The Significance
of
"The Nazarite Priesthood"
Written 2-16-2002
Refined
August 19, 2011
by DJ. Love, Bnei HaMashalim
The significance of the Nazarite Priesthood has long interested me; since I have come
to realize that our Creator never performs anything through ancient Israel (physical
seed of Abraham) without
both a physical and a Spiritual purpose (for the
Spiritual seed of Abraham). So what was the purpose of
the Nazarite Priesthood? After all, YHVH had already put into place the Levitical
Priesthood. So what special purpose could the Nazarite Priests have served, then and
NOW?
It is interesting to note that Messiah Yahshua was reported to have spent part of his life
in the 'City of Nazareth.' Now
we must make a distinction between the 'City
of Nazareth' and the Nazarite
Priesthood. The 'City
of Nazareth' appears from historical records to have gotten its name
from the fact that many Nazarite priests resided in the area, BUT most residents were not Nazarites
priests; therefore, anyone who had lived or grown up in this city would not qualify
as a Nazarite priest without taking the VOW of
a Nazarite priest. Of course, anyone (male or female) could
take that VOW no matter
what city they were from. So was Yahshua a Nazarite priest from childhood, adolescence
or from birth as Samson was? Absolutely Not ! Because he would have sinned
for breaking the requirements of the Nazarite Vow. However, this does not mean
that Yahshua could not have taken the vow (a
covenant with YHVH) later in his life, and as we shall
see, it appears that he did. But first, we must understand
the difference between a Levitical priest and a Nazarite priest. In order to be
a Levitical priest one would have to have been born of the 'Tribe of Levi.' Those
who were born into the 'Tribe of Levi' were "Set
Apart" by physical birth for the express purpose
of serving as sacramental priests. BUT if you were not born of the 'Tribe
of Levi' you could still become a priest (not
sacramental priests, but ministers) by
taking the VOW of
the Nazarite priesthood. There is a significant distinction to be made here; the
Levites had no choice in the matter, BUT the Nazarites CHOSE to become
priests (ministers). Because
of this distinction the Nazarites were especially favored (given
Grace) by YHVH. There is even strong evidence to suggest that
The Nazarites were considered to be "Earthly
Angels", and there are Bible verses
to suggest that Messiah (a High Priest) is
referred to as an Archangel or Mighty Angel in
tenth chapter of The Book of Revelation. It is further suspected that Miryam (Mary,
the mother of Messiah Yahshua) was actually given the good news of
her pending motherhood by a Nazarite Angel. This could easily be true, since they were
considered by YHVH to be Holy and more pure than the driven snow. And
it is this distinction that not only set them apart before YHVH, but
also, sets
Messiah Yahshua apart as well. After
all, Yahshua was of the 'Tribe of Judah' and not 'Levi',
and yet Yahshua became Our High Priest after "The Mysterious Order
of Melchizedek", which I discuss on the next page.
Numbers 6:1-6 (The
elements of the Nazarite vow)
YHVH spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, When either man or woman shall
make a special vow, the vow of a Nazarite, to separate himself (or
herself) to YHVH,
3 (The Main Element of the vow) he (or
she) shall separate himself (or
herself) from wine and strong drink; he (or
she) shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of
strong drink, neither shall he drink any juice of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried (all
symbolic of the Spiritual fruit of the vine).
4 All the days of his (or her) separation shall
he (or she) eat
nothing that is made of the grape-vine, from the kernels even to the husk.
5 All the days of his (or her) vow
of separation there
shall no razor come on his (or her) head:until
the days be fulfilled, in which he (or she) separates
himself (or herself) to
YHVH, he (or
she) shall be
Holy; he (or she) shall
let the locks of the hair of his (or her) head
grow long.
6 All the days that he (or she) separates himself (or
herself) to YHVH he (or
she) shall not come near to a dead body (while
the Nazarite priest is living).
Scripture records that one can become a Nazarite Priest at birth, if the mother follows
certain procedures.
Judges 13:2-5, 13-14
2 There was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the Danites, (not
levites) whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and
didn't bear.
3 The angel of YHVH appeared to the woman, and said to her, See now, you
are barren, and don't bear; but you shall conceive, and bear a
son (SAMSON).
4 Now therefore please beware and drink no wine nor strong drink, and don't
eat any unclean thing:
5 for, behold, you shall conceive, and bear a son; and no razor
shall come on his head; for the child shall be a
Nazarite to YHVH from the womb: and he shall begin to
save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.
13 The angel of YHVH said to Manoah, of all that
I said to the woman let her beware.
14 She may not eat of anything that comes of the vine, neither let her drink
wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing; all that I commanded her
let her observe.
