Address—B. Prost
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Together #100 and 10110.
O God, thou now hast glorified thy holy, blessed, eternal Son. The Nazarene, the Crucified, now sits exalt upon thy throne. 110.
I trust it'll be in keeping with what we've had before us the other two nights this week in Sully to consider a little bit about the Nazarite. We had it mentioned in our hen, the Nazarene. The crucified now sits exalted on thy throne. And I'd like to turn back to the 6th chapter of Numbers where we find the various things that were to characterize one who was a Nazarite.
Numbers, Chapter 6.
I'd like to speak tonight a little on the characteristics of the Nazarethian numbers and then briefly to look at 4 individuals. There probably are others, but four were particularly before me who were identified as Nazarites in the Word of God and lessons that we can learn from their pathways, some positive, some negative. And so let's read in the 6th of numbers, beginning at verse one. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them.
00:05:27
When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of the Nazareth to separate themselves unto the Lord, He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of grind, or vinegar of strong drink. Neither shall he drink any liquor or Grinch, nor eat moist grapes or dry.
All the days of his separation shall eat nothing that is made of the vine trees from the kernels even to the heart.
All the days of the vow of his separation. There shall no razor come upon his head until the days be fulfilled in the which he separated himself under the Lord. He shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
All the days that he separated himself unto the Lord, and shall come at no dead vine, he shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister when they die, because the consecration of his dies upon his head. All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.
And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he has defiled the head of his consecration, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the 7th day shall he shave it, and on the eighth day he shall bring 2 turtles or two young pigeons to the priest, to the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation.
And the priest shall not for the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and to make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall howl his head that same day. And he shall consecrate unto the Lord of the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering. But the days that were lost before, no, but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defined.
And then going down a little bit in the chapter.
And let's see verse 20, verse 20.
And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. This is holy for the priest with the wave breast and he shoulder. And after that the Nazareth may drink wine.
Well, this is a very beautiful chapter.
Very beautiful chapter.
Here was the law that was given by the Lord as it governed one who wanted to take the vow of a Nazareth.
And we might well wonder what this was. What did it mean? We've all heard of the place called Nazareth where the Lord Jesus was brought up. And we'll see in a little while how that he was called a Nazarene and it was a despised and rejected place. But what was the significance of it? Oh, I just passed on to you something that anybody that wishes can verify. The Hebrew word Nazareth comes from a root word.
Which means consecrated or set apart, separated onto, and of course in this case separated specially unto the Lord. Isn't that wonderful? That means consecrated. I think we can understand that. Specially separated unto something. And of course in this case separated after the Lord. But you know what is so beautiful? Is that the same word in Hebrew that is used?
For consecration, are separated onto.
Is also the word that is used for crown. It's also the word that is used for crown. The same word is translated many times in the Old Testament for crack. It's translated that way when it talks about the holy garments of the high priest. It's translated that way when it talks about the crown that would sit on the head of a king. And so the same word that is translated, consecrated or set apart as the thought of a crime.
Oh, how beautiful that is, because here was one who especially consecrated to the Lord.
And it was evidently not always an easy thing, as we'll see as we go on. But oh, the same word shows that there was a crown in the future for it. And we'll see how the Nazareth ship in the word of God brings before us on the one hand consecration to the Lord, but then a crown as a reward for it. And so notice here what it says. Verse two, speak under the children of Israel, and say unto them, when either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow of all the Nazarite.
00:10:30
To separate themselves into the Lord.
I'd like to notice here how that Nazarite ship it simply meant separation.
But there was never any thought of a man separating himself under anything else but the Lord. We see in this world people that separate themselves into various things. I can remember reading a man of this world who in no way prefers to be a Christian, but he made this remark. He said if you want to do anything well in this world, you will have to forget about a lot of other things that you could have done in order to concentrate on one thing that you wish to do well. I thought, isn't that so true?
And man recognizes that in this world. When my son started to take violin lessons about a year and a half ago, his violin teacher was a man of the old school. And he said, you know, if you want to play that violin well, he said it's, it's you depend on how much you practice. And he said if you want to learn to play that violin well and you want to really be good, you're going to have to practice 3 or 4 hours a day. Well, I don't need to tell you that that hasn't been carried out.
