The Nazirite Vow

Judges 13

The Nazirite VowNumbers 6 � Nazirite derives from the Hebrew word pronounced naw-zeer, meaning separated, or consecrated.Hair: Sign of God�s Authority Many times when someone was defiled they were to shave their head (Lev 14: leprosy, Deut 21: marrying a captive woman, Isaiah 7: symbolically the Assyrian captivity of northern Israel is described as taking a razor to the head of Israel after their long abandonment of Yahweh into idolatry). When defiled, the Nazirite vow demanded the head be shaved. Grapes: The Flesh Symbols of: wrath, plenty (cluster of grapes), inebriation that leads to sin (Noah, Lot, �poison grapes of Sodom� Deut 32, Proverbs 9 seductress, rampant sexual immorality of Rev 17), lack of wine comes with disobedience (Deut 28:39 � worms will eat the grapes), makes the heart glad (Psalm 104, Ecc 9)Dead body: SinClear defilement. Made water unclean (Lev 11), made people unclean (Numbers 19). Death is a type of sin and is the result of sin, or of coming into God�s presence without the covering of a sacrifice. It represents separation from God.Nazirite Vows in other placesThere are possibly three individuals who were Nazirite�s for life: Samson, Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11 �and a razor will never come on his head�), and John the Baptist (Luke 1:15 �he will drink no wine or liquor�).Each were placed under this life long vow prior to conception.All three mothers could not bear children, so their births were miraculous and unnatural.It makes sense in a way: Samuel was the one to anoint David, a forerunner or Christ � John the Baptist was to anoint Jesus (by baptizing Him) as the Savior. So why Samson? I found no information about this, but here are some ideas: perhaps it was because he was the last Judge, and God was preparing Israel to enter a new era of the prophets and kings. Perhaps it was to show the comparison to Samuel, who fulfilled his Nazirite vow � so a further picture of the failure of the flesh vs the victory of faith and obedience. It seems that Jesus Himself may have taken the vow of the Nazirite before the cross. (Matthew 26:29 �I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom.� He also refused wine in Matthew 26:33-34Like the other three Jesus was also miraculously conceived. Differently, He was among the dead and even died.Jesus Violated His Nazirite Vow On PurposeAnd at the cross he also violated the vow by 1. Drinking the wine just before death:John 19:28-30 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 2. By being in the presence of death3. By taking a razor to His head in the form of thorns in His crownThere is some suggestion that Jesus, after bearing the defilement of his vow (our sin, which equals death) on his body, that he renewed the vow in heaven, returning eight days later (John 20:26) � the exact number of days required to renew a Nazirite vow if violated in Numbers 6. And one thing more: there is a little thing at the end of the Nazirite section:Numbers 6:21 "This is the law of the Nazirite. But if he vows an offering to the Lord above his Nazirite vow, as he can afford, in exact accordance with the vow that he takes, then he shall do in addition to the law of the Nazirite." ESVHow much more did Jesus offer? His life as a sacrifice and offering to take away the sins of the world!For UsWe who belong to Jesus Christ are known as the "church," translated from the Greek ekklesia, meaning "called-out" We are separated from the rest of humanity and should appear that way. 2 Corinthians 6:17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; ESVSo although we don�t have a specific Nazirite vow, we can look at the principals and apply them to our lives today:The hair represents God having authority over our lives and having an outward sign of that. We should appear different to others. John 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." And Matthew 5:14-15 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. The abstention from wine could represent our killing the flesh. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 1 Thessalonians 5:22 22 Abstain from every form of evil.1 Peter 2:11-12 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. The keeping away from death might represent keeping ourselves from the influence and even presence of sin.2 Timothy 2:22-24 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. We are, in a sense, all under a temporary Nazirite vow. It will be complete when we are with the Father. At that time God will be in total authority over everything, sin, temptation and the flesh will no longer be present, and there will be no more death.At that time we can also enjoy the good things God has given us in heaven, the �real� joys that this world only mimics. ConclusionsEven if the Nazirite vow is not directly applicable to us today, we can apply the principals of separateness, abstention, and authority in our lives to shine out for God�s glory. References:http://www.remnantbride.com/coverings/chapter06.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazirite