We are moving into Numbers chapter six with our word for today. נָזִירdevoted, consecrated, devotee, Nazirite. It is used 16 times in the Old Testament, 6 times in our chapter. Our word is used in the sense of Nazirite, a special class of people who have taken a vow of separation to God involving specific behaviors. Let’s look at them. Numbers 6:1-3, 13-15, 18-21 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a נָזִ֔יר Nazirite, לְהַזִּ֖יר [this is from the same root of a word today which we have already looked at in previous days] to separate himself to the Lord, he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink … And this is the law for הַנָּזִ֑יר the Nazirite, when the time of his separation has been completed: he shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and he shall bring his gift to the Lord, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin offering, and one ram without blemish as a peace offering, and a basket of unleavened bread, loaves of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and their grain offering and their drink offerings … And הַנָּזִ֗יר the Nazirite shall shave his consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall take the hair from his consecrated head and put it on the fire that is under the sacrifice of the peace offering. And the priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened loaf out of the basket and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them on the hands of הַנָּזִ֔יר the Nazirite, after he has shaved the hair of his consecration, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. They are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed. And after that הַנָּזִ֖יר the Nazirite may drink wine. “This is the law of הַנָּזִיר֮ the Nazirite.” One of the most interesting parts of the ceremony once the vow was completed was the shaving of the Nazirite’s head and the placing of the hair on the altar fire under the peace offering. It was a special offering to the Lord because the long hair symbolized the vow the Nazirite had made to the Lord and had successfully fulfilled. Once these instructions had been obeyed, the Nazirite was allowed to drink wine. Nobody is saved by making and keeping a vow. Salvation is the gift of God to those who believe, not a reward to those who behave. However, there are some people who are led of the Lord to make special vows to God, not to get something from Him but to give something to Him, and as long as these vows don’t contradict Scripture, they can be blessed of God. Psalm 50:14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High. People will make vows to God just so He’ll get them out of trouble (like Jonah), and some of these people will forget their promises when they’re safe and comfortable again. But it’s a dangerous thing to make promises to God and not keep them. I’ll close with this great reminder. Ecclesiastes 5:1–7 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words. When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when dreams increase and words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.