But nevertheless, that man was a man who had a consuming interest in the violin. And he said that's what you have to do if you want to be good. Well, when it comes a question of our lives as believers, I believe that in order to follow the Christian pathway, we have to be completely separated after the Lord. And I don't need to tell you that it hasn't been carried out in my life as it should. But nevertheless, that's what is presented to us here.
And I'd love to see that in this particular case, in the Old Testament, it says a man or a woman. You know, there were some things where it wasn't possible for a woman to do it, and there were some things that concerned a woman that didn't concern a man. But here, there doesn't seem to be any distinction between the two. It was open equally to either a man or a woman. And I love to think that when it's a question of devotedness to the Lord, there's no premium on being either a sister or a brother.
God has committed public testimony to men. Yes, he has. But God has given each one of us a beautiful place to fulfill. He's given the sister a wonderful place. But when it's a question of devotedness to the Lord, it isn't a question of what is done as a matter of public testimony. It's a matter of what is going on in my heart. And so the Lord looks on the heart.
Well, then we see here that there were three characteristics that were to characterize the Nazareth. You'll notice here that he wasn't to drink wine or stronger.
He wasn't to let any razor come upon his head, his hair had to grow long, and he wasn't to come at any dead bind. 3 different things.
And it's very significant, you know, because what is mentioned first is the wine or strong drink. And I think it's very evident why that was mentioned. We know that right from the very beginning, wine and strong drink had an effect on men's minds line. And strong drink takes away my ability to think straight, takes away my ability to reason so that I do things that I don't really understand. I don't even remember doing them.
You get a description of that in the book of Proverbs, get a description of a man who's under the influence of drink, and the Nazareth wasn't to be involved in all of that.
Well, that might be a public thing, it might be a private thing. If the Nazarite went and drank too much and got openly drunk or intoxicated, it would probably be evident to those that saw him. But if he only took a little, there was no harm in that. And here it didn't say that he wasn't to get drunk with wine. It says he shall separate himself from wine and strong fruit. And more than that, it went far beyond.
The mere separating himself from wine or strong drink.
Because it goes down to say no vinegar, wine or vinegar of strong drink.
What was the harm in that? You say that wouldn't make anyone drunk, neither shall we drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried. Oh, he couldn't even eat grapes, nor could he even eat raisins. And then in the next verse it says verse 4, all the days of the separation shall he nothing that is made of divine truth from the kernels or the seeds, even to the husk or the skin.
00:15:20
Starts from the inside of the grape and works out and says don't touch any of it or anything that is made from it.
What we might want question why that was? What is the principle that is brought before us here? Well, I believe the principle here is that there is that in this world which has the potential to.
Corrupt sign lines from following after Christ. It tells us in the New Testament in the book of Thessalonians, they that sleep, sleep in the night. Let's turn to the verse. Better read it.
Uh.
1St Thessalonians 5.
OK.
1St Thessalonians 5 and verse 6.
Therefore let us not sleep as do others, but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night, and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us soar of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love and foreign helmet the hope of salvation.
Drunkenness implies that I am insensitive to what is going on around me on the one hand, and I don't have the ability to discern, to think straight. That's why it's such a serious offense to drive while you're intoxicated. And some of the Central American countries, they take it very seriously. Driving while intoxicated carries a death penalty in some of the Central American countries.
Because they view it so seriously. And so it's the ability, or it's the lack of the ability to be aware of what's going on around me and to be able to use my own mind in a proper way. My discernment is gone. Well, I believe the Nazareth and to transpose it into the New Testament, the Christian was to have his mind in control at all times. Under whose control? The control of Christ.
You and I are to have our minds under the control of Christ. We're to be sober, we're to be serious. We're living in a sinful world. We can't afford to let down on things. But you know, there is a danger of being involved in things which perhaps by themselves are not wrong, but may lead to something. And you know, you'll remember that in the Old Testament when Abraham went and rescued Lot from the city of Silence, and the king of Sodom wanted to give Abraham some of the spoils that he had gotten in battle.
He said Abraham, you take something for all your efforts and your health.
Abraham says let the young men have their portion. In other words, if they're hungry, if they need something, sure, give them, give them their portion. But not for me. Oh, no, he says. I don't want anything from a thread to a shoe lecture. What do you say? That's carrying it pretty far. But Abraham wouldn't allow the slightest tie to this world. He didn't want anything to bind into this world. And I believe that's the that's the lesson that we have here.
