Zadok

We have been reading in the Book of Leviticus, which means "of the Levites" from the Latin. In Hebrew, this third Book of the Bible is called Va-yikra, which translates to "and He (the LORD) called". The Law that God gave to Moses to bring to the people of Israel is included in this Book, as well as the ministry of the priests and the Levites (the tribe of priests) who served in the tabernacle of God. We who believe in the Messiah, or Christ, Jesus, are also called to a priesthood before God (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10), as has been mentioned previously, so we will see what we can learn about the priesthood from this week's readings. This week's Sabbath reading portion titled Emor meaning ""say", covers Leviticus chapters 23 and 24. What is Moses to say to the children of Israel at the command of the LORD? The LORD gave feasts to His people to observe at appointed times of the year. He commanded that these feasts were to be kept throughout all generations: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 'Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts." (Lev. 23:1-2). We may sometimes have difficulty relating to the Feasts of the LORD, however, the Feasts have a special quality and meaning that I think certainly applies to us and the world today. There are Feasts that take place in the spring, and Feasts that are appointed for the Fall, or harvest time. First mentioned of the Feasts is the Sabbath (Lev. 23:3). The Sabbath is treated as foundational to all of the Feasts. The identity of the Messiah is revealed in the Feasts. In the verses above, the LORD calls His Feasts holy. If we look at the meanings of the Hebrew words used in the two verses above from Lev. 23:1-2, we will find that these Feasts also are "appointed times to assemble and meet with the LORD, a fixed time for a betrothal, for an engagement in marriage between God and His people, summoned, called by name, invited, bidding of His guests to come to a rehearsal for future events, appointed assemblies where one will encounter God in an unexpected way". All of these qualities of the appointed Feasts of the LORD are very important in meaning, as we can see,, and not to be missed. These are the appointed holy Feasts of the LORD to which we are summoned by name: Passover-Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), Feast of Tabernacles (Succoth)/Simchat Torah (see Lev. 23 for details). We will see that not only were these Feasts established by God, but they played a role in supernatural events between God and Israel. The priesthood ministered during these feasts, and played an important role in miraculous encounters with God. Our priesthood in Christ should also lead others into saving, supernatural encounters with the God of our salvation. In one of this week's Sabbath readings, Psalm 81, the writer, Asaph, the chief Levite singer under King David, called God's people to return to Him. Asaph's name means "gatherer, to gather together", which is appropriate, as he issued an invitation from God for His people to gather together again, and meet Him at His feasts: "Sing aloud to God our strength...Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, at the full moon, on our solemn feast day. For this is a statute for Israel, a law of the God of Jacob." (v. 1, 3). The LORD said: "You called in trouble,and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place (seter/satar - hiding place, covering, protection, shelter/concealed, hide oneself carefully) of thunder (ra'am - thunder, display of might, the whole circuit of the divine power)...". (v. 7). The "secret place of thunder" to me, is represented by Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles, in which God instructs His people to build booths (enclosed coverings) out of the lovliest tree branches, and spend seven days within them. In its way, it is an intimate "secret place" under His green branches to meet with God, where He will display Himself within His provision of the finest fruits of the land. The booths built of camouflaging branches also represent the marriage canopy under which the bride and groom are joined together. It represents the place where God meets His bride, Israel, and Christ meets His bride, the believers. The LORD refers again to this shelter, His secret place, in Psalm 91: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (v. 1). Asaph the Levite is saying to us, "Do you need to return to God? He is waiting for you to meet Him in the secret place." This is also to be our message to others as the priests of Christ. In another Sabbath reading portion, the priest, Ezra, with the governor, Nehemiah, led the people of Jerusalem back to God after their return from a heartbreaking exile. They had been exiled from the land in the first place because they had exiled their hearts from God. The revival of their relationship with God followed their observance of Succoth, the Feast of Tabernacles (Neh. 8). Israel had not observed the Feast since the time of Joshua (v. 17), even though the LORD had commanded His people to meet with Him in His Feasts throughout all of their generations. When Ezra the priest read the law to all of the people, and the Levites helped the people to understand its meaning, the people wept in repentance for not keeping the Word of the LORD (Neh. 8:9). This reading before the people was done on the first day of