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Numbers 6:1-21: Covenant and Old
Testament Salvationists?
by
Captain Michael Ramsay
In the Salvation Army we have an opportunity to be separated
for God in a very important covenant. Salvation Army soldiers
voluntarily take a significant oath. We enter into the
Soldiership Covenant before God and this vow is not dissimilar
from one recorded in Numbers 6 that the Lord used to greatly
bless some of the ancient Israelites: the Nazirite vow. This
was a special vow of separation unto the LORD and the LORD
himself told Moses that if a man or woman wants to take this
special vow of separation to the LORD then there are some
things she must do (Numbers 6:1,2).
Most of us, if we think about it, can probably name two or
three famous people from the Bible who were bound to the LORD
through this Nazirite vow: Samson. Samuel, John the Baptist.
It is good to keep these three in mind as we think about the
Nazirite vow but we should recognize that there are some key
differences between the vows of these three and the other
people who have been bound to God through a Nazirite vow.
1) None of these three people - Samson, Samuel, John the
Baptist
- entered into the Nazirite vow of their own accord;
2) And their vows, which were made on their behalf were for
their
entire life (which is the default position for vows,
covenants, and oaths unless otherwise specified)
This is different than most times when a Nazirite vow would be
taken; in general, the Nazirite vow was voluntarily entered
into by both men and women and it was for a specified period
of time (Numbers 6:4): unlike Samson’s vow, The Salvation Army
Soldier’s covenant, and the Christian marriage, the Nazirite
vow usually comes with an expiry date.
Grapes
The vow itself, as outlined in Numbers 6, is very interesting
in that it does have some important similarities to our
Soldiership vows that we take before the Lord in The Salvation
Army. Similar to the Soldier, the Nazirite, “must abstain from
wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made
from wine or from other fermented drink. He must not drink
grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. As long as he is a
Nazirite, he must not eat anything that comes from the
grapevine, not even the seeds or skins” (Numbers 6:3,4).
This is interesting. As many of us may know The Salvation Army
soldier does not drink.[1] He swears that, he “will abstain
from alcoholic drink…and all else that could enslave the body
or spirit.” Abstaining from alcoholic drink is common to both
the Nazirite and the Soldier.
You can see how this would be beneficial for setting one apart
for the Lord. In The Salvation Army, when God raised us up in
London’s East End over a century ago, alcohol was one of the
primary things that the Enemy was using to enslave people.
They would even serve drinks to young children. We were
separated from that societal evil of alcoholism for God.
Today, we can see how much good God can do in delivering
people from alcohol still. I know that I have heard more than
one exciting testimony from people who have actually found God
through the Alcoholics Anonymous programme. Their first seven
steps that they take in enjoying sobriety are as follows:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives
had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could
restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the
care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being
the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of
character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
In order to turn our will and our lives over to the care of
God, as we understand Him, we need to seek Him and when one
truly seeks out God, He promises that we will find Him
(Matthew 7:7-8; Luke 11:9-10; cf. Matthew 6:33). One friend of
mine recounts frequently at AA meetings how when he told a
priest that he didn’t believe in God; the priest asked him,
“well what if God didn’t believe in you?” This gave my friend
some food for thought and he – like so many others through AA
– came into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as he
began his life of separation from alcohol.
There is more than abstaining from alcohol to this part of the
commandment though. This separation from alcohol for the Lord
is part of it but there is more. You see the Nazirite is not
permitted any grapes – not just fermented grapes- so Welch’s
grape juice is out of the picture[2] as well as those little
packages of Sun-Maid raisons that so many kids have in their
lunches. Many people, like we said, could readily find reasons
why one might want to abstain from alcohol for a time (at
least) but why would one want to abstain from raisins, grapes,
grape juice, etc.?
Grapes were generally seen as frivolous for the Israelites.
They were seen as extra. They were dessert while they were in
the desert (as they were in the book of Numbers). No one needs
to drink grape juice; we can just drink water. This is
reminiscent of the primitive Salvation Army as well. In the
old days we were not allowed to wear earrings (Cf. 1 Tim. 2:9)
or even engagement rings. I have been told that Soldiers
weren't even allowed to have a feather in their hat.
These we seen as frivolous; they weren’t necessary so why
would we want to spend the money that God has given us
stewardship over on something as frivolous as a feather or an
engagement ring? In the Army today, we have moved away from
that and both my wife and I wear rings – and before my
daughter accidently pulled it out, when she was two, I had an
earring as well (cf. Exod. 32:2-3, 35:22; Num. 31:50; Judges
8:24). I know many good Salvationists who even have tattoos
(cf. Lev. 19:28)!
