THE SONS OF ZADOK
The Sons of Zadok
Ez. 44:15-16
By: C. R. Oliver –Retold by Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, December 26, 2010
As Christians, we joyfully approached Christmas with praise and adoration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We rejoice in our many blessings, family, good health and friends which we know are given to us by the Great Grace of our Lord. We are a blessed people.
In the same Spirit, we now approach the close of the year 2010 and prayerfully seek the Lord for 2011. We know that by this same Grace we will overcome and be triumphant over the challenges as well as the joys that await us in the New Year. We know the path to victory and happiness is only within the perfect will of God for our lives. As we learn the life journey of following this path, we know from experience how to fight the good fight of Faith.
My friend, Rev. Lyn Gitchel, sent me a book for Christmas. It is now a Christian classic although written in 1986. The book is This Present Darkness by: Frank E Peretti. I had not read the book until now. At the time, the book was written, it was a spiritual awakening to many mainstream churches of the reality of spiritual warfare between good and evil. The theological battles raged in churches as to the existence of demons, angels and whether or not Christians could have demons.
I purposely did not read the book because at that time, I was beginning to see in the Spirit both demons and angels. I did not want to cloud what the Lord was teaching me. The book is written as a fictional thriller, but is very well done as to scriptural, spiritual warfare. The emphasis is on the power of prayer; the spoken Word of God; and worship from the remnant to activate the angels and give them their authority to war in the heavenlies.
It is to this remnant that I would like to tell a story written by Dr. C. R. Oliver in his book, The Sons of Zadok. I believe the Lord has been preparing a “remnant” this past year by preparing us for “change”. I have been teaching it as “a change of Garments”, Keith Miller sees a “turn”. However we approach the teaching, the Word is the same. It will require from us prayer, being steadfast in the Word and seeking the Lord for his Kingdom timing and purposes.
The following is paraphrased from The Sons of Zadok, by: C. R. Oliver; Ransom Press International: (Used by permission)
Dr. Oliver was ministering in Santiago Chile at the Second Baptist Church. On his way to his speaking engagement the Lord began to give him a message from Ezekiel 44. Simultaneously the Lord gave him a mandate to deliver the message to the seminary chapel where his host, Dr. Perera, was a professor of theology.
Dr. Perera kindly informed him that he could arrange a visit, but there would be no opportunity to speak at the chapel since all programs were scheduled well in advance.
Dr. Oliver then told him that Thursday would be a good day for him to visit and if perchance, something happened and a speaker was unable to attend, he had a message and would be happy to fill in.
He continued with his other speaking engagements amidst political rioting and strikes in the city. However, his mind was in a quandary about the Ezekiel message. Clearly the Lord had spoken to him. If He was going to use him to address that chapel service, He was going to have to work a miracle.
On Thursday, two hours before chapel, he received a call that the scheduled speaker had his plane grounded in Buenos Aires, Argentina. “I was on! I knew it was the will of the Lord for me to address that student body and faculty. Immediately my elation was damped by the awesome task ahead. ‘Woe is me’ was my scripture of mind for the message that I had received. It was a hard one. I knew it would not be easy to receive and would demand an immediate life-changing decision on the part of whomever the Lord was directing this message. Elation in one respect was being outweighed by the portent of the message. I knew that I had heard from God. Something was in the wind; the mulberry trees were rattling, and it would be just over two hours from that moment when I would be standing to deliver God’s message…”
Unmistakably, the essence of Ezekiel 44 was “what characterizes the person who may minister to God”. I knew that theological seminaries taught “how to minister to the people,” but none seemed to teach anything about “ministering to God.” (I knew the curriculum of theological schools since I was a graduate of one of the world’s largest, and I had never seen a course on “how to minister to God.”)
Ezekiel 44:14 was a pivotal verse, separating those who will minister to the people and declaring who will not minister to Him.
“But I will make them (the unholy clergy) keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof and for all that shall be done therein.”
The previous verses define the duties of the “defiled clergy.” Verses 10-14 say they were to be identified with a straying congregation. An unholy congregation would be ministered to by an unholy clergy. The clergy were worshipping idols alongside the people. They deserved one another.