the seventh month (v. 2), which would have been the Feast of Trumpets, a day that "is holy to the LORD your God." The people then began to gather what they would need in order to keep the coming Feast of Tabernacles. Again Ezra the priest gathered the people to explain what was required to observe the Feast so that they would understand (v. 13). He instructed the people to announce to everyone in Jerusalem and the other cities: "Go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written." (v. 15). After keeping the Feast of Tabernacles with very great gladness, the people were assembled, and entered into repentance confessing their sins, and the sins of their fathers, and they read the Book of the Law (Neh. 9:1-3). When we meet God in His secret place, our hearts are touched not only by His divine Almighty power on our behalf, but also His loving mercy towards us. The Levites (levi/lava - joined to, attached/abide, to unite, to cleave to), standing on the stairs (ma'ale/ala - ascent, lofty place/come up, offer, light, cause to ascend), again led the people by lifting up their voices and proclaiming the greatness of God, and the re-dedication of His people to their covenant with Him (Neh. 9:4-38). The Levites were positioned in the Spirit, joined to the LORD in a lofty place (the stairs), to cause the people to "come up" or ascend in praise and re-dedication. This is what we also can bring to the people as the priests, the joined ones to the LORD, who stand in the lofty place. In another reading from this week's Sabbath, King Solomon has just completed the newly built Temple of God in Jerusalem. He was ready for the furnishings to be brought in. Solomon assembled all of the elders of Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ArK of the Covenant into the new temple: "The Levites took up the ark...the priests and the Levites brought them (the furnishings) up...Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy place, under the wings of the cherubim." (2 Chron. 5:1-7, excerpt). Only the priests and Levites were allowed to bear the ark and the other vessels of the LORD. All of these furnishings represent the identity of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, in their prpose before God. Only the priesthood of saints carry the physical presence of Christ before the people, not with hands of flesh, but, as the Levites did, using spiritual poles or staves (bad/badad - a part of the body [see 1 Cor. 12:27], branch [see John 15:5]/to separate oneself, be separate [see Rom. 12:1-2]). Scripture tells us that the placement of the ark in the temple occurred on one of the Feasts of the LORD that is appointed for the seventh month (2 Chron. 5:3). Because all of the men of Israel were assembled with the king in Jerusalem, it was most likely the Feast of Tabernacles. The job of the Levites and priests was not done yet, however: "the priests...and the Levites who were the singers...stood at the east end of the altar, clothed in white linen, having cymbals, stringed instruments and harps, and with them one hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets - indeed it came to pass when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound...saying, "For He (the LORD) is good, and His mercy endures forever', that the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering...for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God." (v. 11-14, excerpt). The united voice and instruments of the priests and Levites ushered in the manifestation of the glory of God. No wonder the spirits of darkness have done all that they can to keep the members of the priesthood of believers in Christ from being unified in sound. The instruments mentioned above have these meanings in Hebrew: "sounded, surround with a stockade, separated from the open country, call aloud, proclamation, to call together, to quiver with vibration, a vessel, a weapon, a jewel, armor, to finish, end, accomplish, fulfill, destroy". This alone should teach us a great deal about our priesthood, if we will seek it. Finally, this week, the Sabbath portion brought us to a prophetic vision in Ezekiel chapter 44. Ezekiel received a vision from the LORD of a temple, unlike any temple that had existed before. He saw an eastern outer gate of the temple that the LORD Himself had entered. According to the prophetic vision, the same gate will be used only by "the prince", who will be able to sit in the gate and eat bread before the LORD (Ezek. 44:1-3). The Eastern Gate is associated with the appearing of Messiah, the Prince of Peace, whom we know to be Jesus Christ. Daniel the prophet also wrote of the Messiah to come as "the Prince" (Dan. 9:25). Also connected to this temple of Ezekiel's vision will be a new priesthood. The LORD explained to Ezekiel: "But the priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went away 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. 'They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge." (Ezek. 44:15-16). The Zadok priests were to eat only of the holy sacrifices made to the LORD (Ezek. 44:29-31, Lev. 22:7-8)). In Ezekiel's vision, the Levites had become so corrupted by idolatry that they were no longer fit to minister before the LORD, and their corruption had caused all of 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. 