Chapter 6

NAZIRITES


When discussing with others about headcoverings and hair, one question often arises: What about the long hair of Samson? Samson appears to be a contradiction to Paul's observation, "Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him ...?"

In examining this, we first need to recognize that the Old Testament bears evidence and truth to some matters in picture or shadow, which cannot be practiced in an identical manner in New Testament times. For example, in the Old Testament we see the Temple with all its sacrifices. These were all commanded by Yahweh, yet their relevance today is that they are a picture or foreshadowing of the more perfect fulfillment in Yahshua and the temple Yahweh will build with living stones. Thus, what was practiced in the Old Testament is fulfilled in higher spiritual realms, and in a literal application is now contrary and not necessary. In fact, to sacrifice an animal today would be a flagrant contradiction to Yahshua's atonement. Zechariah prophesied to the high priest in his time: "you and your friends who are sitting in front of you – indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My Servant the Branch" (Zechariah 3:8). Their practices and their forms were all symbols of specific truths that were to be fulfilled today.

Another example we can consider that is closer to our study is found in Zechariah as well. In verse five of this same chapter, one of the "symbols" of this priesthood was the turban that had to be worn on the head of the priest. This requirement for the priest is also found in Leviticus 21:10. Yet today, Paul says that if a man prays or prophesies with his head covered, he shames Yahshua. Why the difference? In the Old Testament the priest wore the turban as a symbol of the need for the man to be covered. Yet today in Yahshua, Paul tells us that He is that covering for us, the true fulfillment of the turban.

Furthermore, in the Old Testament we see Yahweh adorning Jerusalem with ornaments, bracelets, a necklace, a ring in her nose, earrings, and a crown on her head. This is similarly seen in other like matters in the Old Testament. Yet in the New Testament Paul warns the woman: "Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments" (1 Timothy 2:9). Why the difference? Obviously here as well, there is a distinction between the Old and the New. These ornaments lavished by Yahweh are likewise a symbol of the adornment of His Bride with spiritual gifts and virtues that come from Him for her ascribed splendor that is not of ourselves. Thus, as with the turban of the priesthood and all the ornaments, these symbols of the Old must be put away for the New. If continued, like unto the animal sacrifices, they too are a contradiction and distraction, even as are the sacrifices, etc.

We find prophesied this putting away of these ornaments in the account of the Israelites. After leaving Egypt, they soon fell into sin by fashioning the image of the golden calf, which was in fact made from their ornaments. The church is pictured in these wandering Israelites. In Exodus 33:4-6 they repented of their frivolity and shame by removing their ornaments. Yahweh likewise commanded them: "You are an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I will do with you." Their response was to put their image-forming ornaments off: "So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Horeb onward." We have here a picture of how one who seeks to obey Yahshua is to remove these decorations of this world that give rise to a golden calf, and present the simplicity, humility, and godliness of a discrete and modest appearance, not adorning our carnal flesh with the glitters of this world.

What Yahweh presented in the Old in picture cannot be exactly practiced in the New. Those pictures, or symbols, were only an image of a form that was to find true fulfillment after Yahshua. This is likewise true with the long hair of the Nazirite – Yahweh established a picture, a symbol, in the Old that allows us to understand His truths in the New.

We must address something here parenthetically that the astute or critic might bring up. That is, if the Old is a symbol for the New, and the Old is fulfilled in the New, and thus the Old symbols are put away, how can we still teach men to wear Old-Testament-commanded beards? To this we would simply say that Yahweh God never chose to put away hair at the cross as He put away the temple and its practices. Men still grow beards. They, along with the ozone layer and clothing, are still viable, necessary, and relevant coverings. They still speak today, even as they did at the cross when it was prophesied that they plucked out Yahshua's beard. They still speak, as Yahweh has inseparably maintained them as the first glorious covering, a testimony of man's need for a second covering – Yahshua. If Yahweh had willed to remove their testimony, He would have removed their presence, even as He did the temple and sacrifices. But no, nature still speaks. Men continue to wear short hair, and Yahweh continues to give the man the beard. 

The Nazirite Vow

Now back to our subject. What is this Old Testament picture, or symbol, in Samson? Before we can answer this question, we must first see why he grew his hair long. We find in Judges 13:4-5 that Samson's long hair was in response to his calling from before birth to live the vow of a Nazirite. Yahweh proclaimed to Samson's mother before his birth: "be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing. For behold, you shall conceive and give birth to a son, and no razor shall come upon his head, for the boy shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb." Let us now look at these Nazirites that took this vow and wore long hair for a season.

In Numbers 6 we see Yahweh's laws concerning this limited-term vow that a man or woman might enter. There were three requirements in it: (1) they could not eat or drink anything from the grape vine, (2) they could not cut their hair, and finally (3) they could not go near a dead person, even if their parents or a family member died. Once the duration of this holy vow was completed, there were several offerings or sacrifices they were to make before Yahweh.

We see then that this was a hallowed time of devotion. The Nazirite's head was consecrated to Yahweh. In fact, it was his abstinence from the razor that separated him – "his separation to God is on his head." The great significance of this untrimmed head was evidenced in that if by chance someone died next to them, they had to shave theirs head, make atonement for sin, reconsecrate their head, and start this dedication period all over again. We know that headship is a vital issue to Yahweh; and we see here a man or woman setting aside a length of time to make a statement of their devotion to Him. By not cutting their hair, there was no interference, no man-made contrivance, that would come between or interfere with their devotion to Yahweh.

There are two other men who were under the Nazirite vow from before their births. The next we seldom think of as having long hair like Samson, but obviously he did. In 1 Samuel 1:11, Hannah was making a vow to Yahweh concerning her distress in not having a son: ''O Yahweh of hosts," she cried, "if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to Yahweh all the days of his life, and a razor will never come on his head." Again, we see the significance of this devotion to Yahweh by not allowing a razor to pass over one's head. Samuel, unlike Samson, obviously did not allow the contrivance of man to come between him and his God. He remained truly devoted, and his long hair would have been a daily testimony of that devotion.

The third individual to be under this vow is found in the New Testament. Though not specifically stated, it is likely that John the Baptist had long hair, for he was placed under the portion of this vow to not drink from the fruit of the vine: "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord," said the angel to Zacharias, "and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15).

These three men – Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist – bear unique common identities in at least three highly significant ways. First, they are the only individual men recorded in the Scriptures (we will add one exception to this shortly) to have been under this special vow of the Nazirite. Second, each of these three were placed under their vows prior to their conceptions. Third, and very uniquely and important, each of these had miraculous births. All three of their mothers were barren and could not naturally conceive children. Their births, like their eventual long hair, were "unnatural." Yahweh's miraculous and sovereign intervention was required for each of these women in order to bring forth these unique Nazirite vessels devoted to Yahweh. This is not to say that others did not take this vow, but these are the only examples of individuals recorded in the Scriptures.

We have already seen the significance of not allowing any man-contrived implement between them and Yahweh. And we have seen the miraculous nature of each of their births. Let us now recall that, as stated by Paul, long hair is a glory for the woman. Regarding this glory and the long hair of the Nazirite, we see in these three Nazirites the abiding of a special glory. Thus, they expressed not only the testimony and symbol of devotion to Yahweh and His sovereign plan for their lives, but also a particular glory relative to their calling. The long hair was as unique and select as not partaking from the grape vine. These were unique pictures and symbols, characterizations of men devoted to Yahweh.


The Fulfilling Nazirite

Let us now go to the one exception, as we called him, or additional individual who took the vow of the Nazirite. We should actually say "has taken," because his vow is still continuing. Who was this one? In Matthew 26:29 we read the very significant final statement of Yahshua following the Passover meal, just prior to singing a hymn with His disciples and then departing to the Mount of Olives. What was His paramount statement? It was the vow of the Nazirite! Yahshua said (and we quote Him in a more literal translation of the Greek in order to get the thrust with which He spoke):

"And I tell you – by no means will I drink from this time on of this fruit of the vine, until I drink it with you new in the kingdom of the Father of Me."

Luke records a similar statement from Yahshua as He made this all-important vow:

"For I tell you – by no means will I drink from now on from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes" (22:18).

But the most emphatic of all accounts is recorded in the book of Mark. In this book the entire Passover meal is recorded in a brief ten verses, yet very importantly includes this vital vow:

"Truly I tell you – no more by no means will I drink of the fruit of the vine until I drink it new in the kingdom of God" (14:25).

Very significantly, Yahshua entered into the vow of a Nazirite, the same vow under which these three other men were placed. And most importantly, providing a tie with the previous three, like them Yahshua was also miraculously conceived. Mary was a virgin when the Holy Spirit came upon her and Yahshua was conceived.

What again are the requirements of this vow that He took? In addition to abstention from the fruit of the grape vine, He was to let His hair grow long and was not to go near a dead person. Did Yahshua go near a dead person? Eventually, yes! On Golgotha He was certainly among the dead; but more significantly, He died! And even after that we are told that He descended to the place of the dead (Ephesians 4:9-10).

But far beyond this portion of the vow, Yahshua very dramatically drank from the cup that He desperately pled to let pass from Him. In the garden at Gethsemane, Yahshua asked three times, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will" (Matthew 26:39,42 and 44). And as He went to the cross and hung on it, again three times He refused to drink from the fruit of the vine (Mark 15:23, Matthew 27:33-34, and Luke 23:36).

In the closing of His work while in the flesh of a man, Yahshua placed Himself under the vow of the Nazirite. To partake of anything from the vine at that point would have violated His vow. Three times He had asked that the cup would pass from Him, three times He had refused to drink from the cup. Then, only seconds before He would give up His spirit, we read:

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "l am thirsty" (John 19:28).

From the time of His vow at the Passover meal, to this final point, He had refused to drink from the vine. Now, in a solitary, highly significant moment, Yahshua said, "I am thirsty." He was now prepared to drink from the cup. But He can't, one could object, He is under the vow of the Nazirite! To do so would violate His vow!

A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop, and brought it up to His mouth (vs. 29).

Then the sponge went into His mouth, He drank from the fruit of the vine, violating His vow as a Nazirite.

When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit (vs. 30).

In the last Passover supper with His disciples, Yahshua made His vow. Now, in His last words upon the cross, knowing that all things were accomplished, and in order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, He violated His vow, requesting the bitter cup of sour wine. He drank from it, and He died! In light of these harmonious series of events, it is indisputable that Yahshua took the vow of the Nazirite at the Passover meal; and this vow was clearly influencing His actions every step of the way up to His death. But the important question is: What did all of this mean? To understand this, we must understand what the fruit of the vine represented, or what the fruit of the vine truly was to a Nazirite. Everything in this final moment in Yahshua's life centered on this all-important fruit. What was so important about the fruit of the vine?


THE GRAPE TREE

It is remarkably clear from the Scriptures that the grape was in fact the original tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But you object: A grape vine is not a tree! But this is the very point. When Adam and Eve sinned, we find that the serpent was subsequently cursed to crawl on its belly. What then happened to the serpent's place of habitation – the tree? Clearly, as we will see, it too was cursed to crawl on its belly as a vine. Thus, with the fall of Adam, the grape tree was cursed to become the grape vine. The grape tree was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Seeking to be brief, yet attempting to provide enough information to reveal the clear truth of this fact, let us lay out three parallel events in the Scriptures that confirm this identity of the grape tree of the knowledge of good and evil. These include the Genesis creation account, as well as the two judgments upon the world – by water (the flood) and by fire (Sodom and Gomorrah). We will list these three in parallel fashion so their unmistakable similarities can be seen. In reading this, examine each column – Creation, The Flood, and Sodom – point by point, comparing the entries in each column one with the other.

CREATION THE FLOOD SODOM
Adam and Eve were alone on the earth Noah and his family were alone on the earth Lot and his daughters were alone on the earth – "there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of the earth" (Gen. 19:31)
Yahweh made every living creature "after its kind" Noah brought into the ark two of every living creature "after its kind"  
Yahweh told Adam to "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it ..." Yahweh told Noah to "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth" and subdue it Lot's daughters bore two sons by Lot (Moab & Ben-ammi) who were fruitful, multiplied, and subdued
Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil Noah planted a vineyard, drank the wine, and became drunk Lot's daughters made him drink wine and he became drunk
Adam became naked Noah became naked Lot became naked
Adam and Eve were cursed Canaan was cursed The Ammonites and Moabites were cursed


Is there any question that when these events line up so unmistakably perfect, that the wine drunk by Noah and Lot was a repeat of that which was partaken of in the Garden? The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was equally a grape tree. Solomon noted: "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So, there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9). What occurred in the Garden, occurred on the mountain with Noah, which occurred on the mountain with Lot – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in each case was partaken of with equally destructive and far-reaching consequences.

Throughout the span of history, the grape has continued to prove its power to be this tree of both good and evil. As an unfermented drink the fruit of the grape is very good for men and children, but a little leaven in it produces a drink that can be equally evil and destructive: "Do not look on the wine when it is red [Hebrew – adom], when it [lit.] gives its eye in the cup, when it goes down smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent [the serpent in the selfsame tree], and stings like a viper" (Proverbs 23:31-32). And, if this clear evidence thus far is not sufficient, then consider this added truth.