There should be nothing which would bind us to this world. There are things which are legitimate in this world. There was nothing wrong with eating raisins, there was nothing wrong with eating grapes. And when he didn't have the valve of Nazarite, the man could eat them. But when he was consecrated to the Lord, he had to leave everything alone. That even in the remotest way resembled the vine, because the end of that was wine and drunkenness.
When we say that to your heart and mind, not as having carried it out, but as a warning to us and an exercise for my conscience, that the devil is always ready to introduce that which may take us on a wrong path. And sometimes something which seems very innocent at the first can lead us into that which is wrong. So the Nazareth, it was better to leave it all alone. Or you might say, I like grapes, I like raisins. I need this, I need that. Well, if there was any possibility of it leading him in the wrong direction.
Stay away from the vow of the Nazarene.
00:20:03
Well then, what's the next thing in verse 5? All the days of the vowels, his separation. There's some little razor come upon his head. Until the days be fulfilled into which he separated himself under the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
But you know, Scripture tells us in first or first Corinthians 11, that's not even nature itself teach you that if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him. And we sometimes see people, men today who prefer to wear their hair long. But it doesn't commend itself to a step. If a man comes to work in a in a big business in town, supposing a man we're going to represent himself in a business in town and he wanted a job.
Do you think they hired a man with the long hair flowing down his back? When they say we don't want that kind of a man to represent us, we want somebody who's going to represent us in the right way. And, you know, to let ones hair grow, I suggest, is the renouncing of ones dignity and rights as a man.
Renouncing of one's dignity and rights as a man. And that was an outward thing. Everyone should see that that was something that the Nazareth did, which was immediately obvious. And the longer he was a Nazarite, the longer his hair grew and the more evident it was to everybody who saw him that hears a man who's taken the vow of the Nazareth.
Well, I speak to your heart and mind. Is that what characterizes you and me? Do people look at us and say there is one who's concentrated into the Lord? Is his life, his department, his character, the way he conducts his business, the way he conducts his family life, the way that he reacts in difficult situations?
Does it all tell me that here is one who is consecrated unto the Lord? Here is one who doesn't stand on his own rights in this world, but is only concerned about the rights of Christ? Here is one who doesn't have anything to say unless his blessed Savior is attacked? Well, that searches my heart very much, but anyone's hair grow. Renouncing one's dignity and rights as a man. But then in verse six, notice there was a third thing, and it's noticeable that this is put last.
All the days that he separated himself unto the Lord, he shall come with no dead body.
Well, that to me is the most searching of all, because that speaks of separation and sin. The dead body would speak of defilement. It would speak of sin. And if you were to turn over to Numbers, chapter 19, you would find there, and we don't have time to read it tonight, you would find there detailed the purification of a man who had become defiled. And how did he become defiled? By touching that which was there or which was associated with the dead. It might be only a bone or a grave or something of that nature.
Or something that was associated with someone who was sick but nevertheless it was defilement and speaks of sin. Well, this is the third thing and you know that is something that is most searching.
Are you and I in our lives down here separated from sin? Now, of course, we know that we still have the old sinful, fallen nature, and we're never going to be totally free from sin until we get to the Lord. But that is what the Lord called the Nazareth to be characterized by. Well, the one, the not touching the wine or strong drink. That might be inward. It might be outward.
The wearing of one's hair long letting his girl was definitely an outward sign.
But the touching of a dead body would always, I think, be something that could well be done and nobody else would know about it. Now, of course, it might be done in the public, it might be done in public. But one could touch a dead body and no one would know about it. One could be defiled, and he might be all alone and no one see him. Did you know? That speaks to my heart, because I can allow things in my life which are not pleasing to the Lord, and no one will know about it. And I sometimes thought, you know what would happen.
If suddenly the Lord chose as a matter of testimony to make my life suddenly a public spectacle, to turn it inside out, this has happened to some people and show everyone what exactly happened in my life without any warning. Well, it's very, very searching as to what that might reveal for everyone to see. And so here God's desire of truth in the inward part. And this is very solid, but we don't want to spend too long on this because I want to speak about those four individuals that I was talking about. But there's something else to be noticed here beginning.
00:25:01
At verse 7.