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..." (v. 12-13). Priests who minister before God cannot be covered with abominations and iniquity, neither then nor now. What is the meaning behind the new Zadok priesthood who will be accepted by the LORD? Zadok/sadak in Hebrew means "righteous, just/cleansed, justified, save, to absolve, to acquit, to purge oneself". Malachi also wrote prophetically of a priesthood, purified, purged and refined by the Messiah Himself so that they may be able to minister in righteousness. (Mal. 3:2-3). Speaking in the same meaning as the Zadok priesthood, Paul wrote of those who have turned away from sin and come to Christ: "...But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Cor. 6:11). The Zadok priests of Ezekiel's vision will be clothed in linen garments as they minister before the LORD (Ezek. 44:17). The Book of Revelation speaks of the Bride of the Lamb (Jesus) being "arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright for the fine linen is the righteousness (sadak in Hebrew) of the saints." (Rev. 19:8). The Zadok priesthood was given a specific charge by the Word of the LORD in the vision of Ezekiel: "And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy (see Lev. 22) and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. 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 (Feasts), and they shall hallow My sabbaths...I am their inheritance...I am their possession." (Ezek. 44:23-24, 28, see also Eph. 1:13-14, 17-23). The Zadok priesthood of righteousness appears to be very similar to our priesthood in Christ. Handel wrote a glorious piece of music titled "Zadok the Priest". Called one of the most triumphant moments in classical music, I recommend a listen to Handel's "Zadok the Priest", if you have a chance. This Sabbath's reading portion taught me something new about not only the Feasts of the LORD, but especially about the ministry of the priesthood before God and the people. If you would like to learn more about these holy things of God, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your desire to meet with Your people at appointed times, and to manifest Your greatness before them. You have created a place where we can come to You in the tabernacle of Christ's salvation in the beauty of holiness, where we can dwell all the days of our lives. Through Your Son, You have called me to a priesthood to minister to You and the people by the Holy Spirit, handling the holy things of God, teaching others Your Word so that they can understand, in unity ushering in the glory of God. You have given me linen garments of righteousness, not by any works that I do, but by the sacrifice of Your Son of righteousness, Jesus. You only are my inheritance and my possession. I pray these things in the name of Jesus, AMEN."

Zadok

In this Sabbath's reading portion titled Emor, or "Say", most of the Feasts of the LORD are given to Moses in Leviticus 23 for the people to observe throughout their generations. A study of these Feasts reveals the prophetic Person, promise and timetable of Christ, just as the pattern of the Tabernacle also declared the promise of Christ. The Hebrew word for "feast" used in Leviticus 23 is moed, and the root word is ya'ad. The meanings of these two Hebrew words are very important to all of the people of God. The meaning includes: "appointed time, appointed season, appointed sign or signal, a fixed time, a point of time, assembly; betrothed, engaged for marriage, to espouse". As the Bride of Christ, paying attention to the appointed times and seasons that have been encased in the Feasts of the LORD is very important. The meanings of the individual pictographic Hebrew letters that make up the word for "feast", moed, when put together could be saying to us "the mighty stream of blood from the nail inescapably pulls us on a journey toward a destination, a righteous harvest, like a movement or a path entering through a door or curtain". Christ described Himself as the Door for the sheep, His followers, to enter into the pasture of salvation (Jn. 10:1-9). He is also the Door or Curtain by which we may enter into the Holiest Place to the Mercy Seat, which is considered in Jewish tradition to be the Throne of God (Heb. 10:19-23). These Feasts bring us on a set journey from beginning to the end on the path to and with the Lamb of God, our Betrothed (Rev. 19:7-9). Not only are the Feasts a path, but they are a set timeline according to the meanings of the words. They play a significant part in our understanding of the plan of God for all of us. Currently, at this time of year, we are in the middle of the spring feasts. Part of this Sabbath's reading that includes the Feasts of the LORD, is also an unusual vision from the Prophet Ezekiel. The prophet had just given a very detailed vision of a temple that had not yet been built (Ezek. Ch. 40-43). Ezekiel saw the glory of the LORD enter the temple from the eastern gate of Jerusalem in this vision, and heard a voice say, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet (see also Zech. 14:3-4), where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever..." (Ezek. 43:7). This temple of Ezekiel's vision is sometimes referred to as "the third temple", and many expect this temple to be built in these end times. Jewish tradition states that the Messiah will enter through the eastern gate when He comes because of the prophecy of Zechariah noted above. At the same time, Ezekiel also received the Word of the LORD concerning a revolutionary change in the priesthood that would serve Him in this prophesied temple. The Levites will no longer be accepted to minister before the LORD, and will only be allowed to minister in the outer courts. This is because they had previously led the people away from the LORD and into idol worship: "...