ when we were saved. John, however, tells us that we will not be impeccable until we are with Christ and see Him (1Jn 3:2). When we sin, we are to confess it, knowing that God will cleanse us upon the basis of the past propitiatory sacrifice of our present Advocate who is with the Father (1Jn 1:9-2:2).
Finally, see Samson about the danger of getting as close to the forbidden things. Read of him walking in a vineyard, removing honey from the lion’s carcass, wielding a donkey’s jawbone, and finally coming to disaster as he reveals the secret of his long hair. Flee the things that contaminate us and pursue what promotes a healthy spiritual life (2Ti 2:22).
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV unless otherwise noted.