Seven He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, or his brother, or for his sister, when they die, because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
I just, without belaboring the point, suggest this to your heart and mind, that the Spirit of God recognized that this would cause a very real test for the Nazareth, because here perhaps was his father or his mother who had died. What is he going to do? Is he going to say, well, surely the Lord will make an exception in this case? Surely it will be all right if I touch a dead body here because someone has to bury my father or my mother or my sister or something like that.
But the Word of God is very specific. He wasn't to defile himself that way. And I believe the lesson for that, for you and me, is the Spirit of God recognizes how easily it is for our thoughts and feelings to be affected by natural ties. And how often, and you know it as well as I do, you know it as well as I do, how often that there are difficulties and problems in an assembly because something needs to be done or there's a difficulty that needs to be settled.
But because there are family ties, individuals who feel those ties tend to let them overrule their better judgment. Well, if I feel that happening, I should probably follow the situation. If there's a discussion going on about somebody that's very close to me, I should probably let my brethren decide rather than stick up for them because I'm very likely to be affected by natural ties that warped my judgment. And I believe the Lord recognized that here, and he says no.
The Nazareth to be consecrated for the Lord. And if I really have the Lord before you, I won't allow natural ties to influence my spiritual judgment. But I believe it's something that we need to remember because here the Lord specifically mentions this in order that the Nazarite might not be tempted to think, well, I can make an exception in this case. Surely the Lord will overlook a sin in this case when it's to do with my own family. But know the Lord says no, I'm sorry, not for his father or his mother.
His brother or his sister when they die? Why?
Because the Lord didn't recognize natural ties. No, the consecration of his God is defined in.
Well, they're searching for each one of our hearts. But a most blessed thing, because the other side of it is he was consecrated to the Lord. And God never tells us to give up something. But while He separates us to something, he never separates us from something. But what? He separates us to something which is better. And so the Nazarite had the joy in his soul that he was separated to the Lord. He wasn't merely separated from that which was.
But you couldn't taste like the wine of a strong drink or letting his hair grow. But it was the consecration to the Lord.
And one other thing to be noticed in what we read here, verse nine, it tells us there, and if any man dies very suddenly by him, and he has defiled the head of his consecration, then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing. On the 7th day he shall shave it.
Although something happened to him inadvertently, somehow there was a situation which demanded it, and perhaps he was defiled almost before he knew what had happened. Then what does he have to do? He has to shave his head immediately. In other words, he wasn't allowed to wear the outward sign if he didn't wear the anyway. He wasn't allowed to pretend that he had the valve in Nazareth by wearing the long hair if he had defiled himself.
Immediately he had to shave his hair off to show that no longer.
Was he under that? Well, he couldn't wear the outward sign without the inward. And I believe that's something that needs to search each one of our hearts because.
How easy it is to me for me to wear the outward sign of a Christian. How easy it is for me to talk the right language, to say the right things, to do the right things, perhaps when it's a question of public testimony. Perhaps before my brethren and even before the world, but yet in my private life, to do something very, very different.
I don't mean to point the finger at someone else, but I can remember quite a few years ago walking through a shopping mall in my hometown and.
My wife and I just happened to meet someone that we knew very well who was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and she was with someone that she knew that she had no business being with and she knew was only dragging her down into the world. We didn't pay any attention to that. We started to walk towards her to say hello and to just exchange some greens, but Oh my, she pretended she didn't see us. She turned, she almost, well, you wouldn't call it a run, but it was just short of a run.
00:30:18
To get away before she had to face someone. Why? Oh, she had a bad conscience. She'd come to the meeting and she'd say all the right things and do the right things. But in her private life, she knew she was allowing that which wasn't pleasing to the Lord and satisfy. She's no longer gathered for the Lord's name and has gotten into all kinds of difficulties and problems.
Well, I say that because here the Nazareth wasn't allowed to wear the outward sign if the inward wasn't there. And you know, I believe that there's a danger in both directions. We're apartment to look on the outward signs and to say, well, he or she's going on well, because perhaps they know how to say the right words. But we need each one to ask ourselves what is the inward thing? Is my heart really right with the Lord? Am I really consecrated to the Lord? And if that is true.
