• Download Video
• Download Audio
• Print
• Email
• Save As PDF

"They shall not defile themselves"

Text: Ezekiel 44:25

RELIGIOUS DEFILEMENT

There were also strict rules for the Zadok priests to observe. This was a religious rule that needs to be comprehended.

“‘They shall not defile themselves by coming near a dead person.
Only for father or mother, for son or daughter,
for brother or unmarried sister may they defile themselves.
After he is cleansed, they shall count seven days for him.
And on the day that he goes to the sanctuary
to minister in the sanctuary,
he must offer his sin offering in the inner court,’
says the Lord God.”
Ezekiel 44:25-27

1. Ministry to the dead.

a) This does not mean the priest cannot minister to the bereaved family.

b) The priests were not allowed to “come near” to a dead person.

c) They would be considered defiled if they were to come close to a dead body.

d) This would, in turn, affect the ministry.

2. Exceptions to the rule.

a) He can minister to immediate members of his family.

b) But along the way, he would be considered “defiled”.

3. Sin offering.

a) He would have to offer a sin offering.

b) This would be his declaration that he has been defiled and thus, unclean.

c) Only then would he be able to offer his service to the Lord.

4. Some reasons for this set of strict rules:

a) In the past, the priests had been very lax.

b) Thus their service was defiled and unacceptable to God.

c) These rules were meant to instil in the Zadok priests the following:

i) The fear of the Lord.

ii) The holiness of God.

iii) The sanctity of the Temple.

iv) The sacredness of holy service.

v) The need to have high moral and spiritual standards in serving God.