Only the Sons of Zadok were to minister to God. Verse 15 marks a dividing line between clergy and clergy. It is the summum bonun of discernment regarding the ministry. Once learned, it will comprise the criteria for all judgment regarding the clergy and their work in the church. (Since that outpouring on Sunday afternoon when the Lord filled my heart and mind with this message, I have been unable to use any other criteria for determining ministry.)
Ez. 44:15-16: “But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me…They shall stand before me…They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.”
This was the essence of the message that I was to deliver. A clarion call would be proffered; ‘What kind of ministry do you want, one that only ministers to the people or one that ministers to God?’
God had given me a message that would tear at the very fiber of conventional theological education. Why was He giving this message in Chile? Would I encounter opposition? It did not matter; it must be delivered!
I knew there was a chance that the faculty would object. (The possibility existed that I would be challenged by the school (called on the carpet and remonstrated) as had happened to me in Brazil. There, I had heard from God to preach Jeremiah 5 to the largest church in that denomination. Some of the theological faculty from the local seminary were in attendance. Afterwards, they made it clear that I would never return to their churches and minister again in that city. They were disturbed about my delivering a message that God’s Spirit had prompted. It was a service where the Spirit caused people in the congregation to fall between the pews and the altar and cry out in repentance. Satan reminded me of how unpleasant it was to encounter such opposition. Great was the anxiety in my soul, not from the prospect of being ostracized, but from not delivering to the fullest that which burned in my Spirit. I knew the message must not be compromised at any cost.
The opening song was lively, and a few brief announcements were quickly made. I only had 30 minutes to deliver the message and every word had to be said twice---once in English, then Spanish. The interpreter and I began. The Holy Spirit caused my interpreter to be completely concertized with every word, every emotion. It was beautifully transferred.
I preached that Ezekiel had observed the priests and Levites worshipping idols in their private quarters near the Temple. These were the very ones who were charged with the spiritual care of Israel. God’s Spirit showed Ezekiel how things really were in the temple on earth and how different it was compared to God’s plan for the Temple. Ezekiel saw not as common men would see that every sacrifice seemed to be in order from a human view. Every law seemed to be kept. The Temple looked, from all appearances, to be alive and well. The people were being ministered to; the sin offerings and the peace offerings looked “in order.” The scriptures were read and explained. The people were satisfied with their ministers.
God showed Ezekiel the clergymen’s hearts. He revealed how they secretly worshipped idols, how they committed adultery actually and spiritually. Ezekiel was repulsed. His holy heart cried out for God to do something. God answered by saying that they were not to be removed from office, nor would lightening strike them dead. God intended to do nothing but allow them to continue. If the people were satisfied with idolatrous, adulterous leadership, then God would not intervene. One difference would be made. Those priests would not be able to minister to Him. Holiness is required for that office.
Ritual was not observed by the Sons of Zadok; they entered in to the presence of the Lord during their duties. (Standing in the presence of the Most High changes one’s methods and approaches to ministry.) They taught the people the difference between the holy and the profane. They did not wear their holy garments used in service as they walked in the streets. They did not need notoriety as priests before the people. The people observed their different behavior. They were holy men doing holy things, and God blessed them. They walked differently, they talked differently. Their lives reflected the holiness of the Lord. They took seriously, “Be ye holy as I am holy. 1 Peter 1:16).”
I asked the students what was going to be the character of their ministry? They must choose. Would they be servants of the people? If so, they could live like every other professional clergyman. They could be worldly and profane and still occupy high pulpits and be respected. They would still be “Reveremd so and so” or Bishop of His Eminence, for rank is afforded in church circles based on worldly criteria. TV cameras would still focus upon their ministry. Higher education would propel them to higher degrees and still greater respect. If they lived just a nominal Christian life, they would still be appreciated and respected by the multitudes. They might even see their names in lights on the church’s marquee. Just beneath the church name would be Dr… They would be addressed as Pastor, and their rank would be based on the size of their congregation. Their salaries would be determined by committee and the wealth of the people. They would have amenities afforded them as is common to the “clergy”. (Satan has no argument with nominal pulpiteers, who compromise the scripture to accommodate their congregation.) The “role” of the clergy is clearly defined: “Stay within the guidelines and you will succeed.” But—that group may not minister unto God.