That being said, we do come back to our roots of self-denial
at this time of year. During the Lenten season, The Salvation
Army concentrates on missions and we used to even call this
season ‘Self-Denial’. It is when we put aside money that we
would normally spend on dessert, going out for dinner, or
renting a movie, for example. We are – for this season at
least – to deny ourselves, take up our cross in this way for
Jesus and His mission through us (Matt 16:24, Mark 8:34, cf.
Luke 14:27).[3] This self-denial is similar to the first part
of the Nazirite vow.
Uniform, Long Hair
The next part of the Nazirite vow refers to the hair.
Nazirites were not supposed to cut their hair for the whole
time that they were separated from society for God. We, of
course, are all familiar with the story of Samson (Judges
13-16). The cutting of his hair was the straw that broke the
camel’s back as it were. He strained against his covenant more
than once in his life but it was when he provided for his hair
to be cut that the strength of his covenant was no longer
available to him – for a time.
This part of the vow is certainly noticeable, as the bulk of
the Israelite population at this time - Israelite men, anyway
- would have had short hair. People separated for the Lord
would let their hair grow long (Num 6:5; cf. Lev 21:12, 2 Sam
14:25-26). It was a distinctive feature of their vow.[4] The
Nazirite would intentionally stand out, drawing attention to
the fact that he is separated; he is holy unto the LORD.
This is akin to The Salvation Army uniform. We are noticeable
when we are in uniform and if people know anything about the
Soldiers’ covenant then they know that we are separated from a
number of societal behaviours – all that can ‘enslave the body
or spirit’– specifically for God. They know we are separated
for God. When in uniform, we are immediately recognisable to
someone who finds himself in need of help from a servant
separated for God. This has been exciting part of ministry for
me. I have literally had people running up the street behind
me yelling ‘Captain, Captain!’ and even ‘Priest!
Priest!’ The uniform also came in very helpful when offering
emotional and spiritual care after Hurricane Ike struck
Galveston Island in the fall and immediately following the
explosion that hit Nipawin a year ago. After that tragedy, a
number of evangelical pastors in this town lamented that they
did not have some sort of uniform (like ours) to show
themselves as distinct, separated for God. The uniform, like
the Nazirite’s long hair, is a way that people can know that
indeed we have been set apart; we have been made holy for God.
This is of course what holiness is: it is a setting apart, a
separateness for God. Therefore, when we don our uniforms, as
every soldier in The Salvation Army is eligible to do, we are
easily recognisable to people, as an instrument of hope in the
Lord.
Therefore, when we are in uniform - as well as at all other
times - let us strive to be holy as the Lord our God is holy
(Lev 11:44-45, 19:2, 20:7-8; 26).
Habeas Corpus?
This brings us to the third aspect of the Nazirite vow and
this is no less significant than the first two parts but it
would be a stretch to say that it has its direct equivalent to
our Soldiership vow. It does however have its parallels and it
is no less important to the Nazirite of ancient Israel than
the other aspects of their vow: this is the prohibition
against contact with dead bodies. Numbers 6:7 states
specifically that the Nazirite is not to come in contact with
a dead body: even if the dead person is your own mother or
father. If your mother or father passes away during your
Nazirite vow, you may not attend the funeral ceremony. You may
not! Ordinarily the Israelites have very special
responsibilities pertaining to the passing of one’s parents,
even though it would make them ceremonially unclean (Num 5:2,
19:11; Lev 21:1-3). For the Nazirite, she is not allowed to be
unclean – even for her parents (Cf. Lev 21:10-12). One must
choose between one’s family responsibilities and one’s
responsibilities to God (cf. Lev 21:10-12; Matt
10:35,12:22-48, 19:29; Mark 3:23-35, 10:29-30, 13:1-28; Luke
8:19-21, 14:25-26; John 19:27). This is important. God is more
important than anyone else in the holy person’s life. To the
covenanted Nazirite and to the covenanted Soldier, to the
devoted spouse and to the fully committed Christian, God is
first. What good is it to gain the whole world and yet lose
your own soul? (Matt 16:26, Mark 8:36).
There is even more to this though: verses 9-12 are very
important for the Nazirite and equally significant for
Soldiers in The Salvation Army or anyone else taking a
covenant before the LORD. If a person dies in the Nazirite’s
presence, the Nazirite is STILL guilty of sin.
