Mon.’s Devo - The Nazarite Vow

Read: Numbers 6:1-7:89;Mark 12:38-13:13; Psalm 49:2-30; Proverbs 10:27-28 The vow of a Nazarite was a voluntary vow a person could choose to make to set himself apart to the Lord for a time. During this time he was to give up drinking or eating anything made from the vine. His hair was to not be cut doing this time and he must not go near a dead body. At the end of their vow they were to offer a sin, burnt, peace, guilt, liquid, and grain offering. He must shave his head at the entrance of the Tabernacle and take the hair and dedicate it by placing it on the fire under the peace offering. The priest would take his offering and set it in the hands of the man. The man must lift this offering before the Lord. Then he would be allowed to drink wine again. Jesus made the Nazarite offering when he offered himself as all the offerings. He offered himself as the offering of the priest and told his disciples, But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:29) John the Baptist lived his whole life under a Nazarite vow. On the day that Moses set up the Tabernacle and anointed it and set it apart as holy the leaders of the tribes all brought the same gift. They brought serving platters, incense containers and basins for their tribe. They also brought animals that would be used in sacrifices. In Mark, Jesus told his disciples to be aware of the teachers of the religious law who looked important and holy on the outside but inside were evil and scoundrels. He sat next to the offering box and discerned everyone’s gifts as they gave them. He observed a widow giving two mites and told his disciples that she had given more than all the others because she gave all she had, but they gave out of their abundance. The disciples commented on the magnificent buildings in Jerusalem. Jesus told him the day would come when they would all be demolished. Later, Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked when all this would happen. Jesus said many things must happen first: people would say they were the Messiah, there would be rumors of wars, earthquakes, and famines but these are only birth pains. The Church will fall under persecution, and the Good News of the Kingdom would be preached to all nations. Families will betray their own members and cause them to be killed an everyone will hate His followers. But, the one who endures to the end will be saved. Lord, we are living in birth pain. Let us not fear but put our trust in you. Thank you for becoming our offering for sin.