The Gate for the Prince
And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. Eze 44:10
the Levites that... Here is another example of the sins of previous generations. The sin referred to was that of rebelling against the house of David in the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam and Jeroboam (1Kgs. 12:1-33).
after their idols... The Levites that went with Jeroboam who made golden calves to worship and turned the hearts of the northern tribes against Jehovah and His worship, are not to take part in the most sacred ministry of the millennial temple.
shall even bear... They are not to be cast off entirely, but be used only as gate keepers, butchers of the sacrifices, and in other lower type services; they will not be priests who come near God and minister the holy things in the most holy place (Eze. 44:10-14). They will be an example of punishment for sin—an object lesson among coming generations. God makes distinctions. Levites in the line of those unfaithful in days before the judgment can minister in temple services but they can not make offerings or enter the Most Holy Place. Only Zadok’s line can fulfill these ministries (verses 15-16). The reason for this is the value which God attaches to the faithfulness of Zadok in the past.
The duties of the Levites for the new temple were explained to Ezekiel. Because of their sinful practices before Israel’s fall to Babylon, their position will be downgraded in the new temple from ministers to servants.
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