The Christian should be a true Nazarite,
fully consecrated to God and separated from the things of this world,
thus securing the special blessing of God.
Numbers 1
1 And the LORD spake 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.
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.
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.
8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
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.
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.
22 ¶ And the LORD spake 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.
Numbers 1 – J. Vernon McGee
Numbers 6:1-12 – The Vow of Separation
The law of the Nazarite is full of instruction, because he is a type of the child of God who is separated from evil, that he may be wholly surrendered and given over to the divine service. Three rules were enjoined. Not to touch any product of the vine. If we must have exhilaration and stimulus, let us seek it in the Holy Spirit, not in worldly excitement, Ephesians 5:18-19. Not to cut the hair. The unshorn locks signified the dedication of the natural powers to God’s service. Let us beware of Delilah. Many are the razors waiting to deprive us of our crown, Judges 16:19. Not to touch the dead, however dear; teaching that the kingdom of God must supersede all earthly ties.
If our separation breaks down, Numbers 6:9-12, we must seek forgiveness and restoration; but the former days will not count. One sin may mar the power of a whole life of saintly testimony. —Through the Bible Day by Day
Numbers 6:12—The days that were before shall be lost.
How solemn is the suggestion of these words! If the separation of the Nazarite were broken in upon by his sudden contact with death, he might start afresh; but all the days that preceded that untoward event would go for nothing—they would not be counted.
How many days in our life have been made void! Days in which we have learned no new lesson of God; have had no access into His presence; have done no kind and helpful act; have spoken no loving, tender word. It is all-important that even our days of rest from active engagements should be days of learning deeper lessons, of vision, and of reception from the fulness of God.
Each day comes to us fresh from God, like soft metal, waiting to be stamped with our inscription; or like a piece of yielding clay, to be molded into some shape of beauty or use. Each morning the slate is brought for us to write on; the canvas on which we may paint. But too often we miss our opportunity, and a blurred, marred, confused result is all we have to show.
If you would avoid this, let God plan each day; follow the guidance of His Spirit; do all you touch with your might and for His glory; put away all known sin, and be separate from evil; in everything learn to submit to His dealings, and to commit yourself to His faithful keeping. Then each day will have something to keep in charge, and resemble a chalice filled to its brim with holy service. We must ever remember that “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (I Corinthians 3:13). —Our Daily Homily
Numbers 6:13-27 – The Nazarite Offering; the Priestly Blessing
Take heed, O Christian soul, who has dedicated thyself to some lofty purpose, to be warned by the law of the Nazarite! Thy God expects of thee a more careful walk than is required of others. The cups of gaiety of which they drink are not for thee. Shame and contumely may fall to thy lot, from which they escape.
Thou art specially to beware against defiling contact with aught that savors of death—those who are dead in trespasses and sins. Go with them only to save them, but never to participate in their ways.
If the Nazarite vows were vitiated, even by accident, the time that had elapsed was cancelled. Ah, how many of our days we have rendered void! The beautiful benediction with which the chapter closes has its counterpart in II Corinthians 13:14. What the human lips spoke on earth, God authenticated from heaven, Numbers 6:27. Be very careful for the honor of the Name! III John 7. —Through the Bible Day by Day