[Num 6:3-5]
Three notables were prophesied Nazarites. Two
are strong types of Christ, the other introduced
Jesus to the world. Of the strong deliverer, who
would die to save his people, it is written, “The
child shall be a Nazarite to God from the
womb to the day of his death … his name
Samson.” [Jud 13:7,24] Of the godly priest who
would guide the nation of Israel through critical
times, it is written, “I will give him unto the
Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no
razor come upon his head … his name
Samuel … as long as he liveth he shall be lent
to the Lord.” [1 Sam 1:11,20,28] Of John the
Baptist, it is written, “For he shall be great in
the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither
wine nor strong drink.” [Lk 1:15] John the
Baptist was a reformer. To him was committed
the great work for the people of his time. All his
habits were carefully regulated from his birth.
John went forth to prepare the way of the Lord, a
voice crying in the wilderness. He was a noble
representative of those living in the last days, to
whom God has entrusted sacred truths to present
to the people, to prepare the way for the Second
Coming of the Lord. And the same principles of
temperance which John practiced should be
At the Last Supper, Messiah chooses to partake
of the ancient Nazarene vow, which had always
pointed forth to the Christ. Centuries of mystery
were swept away. “Take this, and divide it
among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will
not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the
kingdom of God shall come.” [Lk 22:17,18] “But
I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of
this fruit of the vine, until that day when I
drink it new with you in My Father’s
kingdom.” [Mat 26:27-29]
The time of Christ‟s separation was at hand. His
promise to never partake of the pure grape until
we are reunited with Him in heaven proves this
vow of separation lingers – Jesus remains
separated from His beloved brethren.
In Gethsemene, the disciples were separated
from Jesus when He most needed their support.
“What, could ye not watch with Me one hour?
He came and found them asleep again.”
[Mat 26:40,45]
“As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken
up, He feared that in His human nature He
would be unable to endure the coming conflict
with the powers of darkness. With the issues of
the conflict before Him, Christ‟s soul was filled
with dread of separation from God. In His agony
He clings to the cold ground, as if to prevent
Himself from being drawn farther from God.
The cypress and palm trees were the silent
witnesses of His anguish. From their leafy
branches dropped heavy dew upon His stricken
form, as if nature wept over its Author wrestling
alone with the powers of darkness. Hitherto He
had been an intercessor for others; now He
longed to have an intercessor for Himself.”
[Desire of Ages, p. 686-89]
Upon the cross came the ultimate separation
between the Father and the Son. He, the Sin
Bearer, endures the wrath of divine justice, and
for thy sake becomes sin itself. Then “Jesus
cried with a loud voice, saying … My God, My
God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” [Mat 27:46 ]
The prophet Isaiah foresaw this event: “For a
small moment I have forsaken Thee.” [Is 54:7]
“The Saviour could not see through the portals
of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His
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The complex Nazarene vow included two
distinct characteristics: (1) “He shall separate
himself from wine and strong drink … moist
grapes or dried.” (2) “All the days of the vow
of his separation there shall no razor come
upon his head … he shall be holy, and shall
let the locks of the hair of his head grow.”
observed by those who in our day are to warn
the world of His soon coming.
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separation from His Father during the eternal
Second Death experience that He was about to
suffer?