Understanding the meaning of the Nazarite vow is extremely important to the committed believer. It is a guide for living a fulfilling and victorious life. Living the Nazarite vow is the putting away of hindrances in order that something more important might take place.

Abstaining from wine and strong drink

The complete abstinence from grapes in that day was representative of giving up worldly pleasures, for the fruit of the vine symbolized life's frivolity. Not only was intoxicating drink withheld, but also the chamar, which was a sweet grape juice that symbolized the sweet things of the world.

In other words, wine, which is made from rotten (fermented) grapes represents worldly pleasures found in the rotten, putrefied areas of a worldly life. Nevertheless, God-given pleasures in which a person may partake without guilt of sin were likewise excluded. This was a fast of pleasure – a self-imposed austerity that was engaged in to keep a person from being distracted by worldliness in order to draw close to God and perform extraordinary exploits for Him. As believers, we are to live in the world, yet separated from the world. Any thing that intoxicates us (money, fame, lusts of the flesh, etc.) will ultimately dull our spiritual senses and draw us away from God. Today, we live in the substance of what was pictured in that beautiful ritual act. We, who believe live in the true meaning of that symbolic act, refrain from becoming intoxicated by anything that might draw us away from intimacy with God.

Let the locks of hair on his head grow long

Long hair in the society of that day symbolized that a person was living under the authority and covering of another. As believers, we now live under the authority and covering of our Lord. We were bought with a price that He paid on the cross. Therefore, we belong to Him and we are in covenant union with Him. Today, we demonstrate submission through the way we conduct of our lives - under the authority of another through dependence and obedience.  We seek Him for guidance and counsel.  We obey His word. We live our lives to serve Him and to please Him. Living this kind of lifestyle today is a greater testimony to the world than the ritual act of growing long hair. In this day, hair is grown (or not grown) as a matter of preference and style. Moreover, some of us are bald and have no choice in the matter. Therefore, hair length in this era gives no meaningful testimony to the world.  And testimony is what the ancient Nazarite's long hair was all about. Today, obedience and devotion to God convey the strongest possible testimony to the world. This is a testimony that cannot be ignored. It is important to remember that Old Testament ritual acts were shadows and types of the reality that was to come. The substance of these shadows and types (Col 2:16) is Christ Himself - who was, spiritually speaking,  the perfect Nazarite. By His example and through His empowerment (the Holy Spirit), we can live in the true meaning of the Nazarite vow.

Don't go near to a dead person

The requirement to stay away from dead bodies is another important symbol. It strongly suggests that the Nazarite should not go near anything that would cause spiritual death. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. So, succinctly stated this ritual refrain means don't go near sin because sin will bring spiritual death.

Jesus certainly lived by the spiritual principles of the Nazarite vow. He lived a life of self-denial and separation to God the Father. The most obvious aspect of his self-denial was His death for our sins. Yeshua (Jesus) tells us in several parables that we also should be living this way. Do we compartmentalize Him? In other words, do we simply add Him to everything else we do, or do we give him every aspect of our lives to control?

May I suggest a book called "The Cost of Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonnhoffer. The author helps the reader to count the costs of knowing Yeshua. May each of us enter into a wholehearted love of God and be separated to the Lord.

If you do not yet know the Lord, today could be your day of salvation. A simple heartfelt prayer is all that is needed.