15, 16<\/strong>. The priests of the family of Zadok alone shall be priests in the new Temple. These continued faithful to Jehovah when the provincial priests went far from him. The judgment of the prophet may be to some extent a comparative one. The worship at Jerusalem never sank to the level of the licentiousness and corruption prevailing at the rural sanctuaries, though undoubtedly the record of the reform of Josiah reveals great corruptions at Jerusalem also (2 Kings 23<\/span>). How far these were introduced by the kings, such as Manasseh, despite the opposition of the priests, cannot be ascertained. The reforms of Hezekiah most probably, and certainly those of Josiah, were promoted by the priests (2 Kings 22<\/span>). The family of Zadok dates from Solomon, who deposed Abiathar on account of his favouring the pretensions of Adonijah and installed Zadok in his place. Since those remote times the Zadokites had served in the temple, and upon the whole the prophet’s favourable judgment of them is no doubt justified (cf. 2 Kings 11<\/span>; Isa 8:2<\/span>).<\/p>\n The priests; <\/B>so called from their office. The Levites; by descent from Levi, Jacobs son. <\/P> Sons of Zadok; <\/B>who was of Eleazars family, to whose father Phinehas a covenant of salt insured the high priesthood, and all the honour, privileges, and advantages thereof, Num 25:12<\/span>,13<\/span>. <\/P> Kept the charge; <\/B>were constant, zealous, and faithful in their priestly office, and their duties in it. <\/P> Went astray:<\/B> this may possibly refer to that transgression in the matter of Baal-peor, of which Num 25:3<\/span>; Psa 106:28-30<\/span>. See Eze 44:10<\/span>. They shall come near to me: see Eze 40:46<\/span>. <\/P> To offer unto me the fat and the blood; <\/B>to offer expiatory sacrifices, to make atonement and intercede for the people. This honour God put upon them for their integrity and constancy in the things of God. <\/P> <\/p>\n 15. Zadok<\/B>The priests of theline of Ithamar were to be discharged from ministrations in thetemple, because of their corruptions, following in the steps of Eli’ssons, against whom the same denunciation was uttered (1Sa 2:32<\/span>;1Sa 2:35<\/span>). Zadok, according to hisname (which means “righteous”) and his line, were tosucceed (1Ki 2:35<\/span>; 1Ch 24:3<\/span>),as they did not take part in the general apostasy to the same degree,and perhaps [FAIRBAIRN]the prophet, referring to their original state, speaks of them asthey appeared when first chosen to the office.<\/P><\/p>\n But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok<\/strong>;…. The priests who were of the tribe of Levi, whom the Lord chose and separated, to minister to him, and so had a lawful call to this office, and were regularly invested with it; and design true and lawful, as well as faithful, ministers of the word; these are called the sons of Zadok, who descended from Eleazar the son of Aaron in the line of Phinehas, to whom the Lord promised the everlasting priesthood, and who was put into this office by Solomon in the room of Abiathar, 1Ki 2:35<\/span>, his name signifies “righteous”, and was a type of Christ; who, as a divine Person, is essentially righteous; as man, truly and perfectly so; and, as Mediator, God’s righteous servant; and who, by his obedience and sufferings, is the author of righteousness to his people; who are his spiritual seed and offspring; children given him of his Father; who have his sonship and adoption through him, and are born of him, his Spirit, and grace; and these are made righteous by him, through his righteousness imputed to them, and may be rightly called sons of Zadok: and this agrees with all the saints; and who, under the Gospel dispensation, are all priests, and offer up themselves, souls and bodies, and their spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, unto God by Christ; though all have not a right to preach the word, and administer ordinances, as ministers lawfully called have, and who seem to be more particularly designed here; and such as are regenerated persons, and justified by Christ’s righteousness, and preach the doctrine of free justification by it, are the only fit persons for such an office:<\/p>\n that kept the charge of my sanctuary, when the children of Israel went astray from me<\/strong>; that kept and held fast the pure doctrines of the Gospel, committed as a sacred depositum to them, without mixture, and without wavering, with courage and valour; though a greater number were on the other side, and though they were reproached and persecuted for it; and who taught the people to keep the ordinances of the Gospel as they were first delivered, in faith and love, and without sinister ends, and so administered them themselves; and such faithful ministers and