Judges 16:17
He (SAMSON) told
her all his heart, and said to her, "No razor has ever come
on my head; for I have been a Nazarite
to YHVH from my mother's womb. If
I am shaved, then my strength will go from me, and I will become
weak, and be like any other man."
NOTE: Technically,
neither scripture nor the epistles have to call a Nazarite a priest. The definition of
a priest is anyone who performs a service to/for YHVH such as (symbolic) Baptism,
teaching the Gospel, healing the sick without surgery or medicine, casting out demons (unrighteous
thoughts), perform (symbolic) sacriments
OR WHO HAVE CONSECRATED THEMSELVES
TO YHVH, etc... . (con't)
Leviticus 21:10
10 He who is the high priest among his (Nazarite) brothers,
on whose head the anointing oil is poured, and that is consecrated to
put on the garments, shall not let the hair of his head go loose, nor tear his clothes;
(con't)
Priestly service can be exactly the same as JOHN the BAPTIZER who was a NAZARITE from
birth. So, "Are all Nazarites Priests?" Actually, yes, because not ALL
priests (ministers) have (symbolic) sacrimental
duties. As a matter of fact, sacrimental duties have nothing to do with the teaching
or preaching of the Gospel, but have everything to do with (symbolic) physical
examples of Spiritual truths. Such as the physical sacrifice of animals are a physical
example of Spiritual sacrifice (living sacrifice
or selflessness). What we do NOT want to do is compare YHVH's
Nazarite priests with Christopagan priests or sacrimental priests. Additionally, we
must not confuse
the duties of Levitical priest with that of ministers of the word or those that have
been consecrated to
any other form of service to YHVH. How else could the Messiah (who
was NOT a levite by birth) become our HIGH PRIEST? Yet
he IS our High Priest.
This train of thought, also, brings us to the the fact that, according to Hebrews
chapter 5, Messiah was made a High Priest after "The Order of Melchizedek."
Melchezidek was and apparently is a physical to Spiritual parallel (anthropomorphism) that
portrays 'A' or 'The' "King of Righteousness." A
physically understood example of a human being having been made into The Spiritual
Image of YHVH (The True King of Righteousness).
Melchizedek is not so much a name, as it is a title or designation of honor.
It is a position or office that has to be filled by a worthy candidate. The term
is a transliteration of two Hebrew words, melek and tsedeq . The Hebrew melek
means king and tsedeq means righteousness.
Therefore, the term "Melchizedek" means literally, "King
of Righteousness." Because a king is always preeminent
in his jurisdiction, whoever Melchizedek was, he had to be preeminent in righteousness.
He had to be a righteousness seeking king. Therefore, if one of us becomes
OR is "After The Order of Melchezedek," THEN we have been made Righteous
by YHVH's Holy Spirit (made in the Image
of YHVH).
I believe that All True Nazarite priests fall into this category too, as well
as, ALL True worshippers of YHVH. In other words, The "Chosen Few" are
of the order of Melchizedek, BUT Messiah Yahshua is THE Highest Priest OR (in
other words) Our ELDER BROTHER, and also a Nazarite
Priest.
Hebrews 3:2
Therefore, Holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle
and High Priest of
our confession, Yahshua(Messiah);
2 who was faithful to Him who appointed him, as also, was Moses in all His house.
Lamentations 4:7-9
7 Her NAZARITES (Strong's #5139 NAZIYR, meaning "CONSECRATED
TO YHVH") were purer than snow (Spiritually),
they were whiter than milk (Spiritually); They
were more ruddy in body than rubies (physically), their
polishing was as of sapphire.
8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their
skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick (a
living self-sacrifice).
9 Those who are killed with the sword are better off than those who are killed with
hunger; For these pine away, stricken
through, for want of the fruits of
the field.
Could it be that (Symbolically) Messiah
Yahshua pines away even now for his fruit of
the vine? After all, doesn't he tell us that YHVH prunes the vine, Yahshua is the
vine, and "The Chosen" are the branches of the vine (branches
of Yahshua) that bear the 'Fruit of the Vine.' Are
we beginning to see the Spiritual significance of the Nazarite priests? After all
they have freely CHOSEN to
follow their VOW (covenant) with
YHVH of their own free will, they are "SET APART," they are Holy
unto YHVH (pure) and they
suffer as the Nazarites in Lamentations 4:7-9 desiring the Fruit of the field (field
of grapes).
Note: Not only does
Messiah Yahshua pine away for the Fruit of the Holy Spirit of Love to be fully ripe, but
All True Believers and followers of Yahshua's (and
YHVH's) teachings (John
7:16), also, pine away earnestly
desiring to bring forth much good
(righteousness seeking) fruit
unto salvation.
John 15:1-9
"I (Yahshua) am the
true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (pruner).
2 Every branch in me that doesn't bear fruit, he takes away (cuts
off). Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that
it may bear more fruit.