Only the Sons of Zadok (Righteousness) could come before the Lord and minister unto Him. Those who walk in holiness, compromising no aspect of word or walk, and who teach the people to be holy. To minister to God begins with clean hands and pure heart.
Their reward is His Presence. That awesome Presence insures that peace reigns and ‘every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs” (Ez. 44:29)
You could hear a pin drop. Sober faces viewed the graphic difference between seminary subjects and the spiritual aspects God had reviewed with Ezekiel. I stood down from the pulpit and gave the seminary interpreter full reign. While I was seated on the front row, my head was bowed in silent prayer. My soul was stirred and I heard the voice of the Most High say, “You did what I told you to do; now I can work in the hearts of the students.” I then heard a sobbing voice cry out in repentance. He began to pour out his heart to God. He confessed and confessed, then turned to the faculty and student body and wept as he admitted stealing, taking exams from professors’ offices, even lying to achieve his grades.
Then another voice filled with emotion could be heard. Again, a confession was made and further requests for forgiveness. A third voice was heard with similar confessions. Who would have guessed such activities occupied the campus of a seminary? Weeping was evident in the audience. The weeping was not just from those guilty of breaking sacred trust, but from those who knew them and wept for them. The usual consequence for the confessed behavior was expulsion and disgrace. Unbeknown to them, their activities had been discovered late Wednesday evening, and the president of the seminary, along with two other trusted administrators, had decided to confront the three after chapel on Thursday. The plan would be that they could confront the students with their evidence and remove them from their studies.
So enrapt was this student body by the confessions of their fellows that some of the student leaders implored the faculty to show mercy.
The President approached me and requested I remain on campus in the chapel as he wished to discuss something with me after the immediate situation was taken care of. Was I going to be confronted about the message? I honestly did not care because of the victory Jesus had accomplished in the student’s hearts that day.
The professor of music approached me and asked me to share with him the quality of the power of this preaching. He had never experienced the power that he felt during the service.
Demonstration in the Holy Ghost and power is not the unusual but rather the ordinary for the Sons of Zadok. My rejoicing with my brother was cut short by the president coming through the door. He asked me to accompany him to his office. Several administrators were gathered to talk with me. (My immediate fear of reprisal was squashed by the looks on their faces.). They stood amazed how a person who was a total stranger to the campus, unapprised of the plan which had been decided upon the night before, could preach such a message. The message directly attacked the problem on campus and the need of the student body.
I told them how the Lord has given the message on Sunday afternoon and set the time for its delivery on Thursday…I extolled how the Holy Spirit had worked that message into my heart…and how the Holy spirit took the message and delivered it through me and the interpreter as if we were one.”
If we are to be effective ministers in the Kingdom of God, then we must have the power to affect the principalities and powers in the battle between evil and good. This is a true story told by Dr. Oliver. In the book, This Present Darkness, it is a fictional story of a young pastor purposely planted by God in a town that satan purposed to take over for the kingdom of anti-christ. The effective, fervent prayers of this one pastor changed a city and brought together a praying remnant that brought about great victory for the Kingdom of God.
I have seen ministers and ministries rise and fall. I have seen their motives and their agendas. Some are looking for a church to “take-over”. They want one that has already been started, because it is a lot of work to start a church. Some have been men of Faith and done great exploits for the Kingdom, but allowed Satan to cause fear to come into them in their latter years. Some are just hustling money. They have not yet learned that what the Lord calls, he pays for. Some are just looking for fame that will give them platforms. Some want to come to Houston to build a financial support system fir “their” ministry.
Whatever the motive, there is only one motive that will not compromise the power of the Kingdom. That is to seek the Lord our God with all of our heart and our soul and mind and love our neighbor as ourselves.
Lord as we seek you for your divine purpose for 2011, may this be all that we seek is your Divine Grace that we may walk before you and minister unto you with a pure heart and holy hands.
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
We video our Sunday a.m. services and audio all other services.
Scripture from K.J.V. Story retold from The Sons of Zadok by: C. R. Oliver, Ransom Press International. Reference is made to This Present Darkness by: Frank J. Peretti (no direct quotes). Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those from whom I have gleaned.