NUMBERS

Numbers Chapter 6

• Numbers 6:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 
• 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: 
• 3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried. 
• 4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. 

This vow of the Nazarite was for men and women as well. They could give themselves over to the service of the Lord and set themselves apart to seek the Lord. Some did this all their lives and some for a season. It seems to be something that they decide to do on their own. In some cases like in the case of John the Baptist or Samson someone else called them to become a Nazarite. 

They were not to drink wine or strong drink or the fruit of the vine. It could be that strong drink dulls the senses and makes one more given to sin rather than cause one to seek the Lord. I'm puzzled however as to why grapes or unfermented fruit of the vine would be forbidden. It could be that with aging the fruit of the vine or wine will cause one to become drunk and be unable to function in their right minds. I prefer to stay away from all alcoholic beverages myself. I've seen too many ruin their lives, marriages, health and even death when they indulge in drinking strong drinks.

This vow of the Nazarite may be similar to the Christian choosing to set him or herself apart for prayer and fasting for the purpose of seeking God for spiritual direction and getting victory over the hindrances of the flesh. Drinking alcoholic beverages would hinder the purpose of fasting because it brings in the will of the flesh rather than the will of the spirit. 

Strong drink makes the flesh stronger and the spirit weaker whereas seeking the Lord and setting oneself apart to seek only Him will give the spirit more strength over the flesh. 

• Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 
• 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 

In some things that we do not understand, seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit is available. We do not have to walk alone or without understanding.

• Numbers 6:5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow. 

Some say that this part of the Nazarite vow may be a further sign of separation from the world. A person who does not cut his hair and concern himself with grooming or looking good in the flesh may be more likely to seek only the Lord and not care about anything else. I don't know if this was the reason they were not to cut their hair but just my speculation. We no longer have this type of separation under Christianity. All things are different but to study this is important to show the holiness of God and that we do not take our vows lightly.

We all need seasons where we give ourselves totally to the purpose of seeking God. We seldom do this any longer and that may be why Christians have such trouble in the area of the flesh and have troubled homes, sexual sins and such. 

I remember times when we would gather at the front bench after church and just pray and seek the Lord. That would sustain us and strengthen us before starting our week again. 

I hear messages about spending quality time with a wife, children or friends but we also need quality time one on one with the Lord. This is lacking today. 

• Numbers 6:6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. 
• 7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head. 

These were the days before Jesus came the first to be the final sacrifice and cleansing atonement that comes through the blood of Jesus. When they took a Nazarite vow to seek the Lord, they had to be as clean as possible like those that served the altar and tabernacle. They had to let others do the service of taking care of those that died. This was one way for those that were not of the tribe of Levi to give themselves also to the service of the Lord either temporarily or for life. 

• Numbers 6:8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD. 

This sort of lets one know how much Jesus Christ really did for mankind. Before Christ we could not come into the presence of God lightly and unclean. Through Christ now we can come boldly to the throne of grace. 

In saying that though, we still need to show reverence when we gather together in the name of the Lord for worship. He still is the same holy God of the Old Testament and still deserves reverence and respect. 

We must not lose that awe and fear of God just because we live under grace. 

• Numbers 6:9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it. 
• 10 And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 
• 11 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day. 
• 12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled. 

God makes provision for those that accidently had to be defiled by the dead. Death is ugly and a hard thing to think about especially before Christ. Now since the coming of Jesus Christ we have the hope of eternal life and resurrection from the dead. As Christ died and then rose again, we who belong of Jesus Christ will rise again. 

Of course there is no soul sleep so the soul and spirit go to be with the Lord the moment a believer dies. Only the body dies and awaits the resurrection. There is no purgatory or any such temporary place. There use to be something called Abraham's bosom but that was done away with when Jesus took those souls with Him to heaven at His own resurrection. 

Remember His words to the thief on the cross. 

• Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
• 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 
• 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 
• 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 
• 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. 

Where Jesus went this believer went also. There is no soul sleep. 

• Numbers 6:13 And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 
• 14 And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, 
• 15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings. 
• 16 And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: 
• 17 And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering. 
• 18 And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings. 
• 19 And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven: 
• 20 And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine. 
• 21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation. 

If their vow was broken for some reason that couldn't be avoided, provision was made for cleansing. They could then start all over. 

Again these things show us just how important the sacrifice of Jesus was and how through Him we no longer had to worry about sacrifices and offerings like they did under the law because Jesus Christ fulfilled the requirements of the law on our behalf. 

• Numbers 6:22 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, 
• 23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 
• 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 
• 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 
• 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 
• 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them. 

This could be something to memorize. We need even as believers in Jesus to realize that we need the Lord's presence and to trust Him to keep us safe from spiritual harm. Through Christ what was promised to Israel can be available to Gentiles also when we come by faith in the gospel. DC