The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 70

HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-21.-lndwidual consecration to God. fo tl1is section we have, spiritually, the consecration of the individual life to God as a reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice (Rom. xii. l). This consecration was the ideal for all Israel (Exod. xix. 6); but inas- much 11.s the people at large could not attain unto it fully, 11. tribe and a family were 111 varying degree "separated•• unto the Lord. In order, however, that individuals might not be hindered from obeying the call to self-dedication as the Spirit moved them, the vow of the Nazirite was allov.·ed, encouraged, and regulated. Consider, therefore-- I. THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL IN ISRAEL WHO WAS OF AGE TO TAKE A VOW MIGHT :BECOME A NAZIRJTE, WHETHER MAN OR WOMAN, WllETHEB OF THE PRIESTHOOD OB. 011' THE PEOPLE. John the Baptist was a priest; Samuel a Levite; Samson of the tribe of Dan. Even so it is the fundamental character of the gospel that every indi- ,idual Christian, without any distinction of male or female, clerical or lay, is free to obey the call of the Spirit to an individual consecration of self to God. All are i11deed c-alled to "die unto sin, and rise again unto righteousness ; " unto all it is snid, "Ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col iii. 3); but yet it is palpably true that individuals here and there a.re specially moved by the Spirit to realise this their consecmtion, to translate into practical life their professed detach- ment from the world and attachment unto God. • And this action of the Spirit is per- fectly free ; none can say beforehand wko may be moved to dedicate himself or herself to a life of entire self-sacrifice and of unlimited obedience. II. THAT THE CHll.D OF JBB.AEL SO CALLED INWARDLY :BY TRE SPIRIT WAS PER• MJTTED A.ND ENCOUII.AGED TO TllE A YOW. Yet this vow limited as to obligations and as to time, so as it ~hould not become a snare. And it appears that a Christian apostle took a vow of the sort (Acts xviii. 18). Even so it would seem that religious vows are not now in themselves unlawful or displeasing, provided they be really free, and that there be provision for being discharged from them. And note that almost all the Nazirites of Scripture appear to have been lifelong Nazirites, we know not why. Probably it is the tendency of all vows to become perpetual, because there seems something arbitrary and incomplete in any self-devotion or self-denial which ends before life itself ends. Nevertheless, it is plain that the Divine command con• templated only vows for a specific time. III. THAT THE FIRST OBLIGATION OJI' THE NAZIUITE WAS TO ABSTAIN FROM EVERY• THING l'BODUCED BY, OB MADE FBOM, THE VJNE, HOWEVER HARMLESS. Even so, if any man will dedicate himself, according to his Christian liberty and the impulse of the Spirit, to the nearer. following of Christ, be !Dust reno'-!n.ce all t~e e;tcite!Dents of this world, all those stimulants of pleasure, gam, or amb1t1on wlucb mtoxic-ate the mind and distract it from the service of God ; and not only that which is plainly evil and confessedly dangerous, but also that which has any savour of evil, any suspicion of danger, about it. The wisdom of nim who would at any cost please God is not to walk a.a near the border line of things unlawful or unwise as possible, but rather to give them a clear berth, so as through no mischance he may be entangled therein ; and this because of human weakness, whereby (1) we glide so easily from plensuree or cares lawful to the like unlawful, and (2) we find it so much easier to take a aimple and decided line1 even against oursehes, than a wavering and uncortuin ono CD, VI. 1-21.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 47