God's Holy Minimum: The Uncompromising Priesthood Text: Ezekiel 44:15-31
Introduction: A Tale of Two Priesthoods
The book of Ezekiel is a book of stark contrasts. It begins with the prophet in exile, seeing the glorious, mobile throne of God depart from a defiled Temple in Jerusalem. It ends with a vision of a new, glorious Temple, far exceeding the old one, from which the presence of God will never depart. This entire section, from chapter 40 onward, is a detailed architectural diagram of this new reality. But we must understand that this is not a blueprint for a stone-and-mortar building to be constructed by some future Sanhedrin. As the New Testament makes plain, this glorious Temple is the Christian Church, the body of Christ. We are the Temple Ezekiel saw. The water of life that flows from its threshold, healing the nations, is the gospel.
But if the church is the Temple, then the church must have a priesthood. And in our text today, God lays out the character and conduct of that priesthood. And here again, we see a stark contrast. In the previous verses, God condemns the broader Levitical tribe who "went astray" and followed Israel into idolatry. They are not utterly cast off, but they are demoted. They can be temple janitors and security guards, but they are barred from the holiest duties. They represent a compromised, worldly, man-pleasing ministry.
But then God turns to another group, the sons of Zadok. Zadok was the faithful high priest during the time of David and Solomon, who remained loyal when others rebelled. His sons, his spiritual descendants, are the ones who "kept the responsibility of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray." They are the faithful remnant. And because of their faithfulness in a time of widespread apostasy, God grants them the high privilege of ministering directly before Him. This passage, then, is not just a set of archaic rules for an ancient cult. It is a portrait of a faithful ministry. It is a description of the kind of leadership God requires for His new Temple, the church. It is a standard by which all pastors, elders, and teachers must be measured. And it is a call for the people of God to recognize, honor, and support such a ministry.
The Text
"But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the responsibility of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to bring near to Me the fat and the blood,” declares Lord Yahweh. “They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep the responsibility given by Me. And it will be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and wool shall not be on them while they are ministering in the gates of theinner court and in the house. Linen headdresses shall be on their heads, and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat. And when they go out into the outer court, into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they have been ministering and lay them in the holy chambers; then they shall put on other garments so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments. Also they shall not shave their heads, yet they shall not let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner court. And they shall not take a widow or a divorced woman as a wife but shall take virgins from the seed of the house of Israel or a widow who is the widow of a priest. Moreover, they shall instruct My people about the difference between the holy and the profane, and make them know the difference between the unclean and the clean. And in a dispute, they shall take their stand to judge; they shall judge it according to My judgments. They shall also keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed times and keep My sabbaths holy. But they shall not go to a dead person to make themselves unclean; however, for father, for mother, for son, for daughter, for brother, or for a sister who has not had a husband, they may make themselves unclean. And after he is cleansed, seven days shall be counted for him. And on the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court to minister in the sanctuary, he shall bring near his sin offering,” declares Lord Yahweh. “And it shall be with regard to an inheritance for them, that I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel, I am their possession. They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. And the first of all the first fruits of every kind and every contribution of every kind, from all your contributions, shall be for the priests; you shall also give to the priest the first of your dough to cause a blessing to rest on your house. The priests shall not eat any bird or beast that has died of itself or has been torn to pieces."
(Ezekiel 44:15-31 LSB)
The Foundation of Ministry: Loyalty and Access (vv. 15-16)
The first thing we must see is the basis for this privileged position. It is not tribal affiliation alone, but faithfulness within that tribe.
"But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept the responsibility of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to bring near to Me the fat and the blood,” declares Lord Yahweh. “They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep the responsibility given by Me." (Ezekiel 44:15-16)
The central qualification is loyalty in a time of apostasy. When everyone else was chasing idols, when the culture was going mad, when the path of least resistance was compromise, the sons of Zadok held the line. They kept their charge. The lesson is straightforward: God promotes those who are faithful when faithfulness is costly. Ministry is not a career path for ambitious men who are good at reading the room. It is a divine calling for men who fear God more than they fear being on the wrong side of public opinion.
And what is the reward for this faithfulness? It is proximity to God. "They shall come near to Me." "They shall stand before Me." "They shall enter My sanctuary." The reward for faithful work is more work, but it is work in the immediate presence of the King. The compromised Levites were kept at a distance, serving the people in the outer court. The faithful priests are brought into the inner court to serve God directly. This is the heart of true ministry. It is not about programs or platforms; it is about standing in the council of God, ministering to Him, and then bringing the fruit of that communion out to the people. A minister who does not first minister to God has nothing of any eternal value to offer to men.
The Uniform of Ministry: Righteousness Without Sweat (vv. 17-19)
Next, God prescribes their attire, and the details are spiritually significant.
"And it will be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and wool shall not be on them... they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat... when they go out... they shall put off their garments... so that they will not transmit holiness to the people with their garments." (Ezekiel 44:17-19)
The priests are to wear only linen. Wool is forbidden. Why? Because wool makes you sweat. This is not about comfort; it is about the nature of the work. Sweat is the emblem of the curse. In Genesis 3, Adam is told, "In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread." Sweat represents the cursed, toilsome, fleshly effort of man trying to achieve righteousness on his own terms. The priesthood of the new covenant, typified here, is to be a ministry of effortless righteousness. It is a ministry that flows not from the striving of the flesh, but from the power of the Spirit. The service of God is to be characterized by the rest and peace of the gospel, not the frantic, sweaty exertions of legalism. When your pastor is always harried, stressed, and driven, something is wrong. He is likely wearing wool.