As we have said already, when Adam was offered the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he well knew the consequences of His actions. Eve was deceived, Adam was not. The first Adam took the grapes, knowing that to eat them would mean his death, but also knowing that this was the only way for him to save his fallen wife, Eve. He ate, and he died! As the last Adam, Yahshua too was not deceived. He well knew the consequences of His actions – He too would have to die. "In order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled [concerning Adam and the Nazirite vow]," Yahshua drank from the same tree and immediately died. As did Adam, Yahshua equally ate from the same tree that He might save His Bride.

While to Eve the grapes were perceived as "good for food, ... a delight to the eyes, and ... desirable to make one wise" (Genesis 3:6), to Yahshua, and undoubtedly to Adam, they were, in more ways than one, a bitter cup of sour wine, necessary to partake of in order to bring life and salvation to the Bride. Yahshua violated His vow by partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thereby partaking of the sins of all mankind; and as the last Adam, He died! What the first Adam lost at the grape tree, we will see that the last Adam (Yahshua) restored by eating from the same tree. Yahshua had to eat of the identical tree in order to restore man and the defiled kingdom at the place of their loss and corruption. Man died at the grape tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and he had to be restored at the selfsame tree.


RESTORING HIS VOW

Whereas Yahshua violated His vow as a Nazirite according to the law, as the perfect sacrifice and the only man who has the power of an indestructible life, He also renewed it by the law. To do so, He had to make atonement for the sins of man as laid out in Numbers 6. His "dedicated head of hair," His glory, as a Nazirite had been defiled.

The law required that "he shall shave his head on the day when he becomes clean; he shall shave it on the seventh day" (vs. 9). During that seven-day period following Yahshua's resurrection and ascension, He offered all the legal atonement sacrifices through His own blood for Himself as priest (He was defiled by the sins of man) and for the people. Once "clean," on the seventh day He shaved His head (undoubtedly not literally), giving all the glory to the Father. Then according to the law, on the eighth day He presented the required offerings, reconsecrated His head to the Father, rededicated to Him His days as a Nazirite, and then completed His guilt offering. With this completed, what is the Law's conclusion? "[B]ut the former days shall be void [or fallen, dropped, or passed over] because his separation was defiled" (vs. 12). Because Yahshua became defiled, our former days were likewise made void, fallen, dropped, and passed over. Yahshua fulfilled all things for our behalf.

Now, how do we know all of this legal cleansing ceremony indeed took place in heaven? First, because the Scriptures foretold it in the vow of the Nazirite. Second, because it was a judicial requirement of Yahweh God. And third, very significantly, because Yahshua remained in heaven for the specifically required eight days of cleansing!

Yahshua took on our sins through the violation of His vow as a Nazirite by drinking from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; and thus, it was judicially required that He renew His vow legally, requiring specifically eight days. John (or the Spirit of God), knowing the legal requirements for Yahshua's defilement by the cup (John 19:28), was also sure to point out that Yahshua, after revealing himself on the day of His resurrection, did not return until "after eight days" – the exact number of days required for His cleansing and recommitment as a Nazirite! During Yahshua's eight days in heaven, He restored His Nazirite vow, thereby cleansing man and the defiled kingdom. Upon renewing His vow, Yahshua then returned to appear to His disciples and to many others.

One other point that we note about the Nazirite vow was that it was set for a certain duration – "the days of his separation." Equally, Yahshua set the duration of His vow as being from the moment He declared it at the close of the Passover meal, to the time in which He would drink it new with the apostles in the kingdom of God. There is no indication He ever drank wine during the forty days following His resurrection. On one occasion He ate some broiled fish (Luke 24:41-43), but it is not recorded that He drank. The fact is, Yahshua's vow continues to this day. From then until today Yahshua continues to abstain from the fruit of the vine, He abides in heaven where there is no death, and His hair continues to grow. What does His lengthening hair mean?

We have already seen that glory is assigned to hair. And under the vow of the Nazirite, it is appropriate for the man to wear long hair (as did Samuel, Samson, and John). Their long hair represented increased glory. The vow of the Nazirite is prophetic in several regards. One of those has to do with its fulfillment in Yahshua. Yahshua's lengthening hair is a testimony of the increased glory He is to receive at His return. As He waits in heaven, His glory ever increases until His triumphal and glorious return. Will Yahshua literally have longer hair? Probably not, for the spiritual is the true fulfillment of the natural.

Now, the question is: When will Yahshua's vow be completed? As we have noted, He tells us it will last "until that day when I drink [the cup] new with you in My Father's Kingdom." When will He drink new wine with His disciples? He has not drunk it yet. In Numbers 6:13 we read: "Now this is the law of the Nazirite when the days of his separation are fulfilled ...." Certainly, the days of His separation have not been fulfilled and He is still "separated" from us.

