Numbers 6:1-8 discusses the Nazarite vow, which says, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 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: 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. All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk. 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. All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body. 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. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.”

A covenant with your eyes is very similar to a Nazarite vow. It reflects people who have a sacred obsession with God. These were the three “basic” commands for a Nazarite: 

 

(1) do not cut your hair

(2) refrain from anything consisting of wine or alcohol

(3) do not come in contact with anything that is dead!

 

Some people might look at these things and say, “What is wrong with that?” But a Nazarite says, “I am fully dedicated and consecrated to God. You may approve of them, but what may seem common and popular to most I refuse because when I pay this sacrifice, I will experience more of God than I have ever before in my lifetime!”

 

A Nazarite refuses to cut his hair because it was an outward manifestation to the world that they were who they were. It was the sign of the covenant to God, that I was becoming abnormal to receive something supernatural! It represented strength and a connection with God, as well as his or her identity being secured and marked for God. It indicates the ability for God to know the most intricate details of a person’s life. Matthew 10:30 says, “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” These Nazarites refused to also live the party life. They refused to partake in anything that misused the creation of God or that weakened their integrity. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.” Sometimes, Nazarites cannot hangout with whoever, go wherever and do whatever because they would rather have a good name and maintain their integrity to the outside world than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Finally, Nazarites refused to touch anyone or anything that was dead. They refused to become polluted and unclean through dead religion or church, dead dreams and visions, or dead faith. James 2:26 says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” They were so consecrated that they refused to even be in the presence of anything that would weaken their faith in God. They had life and had it more abundantly because they refused anything that was dead.

 

Spiritually, God is still calling the Nazarites out today. The Nazarites in the Old Testament were not a particular tribe. In fact, they were made up of all the tribes of Israel. They could be anybody who would choose to say as Paul, “Nothing will separate me from the love of Christ.” (Romans 8:39) People may approve of it and see no harm in it, but you must be willing to give it up because you are so hungry for the things of God that you would even surrender your own life for more of Him! The Nazarites are those who are called to greater purposes because they have offered greater sacrifices! You must be willing to sometimes give up the “common things” so you can walk in an “uncommon anointing”! If you want to be a Nazarite, the signs of the believer must follow you, the party life must not be part of your lifestyle and you must refuse to partake in dead religion. It is about chasing after God and Him alone. Everything we do we must do for His glory!