Numbers 6: Outward Behavior + Inward Heart -> Active Holiness

We often hear that “it’s the heart that matters before God.”

It is true, but let’s be aware of the downside of this statement.

Summary

The law of the Nazarite was given to the Israelites. The Nazarites were those, men or women, who made a special vow to dedicate themselves to the LORD. The Nazarites were to remain holy to the LORD during all the days of their separation (Numbers 6:8): by abstaining from drinking anything made out of grapes; by having no razor over their head; and by not going near a dead person.

When the days of their separation were fulfilled, they shall bring the offering to the doorway of the tent of meeting. Their offerings were to comprise a burnt offering, sin offering, peace offering, grain offering, and drink offering. The Nazarites shall shave their dedicated head, and the priest would present the offering to the LORD.

The chapter ended with the LORD’s instruction on how Aaron and his sons were to bless the Israelites.

The Nazarites and the Levites: Remember the LORD your God

There are some similarities in outward regulations between the Nazarites and the Levites. Therefore, the message and the effect conveyed by the lives of the Nazarites on the Israelite society would have been similar to that of the Levites.

What was the role of the Levites? The Levites were given a special task by the LORD to be in charge of taking care of and moving all the equipment pertaining to the tabernacle. Three Levite clans, the Kohathites, the Gershonites, and the Meratites, had different roles in overseeing the tabernacle. Therefore, the primary, practical function of the Levite was to set up a tabernacle and move it in a proper manner whenever the Israelite camp was guided to march by the LORD in the wilderness.

The Levites’ primary, practical function of overseeing the tabernacle in the wilderness was to transform to a slightly different role of reminding each Israel tribe of the LORD after the LORD gave the land of Canaan to the Israelites. Unlike other tribes, who received their dedicated lots, the presence of the Levites spread out to 48 cities throughout the land of Israel. The presence of the Levites would facilitate the remembrance of the LORD to each Israel tribe by their specially dedicated lives.

Consider Nazarite in a similar role as the Levite – more at the community level than at the national level. The Nazarites, as those wholly dedicated to the LORD God, would be easy to be recognized as they would have long hair and abstain themselves from any drink made out of grapes. People would be reminded of the LORD in the presence of the Nazarites just as each Israel tribe would be reminded of the LORD by the presence of the Levites.

Consider Nararite not as a regulation, but as an opportunity for non-Levite Israelites to dedicate themselves like priests and live out their full life or a limited period of their lives as priests. Note the inclusivity of this opportunity: both men and women were allowed to dedicate themselves to the LORD (Numbers 6:2). Also, this was strictly voluntary.

Outward Regulations Matter

It is often said among Christians that “it’s the heart that matters before God.”

This statement is true, but could pose a potential danger if one separates the heart from the outward behavior. As Morpheus in the Matrix movie said “the body cannot live out the mind,” the heart and the outward behavior is not distinct, but one. A heart fully dedicated to the LORD God, but without commensurate outward behavior (not saying that we have to be perfect in our daily lives) dedicated to the LORD God, is not a truly dedicated heart.

For that reason, a few outward regulations, which may seem outdated, such as abstaining from grape-made drinks, keeping long hair, and staying away from a dead body can actually help the Nazarites to set up their hearts dedicated to the LORD. Some restrictions on the outward behavior can help people to maintain the appropriate posture of the heart.

What are some restrictions on your behaviors that can help you set up the right posture of the heart before the LORD?

Active Holiness

At the center of Nazarite life is holiness (Numbers 6:8). The Nazarites were to remain holy to the LORD during all the days of their separation. We know from the text that what the Nazarites were not to do (Numbers 6:1-8), and what the Nazarites were to do at the end of their dedication time (their offering before the LORD and the priests in Numbers 6:13-21)

But what about their daily lives as the Nazarites? What does it mean to live a life of holiness? Does it comprise reading and meditating on the word of God and worshipping Him? Yes, but more.

Many concrete examples of holiness are given in chapter 19 of Leviticus. The chapter starts by “You shall be holy for I the LORD your God am holy (Leviticus 19:3).” Then, the chapter provides many example holiness: honor your mother and father; in your harvest time, leave the grain and grapes for the needy and for the stranger; you shall not steal falsely; you shall not oppress your neighbor; do not be partial to the poor; you shall have just balances and weights in your business transactions.

If the person who took a vow to be a Nazarite happened to be wealthy, that person was to exercise generosity by leaving grains for the needy during the harvest time. If that person was in business, he/she needed to be honest in business transactions. Inside their family, they need to honor their father and mother even more as they made a vow to be a Nazarite dedicated to the LORD.