Then the outward will agree with the inward. My testimony won't go beyond my own personal walk. Well, if he, if he defiled himself, what did he have to do? He had to shave his hair off and he had to start over again. It says those days were lost that he had already done. He couldn't sort of say, well, I've gone so far. I made this vow for three months and I finished two months. So I'll shave my hair and start over again.
No, he had to start back at the beginning and that tells us that when there is sin allowed in my life, I have to judge the root of it. I have to get to the root of the problem. Often I may judge the the sin itself in the sinful act, but what I need to do before the Lord is get to the root of the problem because someone has said so thought we can act. So an act and reap a habit. So a habit and reap a character. So a character and reap a destiny and I need to judge.
Whatever it is that is the root of that problem, not merely the act itself, but to go right back to where the difficulty began. And I believe that's what the Nazarite had to do. He had to start right at the beginning, and he had to go through his full Nazarite vow again.
Well, just to comment once more.
On the end of this chapter on verse 20, we won't read what's intervening here, but there's one verse that I didn't read that I'd like to touch on.
Verse 18.
And the Nazareth shall shave the head of this separation at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace outfits.
Rather a striking thing when his vows and he went through a period of purification. He had to bring certain sacrifices and we won't dwell on those tonight. They're a beautiful significance, but we don't have the time. But suffice it to say that he shaved that hair off.
What happened to him? He put it in the fire. That had to do with the piece of Oh, I love that. You know, the long hair was the outward sign, and it was a reproach to the Nazarene. It was a reproach for the man to wear that long hair. A woman could valve the valve, a Nazarite too, and it doesn't say what she was to do as the outward sign. But I'm sure that a woman could take this vowel just the same. But the thought here is that the man was a reproach.
He had to walk around among men and people maybe said look at that, he didn't look disgusting, that long mop the hair he's carrying around or someone's actually talking. And he had to bear the reproach of wearing his hair like that. Then the time came when the vowels finished, he was able to shave that hair off. And where does it go into the fire of the sacrifice of peace offers. Well, you know, the peace offering was the offering which spoke of the mutual enjoyment of.
The priests and the people, they all ate of it together. Some offerings only the priest could he go. But here was the peace offering, which was the offering that the priests and the people could eat up together. And it speaks of that common enjoyment between the Lord and ourselves, which of course takes place now, but will take place in its fullness and coming glory. And up there there will be no leave to bury drugs. The reproach is born down here.
There all the reproach, so as it were, a wind and fire, it'll all be done with, and we'll enjoy that blessed One forever. Oh, you know, it's evolved in Nazareth, doesn't last forever. It only lasts for a certain time. And then up in the glory there all that reproach and shame that we borne for the name of Christ is it where it goes into the fire, it's done with, gone forever. We'll never have to bear reproach in the glory. Isn't that worth waiting for? Isn't that worth bearing reproach for down here? And so here there's Nazarite.
00:35:27
He was able to enjoy himself. Now that hair was all gone. He looked the same as any other man now it was all gone. And then it says in verse 20 at the end of the verse, and after that the Nazareth may drink warm. Isn't that beautiful? What does that speak to herself? Oh, the wine speaks of of joy, earthly joy. It speaks of the joy that results from the enjoyment of those things.
Which perhaps I may have to deny myself as part of Nazareth ship down here, but in a coming day there'll be a full enjoyment of them.
I can remember a brother saying to me, he's now with the Lord, he said Bill, would it be nice to be in the glory and for the first time to relax.
Oh, I thought for a moment, I relaxed down here. Yes, we do in a measure, but we can never relax completely. We have to be on our guard all the time because of that old sinful, fallen nature, because of temptations that come from all around us. We have to be on our guard, but in the glory of the Nazareth will be able freely to enjoy that joy. And we won't turn to the verses, but you'll remember how in the New Testament the Lord Jesus could say, I will not henceforth drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you and my Father's Kingdom.
What do you mean? He meant He meant what we have here. He meant that the Lord wouldn't enjoy that natural joy up there without having you and me associated with him. And so the Lord Jesus will enjoy it in the coming day. But more of that later. Well, I suggest that these are the thoughts connected with the Nazarite. And we have a number of Nazarites identified in the Word of God. And I'd like to talk, first of all, in the time that's left to us about Samson.
None of those Samuel, and then about John the Baptist and then about the Lords and Savage, all four identified as Nazareth in the Word of God. Turn first to Judges 13 and we're not going to go through, as you can imagine, the whole life of Samson, but just to notice a few things in connection with his Nazareth ship.
