From the Doctor’s Diary- 25 - The Nazirite Vow

In the book of Numbers in the Old Testament, we read of the Nazirite vow. It goes like this:

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: `If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite, he 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.
" During the entire period of his vow of separation no razor may be used on his head. He must be holy until the period of his separation to the LORD is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long. Throughout the period of his separation to the LORD he must not go near a dead body. Even if his own father or mother or brother or sister dies, he must not make himself ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of his separation to God is on his head. Throughout the period of his separation he is consecrated to the LORD."(Numbers 6:1-8)(NIV)

Samson, one of the judges of Israel, Samuel the prophet and John the Baptist were the ones who had chosen to live by these vows.A certain group called the Rechabites also lived according to these vows.

Samuel and John the Baptist are classic examples of men abiding by the commands that the Lord gave in their lives. They were faithful in all respects of their calling and that's why the Bible speaks so greatly of them.

Of Samuel, the Bible says,
"The LORD was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the LORD. The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word." (1 Samuel 3:19-21)

Of John the Baptist, Jesus said,
"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.(Matthew 11:11)

But look at the life of Samson, God's chosen one to be a judge of Israel. Though called to be a Nazarite, he broke God's commands and thus had to pay a heavy price. He scooped honey from the dead remains of a lion and gave them to his parents too without telling them from where he had gotten it.
He had a weakness for women and had affairs with prostitutes and finally he gave away the secret of his strenth-that not shaving it gave him his divine strength. Thus he was caught by the enemy and they made him blind and put him in fetters in prison. Samson repented but he had to go through a lot of pain for breaking the Nazarite vow.

We as believers are called to be faithful to God and live in obedience to the Holy Spirit. No Nazrite vows as such for us, yet God expects us to be faithful to His Word all the days of our life. May the Lord help each one of us to stay true to Him each and every day of our lives. God bless you.