Ezekiel 44

The Ministers in the Temple

Pray

Intro

√ Ministers in the Temple

By way of reminder beginning in chapter 40 through the end of the book, Ezekiel describes in great detail the future Kingdom Age…

The Temple

The City

The Land

The main point of these chapters is to encourage the Jewish people in captivity by pointing them to the future restoration and renewal of Israel.

The last time we met we looked at the future Millennial Temple in great detail…

…now in chapter 44 Ezekiel tells us about those who will serve in the Temple.

You’ll see that God is very serious about who serves, and how they serve, because it’s His house!

√ My house!

As we work through chapter 44 note of how many times God uses the word “My” in these next couple of chapters.

“My house”

“My food”

“My covenant”

“My holy things”

The reason is that God is reminding the Jewish people that one of the main reasons the first Temple was destroyed is that they forgot whose House it was!

They filled God’s House will all manner of corruption and rebellion.

So, in the future Temple God wants the Jewish people to know that it is His House and anyone who enters it to serve or to worship must do so in His way!

His Gate (vs.1-3)

Ez. 44:1 Then He brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary which faces toward the east, but it was shut.

Ez. 44:2 And the LORD said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter by it, because the LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut.

Ez. 44:3 As for the prince, because he is the prince, he may sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gateway, and go out the same way.”

√ His Gate

Remember that in the previous chapter God’s glory had returned to the Temple!

Descending upon the Mount of Olives

Moving across the Kidron Valley

Entering the Temple compound through the Eastern Gate.

Now the Lord tells Ezekiel that that gate is to remain shut because He used it!

The idea is that God’s very presence passing through the gate made it holy and thereby it is to be set apart and could not to be used as a common entrance.

Rather, the people would use the gates at the north and south sides of the Temple.

You’ll see this theme throughout the chapter where God makes a clear distinction between the holy and the common.

The idea that God is communicating throughout is that in the Millennial Kingdom the Temple area is to be a place of awesome wonder because He lives there!

That was something the generation to whom Ezekiel was prophesying had neglected and now were now suffering for their disrespect of God and His House.

√ Which gate?

Many Bible students see this as a reference to the gate that Jesus walked through when He came to Jerusalem on the day of His Triumphant Entry.

That gate is actually buried under the present wall that surrounds the Old City of Jerusalem.

The gate that is there now was built along with the wall by the Muslim’s who conquered the city in the 11^th century AD.

It is sealed leading many to interpret the gate described here in Ezekiel as the present Golden Gate.

But, it probably is not the gate described here as the present gate will most likely be destroyed by the earthquake and subsequent division of the city described in Zachariah 14…

…and the whole Temple compound described in Ezekiel is a new, not rebuilt structure.

My Servants (vs.4-9)

Ez. 44:4 Also He brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; so I looked, and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD; and I fell on my face.

Ez. 44:5 And the LORD said to me, “Son of man, mark well, see with your eyes and hear with your ears, all that I say to you concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD and all its laws. Mark well who may enter the house and all who go out from the sanctuary.

Ez. 44:6 “Now say to the rebellious, to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘O house of Israel, let Us have no more of all your abominations.

Ez. 44:7 When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to defile it—My house—and when you offered My food, the fat and the blood, then they broke My covenant because of all your abominations.

Ez. 44:8 And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but you have set others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you.”

Ez. 44:9 Thus says the Lord GOD: “No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel.

√ My servants

In these verses God begins to define who may, and who may not work in His Temple!

The purpose of this section is to remind the Jewish captives that God’s house and the servants in His house must be holy!

That is, they must be separated from the world in their heart and dedicated to Him alone.

So, God reminds them that in times past they had violated this principle by bringing all sorts of abominations into His house and thereby defiled…

“My house”

“My food”

“My covenant”

“My holy things”

Therefore, in the Millennial Temple God declares that He will oversee who serves and where they serve…

…so that His House and His things would be treated with awe and respect for His Holiness.

The Levites (vs. 10-14)

Ez. 44:10 “And the Levites who went far from Me, when Israel went astray, who strayed away from Me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity.

Ez. 44:11 Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, as gatekeepers of the house and ministers of the house; they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them.

Ez. 44:12 Because they ministered to them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore I have raised My hand in an oath against them,” says the Lord GOD, “that they shall bear their iniquity.

Ez. 44:13 And they shall not come near Me to minister to Me as priest, nor come near any of My holy things, nor into the Most Holy Place; but they shall bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed.

Ez. 44:14 Nevertheless I will make them keep charge of the temple, for all its work, and for all that has to be done in it.

√ The Levites

Among those who may serve the Lord in His Temple are the Levites, however, God places restrictions on their service because of their past sin.