Judges 13 and Verse.
UH-2.
And there was a certain man of Zora of the family of the Danites, whose name was Mano, and his wife was barren. And Verna and the Angel of the Lord appeared under the woman, and said unto her, Behold now thou art Baron, and fair snuff, but thou shalt conceive and bear son. Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine, nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean thing. For lo, thou shalt conceive and bear a son, and no razor shall come on his head.
Or the child should be a Nazareth under God from the womb, and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
And then turn over.
To the 15th chapter.
And the last verse, verse 20.
And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines, 20 years.
And then?
The next chapter, chapter 16 and verse 19.
And she made him sleep upon her knees, and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head. And she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. And she said, The Philistines be upon these Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself.
And he wished not that the Lord was departed from him.
Samson is probably the most outstanding example of a Nazareth in the Word of God. And here we find one who was prophesied as going to be a Nazarete right from his mother's womb, and it was specifically told to her that no razor should come upon his head and.
That he would be a Nazarite. He wasn't to drink any wine or strong drink, but specifically no razor would come on his head.
00:40:07
So he was to be a Nazareth separated to the Lord. But what is noteworthy here is that the Angel tells the Mother that for her she had better observed the same things.
Beware, I pray thee, verse four of chapter 13 and drink not wine, nor strong drink, and eat not any unclean train.
Oh, I believe that this is something that we need to remember because you know what we do as parents?
Will have its effect on our children someone has once said that children want what their parents enjoy, not what they say they enjoy, not what they tell them that they enjoy, but what they do enjoy and children soon find out what their parents really enjoy and so here Samson, he was going to be a nazarite, but.
The Angel says to the mother, you should observe that vow too, if you really want this boy to grow up properly. Well, poor Samson, we know how things went in his life, how that eventually, as we just read, he allowed himself to be drawn further and further into the world. And how did he do it? And you know the history of Saxon, we won't read it. But what did he not do as the Nazareth? You all know what he didn't do. He didn't obey what the Lord had told him to do.
He wasn't to defile himself. He got involved with the Philistines. He had no business getting involved with them. He married into the cross range and the Lord got him out of the difficulty once, but he didn't learn back. He goes again and this time he loses his hair and it says he was not that the Lord was departed from him. Well, who said and I read that verse and he judged Israel 20 years. Why? Oh because a full time of testing in Scripture is always 40 years.
And you'll notice when it says that Samson was to be born and he was to be a Nazarite, the Angel said, and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines. Why did she say that? Oh, because poor Samson had a good beginning, but a sad ending. He began to judge to deliver Israel, and he only lasted half the time, 20 years instead of 40. Well, I believe Samson speaks to us of a believer who starts out well.
He had good parents, parents who really, I believe, wanted him to go on, and there's no record here of whether his mother followed the advice or not. But I rather am inclined to think that she did when the Angel told her to do that. I'm inclined to think that she did. But nevertheless.
Before Samson goes his own way and he breaks the vow that he had and he ends up very, very saddened because he didn't remember the one injunction of the Nazareth. He was to keep himself from being defiled.
Well, that's something that's on the one hand, very, very searching for our souls, but on the other hand, it can be an encouragement to us because had Samson gone on, oh, what wondrous victories he would have won. How wonderful the strength that the Lord gave him. And I believe in that sense, you and I can have strength which is more than any other, to meet the difficulties and problems, to meet the enemy, if we remember to be concentrated to the Lord.
Our time is going. Let's turn over to First Samuel and we'll read there about Samuel.
First Samuel, Chapter One.
Now again I hope I can assume a reasonable understanding of the history of Samuel, but notice verse nine of first Samuel 1. So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in shadow, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord, and she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord in wet sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine hand made, and Remember Me.
And not forget thine handmaid, but will give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his bed.
Now here is a different situation here it wasn't the Lord saying this man, this child is going to be a misery. Here was a mother's faith and always speak specifically to the mother's here mothers. It's true that the hand of rocks, the cradle rules the world, although that isn't as an expression found in Scripture. But you know, a godly mother can be blessed. I believe in a way that perhaps we have no understanding of.
00:45:09
And when we see those that have been mightily used of God, usually you can trace it back to a godly mother. I can remember more than once, more than once, at least three or four times when I was growing up, hearing my our late brother Harry Hagel referred to his mother.