members of churches, especially in a time of great declension and general defection, God takes notice of, and has promised them great and good things; see Re 2:7<\/span><\/p>\n they shall come near to me to minister unto me<\/strong>; in holy things to his people, which is called ministering unto him; as to pray to him for them; lo preach to them in his name, and administer ordinances: all the saints indeed are priests, and may draw nigh to God through Christ; men are at a distance from him, through sin; there is no coming near to him but by Christ; and this coming near is not local, but spiritual, and includes all acts of worship, particularly prayer; and is a great favour and blessing:<\/p>\n and they shall stand before me, to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God<\/strong>; which, under the law, were both the Lord’s; the one was burnt, and the other sprinkled, on divers things, and in various places: here it may respect the administration of the ordinance of the Lord’s supper, that feast of fat things, and which may be eminently called the goodness and fatness of the house of God; and in which the blood of Christ is represented as shed for the remission of sins, and as spiritual drink indeed to believers; and the sacrifice of Christ is commemorated, the feast being kept in remembrance of that.<\/p>\n 3. The regulations for the Zadokite priests (44:15-27)<\/p>\n TRANSLATION<\/strong><\/p>\n (15) But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister unto Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer unto Me the fat and the blood, (oracle of the Lord GOD): (16) they shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table, to minister unto Me, and they shall keep My charge. (17) And it shall be that, when they enter in at the gates of the inner court they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. (18) They shall have linen tires upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causes sweat. (19) And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they minister, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, that they sanctify not the people with their garments. (20) Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only cut off the hair of their heads. (21) Neither shall any of the priests drink wine, when they enter into the inner court, (22) Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the widow of a priest. (23) And they shall teach My people the difference be tween the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. (24) And in a controversy they shall stand to judge; according to My ordinances shall they judge it: and they shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts; and they shall hallow My sabbaths. (25) And they shall go in to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that has had no husband, they may defile them selves. (26) And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days. (27) And in the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin-offering (oracle of the Lord GOD).<\/p>\n COMMENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n Only the sons of Zadok[520] would be allowed to minister before and within the sanctuary proper. They alone had remained faithful when the rest of the nation had gone into idolatry. The Zadokites would be permitted to come near to God to minister unto Him; to stand before God to offer the sacrificial portions of animals and the blood (Eze. 44:15<\/span>); to enter into the sanctuary itself and minister there; to approach the table of showbread. Whereas the Levites were to keep the charge of the house (Eze. 44:14<\/span>), the Zadokites were to keep My charge (Eze. 44:16<\/span>).<\/p>\n [520] The genealogy of Zadok is found in 1Ch. 6:50-53<\/span>. Zadok was a priest in Davids day alongside Abiathar (2Sa. 8:17<\/span>; 2Sa. 15:24<\/span> ff.). He became the high priest under Solomon.<\/p>\n In the new Temple the Zadokite priests were to serve clothed only in linen. They would not be permitted to wear the partly woolen garments worn by priests in the former Temple. Linen is light and clean in appearance. The heavier wool would cause perspiration which in turn would result in ritual defilement (Eze. 44:18<\/span>). The holy linen garments were to be removed and stored in the holy chambers before the priests joined the lay people in the outer court. Holiness was communicated by direct contact (cf. Exo. 29:37<\/span>; Lev. 6:20<\/span>). If the priests should mingle with the lay people in those holy garments, they too would be sanctified (Eze. 44:19<\/span>). Holy and profane were never to meet in the new age.