GOOD MORNING!
Today’s readings are Judges 13-15

Read today’s Bible readings at BibleGateway by clicking here.

Something to think about: Throughout Judges (and the history of God’s people on through today) we have seen that there is a big difference between having faith in YHWH and being faithful to YHWH.

Stop and think about that a minute. There is a big difference between having faith in YHWH and being faithful to YHWH.

We put other things, doctrines, relationships, idols, our own comfort, and what we feel is right in our own eyes above the Father at every turn.
Having faith while being unfaithful. It’s a recurring theme among Gods people. As He shines His light into the darkness, may we turn and heed His direction! So many blessings can only be found within His will!

Judges 13:1-5 This appearance to Sampson’s mother is letting her know that her son was to be a Nazarite. This is not a Nazarene, as that is someone that is from Nazereth. Rather, this is a person who takes a Nazarite vow for a period of time. Usually, these vows are temporary but Sampson was to be a Nazarite for life.

Aspects of a Nazarite vow:

  • Abstain from alcohol (some say this just referred to wine).
  • Refrain from cutting their hair.
  • Avoid becoming unclean by touching corpses or graves.

You can read the cliff notes version of being a Nazarite on Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazirite . However, keep in mind that the only authority on being a Nazarite would be the Father and His word. We should view all extra-biblical resources (including my notes) with a strong eye of discernment and check them against Scripture.

Here are some of my notes from the first time we addressed Nazarites in Numbers 5-6:

Today we meet the Nazarites!

Nazarites were people who took a specific vow to live “Holy unto YHWH”. This vow could be for a short period of time, a number of years, or on a permanent basis. There are many reasons why someone might have made a Nazarite vow: as a way of thanking YHWH for a specific blessing, out of a desire to serve YHWH more closely, etc.

There is a story that can be found on Wikepedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazirite ) about Queen Helena who promised to take a Nazarite vow if her son returned from battle unharmed. He did, so she did.

She took a vow for seven years. However, at the end of her seven years the priests declared that she had not fully kept her vow and, as was the custom among Nazarite vows, she had to repeat her entire seven years over again. At the end of those seven years they determined, once more, that she had not fully kept her vow and she had to repeat the entire seven years again. (You had to go to the priest to perform the sacrifices and be released from your vow at the end of it’s term). In the end she ended up serving as a Nazarite for 21 years.

My notes will get longer starting tomorrow if the Father wills it, and I may backtrack and cover more of today’s readings as well. I’m ending these now so that I can get them posted before I take a little sabbatical for the rest of the day. I thank you all for being here, for studying the precious word of our Father alongside me and for allowing me to study alongside you.

I leave you with this:

God is not man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind.
Has he said, and will He not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will He not fulfill it?
-Numbers 23:19

Be encouraged, GLORY TO THE KING!

Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

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Christy Jordan
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