In the years leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple the Levites had served in a much more privileged capacity (ref. I Chron. 15, 16 & 23).

However, because they had been heavily involved in idolatry prior to Babylon’s invasion…

…their service in the Millennial Temple will be downgraded!

Serve as gatekeepers (doorman)

Butchers (slaying the animals for sacrifice)

Assistants to the priests who actually offer the sacrifice.

So, while the Levites would get to serve in God’s House their diminished status would serve to remind them of the seriousness of how they had misrepresented the Lord.

√ Where’s the Grace?

This section along with those that follow bring up and interesting quandary for us, that is…

Where’s the Grace?  

That is, here we are in the Millennial Kingdom and the Levites are still bearing the consequence of sins committed prior to the Kingdom Age.

How do we reconcile this perceived contradiction (i.e. If they’ve been forgiven and been declared righteous by faith in Christ then why are they still bearing the sins of their forbearers?).

I haven’t found a commentary that tackles that question and was tempted to just blow past the issue, but I couldn’t because it’s so glaring to me and I’m sure that there’s a good answer!

So I’ll just have to give it my best shot!

Here’s what I’m thinking…

One of the main purposes of the Millennial Kingdom is to fulfill God’s promises to the Patriarchs.

Even though the Jewish people were not faithful to keep their end of the covenant they had with God…

…He is faithful and therefore will bring to pass all the promises that He made to them.

Second, the Millennial Kingdom is not the eternal state, or heaven. It’s temporary, 1,000 years.

Third, we know that unbelievers will inhabit the Kingdom Age and will rebel against Jesus’ rule at the end of the 1,000 years.

So, perhaps God’s Grace is demonstrated in a limited way in the Kingdom, that is at least the Levites get to do something!

But, the restrictions placed on them are to serve as a warning to those who secretly have not given their heart to the King.

Then in the eternal state when God makes a new heaven and new earth where there will be no Temple…

…then we see unlimited Grace?

Ap. Serving the Lord is a privilege

I think there’s a sober warning in this chapter to all of us who are called to serve the Lord.

That is, while God will certainly forgive all of our sins…

…there are sins that will limit our service to Him.

So be careful!

Ex. Youth pastor who assaulted a friend of mine

The pastor was forgiven, but it was my counsel to restrict him from any future service with youth.

That is, for the sake of the lambs in the flock it would be irresponsible to put that man back in place of authority where he could harm another of God’s children.

If he truly repented and remained accountable then he could be used in many other areas of ministry…

…but not with the children.

The Sons of Zadok (vs. 15-19)

Ez. 44:15 “But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,” says the Lord GOD.

Ez. 44:16 “They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge.

Ez. 44:17 And it shall be, whenever they enter the gates of the inner court, that they shall put on linen garments; no wool shall come upon them while they minister within the gates of the inner court or within the house.

Ez. 44:18 They shall have linen turbans on their heads and linen trousers on their bodies; they shall not clothe themselves with anything that causes sweat.

Ez. 44:19 When they go out to the outer court, to the outer court to the people, they shall take off their garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and put on other garments; and in their holy garments they shall not sanctify the people.

√ The sons of Zadok

One family of the Levites does get the privilege to minister to the Lord…

…the descendants of Zadok!

The reason they do is stated in vs. 15 where God reminds the Jewish people that the sons of Zadok had remained faithful to the Lord when everyone else went astray.

For example, when King David was near his death the priest Abiathar betrayed David by promoting Adonijah as king.

Zadok however remained faithful to David and after David made Solomon king Zadok was promoted to high priest.

So, in the Millennial Temple they are honored by God in that they get to minister personally to Him.

They get to offer the sacrifices on the Altar

They get to enter the Temple and minister at the Table before the Lord.

Their service to God will remind the people that God honors those who honor Him!

Ex. Honor the Lord with your life

All through the history of the priesthood God made it clear that He is serious about how a man conducts himself as a representative of Him!

“‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” ~ I Sam. 2:30

That was spoken specifically against the sons of Eli who used their place as priests to fleece the flock…

…but I think we see that same principle play out all through the history of Man with it’s final fulfillment here in the Millennial Kingdom.

Ap. Honor God

Use the time, talents and treasure that He’s invested in your life for His glory and honor…

…you won’t regret it!

The Conduct of the Priests (vs. 20-23)

Ez. 44:20 “They shall neither shave their heads, nor let their hair grow long, but they shall keep their hair well trimmed.

Ez. 44:21 No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.

Ez. 44:22 They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests.

Ez. 44:23 “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

√ The conduct of the priests

The conduct of the priests is important to God because their behavior is a reflection on Him.

So, they weren’t to either shave their heads or let their hair grow long (literally be unkempt) because both were signs of mourning.

God doesn’t want His servants to appear to be sad while they are serving before Him!