<\/p>\n The priests were to be examples of holiness and separateness to the people of God. They were not permitted to shave their heads nor let their hair grow long for those customs were associated with heathen practice (Eze. 44:20<\/span>; cf. Lev. 21:5<\/span>; Lev. 21:10<\/span>). As in the Law of Moses, priests were not allowed to drink wine before performing their sacrificial ministry in the inner court (Eze. 44:21<\/span>). Rigid marriage restrictions prohibited a priest from marrying anyone but an Israelite virgin[521] or the widow of a fellow priest (Eze. 44:22<\/span>). These strict marriage regulations were perhaps designed to preserve the purity of the priestly families.<\/p>\n [521] In the law of Moses this regulation applied only to the High Priest (Lev. 21:13<\/span> f.).<\/p>\n Eze. 44:23-24<\/span> outline some of the responsibilities of the priests. They were teachers,[522] and as such they were responsible for constantly reminding the people of the difference between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean (Eze. 44:23<\/span>). In civil law cases the priests acted as judges.[523] In this capacity they were to render each verdict in accordance with the Law of God. However, the primary function of the priests was strictly to observe the regulations concerning the sacrifices which were to be offered on special festivals and sabbaths (Eze. 44:24<\/span>).<\/p>\n [522] Cf. Deu. 33:10<\/span>; Mal. 2:7<\/span>.<\/p>\n [523] Cf. Deu. 17:8<\/span> ff; Deu. 19:17<\/span>; Deu. 21:5<\/span>.<\/p>\n As in the I aw of Moses, the priests of the new Temple age were to avoid contact with dead bodies. Exceptions were made in the case of close relatives (Eze. 44:25<\/span>). Contact with a corpse defiled priests and rendered them temporarily unfit to perform their priestly function. A seven day separation and ritual washing was necessary to cleanse a priest defiled by death in the Law of Moses. Ezekiels regulations call for another seven day period after the cleansing (Eze. 44:26<\/span>). Upon resuming his ministry in the inner court the priest was to offer a sin-offering for his defilement (Eze. 44:27<\/span>). These additional regulations are intended to heighten the sanctity of this Temple.<\/p>\n (15) The sons of Zadok.<\/strong>See Note on Eze. 40:46<\/span>. They are here described as those who continued faithful in the general apostasy, and it is probable that Ezekiel uses the term in this sense. As Zadok had continued faithful in the rebellion of Adonijah, when even the high priest and life-long friend of David went astray (1Ki. 1:7-8<\/span>), so all the faithful priests in the time of apostasy were called sons of Zadok.<\/p>\n Only The Sons of Zadok May Perform the Full Priestly Functions ( Eze 44:15-31<\/strong><\/span><\/strong> ).<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n “But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they will come near to me to minister to me. And they will stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord Yahweh. “And they will enter into my sanctuary, and they will come near to my table to minister to me, and they will keep my charge.”<\/p>\n One group of priests had clearly proved faithful to Yahweh through all the ups and downs of the history of the kings. Always there was a remnant who were faithful to Yahweh, that is one reason why Yahwism survived, humanly speaking. They were called ‘the sons of Zadok’. These had been faithful to the Davidic king from the first and in the time of the accession of the rightful heir had proved their loyalty and had been awarded the high priesthood (1Ki 1:8<\/span>; 1Ki 1:32<\/span>; 1Ki 1:38-39 ; 1Ki 2:35<\/span>. Compare 1Ch 6:10<\/span> with Hag 1:1<\/span>; Hag 1:15<\/span>; 2Ch 31:10<\/span>). Zadok was descended from the line of Aaron (1Ch 6:50-53<\/span>). Now the ‘sons of Zadok’ were to be rewarded by being awarded the sole right to ministry in the inner sanctuary. They alone would be able to offer the fat and the blood, they alone would minister at His table (compare Eze 41:22<\/span>).<\/p>\n ‘The sons of Zadok’ are probably not to be seen as totally limited to literal descendants of Zadok (not all such would necessarily have been faithful). Rather they were probably a band of faithful priests who had gathered under the banner of the Zadokite high priestly descendant and were differentiated because of their faithfulness to Yahweh, thus becoming a recognised band named ‘the sons of Zadok’ (those who behave like Zadok – compare ‘the sons of Belial’). Many of them would no doubt be actual descendants, but not necessarily all.