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Daily Devotions

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 
Day 
Day 453

"They shall stand as judges"

Text: Ezekiel 44:24

GROOMING OF THE ZADOK PRIESTS

The Lord also gave instructions concerning the grooming of the Zadokite priests. Serving the Lord was carefully prescribed.

“They shall neither shave their heads nor let their hair grow long,
but they shall keep their hair well trimmed.
No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court.
They shall not take as wife a widow or a divorced woman,
but take virgins of the descendants of the house of Israel,
or widows of priests.
And they shall teach My people
the difference between the holy and the unholy,
and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
In controversy they shall stand as judges,
and judge it according to My judgments.
They shall keep My laws and My statutes
in all My appointed meetings,
and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.”
Ezekiel 44:20-24

1. Grooming

a) Absalom, a son of David was unfortunately vain.

i) He took pride in having healthy long hair.

ii) It became an obsession to him.

iii) His long hair also led to an unfortunate death.

b) The priests were to be well-groomed.

i) They were not to follow “fashion”.

ii) They were not to be “skin heads”.

iii) Nor to follow Absalom’s arrogance.

iv) They are to keep their hair well-trimmed.

2. Wine must not be consumed when they are on duty.

3. Marriage

a) There was strong advice concerning potential spouses.

b) Strict rules were applied for a bad marriage would affect the ministry.

4. A teaching ministry.

a) The priests were to teach diligently.

b) They must teach the children of Israel.

i) How to tell the difference between what is holy and what is unholy.

ii) How to be discerning between that which is clean and that which is unclean.

5. A judicial ministry.

a) They may act as judges.

b) They are to judge according to the laws of God and His judgments.

6. They are to teach and lead by example.

a) They are to keep God’s laws.

b) They are to attend to all appointed meetings (For example, Feasts of the Lord).

c) They are to keep the Sabbaths.