They are
to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and show them
how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. (Ezekiel 44:23)
Chapter 43 continues narrating Ezekiel’s vision and moves on to the prophet witnessing the return of the glory of the Lord to the temple. As we discussed yesterday, if this vision is symbolizing the church as some believe, it’s odd that it carefully reiterates the rules and regulations for animal sacrifice.
Chapter 43 continues narrating Ezekiel’s vision and moves on to the prophet witnessing the return of the glory of the Lord to the temple. As we discussed yesterday, if this vision is symbolizing the church as some believe, it’s odd that it carefully reiterates the rules and regulations for animal sacrifice.
Chapter 44
specifies that only priests descended from Zadok will be allowed to minister in
the new temple. Ralph Alexander explains that Zadok’s descendants had remained faithful to their duties in the
Lord’s temple when all the rest of Israel had gone away from the Lord. [1]
Now, in this priestly book dealing with Yahweh’s holiness, these faithful
priests are called to teach his people the meaning of holy and how to distinguish
between the unclean and the clean.
According to
Ezekiel, God is coming to their rescue not because of their righteousness, not
even for their sake, but for the sake of his own holiness, that he will be
honored among the nations. These people are living the consequences of their
parents’ sinful behavior, and the Zadokite priests are responsible to make sure
they know the difference between right and wrong so, once returned to Judah,
they don’t have a repeat performance of their parents’ doomed behavior.
Does your life illustrate godly righteousness? ...the difference between unclean and clean?
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