<\/p>\n But in the end the return of the exiles in the beginning was not as successful and triumphant as the prophets had hoped. It was one thing to look forward to a new beginning. It was another to hear the call ‘follow me’ and participate in it. The temple was built after many stops and starts, and the Zadokite priesthood was established in the form of Joshua the High Priest (Hag 1:12<\/span>; Hag 1:14<\/span>; Zec 3:1-10<\/span>. See also Neh 11:11<\/span>; 1Ch 9:11<\/span>). But the times were hard and strict rules were probably not adhered to. Adoption into ‘the sons of Zadok’ of other priests would occur under the Zadokite leadership as long as they were ready to be true. The ancients did not stick to rigid differentiations like we do. They were more elastic, even when outwardly it appeared otherwise.<\/p>\n Further there was the problem of the returning exiles as against those who had remained in the land (who had not heard first hand the words of Ezekiel). Compromises would have to be reached in order for them to be able to worship together, and priests among them who proved worthy were no doubt also incorporated among ‘the sons of Zadok’. (We must remember again that ‘sons of’ did not necessarily mean genealogical purity. It meant more ‘belonging to’ or ‘behaving like’, although no doubt genealogical purity was required for the High Priest himself). Thus it was not a theoretical ideal that was to be achieved, any more than the Mosaic ideal had ever been achieved. It was a practical one. Nor was it necessary to be particular as long as those who became part of ‘the sons of Zadok’ were qualified as priests and faithful to their ministry. Soon any appointed by the high priest because of their faithfulness to Yahweh could be seen as being ‘sons of Zadok’, for he stood in the place of Zadok. But there can be no question that the final authority in the temple did lie with the sons of Zadok, and did so until 171 BC when their high priest was removed for political reasons in the time of great apostasy. The Qumran community looked for the restoration of the sons of Zadok.<\/p>\n Eze 44:15<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>The Levites<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> The whole passage, from Eze 44:10<\/span> to Eze 44:16<\/span>., seems most naturally to refer to the period of time when the second temple was rebuilt. <\/p>\n Eze 44:15 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:<\/p>\n Ver. 15. But the priests, the sons of Zadok.<\/strong> ] Who follow their father’s footsteps, and are careful to fulfil the ministry that they have received in the Lord; to be best in the worst times as right heirs of Moses’s benediction. Deu 33:9<\/span> , &c.<\/em> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Saith the Lord God.<\/strong> ] “Them that honour me I will honour.” 1Sa 2:20 This is a bargain of God’s own making. Huius rei fides penes Deum tota est; <\/em> a<\/em> we may trust to it. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n a<\/em> Oecolamp.<\/p>\n NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Eze 44:15-27<\/p>\n 15But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood, declares the Lord God. 16They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep My charge. 17It shall be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and wool shall not be on them while they are ministering in the gates of the inner court and in the house. 18Linen turbans shall be on their heads and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat. 19When they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. 20Also they shall not shave their heads, yet they shall not let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. 21Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner court. 22And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. 23Moreover, they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24In a dispute they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My ordinances. They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts and sanctify My sabbaths. 25They shall not go to a dead person to defile themselves; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may defile themselves. 26After he is cleansed, seven days shall elapse for him. 27On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, declares the Lord God.<\/p>\n Eze 44:15 sons of Zadok This designation goes back to David’s day. As king he had two high priests (cf. 2Sa 8:17; 2Sa 19:11; 2Sa 20:25).<\/p>\n 1. Zadok, son of Ahitub<\/p>\n 2. Ahimelech, son of Abiathar<\/p>\n However, the line of Abiathar was involved in the attempted coup of David’s son Adonijah and was removed from office by Solomon (cf. 1Ki 2:35).<\/p>\n Remember, Ezekiel was of the line of Zadok, while Jeremiah was of the line of Abiathar.<\/p>\n fat and blood These two items refer to the entire sacrificial system. They were the parts of the animals put on the altar of sacrifice.<\/p>\n 1. The fat of the entrails was burnt. <\/p>\n 2. The blood was<\/p>\n a. placed on the horns of the altar<\/p>\n b. poured out at the base<\/p>\n Eze 44:15-27 Here is a list of what the faithful Zadokian priests can and cannot do.