Today I reflect and consider whether in response to God’s vision and promise to the apostle Paul, he made a Nazirite vow back to God. The setting is the city of Corinth, in which God had a plan for the people, many of whom were destined to become his children.
8 Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized.
9 One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10 For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 11 So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.
18 Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him.
Acts 18:8-11, 18 NLT
When Paul left Corinth, he went to Cenchrea and shaved his head to mark the end of what is assumed to be a Nazirite vow. This kind of a vow goes back to Numbers 6 and requires the participant to abstain from the fruit of the vine, from cutting one’s hair, and from becoming ceremonially impure.
The Nazirite vow sets the person apart in holiness and devotion to the Lord. In Paul’s case, I wonder whether his vow related to his time in Corinth. He conclude the period of his vow once he left Corinth, but we don’t know exactly when he made the vow in the first place. Today I wonder if he made his Nazirite vow after he received a vision from the Lord.
There was much conflict for Paul in Corinth and in other cities as he shared the gospel of Jesus. But it is clear that God wanted Paul to invest time in the city of Corinth. He had a plan for that place and declared in the vision that there were many people in the city who belonged to the Lord.
I wonder whether, in response to God’s vision and promise to Paul not only to protect him but also in terms of the harvest of Corinth, Paul committed himself in a special way to Corinth through the Nazirite vow.
I also wonder whether there is a time in our lives in which we could make a commitment to God in terms of being set apart and dedicated to God’s purpose. This is dangerous territory as we are already set apart in Jesus, and our yes should be our yes. I get all that. But God gives us his promise and the Holy Spirit lays convictions on our hearts to fulfill the Lord’s work on earth. Perhaps there are seasons in which we could set ourselves apart even further to keep our heart’s dedication and focus on what God has for us.
I’m not sure you need to let your hair grow to do this, but the wine thing is probably a must. Give it some thought…
Amen.
Marc Kinna
marckinna 