When those days are completed, there are a whole new series of sacrifices and offerings that must be made. And it seems one key to understanding the timing of His fulfillment is in verse 18: "The Nazirite shall then shave his dedicated head of hair at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and take the dedicated hair of his head and put it on the fire which is under the sacrifice of peace offerings." When will Yahshua give all the glory, as represented in His lengthened hair, to Yahweh as an offering? Maybe an answer to this is in 1 Corinthians 15:22-28:

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and authority and power .... And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the one who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all.

At that point, as Yahshua's glory has ever increased throughout His reign on this earth following His return, then He will complete His vow as a Nazirite unto Yahweh and "deliver up the kingdom to the God and Father," and offer His glory "on the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings." That would be a fitting culmination of the glory which the Father will give to the Son. He will return the glory to the Father, subjecting Himself and His glory "to the one who subjected all things to Him, that God may be all in all."


RESTORING THE KINGDOM

We will now provide a final confirmation on this matter of the hair of the Nazirite being a glory, as well as gain further important insight into what Yahweh accomplished through Yahshua taking the Nazirite vow.

We have already seen that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was specifically the grape tree; and when Yahshua drank the sour wine, as the last Adam He equally partook from that Garden tree. But you may object that prior to this, Yahshua drank wine a number of times. Quite so, but He was not then under the vow of the Nazirite. Yahshua did not enter into this most important vow until the end of the Passover meal. Once He took this vow, we find that intercessorally He entered into the Garden of Eden. This fact was attested to in a number of significant ways which cannot be addressed here; but, you will note that as one testimony of this fact, after taking this vow Yahshua Himself equally entered into "a garden" (John 18:1).

What we find in this most important three-part vow is that it clearly represented the three most distinguishing qualities of the Garden of Eden. First, the Nazirite was prohibited from eating anything from the grape. We have already clearly seen that the grape tree was specifically the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Therefore, the Nazirite represented abstaining from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The second prohibition of the vow was that they could not cut their hair. What have we already learned about hair? That it is glory! What were Adam and Eve covered with before their fall? We have equally noted that they were covered with the glory and splendor of Yahweh. Thus, when the Nazirite could not cut his or her hair, they were intercessorally entering into the Garden when Adam and Eve were covered with Yahweh's splendor. The long hair represented Yahweh's glory covering or clothing Adam and Eve.

The significance of the third part of the vow of the Nazirite easily falls into place in its testimony of the Garden of Eden. What was the third prohibition? The Nazirite could not go among the dead. What two foremost trees were planted in the middle of the Garden? They were the already noted tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and also the tree of life. What is life? Obviously, it is to not go among the dead. The third Nazirite prohibition to not go among the dead clearly represented this second tree in the Garden – the tree of life.

Now, what does all of this mean? The Garden of God in Eden was the original kingdom of God. Through eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man corrupted that kingdom, causing him to be cast out of the Garden. The kingdom was corrupted from that time on, and Yahweh provided the only legal way it could be restored – through intercession as a Nazirite. The Nazirite vow was the only legal link back to the Garden, providing intercessoral access to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, Yahweh's splendorous glory, and the tree of life. Truly, as a Nazirite, when Yahshua drank the sour wine, He partook of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And since He had the power of an indestructible life, He defeated death, ascended to heaven, restored His vow in the required eight days, and thereby restored the kingdom of God. The Nazirite vow provided the only legal means to restore the Garden, the kingdom of God, which Yahshua alone accomplished!

Thus we see that the Nazirite's long hair, as well as the woman's long hair, provide a most important testimony to the glory which Yahweh desires to restore upon man. How this unique Nazirite testimony relates to the woman will be seen in Chapter 8.


TAKING THE KINGDOM BY FORCE

For all who might rightfully be concerned about a man having long hair, we will now point out a couple of things. It is right for the man to have short hair; but prophetically, his short hair is a sign of loss (also to be discussed in Chapter 8). But nonetheless, it is proper for the man to wear short hair. While for the Nazirite long hair portended coming glory, a man who wears long hair outside of that vow is a man who seeks to take authority and glory unlawfully or prematurely. Absalom, King David's third son, was a prophetic example of this. How long was his hair? 2 Samuel 14:26 tells us that "when he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, for it was heavy on him so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the King's weight." Absalom's hair was not long as a result of a Nazirite vow; but rather, it portended his nature or prospect to forcefully take glory to himself. But this glory he could not gain, for by the hair of his self-glorified head, he hung from an oak tree while Joab thrust three spears through his heart. Absalom was as one of whom Moses sang:

"I [Yahweh] will make My arrows drunk with blood,
And My sword shall devour flesh,
With the blood of the slain and the captives,
From the long-haired heads of the enemy" (Deuteronomy 32:42).