<\/p>\n Accepted ActionsForbidden Actions<\/p>\n 1. wear linen garments could not wear wool while ministering<\/p>\n 2. leave garments in the holy place do not wear holy garments into the outer courts<\/p>\n 3. only trim their hair no shaved heads nor long hair<\/p>\n 4. no wine while on duty in the inner court <\/p>\n 5. marry virgins from Israel or the widow of a priestnot to marry a widow or divorced woman <\/p>\n 6. teach laws related to ceremonial purity (as a priest this was very important to Ezekiel, Lev 10:10-11; Lev 14:57; Eze 22:26) <\/p>\n 7. judge according to God’s revealed law <\/p>\n 8. keep all laws themselves <\/p>\n 9. not touch a dead person except in rare, special cases of compassionate necessity and then be excluded from service until a period of cleansing<\/p>\n This list was a literary way of asserting that the Mosaic covenant was reestablished!<\/p>\n Eze 44:18 turbans This term (BDB 802) refers to the headgear of all priests (cf. Exo 28:40; Exo 39:28), not the special miter of the High Priest.<\/p>\n linen undergarments The Israelite priests were to be modestly clothed (i.e., Exo 20:26), which was in contradistinction to the ritual nudity of Mesopotamian religions (NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 891). Israel was to be distinct from the surrounding polytheistic religions of the Ancient Near East.<\/p>\n sweat From a Mosaic perspective, any bodily fluids made one ceremonially unclean. Ezekiel is very concerned with ceremonial purity. As a trained priest his vision of a future symbolic temple and its staff and procedures must conform to the details of the Mosaic legislation.<\/p>\n Eze 44:20 they shall not shave their heads This is a Hebrew grammatical form which intensifies an action (i.e., imperfect verb and infinitive absolute of the same stem BDB 493, KB 490). Here it means not just clip, but do not shave the hair of the head. This term is found only here in the OT. This forbidden action is related to Lev 21:5; Deu 14:1, which denoted pagan rituals and\/or practices. Much of the Levitical legislation can be understood as (1) limiting contact with Canaanite culture and (2) a way of differentiating between the common and the holy.<\/p>\n Eze 44:21 See Special Topic at Eze 20:28.<\/p>\n Eze 44:15-31<\/p>\n Eze 44:15-31<\/p>\n But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: 16 They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge. 17 And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. 18 They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat. 19 And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments. 20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads. 21 Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court. 22 Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow that had a priest before. 23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 24 And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths. 25 And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves. 26 And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days. 27 And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, saith the Lord GOD. 28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am their possession. 29 They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs. 30 And the first of all the first-fruits of all things, and every oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the priest’s: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough, that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house. 31 The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself, or torn, whether it be fowl or beast. <\/p>\n The Zadokite Priesthood. Eze 44:15-31.<\/p>\n The line of Zadok is to be the only legitimate line of priests allowed to minister in the inner court and in the sanctuary before the Lord (Eze 44:15). Several regulations for the Zadokite priesthood are described in Eze 44:17-21. Their clothing would be only linen, a symbol of purity in contrast to wool which was an animal by-product and therefore unclean. Their hair must neither be too long nor totally shaved (Eze 44:20). They could drink no wine in the inner court (Eze 44:21). The could marry but only a virgin or the widow of another priest (Eze 44:22). Eze 44:23 breaks into the flow to give the reasons for these regulations — They are to teach the people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean, teaching by example as well as precept.<\/p>\n The priests were to provide the kind of unblemished example that would encourage Israel to worship God and attract unbelieving nations to serve him. The priests will serve as judges in civil disputes, and see that all the laws of God were observed, especially the feast days and the Sabbath (Eze 44:24). The priests will refrain from touching the dead.