Called to be Kings and Priests

So far we have established the basic requirement for you to succeed in becoming a King or ruler over a territory on earth of God’s choosing; that basic requirement being to be filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ baptism.

Now let’s swing over to discuss the very important office of Priest of God’s restored Temple. For you to successfully rule as King, you must successfully rule as Priest in God’s restored Temple. For our understanding we will review Ezekiel 44:15-31.

One distinction Ezekiel uses is the inner court where the priest ministers to God and the outer court where the priest ministers to the people. In verses prior to 15-31, he contrasts God’s appointed priests with Levites who ministered to foreigners uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh defiling God’s sanctuary in the inner court. Verse 12 tells us the Levites ministered to them before their idols and caused them to fall into iniquity.

The ultimate priority is “revival,” leading people to worship God in the innermost sanctuary of His Presence. All inner court ministry must become the natural outflow of an intimate relationship with God, who alone can impart life, healing, forgiveness, and cleansing. Priests who neglected the inner court were called an abomination to God.

Faithful priests who ministered to the Lord with worship and adoration in the inner court received God’s enablement to minister to the needs of the people in the outer court. The God given pattern calls us to come near, to daily put God at the center of our lives, and minister to Him giving Him the glory, honor, and power that are due Him. Then to stand before Him, waiting upon God, totally available to Him, acknowledging His Lordship over us. Friends, God doesn’t need this, we do, our mind and will and emotions need this to enable us to be His will throughout the day.

John 13:23 tells us when the disciples were seated around the table after Jesus washed their feet, one of them was leaning on Jesus’ bosom, the one Jesus loved. This gives us a picture of our daily worshipping God in the inner court, where we are that disciple Jesus loves.

Before entering into the inner court, the sanctuary, the priest shall put on linen garments, ritually clean, no wool causing them to sweat, a smelly fleshly scent. These linen garments shall be removed before ministering to the people in the outer court. Verses 20-31 gives a list of commands for the priest in figurative language, but I won’t take time to discuss these. The priest shall teach the people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.