Please carefully read Ezekiel 44:15–16; the prophet is referring to a man named Zadok who served as a priest during David’s reign. The Hebrew name Zadok means “right or righteous.” This righteous man never wavered in his faithfulness to David or to Yehovah. He stood by the king and by Yehovah’s word through thick and thin. Zadok always remained loyal to David because he knew the king was Yehovah’s anointed.
Because Zadok remained faithful through everything, he came to represent a ministry distinguished by its faithfulness to Yehovah. Indeed, Zadok was a prime example of a true minister of God: separated from this world, shut in with Yehovah, and consistently hearing God’s voice.
True new temple priests are faithful to stand before Yehovah Elohim before they ever stand before the congregation. They spend precious hours in Yehovah’s presence until they were saturated with a message that’s been burned into their souls. When they emerge from Yehovah’s presence, they are able to speak straight to people’s hearts because their word has come directly from the throne of God.
Yehovah says of the Zadok priesthood, “These ministers will enter my sanctuary and stand before me. They shall come near to my table and minister to me. I’ll be faithful to direct them, and I’ll give them my word for my people.”
Indeed, today we see a “priesthood of believers” echoed throughout the books of the New Testament. John tells us, “He [Jesus] has made us kings and priests to his God and Father [Yehovah], to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever” (Revelation 1:6, NKJV). Peter writes, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus the Messiah” (1 Peter 2:5).
You may not have ministerial credentials from any church body. You may never have been to a seminary or preached a sermon. However, you are still as called and ordained to serve as a member of a holy priesthood, as the most well-known preacher or evangelist. Both Testaments make it abundantly clear: Each of us as new creations in the lord Messiah holds the office of priest and thus are called upon to perform a priest’s duties. In our case to preach, publish the good news message about God’s Kingship and the soon-coming Kingdom, and all the things that are attached to the name of Jesus.
How are you to accomplish this? You do it by ministering primarily unto Yehovah. You present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God [Romans 12:1], offering up sacrifices of praise and service to God, turning over to him all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and walking in the spirit according to His will. He has called you to be part of His royal priesthood, who are under the authority of our high priest the lord Jesus, who Yehovah has made the head of His called-out Assembly! [Ephesians 1:22]
Written by By David Wilkerson (1931-2011) and added to and edited by Bruce Lyon
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