Although not explicitly stated in Numbers 8, the Nazarites were to live out a holy life as stated in Leviticus 19. Holiness is an action, not a status.

God wants to bless you

The chapter ended with the blessing. The bottom line is that God wanted to bless the Israelites. Being a Nazarite is a blessing and opportunity for the Israelites, especially to the non-Levites, to be close to the LORD God, the very embodiment of life.

Let this chapter of the law of Nazarite be an opportunity for you to be nearer to the LORD your God.

Judges 13-14: We Must Fight For Our Identities

How important is your identity? Most people would say that having an identity that sets them apart from others is very important. Likewise, the identity of the Israelites was very important – to the point in which God had to seek an occasion against the Philistines to set the Israelites apart.

Summary of Judges 13-14

Because the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD again, the LORD gave the Israelites into the hands of the Philistines. The angel of God visited Samson’s parents for a promise of a son, who was to grow up as a Nazarite for his entire life and would deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. Samson was born and was blessed by God. As he grew up, the spirit of the LORD began to stir him.

Samson went down to Timnah, one of the cities of Philistines and selected a bride who looked good in his eye. On his way down to Timnah, he tore a young lion and scooped some honey out of its carcass. Based on this event, he made a riddle with the thirty men of the feast. However, they figured out the answer by threatening the girl who was to be Samson’s wife. In his anger, Samson went down to Ashkelon to kill thirty men and took their spoils and gave them to the thirty men of the feast at Timnah.

False Peace

There are some key differences between the period when Samson lived and all the previous periods of Judges. Similarities included the repeated evil doings of the sons of Israel in the sight of the LORD (Judges 13:1). More notable were the differences although they were subtle.

First, the absence of the oppression and outright invasions from an external enemy, Philistines in this case, was one of the main differences from the previous periods of Judges. During Samson’s time, Philistines did not seem to be oppressing as other nations did to Israel in the past. For example, the Midianites oppressed them brutally (Judges 6:6). Eglon King of Moab did (Judges 3:14-15), as well as external invasions of Cushan king of Mesopotamia (Judges 3:8-9), and many others. Perhaps, because of the lack of severe oppression, we do not see any reference that indicated that the Israelites cried out to the LORD.

Second, related to the first difference, Israel seemed to be in a “peaceful” state with the external enemy. Although ruled by the Philistines, Israel seemed to be “content” with the situation.

National Identity Crisis

When the mother of Samson received a message from the angel of the LORD, she conveyed all the message to her husband, Manoah, except that their son would deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines (Judges 13:6-7). I believe Samson’s mother deliberately omitted this portion of the message because she did not want her son to cause an occasion against the Philistines. In addition, when 3,000 men of Judah came to capture Samson to hand him over to the Philistines, they acknowledged that the Philistines were their ruler (Judges 15:11). Instead of fighting against the Philistines, men of Judah were willing to hand over one of their fellow Israelites, Samson, to the Philistines, to maintain the status-quo of a rule-subordinate condition.

The cost of this diplomatic peace with Philistines had a slow, but colossal devastating effect on Israel – that was losing its distinct identity as the people of God. In other words, this trend indicated losing holiness and the entire purpose of its existence to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. Note that when Joshua was leading the Israelites into the land of Canaan (Joshua 1-5), he had the Israelites undergo multiple identity confirmations through consecration, circumcision, and Passover, again and again in the LORD before engaging in war against external enemies.

This was the background where the collective state of the condition of the heart of Israel was slowly disintegrating during the time of Samson. Left alone, the nation of Israel was likely to be absorbed into Philistines with no distinction of the people of God.

For this reason, God intervened to bring Samson. The LORD blessed Samson. As he grew up, the LORD began to stir him (Judges 13:25) and sought an occasion against the Philistines to break the Israelite apart from them.

Special Birth of Samson

The birth of Samson was very special. The angel of God appeared to Samson’s mother twice to foretell his birth and special calling as a Nazarite. This event was very extraordinary – to the point that only a few people in the Bible had the comparable detailed records of birth. Only Jesus, John the Baptist, and Moses had comparable levels of details of birth described in the Bible.

Samson to Represent What Israel was Supposed to Be

Samson’s special birth was to set him apart. Incredible gift and calling were given for Samson to deliver Israel, and he was to live out a life of holiness that sets him apart from the Philistines. He was called to be a Nazarite for his entire life (most of the Nazarite vow was to last for a limited period). He was given a special physical strength to be the leader of Israel against eternal enemies and to defend the nation and set Israel apart from other nations. The LORD began to stir Samson. It was good until chapter 13.

