I take it this chapter applies properly to Israel. The remnant even, though not willfully, is under the sin of the dead, and must own this to begin again; his first separation is all lost. This has been done by faith in those that owned, as in Acts 2, their guilt in it—they are separate, but the time of separation is not closed, nor the time to drink wine begun. The remnant at the end will enter into this in a peculiar manner, and through deep affliction, because of their long infidelity; still they will have learned their entire dependence on the Lord, and, in the way of repentance, the death of Christ, after long remaining unclean. They will be anew separated to God; when all that is closed, they will have their proper liberty, strength and joy in communion and power. Hence, with this is connected the blessing through the High Priest and His sons at the close of the chapter—Christ, Head of his own family is introduced in that character, as bringing the blessing of Jehovah on Israel, " They shall put."
The hair is sign of neglect of self for the Lord, and dependence on Him—power on the head, hence a sign of subjection in him that wears it, but subjection in devoted abstraction from self. Christ will drink the wine with them; it will not then be dependence by faith, the energy of faith in an absent Lord, restraint on self, though power through grace may accompany this strength made perfect in weakness.
27. This closes a division of the book. The people and camp are numbered and formed, their purity, and that even in consecration to the Lord, secured.