Even though the Nazirite did not mean to break his vow, he
still broke it and needs to be restored in his covenant
relationship. Numbers 9-12 (NIV):
“If someone dies suddenly in his presence, thus defiling the
hair he has dedicated, he must shave his head on the day of
his cleansing—the seventh day. Then on the eighth day he must
bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the
entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as
a burnt offering to make atonement for him because he sinned
by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day he is
to consecrate his head.
He must dedicate himself to the LORD for the period of his
separation and must bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt
offering. The previous days do not count, because he became
defiled during his separation.”
Even though the Nazirite here is guilty of breaking her vow,
the covenant remains in tact. It is even renewed: the previous
days do not count; she gets a fresh start. This is important.
The covenant remains until it is fulfilled. We are not
released from covenants and vows simply for disobeying them.
This is VERY important. The covenantal tie is not broken when
we disobey God. Even when we are faithless, God is faithful
(Romans 3:3,4). There are consequences for transgressing the
covenant. There are natural and logical results of not living
up to our vows, our promises, our covenants with or before the
Lord – but we are not released from them for simple
disobedience. This is one of the very important aspects of
covenants that we enter into with and before the LORD. When we
disobey that covenant there are consequences but He is still
there for us. Until the successful completion of our covenant
(if it has an expiry date) or until our death (if it does not)
our covenant remains in tact, binding us to the Lord (Romans
7:1-3). Our covenants in this way are like seatbelts. When the
car crashes, we don’t take off our seatbelts and say that we
are never going to wear them again. No, this is when we praise
the Lord for our seatbelts more than ever.
Covenants are also like car insurance. It is like last spring
when my daughters and I were coming home from Tisdale. We were
driving that highway like we did a couple of times every week
when all of a sudden we hit black ice, we swerved into
on-coming traffic and then off our side of the road where the
car proceeded to flip: it rolled over a time and a half. We
did not see the accident coming and therefore could do nothing
to prepare for it anymore than a Nazirite could prepare for
someone suddenly dying in his presence. Even though the
experts admitted that there was nothing we could do to avoid
the accident, I guarantee you that the insurance company
declared that it was our fault. This is the same with the
Nazirite. YHWH Insurance, so to speak, declares that they are
at fault and demands payment. In this case the payment is
their hair and as far as their clean driving record was
concerned, they have to start over again – but the insurance
isn’t cancelled. Similarly when the Soldier runs into troubles
her covenant isn’t cancelled; it remains in place to protect
her.
It is the same with seatbelts. In my accident the seatbelts
did not break and this too is like our covenants before the
Lord. Even though the car was totalled, the seatbelts held.
This is important. Like sometimes an alcoholic makes a mistake
and has a drink; like a husband sometimes does not operate
perfectly as a loving husband; like at times we might sin
before the Lord and like there are times when our lives just
come crashing down all around us; when my car rolled over,
there was that moment of panic as I looked back to see if my
daughters were all right. To my relief they were safe and
sound – even though we were all dangling upside down after the
accident – they were all right because the LORD protected them
through their seatbelts that did not break. We were safe and
sound and soon restored to our normal life.
Likewise, for all of us when our lives come crashing down
around us, we will be safe and sound as long as we rely on the
strength of our holy seatbelt -our covenant with the Lord-
because the Lord will not let His covenant with us break no
matter what happens to the automobile of our life. So then,
let us enjoy the security of this holy seatbelt and, like the
ancient Nazirite, through our covenant, let us rely fully on
His strength rather than our own so that we may indeed be holy
as the LORD our God is holy.
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[1] There are some exceptions to this rule, i.e.: France.
[2]…and non-alcoholic communion wine, if it existed then;
they, due to this art of the oath, were separated from rituals
as well.
[3]Cf. Irving L. Jensen, Numbers: Journey to God's Rest. Moody
Press, Chicago, 1964., P.37.
[4] Cf. Irving L. Jensen, Numbers: Journey to God's Rest.
Moody Press, Chicago, 1964., P.37.
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Captain Michael Ramsay
The Salvation Army
Saskatchewan
ramsay@sheepspeak.com
www.sheepspeak.com
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Writings: http://www.sheepspeak.com/Michael_Ramsays_opinion.htm
Sermons: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/ Comic Liturgy:
http://www.drwas.blogspot.com/
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