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." (Ezek. 44:10-13). There was only one branch of the Levites that would be allowed to minister before God, in this new priesthood that Ezekiel saw, which were to be the sons of Zadok: "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. 'They shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall come near My table to minister to Me, and they shall keep My charge." (Ezek. 44:15-16). The "Lord" who is speaking here about His Zadok priesthood is called Adonay in Hebrew. The meaning of Adonay/Adon includes, "Lord, Master, king, husband, prophet, prince, captain". The Hebrew letters that make up the name Adonay, when put together, mean: "the powerful authority of the First, who is the Door, the Way, the Son, the Offspring, the Seed, the Heir to the throne, whose hand accomplished the finished work" (see also Jn. 17:4, Jn. 19:28-30). This priesthood spoken of by Ezekiel as declared prophetically by Adonay, the Lord, will consist only of the sons or descendants of Zadok. Let us look at who Zadok was, who lived generations before this vision was given to Ezekiel. Zadok was a priest who remained faithful to King David when many others were conspiring with David's son, Absalom, the counterfeit heir, to depose the king (2 Sam. 15:23-24). King David had previously received the prophetic promise that the Messiah would be his future descendant (2 Sam. 8:12-18). Not only did Zadok remain faithful to David, and willing to follow him into exile, but he would also play a role in the king's future return: "The king also said to Zadok the priest, 'Are you not a seer (prophet)? ...See, I will wait/tarry/delay in the plains (crossing place, cause to bring over) of the wilderness (pasture for feeding flocks) until word comes from you to inform/certify (declare, utter, show forth, make known, profess openly, proclaim, bring into sight, proclaim and celebrate with praise) me." (v. 27-30). When the time came for King David's return, he sent a message to Zadok to bring to all of Judah: "You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?". This touched the hearts of all the men of Judah, who sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your servants." (see 2 Sam. 19:11-14). This is also the role that we have in the return of Jesus, "the Root and the Offspring of David". As Zadok asked the question of Judah, are we, Christ's brethren of His blood, the last to bring back the King? This should not be so. We, the Bride, are to join the Holy Spirit, not just in waiting for Christ's return, but in saying "Come", or erchomai in Greek, which means "to come forth from one place to another, used of those arriving or returning" (see Rev. 22:16-17, 20). The verse tells us to "say" this, but the meaning in Greek, lego, is much stronger. It means "to speak, affirm, maintain, teach, exhort, advise, to command, to call by name". Like Zadok, we have been given the responsibility by the King to exhort all of Judah, "the people of praise", to speak the command for Him to "Return" or "Come". Zadok's name in Hebrew means "to be just, be righteous, to be justified, make someone righteous, turn to righteousness". Daniel described God's people in the latter days or end times as "those who turn many to righteousness". The Zadok priesthood, which would be the descendants of Zadok as prophesied by Adonay, the Lord, in Ezekiel's vision, would have this calling also: They were to be clothed in linen (Ezek 44:17, Rev. 19:8). They will teach the people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and between the unclean and the clean (v. 23, Dan. 11:33). They shall stand as judges in controversies (v. 24, 1 Cor. 6:3-6). They shall keep the Lord's statutes, the appointed feasts, and hallow the Sabbath (v. 24, Jn. 8:31, Jn. 14:15, Jn. 15:10, Mt. 5:17-20, Mt. 12:8). The Lord, Adonay, also said that He is the Zadok priests' inheritance, and their possession (v. 28, Eph. 1:10-14), and they were to have no other inheritance in the earth. These priests were to have the first, best, or most chief, the head of the firstfruits offering (v. 30, 1 Cor. 15:20-23, Rom. 8:29). We also have been called to a priesthood, which Peter calls "a royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9-10), that requires something of us. I found that this week's Sabbath reading titled Emor, or "Say", contains so many parallels with our walk with Christ, and a timely message for the believers in Christ pertaining to our ministry or purpose on earth in these times. If you would like to learn more about these things, you can pray with me: "Lord Jesus, You show and teach us things in Your Word to guide us through these challenging days before Your return. Prepare us by Your Holy Spirit, and sanctify us by Your Word, to walk in the priesthood to which You have called us, and to minister Your salvation to all creation. We join with the Spirit, and exhort all, both Jewish and Gentile, to send this imperative word to our King of Kings, Jesus: "Come!". We ask and speak these things in the Name of Jesus. AMEN."