The "long-haired heads of the enemy" are the men (or women) who seek to take the glory of the kingdom by violent means. While hair is indeed a glory, it must be worn according Yahweh's plan. Specifically, long hair has been given to the woman and to the Nazirite. Prophetically they are gloriously one and the same.

We must say here though before we go on, that Christianity is an Absalom – trying to take the kingdom by force through the strength of carnal means. Through their denominations, their programs, their buildings, and, in the words of Yahshua, receiving "glory from one another" by the exaltation of men, and not seeking "the glory that is from the one and only God" (John 5:44), they seek a kingdom for their own gain. Like Absalom, they "rise early and stand beside the way to the gate," drawing people to themselves, their church buildings, and their denominations. From their lofty pulpits, they too, as did Absalom, tell the people what they want to hear, avoiding any subjects that might offend or drive someone away. They truly follow in the ways of Absalom, taking the glory of the kingdom from Yahshua, rising "early," before the time, and prematurely obtaining a self-styled long-haired glory for themselves.

Yahshua said: "And from the days of John the Baptist until now [and that "now" continues to this day] the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force" (Matthew 11:12). That Absalom effort to take the glory of the kingdom continues to "now," today. It is an effort to prematurely take His kingdom of glory by the abilities of men. Paul addressed the church early on: "You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and would indeed that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you" (1 Corinthians 4:8). The church from its beginning has tried to prematurely establish a kingdom and glory, even as the fruitless fig tree that Yahshua cursed testified. Though possessing all the show of leaves, it has not been the season to bear fruit (Mark 11:13). And the glory the church establishes (its leaves) is one given to men, not to the Father.

If Absalom Christianity was given their promised 3,000 years, it would suffer wholly destructive judgment, evidenced by Joab thrusting three spears through Absalom's heart as he hung from in the oak tree by his glory, his hair (2 Samuel 18:14). But instead, as it is written in Matthew 24:22 and Mark 13:20, those days must be cut short to 2,000 years and Yahshua return and perform what Christianity has utterly failed to accomplish.

And if Absalom is an offensive and, you might think, irrelevant example for Christianity, then consider Moses who was representative of the "church in the wilderness," as Stephen called the wandering Israelites (Acts 7:38). Even this great man, Moses, who was "very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3), Yahweh refused entrance into the promised land because of a disobedient, violent act. Yahweh told Moses to take Aaron's priestly rod and speak to the rock of Meribah, and out from it would come refreshing water for the people. But instead, Moses scolded the people: "'Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?' Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came forth abundantly, and the congregation and their beasts drank" (Numbers 20:10-11). Though the water abundantly came forth, Moses' violent, disobedient act disqualified both himself and Aaron from entering the promised land: "Because you have not believed Me," said Yahweh, "to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them" (vs. 12).

Today, we have the same thing happening. Men, and even women (even humble men and women), are using violent, disobedient actions to attempt to bring forth water from the rock (Yahshua), taking the kingdom by force. And because some water comes out, the people think their leaders are doing what is right. Since water is there, the people do not know the difference. But Yahweh God knows. And when entrance into His new kingdom is availed, they too will not enter in.

And like Absalom, who sought the glory and the kingdom for himself, women of today, as with the church, seek to take the glory early by uncovering their heads. And not only do they uncover their heads, but like Jezebel, they also tease, color, curl, primp, and otherwise self-style their hair so that it becomes an even greater usurping glory to themselves. Such is the testimony of the church. It alters, teases, primps, and colors the kingdom of God in order to gain a glory to itself. Yahweh's judgment is just. And even as women not only uncover their hair but also cut it like men, so Christianity will be judged and in the end lose its glory.

Let us introduce a probing question here which, while I was writing this material demanded a sound answer. We will not answer the question until the final chapter, but submit it to you now so you can begin pondering it. Here it is:

Since the man is the glory and image of God, why in Yahweh's sovereign design did He not give the glorious long hair to the man?

Giving short hair to the man did not make sense. Yahweh could have, and you would think should have, designed for the man to have the long hair, since he is the glory of God. But He did not. What then is He saying here? Why did He give the long hair to the woman instead? It was not by accident. He obviously had a purpose and design in this, and we would be most wise to understand it.