<\/p>\n Any priest who violated the law must remain unclean for seven days. When he returned to duty, he had to offer a sin offering for himself (Eze 44:27). God was the only legitimate possession of the priests. All food, clothing, and needs will come from the temple service (Eze 44:28-29). They received the first fruits of the harvest and the best of each household (Eze 44:30). The priests will eat nothing that died a natural death or that had been killed by a wild animal (Eze 44:31).<\/p>\n Those who would fill leadership roles must make whatever personal sacrifices necessary to maintain their moral purity. Both the character and conduct of those in leadership roles should demonstrate an obedience of and conformity to the physical, moral, and spiritual principles of the Word of God.<\/p>\n Rules Concerning the Temple and Worship<\/p>\n Eze 44:1 to Eze 46:24<\/p>\n Open It<\/p>\n 1. Would you prefer a world where faithfulness and hard work are rewarded or a world where good fortune is dispensed at random? Why? <\/p>\n 2. Why do you think society dictates that we dress up for certain occasions and not others? <\/p>\n Explore It<\/p>\n 3. What special instructions did the guide in Ezekiels vision have for the east gate to the sanctuary? (Eze 44:1-3) <\/p>\n 4. How did Ezekiel react when he saw the glory of the Lord? (Eze 44:4) <\/p>\n 5. To what instructions did God tell Ezekiel to pay particular attention, in order to correct Gods people? (Eze 44:5-6) <\/p>\n 6. What practice would God not tolerate in the restored temple? (Eze 44:7-9) <\/p>\n 7. Why were the Levites to be limited only to certain duties within the temple? (Eze 44:10-14) <\/p>\n 8. What group did God designate to serve as priests in the inner court? (Eze 44:15-16) <\/p>\n 9. What were some ways in which the priests were expected to maintain a greater degree of purity in their life than were the common people? (Eze 44:17-27) <\/p>\n 10. What provisions did God make for the sustenance of the priests? (Eze 44:28-31) <\/p>\n 11. How did God redraw the map of Jerusalem to provide for the temple, the priests, and the prince in an equitable way? (Eze 45:1-8) <\/p>\n 12. What abuses of power by prior rulers did God want to eliminate in the restored kingdom? (Eze 45:9-12) <\/p>\n 13. What sorts of offerings did God specify for special days on the Jewish calendar? (Eze 45:13-25) <\/p>\n 14. How was the opening and closing of certain gates to be a part of the temple ceremonies? (Eze 46:1-12) <\/p>\n 15. What were the required daily offerings? (Eze 46:13-15) <\/p>\n 16. How did Gods laws on inheritance insure separateness for His people and justice among them? (Eze 46:16-18) <\/p>\n 17. What practical provision was made in the temple since most of the sacrifices were followed by feasts? (Eze 46:19-24) <\/p>\n Get It<\/p>\n 18. What indications do you see in these three chapters of Gods expectations of those in leadership? <\/p>\n 19. Where in these chapters do you see Gods concern for the “little person”? <\/p>\n 20. How does Gods concern for accurate units of measure demonstrate His concern about our life? <\/p>\n 21. Why is it significant that the land set aside for worship was to be at the center of the restored city? <\/p>\n 22. Why do you think that purity is so often stressed in situations where human beings approach God? <\/p>\n 23. How did the temple rituals help the people understand what was important in life? <\/p>\n 24. How was everyday life brought into the worship of God in the temple? <\/p>\n 25. For whom do you think the feasts were designed primarily? <\/p>\n 26. How should believers conduct themselves with regard to some of the questionable practices of commerce or society? <\/p>\n Apply It<\/p>\n 27. What “weights and measures” or “rules and regulations” of daily life should you resolve before God to observe with greater faithfulness? <\/p>\n 28. How can you give worship more of a central place in your life? <\/p>\n the sons: Eze 40:46, Eze 43:19, Eze 48:11, 1Sa 2:35, 1Ki 2:35, 1Ti 3:3-10, 2Ti 2:2, Rev 2:1, Rev 2:8, Rev 2:12, Rev 2:18, Rev 3:1, Rev 3:7, Rev 3:14, Rev 3:22 <\/p>\n when: Eze 44:10 <\/p>\n they shall stand: Deu 10:8, Zec 3:1-7 <\/p>\n the fat: Eze 44:7, Lev 3:16, Lev 3:17 <\/p>\n the blood: Lev 17:5, Lev 17:6 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Lev 3:5 – Aaron’s Num 16:5 – will cause Num 18:2 – but thou 1Ki 1:8 – Zadok 1Ch 6:53 – Zadok 1Ch 12:28 – Zadok 2Ch 13:11 – we keep 2Ch 31:10 – Azariah Jer 33:22 – the Levites Eze 14:11 – the house Zec 3:7 – if thou wilt keep Mal 3:3 – the sons<\/p>\n Eze 44:15. In all cases of iniquity there have been exceptions although they were generally In the minority. We may note the instance of Lot and his family, Noah and his family, and the ones predicted by Jesus to be in evidence at the day of judgment. Thus it was when the people of Judah went astray as a nation, there were some priests who kept the charge of the sanctuary, and they are now promised the honor of being near the Lord to minister unto Him.