They are to teach my people the difference between the holy and the common and to 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 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 sakes, 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 show you know the difference between unclean and clean?
[1] Ralph Alexander. "Ezekiel." Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994).
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