To introduce the answer to this question, let us start by reminding you of the words of Yahshua: "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force." How is this Absalom effort being pursued? By force! The glory is being prematurely sought. Proverbs 11:16 tells us: "A gracious woman attains honor, and violent men attain riches." Are the violent actions of the men good? Absolutely not! In this chapter in Proverbs, the first statement is positive, followed by a contrasting negative statement. For example, in the next verse we read a confirming contrast: "The merciful man does himself good; but, the cruel man does himself harm." What has the church obtained at large over the years? Riches. Not the eternal riches of His kingdom, but the Laodicean riches of this world. What Yahshua forsook at the temptations of Satan, the church has amassed.

"Because you say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness [demanding judgment] may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelation 3:17-19).

These violent men, warned about by Yahshua and pictured in Absalom, and even Moses, will not receive the glory. Rather, it will be passed to the "gracious woman." This is all prophetic and we are not saying that only women will receive the glory of His kingdom. The contrast here is rather – taking it by premature, self-serving, violent means, versus by patient graciousness. The prophetic injunction to the woman is to exhibit a "gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 3:4). The Greek word here translated "precious" more completely means – of great value, of highest cost, very expensive, the very end or limit of ultimate value. The trappings and adornments of this world may be valuable to man; but, the gentle and quiet spirit is "of ultimate value in the sight of God."

The kingdom will not be obtained by the attractive, Absalom, masculine values of strength that Christianity exhibits to this day. Though these may be desirable qualities in the flesh, they will not inherit the kingdom. Significantly, "in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him" (2 Samuel 14:25). Strength, beauty, eloquence, knowledge, and adornment are outward qualities, highly praised and desired by man, but not by God. Christianity may look desirable to man, but it is only an Absalom. As we discussed in the beginning of this work, these same attractive and outstanding qualities are seen throughout nature in Yahweh's creation of the male. The masculine body of Christ receives a glorious appearance, at least in the sight of the world.

In contrast, what does Yahshua desire? We know that while He walked upon this earth, He turned down all that was attractive, all that this world had to offer, and He taught others to do likewise. Yahshua clearly tells us in Matthew 5 the qualities of those who will inherit His kingdom: poor in spirit, mournful, gentle, a hunger and thirst for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peace makers, and persecuted for the sake of righteousness. These are the qualities of those who will inherit the kingdom, not the masculine strength and worldly beauty of an Absalom.

Ladies, your long-haired glory which you are to cover has great prophetic implications. It is thus very important that you occupy that place according to Yahweh's plan. Let the glory Yahweh has given you on your head grow long, and humbly, meekly, righteously, and with a pure heart cover it.

Likewise, women are prophetically instructed to "love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored" (Titus 2:4-5). Why is the woman specifically to be a keeper at home? Why doesn't she work in the world? Because as a glorious example of the Bride, she is to be set apart to the kingdom of God and not the kingdom of this world. This is the same example we have in the Levites who did not have an inheritance in the land, for their inheritance was Yahweh.

This is not so for the man. He is "of this world." He has to interchange with it. Like King David, the violent short-haired man prophetically has no part in building the house of Yahweh, for Yahweh says to the violent, even David: "You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood" (1 Chronicles 28:3). As with Moses, David could not "enter the land." He was disqualified for his violent acts and could not build the temple. Though he prepared for its construction, he did not lay a single stone. All he knew was the materials, but not the fulfillment. Instead, the house of Yahweh was built by the one whose reign was established by his mother – Solomon (1 Kings 1). The woman is the keeper of the house. She is a picture of devotion – to the house, to her husband, to the home, and to the children. The kingdom of God is given to such as these.

1 Timothy 2:15 has always been a puzzle to many people. Its examination and application at this juncture is most relevant. It states: "But women shall be saved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint." Not only do we see the injunction that the woman is to be a keeper of the home and bear children; but also, and of equal vital importance, she is to have the desired qualities of faith, love, sanctity, and self-restraint. With the combination of these five qualities, the woman shall thus be "saved." Saved from what? This salvation is from the judgment of the prophetic short-haired ways of violent men. When the woman submissively takes her place in the home, she is not only "saved" from the violence of this world, but prophetically she speaks of being saved from the judgment of the short-haired, worldly ways that will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. By bearing children, staying in her covered place at home, and possessing the qualities of faith, love, sanctity, and self-restraint, the gracious woman will be saved.


LADIES, YOU SPEAK WITHOUT SAYING A WORD

In the final chapter we will look at the very clear and highly important prophetic pattern of the woman as the Bride. Likewise, we will address the previously presented question of why the woman received the glorious long hair, when the man as the image and glory of God did not. Why does he wear short hair?

