Scripture Daily

Context No. 1223 of 4322 · Ezekiel

Context · Reflection

Ezekiel 40:44-49: in context

44Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate. They faced toward the south. One at the side of the east gate faced toward the north. 45He said to me, “This room, which faces toward the south, is for the priests who perform the duty of the house. 46The room which faces toward the north is for the priests who perform the duty of the altar. These are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to the LORD to minister to him.” 47He measured the court, one hundred cubits long and one hundred cubits wide, square. The altar was before the house. 48Then he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side. The width of the gate was three cubits on this side and three cubits on that side. 49The length of the porch was twenty cubits and the width eleven cubits, even by the steps by which they went up to it. There were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.

In Ezekiel's vision of the restored temple, the guide shows him rooms set aside for the priests, and identifies one group specifically: the sons of Zadok, who alone among the Levites are permitted to come near to the LORD to minister to him. He measures the square inner court with the altar before the house, and the vestibule of the temple with its pillars.

The detail worth noticing is the naming of the sons of Zadok as those who come near to minister to the LORD. Zadok was the priest who had remained faithful to David and to God when others compromised, when the priest Abiathar sided with the rebellion, Zadok stayed loyal, and Ezekiel's vision honors that faithfulness by giving Zadok's descendants the privilege of drawing near to God in the restored temple. There is a principle in that: faithfulness in a time when others compromised is remembered and rewarded with nearness. The priests who had stayed true are the ones granted the privilege of ministering close to God. It is a quiet encouragement to those who hold their ground when others give way, that the God who sees faithfulness draws the faithful near. And notice the phrase itself, to come near to the LORD to minister to him. The deepest privilege in the whole elaborate temple is simply nearness, being allowed to draw close to God, and it is granted to those found faithful. The reward for faithfulness is not chiefly comfort or honor but the thing the faithful most wanted anyway, to come near to God and serve him close.

Do I hold my ground faithfully when others compromise, and do I long, as the deepest reward, simply to come near to God and minister to him, the privilege given to the faithful sons of Zadok?

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