Zadok - Part 3 - A Faithful Priest In The Wilderness And In Jerusalem

Today’s Word Of Encouragement From Wayne:

“So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and righteousness for all his people. Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder. Zadok the son of Ahitub and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar were priests, and Seriah was secretary”

2 Samuel 8:15-17

I’ll just say, right off the top, the insight I get about Zadok in this text is this: If you are a faithful priest to your King in the wilderness, as Zadok certainly was, then you will most certainly be blessed to reign with your king in glory as a faithful priest. Beloved, be faithful in the wilderness and God will most surely bless you to be faithful with Him in glory and victory!

We have already seen how Zadok had left Jerusalem, had left king Saul, with 4,600 Levites in order to join with God’s newly anointed king,

David, in Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:23-26). To me, this represents being faithful to God’s anointed King even if it means having to go to the wilderness, with worldly and worldly-religious powers arrayed against you.

We have to realize that God’s holy will for a complete kingdom of priests unto Him was not only rejected wholesale under the old covenant but it is currently being almost completely rejected in the Christian faith as well, even though the truth of our new covenant priesthood is declared throughout the New Testament.

Who do you think could possibly be behind God’s people’s failure to behold the new covenant of salvation and our holy priesthood unto God, so that we may give to our Lord God at last what He has always desired from and for His people?

In the old covenant, God said to the nation of Israel, “‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle’s wings, and brought you to Myself. Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel” (Exodus 19:4-6).

In the new covenant, God says to the Christian church, “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:4-5,9).

Here we see two covenants, with two identical calls to God’s people to obey the covenant and to be God’s “kingdom of priests” (see also Revelation 1:5-6, 5:9-10).

Let’s face it. Currently, ministering to the Lord is pretty much a case of having to be faithful to God in the wilderness, because the worldly religious powers of today have as little use for the priesthood as faithless Israel did, just as we have been seeing in Ezekiel.

Worldly religion is primarily about this world. God’s kingdom is primarily about God. Cultural Christianity is primarily about culture (another fancy word for this world). Biblical Christianity is primarily about Christ.

Our priesthood to our Lord is precious. A holy kingdom of priests is specifically what God has always wanted for ALL of His people and this currently IS God’s will for all of Christianity.

Keep ministering to the Lord. The writer of Hebrews even wrote, towards the close of his epistle, “So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come” (Hebrews 13:13-14).

Amen. Keep ministering to the Lord in the wilderness of Christianity, remaining always faithful to God’s anointed King and High priest, Jesus Christ. The day is surely coming when we will continue our priesthood with our reigning King upon His Own throne of righteousness in “Jerusalem above”( Galatians 4:26)! And for now, all the while let us pray for and offer encouragement to the body of Christ, to rise up, obey and receive all that God has given us in His new covenant.