In the remainder of this chapter, let us look at what is prophetically spoken concerning women today who want to come out from their God-given place, and coverings, and step into the dress, hair style, labors, and governmental position (in the family, the world, and the church) of the man? What is being prophetically spoken by the woman who wears men's clothing or cuts her hair like a man? What is the message of women "wearing the pants in the family" or teaching and ruling in the church? What is the outcome for women who reject the gentle and quiet spirit and are not silent in the church? What is the outcome for woman stepping into the "man's world" and becoming violent in the affairs and workings of this world and obtaining its riches?

Women who follow in these practices prophetically remove themselves, as has the church, from the long-haired, gracious, home-and-child-devoted position that is of "ultimate value" to Yahweh and will obtain honor. Furthermore, they spiritually place themselves under the consequences of being the short-haired man. Prophetically and experientially, they place themselves and their family under judgment. Remember, when judgment fell on Yahshua, it was so that His Bride would be covered. Conversely, when a woman usurps her place in the home and takes the place of her husband, when judgment falls, it hits her. The man was designed and called to take the judgment. The woman, the weaker vessel, was not designed or positioned to take it. Thus, His judgment becomes exceedingly great on the woman who is out of her place.

Ladies, where will you take your place? Under your husband with a gentle and quiet spirit, or will you seek to stand equal with him? Who will you represent? The short-haired body of Christ church which has sought to take the kingdom by worldly force, or the long-haired rightly covered Bride whose gentle and quiet spirit is of ultimate value to God?

Let us present this in another way. All the qualities of the woman mentioned in the Scriptures – gentle and quiet spirit, keeper at home, submissive to husband, quiet in the church, the bearer of children, sanctified (set apart), not exercising the authority of a man, showing self-restraint, modestly dressed, a covered head, chaste, and respectful – are the qualities Yahshua is looking for in His Bride. Think about this ladies (and men). These are the qualities of the Bride Yahshua will seek. How can you expect to be a part of His Bride, ladies, when you are not even this kind of bride to your husband on this earth? If an unwed man knew a woman when she was married to another man, and this woman failed to express the qualities he desired for a wife, do you think that when that woman's husband died he would pursue her in marriage? Not at all. She has already demonstrated in her first relationship that her traits are not desirable.

Women, serve your husband in the way you would serve Yahshua. "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord," as Paul likewise wrote (Ephesians 5:22). Why? For one of many reasons – Yahshua will call out a bride. Why should He take you if you have already proven that you are unfaithful? If you have failed in the past, then change. The time to begin is now. What was Paul's instruction? "[O]ne thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead" (Philippians 3:13). Now is the time to pursue these honoring qualities ladies (and men). Yahshua will draw Himself out a bride. Live your life now according to His desired qualities that are of ultimate value to Him, that you might be called out as His Bride.

It is most significant that the woman makes a distinct choice to be covered, and her covering can be observed by all who see her. On the other hand, the short-haired man is passively covered by Yahshua, and his uncovered head looks no different from the head of most unbelievers. But the woman has to willfully choose to cover her glory, and in so doing clearly (especially today) sets herself apart from the appearance of the rest of the world. The man can dress modestly with head uncovered and walk into a room of people and never be noticed. Not so with the properly covered woman. Place a headcovering on her, a long dress, and remove her makeup and jewelry, and everyone will notice her! She is a given difference!

This distinction is very valuable to the woman though. Yahshua said, "Whoever humbles himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:12). The woman, in contrast to the man, is given the honored opportunity to humble herself by willingly covering her glory. By doing so, she qualifies herself to be exalted. How many women today will choose to cover their glory? A remnant. The godly, rightfully placed woman refuses to take the glory, and does not go along with the vast majority that knowingly or unknowingly flaunt theirs.

Men, you cannot abandon your assigned prophetic place in this world, but you can pursue the virtues of the gracious spirit. As Yahshua taught, His kingdom is to the gracious, the poor, the mournful, the gentle, the righteous, the merciful, the pure in heart, and the peaceable. We cannot obtain these qualities in ourselves, but we can humble ourselves to Yahweh God and man, and not seek to bring glory to ourselves. Begin as a reminder by covering yourself as Yahweh designed. On your head, wear short hair and no covering when you pray. On your face, wear the glorious beard He has purposefully given you. On your body, always wear clothing that modestly covers it. And likewise, cover your wife (and daughters) with the headcovering, long hair, no makeup, and modest dress. These are truly outward prophetic beginnings (or possibly continuations), but they can be your obedient prayer to Yahweh that you too, as a man, and as a family, desire to be in harmony with Him, His ways, His will, and His plan.


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