3 You are already pruned clean because of "The
Word" which I have spoken to you.
4 Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless
it remains in the vine (Yahshua's Ministry), so
neither can you, unless you remain in me (follow
my example and teachings your whole life).
5 I (Yahshua) am
the vine. You (the chosen) are
the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the
same bears much fruit, for
apart from me you can do nothing.
6 If a man doesn't remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and
is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire (Gehenna
Hell), and they are burned (completely
up).
7 If you remain in me, and my words (teachings
of YHVH) remain in you, you
will ask whatever you desire, and
it will be done to you.
8 In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so
you will be my disciples (students
of The Word of YHVH or future messengers of
The Word of YHVH).
9 Even as the Father has loved
me, I
also have loved you. Remain in
my love.
2 Peter 3:10-12
10 But the day of the kyrios (kurios,
master) will
come as a thief in the night; in
which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the
elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the Earth
and the works (creations
of man) that are in it will be burned up (destroyed
forever).
11 Therefore, since all these things are thus to be destroyed, what
manner of persons ought you to be in Righteous living and Holiness,
12 looking (to pine) for
and earnestly
desiring the Coming
of the Day of YHVH, by reason
of which the heavens (atmosphere) being
on fire will be dissolved, and
the elements will melt with fervent heat?
So then, the question remains, "Did Yahshua take the VOW of
a Nazarite priest?" I am Spiritually certain that he did! It was and is just
too Spiritually significant for him not to have done so!
Mark 14:23-25
23 He (Yahshua) took
the cup (of wine), and
when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it.
24 He (Yahshua) said
to them, "This (wine) is
my (Spiritually symbolic) blood of
the Re-new-ed covenant (a marriage
vow), which
is poured out for many (not the whole world).
25 (The Beginning
of Yahshua's Nazarite Vow) "Most
assuredly," I (vow) tell
you, "I
will no more drink
(swallow) of
the fruit of the vine, until that
day (when
the end of the Vow occurs) when
I drink it anew in
the kingdom of YHVH (on
Earth)."
Further evidence of his Nazarite vow was the Messiah's refusal to drink (swallow,
consume) while
he was being crucified even though he tasted it.
Matthew 27:34
They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he
would not drink.
Therefore,Messiah is
presently a Nazarite Priest, "Set
Apart," "pure," and "Holy" unto YHVH. I say this because he most
assuredly kept the rest of the Nazarite vow (hair
cut); because
he made this vow approximately 24 hours prior to his crucifixion (it
would have been foolish to waste time getting a haircut), he
never ate anything unclean, swallowed wine or vinegar, and since he died prior to
the other two thieves next to him, he did not violate the being near any dead thing
requirement. Now pay particular attention to these next verses.
Revelation 14:14-18 (highly symbolic)
14 I looked, and behold, a white cloud; and on
the cloud one
sitting like a son of man (Yahshua), having
on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle (time
to harvest the 'Fruit of the Field' a "Second Fruit Harvest").
15 Another angel came out from the temple (with
a message from YHVH), crying with a loud voice to
him (Yahshua), who
(symbolicly) sat
on the cloud, "Send forth your sickle, and
reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the Earth is
ripe!"
16 He (Yahshua), who
sat on the cloud, thrust his sickle on the earth, and the Earth was
reaped (The Resurrection or Regeneration
occurs).
17 Another angel came out from the temple (of
YHVH) which is in heaven. He also had a sharp
sickle.
18 Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire,
and he called with a great voice to him (Yahshua) who
had the sharp sickle, saying, "(Yahshua) Send
forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for
her grapes are fully ripe!"
Now recall Mark 14:25.
Mark 14:23-25
25 (Beginning of Yahshua's Nazarite Vow) "Most
assuredly," I tell you, "I
will no more drink
of the fruit of the vine, until that day (when
the end of the Vow occurs) when
I drink it anew in
the kingdom of YHVH (ON EARTH)."
One more topic for thought: Could
it be that John the Baptist was "Set Apart" from the
womb, as a Nazarite
priest, so that Messiah Yahshua could be (symbolically) baptized
by a Nazarite priest that was Holy unto YHVH; after all, the Levitical priesthood
had long since fallen from YHVH's Grace?
Luke 1-11-15
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him (Zacharias), standing
on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell on him.
13 But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your
request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you
a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he
will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will
be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb (just
like SAMSON).
16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Kurios, their (proxy)
Lord.
SO, was John the Baptist a Nazarite priest? "Absolutely"!
Therefore, I believe that Messiah is both a Nazarite Priest
and
Our High Priest,
after
"The Righteousness Seeking Order of Melchizedek".
This message is dedicated to Selah Stewart
for the inspiration to write it
(2-16-2002)
Galatians 4:16
So then, have I become your enemy
by telling you the truth?
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