Likewise, Israel was called by God and a special gift was given to the nation – the Word of the LORD that gives life and the covenant with the LORD. Israel had unlimited potential to be the nation that could be the light and salt among the nations. Under Joshua’s leadership, they successfully conquered most of the Canaan region. Then, each tribe was to follow the LORD with all their heart and complete the conquest of the rest of the Canaan region. Yet, Israel squandered this opportunity, starting from the periods of Judges.

Samson Representing Israel as was

Despite his special birth and calling, Samson did what was right in his eyes. He picked the Philistine girl because she was right for him. He went near the vineyard, possibly to drink, and ran into a young lion, which he tore in half. Then, he swooped up honey from the carcass of the lion (which he was forbidden to touch as a Nazarite). He had his anger problem and went out to kill 30 people in Ashkelon. Samson violated many things that were forbidden for a Nazarite. His life could not be farther from that of a holy man of God.

Just like Samson, so was Israel especially after the death of Joshua. They began to follow other gods. They did what was right in their eyes and practically did not consider the LORD as their king. They played harlot with the false gods of the surrounding nations, and continued to depart from God.

Samson was like Israel, and Israel was like Samson.

Holiness

For this reason, the story of Samson reminded me of the meaning and the importance of identity – and as followers of Christ, our identity is rooted in the holiness of God. These chapters provided me with a new opportunity to examine my heart and values. In what way, have I set myself in a comfortable position to maintain “peace” with this world’s values? What can I do to make the most of my gifts and talents that God have given?

Joshua 5: Walk in Worshiping the LORD

Content Summary

All the kings of Canaan melted in fear when they heard that the Israelites had crossed the Jordan River. After crossing the Jordan River, the Israelites circumcised, leaving themselves in the most vulnerable state in the territory of their enemies. Regardless of the presence of their enemies, as a nation, Israel commemorated the Passover, had their first taste of the fruit of the land of Canaan, and experienced the cease of manna provision for the first time in 40 years.

God’s Part

God took care of the enemy. The heart of the enemies melted in fear so that they would not have courage to attack the Israelites in their most vulnerable state after the circumcision.

The meaning of circumcision

God commanded circumcision to Joshua and the Israelites. This was a strange timing of circumcision. Why was not this done before the crossing of the Jordan? Having crossed the Jordan River, the Israelites were in fact in the enemy’s territory. Circumcision would place them in an extremely vulnerable state. Collective invasion by the kings of Canaan could completely wipe out the entire Israelites.

No panic. This command by Joshua could have met with resistance by the military officers. Yet no one objected to his commands.

Remember the past, but do not dwell in it

A fair amount of text is devoted to explaining why the first generation Israelites failed. Perhaps, the reason for this text is to remind the Israelites of the failure, but only to remind and learn, not to dwell. God wanted them to move on and be circumcised again to signify that the Israelites belong to the LORD.

Then, why weren’t they circumcised in the wilderness?

I believe there is a significance in the location of circumcision. The wilderness was only to be a temporary place for the Israelites before inheriting the land that God promised to them. A 40-year wandering in the wilderness was supposed to be a short journey of 40-day. Therefore, it was not God’s original plan to circumcise the Israelites in the temporary residence. God wanted to place a sign of circumcision to the Israelites in the land that He promised through their forefathers.

Remember that you are second in command

After the circumcision and the Passover, Joshua encountered the captain of the host of the LORD nearby Jericho. This encounter was to ensure that he knew that he was just in second in command and to let him know that the land was to be given by the LORD – the meaning of which was encapsulated in the word, “holy.” The LORD was, is, and always to be the commander of chief. However exalted by the LORD, Joshua had to remember that he was second in command and to remain on the side of the LORD. The LORD is not required to be on the side of Joshua.

The Process of Worship

This conquest was preceded by many steps. Starting from chapter 1, people were commanded to consecrate. They were told to follow the Ark of the Covenant carried by the priest. They crossed the Jordan River still guided by the Ark of the Covenant. Memorial stones were set up to remember the LORD. Circumcision was done in the promised land. The Israelites had their Passover. The land was holy, for it was set apart by the LORD to give to His people.

The LORD guided the whole process. This whole process was indeed of worship.

Let your daily step and long-term journey be a process of worship and holiness.