And in ways that you would see would be unusual for a man who was at that time in his 70s and in nearly 80 standing, sitting there in a meeting and saying, you know, if my mother were to walk into this meeting room tonight, I burst into praise. Why did he talk like that? Oh, because his mother had meant so much to him. There had been a godly example there which had its effect. And, you know, I believe it was Hannah's faith that had its effect on Samuel. She says, Lord, she'll give me this child.
No razor'll come upon his head. In other words, I'll give him to the Lord. And it wasn't easy for Hannah. I will have thought many times of poor Hannah taking that young child Samuel. And it was no secret that Elis house was a wicked house, that Elis sons were wicked men, that Eli himself was a weak character who hadn't what it took to discipline his son's property. And Can you imagine the feelings of that Bobby mother as she was trembling hands takes that little son up to the temple.
Delivers them into the hands of Eli, that man whose own voice had grown up bad and who at that very time were engaged in sin. But she had faith. Why? Because the Lord was in that place. And mothers and fathers, never hesitate to bring your children to the meeting. Never hesitate to bring them to the assembly. No matter you say, well, there's bad associations there. And sometimes the other children are the Saints. They're no help to them and they're going to see things. No, the Lord is there.
And what your brethren in the assembly do will never turn your children aside. Rest assured, the state of the assembly will never turn your children aside. But your reaction to it may. Your reaction to it may. Because if your children see that you go there because the Lord isn't convinced, I believe we can count on the Lord to keep them. And so it was here and going on just a couple of chapters, chapter 3.
Notice verse 20, First Samuel 3 and 20.
And all Israel and Dad, even the Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. Oh, a wondrous blessing.
Started with a mother's faith.
Turn over now to the New Testament. We've looked at two in the Old Testament 1.
As a warning, 1A Real encouragement turnover now to Luke Gospel.
Luke's Gospel chapter one.
And.
Verse 13.
The Angel now speaking to Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, And notice what he says, Luke 113 But the Angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, And thy wife Elizabeth shall bear the Son, and thou shalt call his name John, and thou shalt have joy and gladness. And many shall rejoice his birth, For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
And many of the children of Israel shall be turned to the Lord their God.
And then turn over to Matthews Gospel for a verse or two.
Matthew, Chapter 11.
Verse 11. Matthew 11. Verse 11.
The Lord Jesus speaking about John, says, Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist, notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
I suggest that the story of Samson is something that we can all understand, but the story of Samuel, I think, relates particularly to parents and to the children here. But the story of John the Baptist, for me, speaks to the young people, and I speak particularly to the younger ones here. For those who are mature enough to understand what we're saying. You know, John the Baptist is told that he would have, no, he wasn't to drink either wine or strong drink, but he was to be filled with the Holy Ghost.
00:50:10
And you know John the Baptist, the Lord says of them that are born of women, there hath not arisen of greater than John the Baptist puts him right up there along with all of those Old Testament Saints. He said there's nobody that was any greater.
And yet, have you ever thought of how old John the Baptist was when the Lord took him?
Wasn't very old, was he? I suppose that John the Baptist was barely 30 years old.
When he was beheaded.
His ministry was finished, he done his job and he was gone at the age of 30. And yet the Lord says very clearly about him of them that are born of women there have not arisen or greater than John the Baptist. Don't think that because you're young you can't serve the Lord. Don't think that because you're young you can't do something for him.
Here was one whom God used as a Nazarite. He was wholly concentrated, consecrated to the Lord, and he finished the work that the Lord had for him to do.
Pardon me, I take back that expression. There's only one of whom, a kid who could say, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. But he had in that sense completed what God had laid on him to do. His work was done and the Lord took him home. And yet at the age of 30, the Lord says there's no one that is greater than John the Baptist. And so we can serve the Lord when we're young. And there have been many over the years when the Lord has used mightily.
David Brainerd, Henry Morehouse, people like that who were taken home to be with the Lord at a very young age, and yet whose names today are synonymous with a godly life and the preaching of the Gospel.
Well, let that be an encouragement.
The 5 minutes that's remaining, let's consider the one that we have perhaps been pointing to the whole evening. The one who exemplified Nazareth ship is no other, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let's turn to John's Gospel.
