The Zadok Priesthood, Part III 3) Ezekiel Understood the Prophetic Importance of These Two Priesthoods!

Both the Zadok and Abiathar priesthoods were operating in Ezekiel's day. And, like the unnamed prophet, Ezekiel prophesied they both would flow as two streams of ministry to the very end:

“...mark well the entering in of the house, with every going forth of the sanctuary” (Ezekiel 44:5). God was telling Ezekiel, “Stand at My house and see all the people coming and going. Discern all the activities going on here. It's all an abomination! They're bringing strangers and foreigners into My house to defile it!”

Likewise today, the abominations going on in churches are so horrible, God is saying, “Enough –I've had it!” Ungodly ministers have brought into the holy sanctuary rock-and-roll, entertainment, utter foolishness, singers who use drugs and alcohol and don't even know God. These people stand ministering in the pulpit, and the people don't even know the difference!

“And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things; but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves” (Ezekiel 44:8). He was saying, in other words: “You've brought in foreigners, people who do not know Me, to keep charge of My sanctuary!” These were foreign elements – wicked, unholy, unseparated, still of the world. God's house was being profaned!

So God appointed an Abiathar priesthood to minister to a people whose hearts were set on idols! The shepherds had strayed far from God. They were filled with the spirit of Eli, chasing fame and success – and the people loved to have it so! Thus, God appointed idolatrous priests to give the people what they wanted. “Like people, like priests!”

“Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the house, of all its service, and of all that shall be done in it” (verse l4, NAS).

How blind such ministers are! God says of them, “And they shall not come near unto me...” (verse l3). They stand in the pulpit lightly esteemed by God, full of self and idolatry, nowhere near to the Lord. Yet they go through all the motions; preaching, teaching, counseling, all the ministerial duties. But they don't know the difference! They have no discernment, no witness of the Spirit!

Beloved, if you do not repent and surrender 'all' to Jesus – if you hold onto an idol in your heart-- you will end up listening to a minister who preaches to your idolatry!

God made a Promise in His Word That if His People Would Repent and Return to Him

With All Their Hearts, He Would Raise Up for Them Zadok Shepherds!

“”Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord...and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding”

(Jeremiah 3:l4-l5).

Ezekiel prophecied that a Zadok priesthood would be very much alive and well in the Last Days:

“But...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, said the Lord God: They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge” (Ezekiel 44:l5-l6).

There will be no mixture in this priesthood: “They shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, while they minister...” (verse l7). Wool mixed with linen represents mixture – a little bit of God and a little bit of flesh. But God says, “My priesthood is made of pure linen. There is no mixture!”

This Zadok priesthood will be fearless against sin – and will have the power to lead people into righteousness and holiness. “And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (verse 23).

These are the marks of the Zadok priesthood:

• They are not afraid to reprove with the power and authority of the Holy Ghost.

• They make clear to you what wrong and right are, until you gain the knowledge and wisdom to make right choices.

• These men know the voice of the Lord. They know what God speaks, because they sit and wait on Him! They don't pray, “Bless me, bless my programs, give me money...”Rather, they cry, “Oh, Jesus, I love You! I want to know Your mind and Your heart!”

You may be saying, “It's good to know all this about preachers.” But God is saying to you right now: “What about You?”

Dear Saint, Did you Know This Message Is All About You?

Scripture says, “(He) hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be the glory and dominion for ever and ever...” (Revelation l:6). Beloved, this verse is true for the whole body! Everyone who calls himself or herself by God's name is to be a priest unto the Lord.

So, I ask you: Which priesthood describes your walk with God? Are you of Zadok? Or Abiathar? Are you self-centered – running around to conventions and seminars looking for comforting answers? Or do you receive reproof with joy, knowing that God wants to cut the cancer of sin out of you in order to heal you? Do you buy tape after tape of some evangelist to try to get a word from heaven? Or are you learning to discern God's voice for yourself, by giving quality time to Him in the secret closet?

Everyone who lives by the name of Jesus should be learning to hear God's voice. He wants you to hear His word in your own heart! If you learn that, you can go to any church anywhere and know within five minutes if the Spirit of the Lord is there. If it's really Zadok, your hands will go up in the air. You'll say, “I'm hearing something good. Something is registering in my soul. This is God!

Or – you will discern what is of Abiathar. And it will make you sick to your stomach! You will flee, because you cannot stand the stench of flesh!

Oh, God – give us the spirit of the Zadok Priesthood!

By permission...World Challenge, Inc.

As David Wilkerson was always my personal hero, I especially would like to thank those who gave permission to use some of David's newsletters that affirmed our calling so many times in the past. Even though I never was able to meet Mr. Wilkerson, the Lord used him so many times to confirm messages that I'd felt I'd received from the Lord during my quiet times with Him. David, indeed, has been sorely missed!