THE MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION

"The Lord instructed Moses: 'Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When a man or woman makes a special vow, a Nazirite vow, to consecrate himself to the Lord...' " (Numbers 6:1, 2 HCSB)

"In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to Me. After that the Levites may come to serve [at] the tent of meeting, once you have ceremonially cleansed them and presented them as a presentation offering. For they have been exclusively assigned to Me from the Israelites. I have taken them for Myself in place of all who come first from the womb, every Israelite firstborn." (Numbers 8:14-16 HCSB)

Since we have such an extraordinary Deity, should we be content with ordinary devotion? Being the possession of God ought to bring us to an obsession with God. This kind of commitment is modeled by the Levite and the Nazirite in Numbers 6-9.

Of all the tribes of Israel, the Levites were particularly set apart for God. Israel was a chosen people and God made the descendants of Levi chosen among the chosen--the cream of the crop, you might say. They were the tribe of priests who were to serve in the worship, work and witness of the house of God. God hand-picked them.

Have you ever been in a position where you were not picked? I remember in PE at our elementary school, we would be on the playground and start dividing up for kickball. The captains were usually the star athletes and they would pick the fastest and strongest--and kids like me would be passed over, until nobody remained but those of us who were the human dregs. Occasionally, the dreaded square dance was called for by the teacher during recess. The popular boys and pretty girls quickly paired up, and all you were left with was the pimpled face guys and greasy haired girls, which was torture. I know because that was my group. It is no fun to want to stand out in the crowd for popularity but instead have to stand up to ridicule. It's like you have a big tattoo on your forehead that says, "Loser!"

But, just because the Levites were chosen by God, did not mean that everyone else had to miss having such devotion to God. You could be a Nazirite if you wanted. God had taken possession of the Levites so they would have an obsession with Him. The Nazirite had an obsession with God and so became the possession of God! You might not have been privileged to be a priest in your designation, but you could be priestly in your dedication! If you were not drafted into God's service as a Levite, you could volunteer as a Nazirite.

We find three parallels in the Levites and Nazirites. Each were to be different in their affections, appearance and associations.

They were different in their affections. Neither were to partake of the produce of the vineyard during their service (compare Leviticus 10:9 and Numbers 6:3-4). Their heads were to be unclouded by alcohol. The fruit of the vine represented the pleasure of this world. These were extraordinary in their source of joy; they were intoxicated with God!

Further, they were different in their appearance. Both the High Priest and the Nazirite wore a special crown on their heads marking them as set apart for God. The High Priest wore a turban with a crown and engraved on it were the words, "Holiness to the LORD" (Read Exodus 28:36-38; 29:6). The Nazirite would have a head crowned with long hair advertising his separation unto God (Numbers 6:5). The same Hebrew word is used to describe both their crown and their hair. They were thus reminded not to seek the popularity of the world, but bear the peculiarity of holiness. These were to stand out because they were to stand up for God. Their hearts were to be undivided in seeking God's glory and not their own--extraordinarily so!

Also, they were to be different in their associations. The one serving as High Priest and the one under a Nazirite vow were not to touch a dead body--not even to bury a parent! You can read about this is Leviticus 21:11 and Numbers 6:6-12. Death was a result of sin's curse and the one serving the Lord had to be free of such contamination. Their hands were to be undefiled by the corruption around them in an extraordinary manner. We are in the world, but not to be of the world. Even the dearest of human associations dare not lead one away from heavenly affections. Jesus said, "The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." (Matthew 10:37 HCSB)

The root meaning of the word, Nazarite means to be set apart. The vow they took was from a Hebrew word meaning "extraordinary." They had an extraordinary devotion to God. He was their magnificent obsession and they were His special possession. Why would we be content with a thimbleful of God, when we can have a truckload? You experience Him in His fullness, when He has you in your fullness. This is the magnificent obsession!