God wanted the whole nation to be separated to Him. But if not, were some willing to choose this?
Let’s get one thing straight. Jesus was a Nazarene, meaning from the town of Nazareth. Nowhere are we told He was a Nazirite. The word Nazirite is from the Hebrew word nazir, and that from nazar, giving us first the idea of abstaining from certain things. It then came to connote someone who had taken a vow to be separated to God in a special way. It was applied to an unpruned vine (Lev 25:5, 11), just as Samson, a Nazirite (Jdg 13:7), had untrimmed hair. In other words, at this moment there are more important things to do for God. No time for hair trimming and vine pruning. “This is the law of the Nazirite who vows to the Lord the offering for his separation, and besides that, whatever else his hand is able to provide; according to the vow which he takes, so he must do according to the law of his separation” (Num 6:21). So this is a surprise! Suddenly, without previous mention, the Lord says, in effect, Would anyone like to have a special relationship with Me? Grapes? Raisins? Wine? Yes, I gave them for your pleasure (Jdg 9:13)—within reason, of course. But would anyone like to say, I will separate myself from these to mark myself out as for God’s joy alone? “All the days of his separation he shall eat nothing that is produced by the grapevine, from seed to skin…All the days of the vow of his separation no razor shall come upon his head…All the days that he separates himself to the Lord he shall not go near a dead body…All the days of his separation he shall be holy to the Lord” (vv 4, 5, 6, 8). This could be lifelong or for a stated time, but he or she would bring an offering, make a vow, then seek to stay loyal to the Lord in a special way. But Christians need no external law of loyalty; His love should bind us to His heart!