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Numbers 6 – Praying through the Bible #41 – A Prayer that Separates
“Take time to be holy” is a song that annoys me. The church sings, “Take time to be holy?” and I annoyingly ask myself, “Aren’t we supposed to be holy all the time? Think people, the name ‘saint’ itself means ‘holy one!’” I always feel superior after a holy rant, how about you? After today’s PTTB, I am less annoyed. I need to take time to be holy.
In Numbers 6, Yahweh instructs about the peculiar, even eccentric, Nazirite vow. Vowing to God is a type of praying promise (Eccl 5.1-7). The inspired record suggests this undertaking does not become common-place, and I understand why. The name Nazirite is only used in two other books (Judges 13.5,7; 16.17; Amos 2.11-12).
Nazirites are “holy” (6.5,8.), which does not mean “better than others or sinless;” but rather “to be separate.” Nazirites could be male or female who consecrate themselves to the Lord (6.2). The vow is temporary (6.5), although there were exceptions (Jdg 16.17). Requirements are odd: 1) Abstain from anything connected to the grape (6.3-4); 2) Must not cut hair (6.5); 3) Touching dead bodies is not allowed (6.6-7); doing so even accidently is sinful (6.9-11); 4) At the end of the consecration cycle, they offer a sacrifice (6.13-15); 5) Ending this ritual includes cutting the hair and burning it (6.18).
Honestly these requirements make no sense whatsoever to me. There is no mention of extra devotionals, helping the needy, or prostrating in prayer. The point is they do not need to make sense to me. Yet again, they did not need to make sense to them either. It is not our position to obey only when everything is clear, understandable, or sensible. God made the rules for the Nazirite vow, not man. If we only obey when we agree with God, our faith will be in ourselves and our intellect and not in God.
What made the Nazarite vow special was it basically made the promise-maker like a priest, who lived a life of separation and dedication. In Hebrew, the words for Nazarite, abstain, and separate are all related. Therefore a Nazarite was taking time to be holy.
For us today, under the New Covenant, we have no Nazarite vow; but there must be times of abstaining and separation. Christians should fast, which includes prayer (Mt 6.16-18). Even a time for a husband and wife to abstain sexually from one another for a period of prayer is suggested (1 Cor 7.5). But, just like a Nazirite, some consider any abstention eccentric and few practice it. Yes, all of our life is to be lived being holy. But apparently, there are times when we need to take extra time to be holy.
Prayer Challenge: Pick a time to temporarily and especially dedicate yourself to God. Use this to pray, promise or fast. Fasting can be done by giving up food and water for a day, TV for a week, or whatever. Live even more separated from the world, and learn God’s lessons of holiness.
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