Nor were they to drink wine before coming to the Temple lest they become drunk and misrepresent the Lord by what they might do, or say, while serving Him.

Ex. Nadab & Abihu

Offered profane fire before the Lord and were killed because of it! When their father Aaron protested, God said…

“This is what the LORD spoke, saying:

‘By those who come near Me

I must be regarded as holy;

And before all the people

I must be glorified.’ ~ Lev. 10:3

What’s interesting is that immediately following the account of their sin and death God implements a new law for the priests…

…that they weren’t to drink alcohol when they came to minister in the Tabernacle!

The implication seems to be that Nadab and Abihu were drunk when they offered profane fire in the Tabernacle!

So, here in the Millennial Temple the priests are reminded again that their conduct is important to the Lord and that they must come to the Temple sober!

Ap. We represent the Lord

I think this section reminds us that we all have a witness…

Either a good one or a bad one!

Our witness to the world isn’t just with words, our behavior communicates volumes to the unbelieving world about the God we serve!

Let’s make sure that our conduct and even our appearance is a good reflection on our Savior and King!

Ap. There’s marriage in the Millennial Kingdom!

I just thought that was cool, look at vs.22…

Ez. 44:22 They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman, but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel, or widows of priests.

Since God gives instructions about who the priests can and cannot marry it must mean that people will be married in the Kingdom!

So, if you’re still single don’t worry! You’ve got a 1,000 years in a perfect environment to find the right person!

On the downside that means Cindy’s stuck with me!

The Duty of the Priests (vs. 24-27)

Ez. 44:24 In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.

Ez. 44:25 “They shall not defile themselves by coming near a dead person. Only for father or mother, for son or daughter, for brother or unmarried sister may they defile themselves.

Ez. 44:26 After he is cleansed, they shall count seven days for him.

Ez. 44:27 And on the day that he goes to the sanctuary to minister in the sanctuary, he must offer his sin offering in the inner court,” says the Lord GOD.

√ The duty of the priests

In addition to their ministry to the Lord the priests shall serve as God’s representatives to the people.

Specifically they will help the Lord by serving as judges.

In that capacity they will help resolve conflicts between people, probably by communicating God’s word to them and how it applies in their situation.

Another interesting point is that God gives instructions for the priests regarding how to deal with the dead!

Most people don’t realize that there will be death during the Millennial Kingdom.

It will be rare, but it will occur, look at Isaiah 65:20…

“No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,

Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days;

For the child shall die one hundred years old,

But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.

Bible students point out that there are two possible scenarios for the existence of “sinners” in the Kingdom Age.

One is that perhaps some unbelievers will enter the Kingdom Age.

Those who survive the Tribulation will be enter the Millennial Age, but not be allowed into the city of the King.

The other possibility is that only believers enter the Kingdom Age, but that their children born during that time will be able to chose whether or not they will follow King Jesus.

Whichever it is the point is that there will be death during the Millennial Kingdom and the priests have specific instructions about how to deal with it.

The Benefits of the Priesthood (vs. 28-31)

Ez. 44:28 “It shall be, in regard to their inheritance, that I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.

Ez. 44:29 They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the trespass offering; every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs.

Ez. 44:30 The best of all firstfruits of any kind, and every sacrifice of any kind from all your sacrifices, shall be the priest’s; also you shall give to the priest the first of your ground meal, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.

Ez. 44:31 The priests shall not eat anything, bird or beast, that died naturally or was torn by wild beasts.

√ The benefits of the priesthood

Just as in God’s original covenant with Israel the priests are not given an inheritance in the land.

Rather, God is their inheritance!

That is, all the other people from all the other tribes will each receive a portion of land for their home and crops.

But the priests don’t get a chunk of land, they get a piece of the Rock!

The idea pictured here is that while the other people have a portion of the land to provide for their sustenance…

…the priests look directly to God to meet all their needs.

God will meet every need they have!

Ap. Seek first the Kingdom of God

The New Testament relationship we have with God through Jesus is very different than Judaism.

In Christianity there is no distinction between the “people” and the “priests”.

Rather, all believers in Christ are priests!

1Pet. 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

And…

Rev. 1:6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

And…

Rev. 5:10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;

And we shall reign on the earth.”

Just like the priests here our inheritance isn’t land, it’s the Lord Jesus Himself!

That’s why we don’t really need to worry about storing up treasure here on earth…

…if we’ll make the Kingdom our first priority then we can trust the King to provide for all our needs!

So don’t worry about the future, you’re a priest of the High King and He will take care of all your needs!

Close

√ The Ministers in the Temple

This chapter reminds us that we represent the Lord and that our…

Words

Behavior

Attitude

…are a reflection on our King.

Let’s make sure that we represent Him accurately so that the world may want to know Him!