Notice also the curious instruction about not transmitting holiness to the people with their garments. This points to a fundamental principle of the Old Covenant. Holiness was potent, dangerous, and transferable by contact, much like a contagion. But it was a ceremonial holiness. In the New Covenant, through Christ, we have a true, internal holiness. But the principle remains: there must be a clear distinction between the sacred and the common, the church and the world. The minister, when he leads in worship, is operating in a unique capacity. But he is not to carry that ceremonial aura into the common marketplace in a way that creates a false piety or a priestly caste system. He puts on his robes to serve, and takes them off to live among the people as a brother. He is set apart for a task, not set above the flock.
The Lifestyle of Ministry: Consecration and Distinction (vv. 20-27)
This section details personal regulations that mark the priests as set apart for God.
"Also they shall not shave their heads, yet they shall not let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner court. And they shall not take a widow or a divorced woman as a wife but shall take virgins... or a widow who is the widow of a priest." (Ezekiel 44:20-22)
These rules are all about avoiding extremes and maintaining a visible testimony of moderation and consecration. Shaving the head was a pagan mourning practice. Letting the hair grow wild was the mark of a Nazirite under a special vow. The priest was to be neither a pagan nor a freelance charismatic; he was to be a model of ordered, disciplined holiness. The prohibition of wine in the inner court was to ensure a clear head in the presence of God. The work of God requires sobriety in every sense of the word.
The marriage regulations are particularly striking. The priest's marriage was to be a living sermon. He was to marry a virgin from Israel, symbolizing the church's pure devotion to Christ, or the widow of another priest, showing continuity and care within the covenant community. This underscores the principle that a minister's family life is not a private affair; it is part of his public testimony. His household is a small picture of the household of God.
Their primary duties are then laid out: teaching, judging, and guarding the holiness of God's worship.
"Moreover, they shall instruct My people about the difference between the holy and the profane... And in a dispute, they shall take their stand to judge... They shall also keep My laws and My statutes... and keep My sabbaths holy." (Ezekiel 44:23-24)
Here is the job description of a faithful pastor. First, he is a teacher. And what does he teach? He teaches distinctions. The fundamental task of Christian instruction is to teach the people the difference between the holy and the common, the clean and the unclean. Our entire culture is a satanic project dedicated to erasing all of God's distinctions. The faithful minister stands against this tide and says, "No. This is holy, and that is profane. This is clean, and that is unclean." Second, he is a judge. He is to apply God's judgments to the disputes that arise among the people. This is the work of church discipline and pastoral counsel. Third, he is a guardian of worship. He keeps the laws, statutes, and sabbaths. He ensures that the worship of God is conducted according to God's Word, not according to human invention or popular fads.
The section concludes with strict rules about contact with the dead. A priest could not defile himself for a dead person, except for his closest relatives. This was to teach Israel that their God is the God of the living. His ministers are agents of life, not death. The world is obsessed with death, but the church is the outpost of the resurrection.
The Provision for Ministry: God as Inheritance (vv. 28-31)
Finally, God makes provision for His faithful servants.
"And it shall be with regard to an inheritance for them, that I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel, I am their possession... They shall eat the grain offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering... the first of all the first fruits... shall be for the priests." (Ezekiel 44:28-30)
This is one of the most glorious statements in all of Scripture. The priests were to have no land, no earthly inheritance like the other tribes. Why? Because they had something infinitely better. They had God Himself. "I am their inheritance." "I am their possession." This is the secret to a faithful and joyful ministry. The man of God must not have his heart set on earthly possessions, because his heart is to be entirely possessed by God. His satisfaction, his security, and his significance are to be found in God alone.
But this does not mean the minister is to be a pauper. God is a good provider. Because the priests were devoted to the Lord's work, the Lord's portion was devoted to them. They were to be supported by the tithes and offerings of the people. They eat the offerings, the firstfruits, the best of the dough. This establishes a permanent principle: the people of God are to support the ministry of the Word with their material substance. As Paul says, "the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel" (1 Cor. 9:14). When a congregation is generous to a faithful pastor, they are not just paying a salary; they are causing "a blessing to rest on your house." Supporting a Zadokite ministry brings God's favor upon the entire community.
Conclusion: The Zadokite Calling
This chapter presents us with a choice, a tale of two ministries. There is the ministry of the straying Levites, who follow the crowd, compromise the truth, and are demoted to the outer court. They have a form of religion, but they lack the power and the presence of God. And then there is the ministry of the sons of Zadok, who stand firm in the day of apostasy, who are clothed in the effortless righteousness of Christ, who teach God's distinctions, and who find their all in God Himself.
Every church must decide which kind of ministry it wants. Do you want ministers who will scratch your itching ears, or men who will teach you the difference between the holy and the profane? Do you want leaders who are savvy cultural commentators, or men who will stand in judgment according to the Word of God? Do you want a ministry that sweats and strives with the latest man-made programs, or one that ministers in the cool linen of the gospel of grace?
And every man who aspires to ministry must ask himself which path he will follow. Will you be a son of Zadok? Will you keep the charge of the sanctuary when the people of God themselves are going astray? Will you be content with God as your only inheritance, your only possession? This is the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. For our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus, is the ultimate Son of Zadok. He was faithful when all others fled. He is clothed in perfect righteousness. He is the one who teaches us all truth and judges the world in righteousness. And He is the one who brings us near to God, that we, as a kingdom of priests, might minister to Him forever.