EZEKIEL 44

PRIESTHOOD OF THE KINGDOM.

This is an order in the State composed of men who shall have become priests "after the power of an endless life," having been during the interregnum washed in baptism, sanctified by the anointing spirit, and consecrated by the blood of the covenant. These are "priests to God," who, saith the Lord,

"shall enter into my temple, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge"—Ezekiel 44: 16.

They are then the priests of Zion clothed with righteousness and salvation—Psalm 132: 9, 16, —the meek whom the Lord hath beautified—Psalm 149: 4. They are representatively styled "the sons of Zadok;" and are kings also as well as priests, and therefore priests

"after the order of Melchizedec."

The priesthood of the kingdom is consequently a Royal Priesthood; and as it is "for ever," its officials are immortal and "equal to the angels." They are perfect as their Father who is in heaven, having no evil in their flesh, or impurity of character. Such are the priests of the kingdom when the saints shall possess it "under the whole heaven."

The Royal Priesthood is an order under one chief, who is called High Priest. He is the elder brother of the order, all the rest being "his brethren." He was once like them in the days of their sinful flesh, "a little lower than the angels;" but being also "made after the power of an endless life," he enjoys the spiritual, angelic, or higher nature, and sits as high priest for ever on his father David's throne, and bears the glory.

The sons of Zadok, or Jesus and his brethren, are constituted a priest forever by "the word of the oath;" so that the royal priesthood of the kingdom is without predecessor or successor. Its officials do not derive their inheritance from Aaron and his sons; nor from the old covenant of the kingdom. They inherit under the New, which gives them all the privileges and honours they possess.

The word of the oath made their Chief, though a son of Judah and of David, High Priest contrary to the Mosaic law which created Aaron; it makes them priests also of the same order by constitution, when in the interregnum they were "made the righteousness of God in him." Being in him they are "complete in him," and "joint-heirs" with him of all his titles, honours, and real and personal estate.

Contemporary with this order of priests there will be in the kingdom a class of priests who are not royal, nor priests after the power of an endless life. This inferior class is Levitical. They will be mortal and corruptible men of the tribe of Levi, degraded from their former rank under the old constitution to an inferior station under the new, to minister before the people instead of before the Lord as in the days of old.

The reason of this degradation is the misconduct of their order under the Mosaic covenant. When the people turned to the worship of idols, the Aaronic Levites became their ministers, instead of vindicating the honour and institutions of Yahweh; therefore, says he,

"they shall even bear their iniquity"—"they shall not come near unto me to do the office of a priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things in the most holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed"—Ezekiel 44: 10, 13.

Let the reader give heed to this, and note that these Levitical priests under the old covenant officiated at the altar, entered the Holy Place and burned incense and ate the shew-bread at the Lord's table, and their chief also passed into the Most Holy with the blood of the atonement.

This was coming near to Yahweh, and ministering unto him. But their order had caused the people to serve idols, and had officiated as idol priests. They had done this while the kingdom existed under the Mosaic code, and the punishment of the offence is decreed to fall upon the order in its degradation when the kingdom shall be restored under the New or amended constitution. They may not approach the altar to offer the fat and the blood of the sacrifices, nor enter the Holy and Most Holy to stand before the Lord.

In this state of affairs, the High Priesthood is vacated, and the altar and Holy places are devoid of ministers. There are the nations, and the Twelve Tribes, and the ministering Levites, who minister to the worshippers, but cannot approach to the Lord. What is to be done in this case? Does not the reader perceive a vacancy here? A space to be occupied by an order, that may appear before the Lord? That may burn the fat and sprinkle the blood upon the altar, and enter the Holies, and minister for the world as priests to God, and not to the people?

The chain is complete when the order is introduced between the people's priests and Yahweh. Counting the links from the remotest, there is first, the nations; secondly, Israel; thirdly, the Leviticals; fourthly, the sons of Zadok; fifthly, the High Priest, or Prince of Israel; and sixthly, Yahweh.

This is the chain that connects the ends of the earth to the throne of the Eternal when the kingdom shall exist in the Age to Come.

It is evident that the sons of Zadok are resurrected men. Ezekiel is testifying things which had not existed previously to his day, could not exist contemporarily with him, and have not existed since. They are at variance with the Mosaic law, and could not therefore exist so long as it continued in force. But they are things foretold while the temple was in smoking ruins, & affirmed of God as certain to come to pass.

There is no question therefore but they will be hereafter. The reason given why the sons of Zadok shall burn the fat and sprinkle the blood on the altar, and appear before Yahweh in the Holy place, is, because

"they kept the charge of his sanctuary, when the children of Israel went astray from her."

But these faithful men have been dead for ages. It is necessary therefore for them to rise from the dead, that they may perform the service to which they are appointed.

Herald of the Kingdom and Age to Come, Sept 1851