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Index
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Index
But the Levites who forsook Me when Israel went astray—straying from Me to follow their fetishes—shall suffer their punishment: 11 They shall be servitors in My Sanctuary, appointed over the Temple gates, and performing the chores of My Temple; they shall slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people. They shall attend on them and serve them. 12 Because they served the House of Israel in the presence of their fetishes and made them stumble into guilt, therefore—declares the Lord GOD—I have sworn concerning them that they shall suffer their punishment: 13 They shall not approach Me to serve Me as priests, to come near any of My sacred offerings, the most holy things. They shall bear their shame for the abominations that they committed. 14 I will make them watchmen of the Temple, to perform all its chores, everything that needs to be done in it.
15 But the levitical priests descended from Zadok, who maintained the service of My Sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from Me—they shall approach Me to minister to Me; they shall stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood—declares the Lord GOD. 16 They alone may enter My Sanctuary and they alone shall approach My table to minister to Me; and they shall keep My charge. (Ezekiel 44:10-16 (Tanakh))
The group of Levites who forsook the Lord (Eze. 44:10 T) were demoted to the office of Levitical Servitors, menial workers who had no priestly status (Eze. 44:11-14 T).
It is worth noting that this reduction to the ranks applied to a group of false priests. In other words, the office of Levitical Priesthood continued with the Levitical Priests descended from Zadok (Eze. 44:15-16 T).
[Assignment: What are the implications for a priesthood which rejected their Messiah and demanded His execution?]
Version: 13-Feb-2024