<\/p>\n Eze 44:15-16. The priests the Levites The Levites who are priests; the sons of Zadok Who continued faithful; they shall stand before me to offer the fat, &c. They shall serve at the altar of burnt-offering, and offer sacrifices thereon. They shall enter into my sanctuary Into the holy place; to minister unto me To burn incense there upon the golden altar, to sprinkle the blood of the victims before the veil, to trim the lamps, and to change the loaves on the sacred table every sabbath. They shall keep my charge They shall have this honour in reward of their fidelity. Observe, reader, God will put marks of honour upon those who are faithful to him in trying times, and will employ those in his service who have kept close to it when others drew back.<\/p>\n Eze 44:15-27. The Priests. (Their duties.)The only officials qualified to bear the name or discharge the duties of priestsespecially the duty of sacrificeare the Zadokites, i.e. the descendants of the Zadok who had been appointed head of the Jerusalem priesthood by Solomon, when Abiathar, who had sided with Adonijah, was deposed (1Ki 2:35). Doubtless the Jerusalem priests were, in point of morality and religion, superior, broadly speaking, to the country priests (cf. Eze 44:15), though the revelations in ch. 8 show that the Temple worship could be depraved enough; but the high prerogatives are here conferred upon them, just because of their connexion with Jerusalem. Their officiating dress, which was to be of linen, they had to change, before going out to the people in the outer court: otherwise the sanctity of the dress would have been transferred to the people with whom they came in contact, and rendered them unfit for secular occupations (Gen 35:2*). Other restrictions follow touching the hair, drink, and marriage of the priests. It is significant that wine must not be drunk by a priest who is about to officiate, nor must he incur defilement by touching a dead body, except in the case of very near blood-relations. The wife, however, is excluded, as she is not a blood-relation, and the married daughter, as, by her marriage, she has passed into another family. In the suggestion of uncleanness involved by contact with the dead, we have probably an implicit protest against the worship of the dead (Lev 5:2, Numbers 19*). The duties of the priests (Eze 44:23 f.), in addition to the offering of sacrifice, are to teach the people the distinction between that which is ritually clean and un clean, holy and unholy, to decide controversies, and to arrange for the festivals and the hallowing of the Sabbath. (In Eze 44:26, for is cleansed read, with Syr., has incurred defilement.)<\/p>\n 44:15 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that {e} kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD:<\/p>\n (e) Who observed the law of God and did not fall to idolatry.<\/p>\n The Zadokite priests 44:15-31<\/span><\/p>\n The Levites from Zadok’s branch of the priestly family, however, would have special privileges since Zadok and his sons had served the Lord faithfully in the past (cf. Eze 40:46; 1Sa 2:35; 2Sa 8:17; 2Sa 15:24-29; 1Ki 2:26-35; 1Ch 6:7-8). They would be able to approach the Lord Himself and minister to Him by presenting the sacrifices of the people to Him. They had permission to enter the temple proper, to place sacrifices on the "table" (the altar, Eze 40:46, and or the table in the holy place, Eze 41:22), and to fulfill what God commanded concerning His worship.<\/p>\n "In every age the sovereign and gracious God has a remnant of those who cleave to Him in spite of adverse circumstances and the mounting pressures of the majority to conform. The Zadokite priests kept themselves from the idolatry of the nation, even though the other priests complied to the idolatrous desires of the disobedient people. For this faithfulness the reward from the Lord will be access to His presence, the privilege of ministering in any and all phases of priestly duty." [Note: Feinberg, p. 260.] <\/span><\/p>\n Allen believed God gave this revelation to settle disputes about the staffing of the post-exilic temple. [Note: Allen, Ezekiel 20-48, p. 262.] <\/span><\/p>\n But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: 15, … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 44:15”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21625"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21625\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"