I beg your pardon. Back to Luke's gospel again. First of all, Luke's gospel.
Luke's Gospel, chapter 39.
Chapter 2. Verse 30.
Let's start over again Luke chapter 2 and verse 39.
Beg your pardon? Luke two and verse 39.
And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their own city, Nazareth, and then down in verse 51. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
And then just one last verse in Matthew's Gospel.
Matthews Gospel.
Chapter 2.
And the last verse.
Verse 23, Matthew 2 and 23. And he, that is Joseph, came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophets. He shall be called a Nazarene.
All that Blessed One exemplified Nazareth ship as none other ever did. And if you notice carefully.
Whatever, there is a Nazareth mentioned in the word of God, exclusive of the Lord Jesus.
It mentions that no razor is to come on his head. It mentions that he is not to touch wine or strong drink.
But in connection with no other that I recall, does it say that he shall come with no dead body or be defiled for the dead. Why was that? Oh, because there was only one man who walked through this world, a sinless man.
Samuel may be a faithful man. Saxon may exemplify Nazareth shipping and measure John the Baptist. The Lord might say that there is not arisen a greater than John the Baptist of them that are born of women, but of none of them is the third characteristic applied. He shall come at no dead body, because there is no man who could fulfill that vow perfectly. A man might fulfill the vow of staying away from wine or strong drink. A man might fulfill the vow of allowing his hair to grow.
00:55:10
But not being deprived, not allowing any sin, Oh, there was number man, no matter how faithful.
That could exemplify that. But that blessed one, the Lord Jesus Christ, he exemplified Nazarite ship as no other did, wholly concentrated to the Lord. Nothing influenced him except the honor and glory of His Father and obedience to His will. And you know, if we ever want to have a reference point in our Christian pathway, let it always be Christ. Let it never be my brother. Let it never be even the most faithful individual that I know.
Let it always be himself. If there is a reference point as to my conduct down here as to how to act, let it always be back to Christ, because there is the One who exemplified that consecration perfectly.
What was the result? We said that the root word of the Nazarite.
While it meant consecration and separated, 2, it also meant crown. And all that Blessed One was consecrated to God, as none other ever was. But all what is the result? Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, and so on. You know the verse is very, very well that Blessed One.
Was the true Nazareth down here, but in the coming days he's going to wear the crown. But all the blessed thought, he doesn't take it without you and me being associated with it. He doesn't take it until our Nazareth ship is complete. He won't eat the peace offering up there until you and I, as it were, morally can go up there and we can shave our hair and throw it into the fire. He doesn't carry it out. He doesn't drink that wine up there until he says until I drink it new with you and my Father's Kingdom.
And that's the heavenly side of it. The Kingdom of the Father is the heavenly side. The Kingdom of the sun is the earthly side. And so when he says drink it new with you and my Father's Kingdom, oh, he's not going to enjoy that place in its fullness until you and I are there with them. Are we still taking the valve in Nazareth in that measure? I believe the Lord Jesus is still has still taken the vow of the Nazareth. He still identifies with his people down here.
And it won't be in that sense until you and I are there with them, that His vow of the Nazareth will cease. In one sense it has ceased now because He is up there. But in another sense, He won't drink that wine until you and I are associated with, Well, these are very, very blessed.
Things that are acting as a warning to us, but on the other hand, that which was a real encourage and what the thought I want to leave with each one of us. We sang about it in our first King. May that blessed One draw out of hearts. Do we find it a difficult pathway to be wholly consecrated to the Lord.
Oh, there was one who was gone before who was exemplified that pathway perfectly. Every other one that we looked at, there was failure there. John the Baptist failed, Samuel failed, Samson failed, and their failure is recorded for us. You and I fail, sad to say, but there is one who never failed in that path, who never failed in carrying out the consecration perfectly. And as a result, the crown is his the highest place in heaven.
I know our time is gone, but I wonder if we could sing that hymn #179.
Brightness of the eternal glory shall thy praise 100 lie. Who would hush the heaven sent story of the Lamb who came to die. And then the last verse Sing His blessed triumphant rising. Sing Him on the Father's throne. Sing till heaven and earth surprising rains the Nazarene alone.
I'm going to ask a local brother to start the tune that you know to this one because.
There are several tunes sung to it and I'm not sure the one you usually sing.