The Zadok Priesthood, Part II

Previously...”But I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who will do according to what is in My heart and in My soul; and I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed always” (verse 35, NAS).

This holy ministry is the Zadok priesthood! It is made up of faithful, holy ministers of God who walk and live according to His desire (according to the Spirit of God). And such a priesthood remains to this very day!

Everything that this unnamed prophet prophesied is fully illustrated in David's kingdom. David is a type of Christ, and Israel is a type of the church/Bride. And David had two priests who fulfilled these two prophetic priesthoods to the letter: Abithar and Zadok. “And has thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests?” (2 Samuel l5:35).

50. Let Us First Consider Zadok.

Zadok's name means “one who's proved righteous.”. “Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag...And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains” (I Chronicles l2:l, 28). Zadok was the first young priest to recognize God's anointing on David!

Men were fleeing to David, coming from all over to join his forces. Zadok recognized that the Spirit had left Saul; his ministry now was all hype, flesh, with no call or touch from heaven. And Zadok said, “I don't want any part of that kind of ministry. It's dead – God has gone from it. I'm going with David, who has the Spirit's anointing!”

So, Zadok went to David at Ziklag – never to leave him for the rest of his life! Through every rebelllion, Zadok stood with him, a man proved righteous. David had captured the priest's heart – and Zadok never looked back.

Thank God, there are men of God like this in many pulpits today. These are men of prayer who are committed to Jesus, having walked away from all flesh, entertainment and worldliness. And you know it when you hear them preach – because something registers in your soul!

When others forsook David, Zadok remained faithful. David was running from his son Absalom, who had rebelled. And when David came to the brook Kidron, Scripture says, “Now behold, Zadok also came...and Abiathar went up...” (2 Samuel l5:24, NAS).

Notice here that both Zadok and Abiathar are with David. Both are at the brook Kidron with him, and both go back to Jerusalem at David's order. So, while Absalom defiled David's concubines in full public view, and Israel went berserk with wickedness and revelry, two holy men stood in God's house – Zadok and Abiathar.

And, so it is 'today'! While the whole world is going to hell amid unheard-of wickedness, God still has His holy men serving at the altar. He still has a Zadok priesthood, faithful in all God's Word!

2. Consider Now the Abiathar Priesthood!

Abiathar's name means “at peace with God.” He was with Zadok as they took the ark back to Jerusalem.

Indeed, at this point, Abiathar appears to be holy, dedicated, devoted, loyal to David. He will have nothing to do with Absalon's rebellion. He goes about his ministry looking as pure and uncompromising as Zadok.

But why is he never mentioned in the Word after this? Why is he not named among the prophets? Why does his name die out? Something happens. Suddenly, Abiathar is “lightly esteemed” – and Zadok is made the example of the Holy Remnant Priesthood. Why? It is because Abiathar had the spirit of Eli in him! All those awful prophecies spoken by the unnamed prophet fell upon him. And it all happened quickly!

The unnamed prophet had said that not all such kind would be cut off. Abiathar's father and eighty-three other priests who wore an ephod were slain by Doeg. Only Abiathar escaped! He ran to David – and the ministry he represented survived, which was according to prophecy.

Yet just as the prophet had spoken, Abiathar – the seed of Eli – in the prime of his life and at the peak of his blessings was seduced by the call of success. He lost his place with God's anointed!

You see, David had another son, Adonijah. His name means “success and prosperity.” This young man pretended to introduce a “new move” in the land by naming himself king. Yet it was only another rebellion – not a move of God, but a snare of Satan!

This is the very ministry the prophet had warned of: self-exaltation and success...”(I Kings l:5). It was self-centeredness, pride! Adonijah said, “I will set myself up as king!”

This young man was raised under a ministry of “no reproof”; “And his father had not displeased him at an time in saying, Why hast thou done so?” (verse 6).

Notice here: Everything the prophet had prophesied of this kind of ministry had come to pass. All of the elements he had said would happen under this kind of priesthood were in this man, Adonijah!

“And he conferred with Joab, the son of Zerulah...” (verse 7). Adonijah surrounded himself with ungodly men! There was not a holy man among them – not Zadok, not Nathan, not any faithful men. (See verse 8). And, Scripture says, this group met at “the stone of Zoheleth” – which means “place of the serpent.”

This was a group of self-serving, success-driven, ego-stroking rebels. They cried, “Here is something new, something that works! Away with David's old, worn-out ways. God is doing a new thing in the land!”

Up to that point, Abiathar had been loyal to David. But now the word was out: “There's a new move taking place – some great, new thing happening in the land. And it's very exciting!” It grabbed the heart of Abiathar – because it looked like a ticket to success and prosperity. Now he could make it. He had found a new man and a new message.

I meet many people who come to this country from places in Europe, Africa, and Asia where churches are dying. They hear about some new work happening in the churches here, and they become hungry to see it happen in their church – a new move of God!

Once, when I was overseas, I told one pastor friend, “You and your wife used to be on your faces continually, weeping before God. That's why your church was so blessed. But you've gotten so busy, you don't know God anymore!” This couple began to weep, crying, “You're right!” But instead of repenting, they came to America – looking for some new program that would make their ministry work!

That is the ministry of Abiathar! He got caught up in a fleshly, ungodly work of Satan. And he gathered with the others at the stone of Satan, eating, drinking, and shouting, “Long live King Adonijah!”

When David was told about it, he cried, “Get me Nathan!” You see, when God wants to do something that really counts for His eternal purposes, He calls on those who have been shut in with him. David is a type of Christ here. And he cried, “Forget Abiathar. Go get Nathan! I lightly esteem Abiathar. Tell Nathan to get the trumpet and the oil, and to go anoint Solomon!”

So Solomon was anointed king. And the first thing he did was to kill Shimei, who cursed David. Then he began dealing with all of David's enemies – and he called forth Abiathar.

Now, I remind you that the unnamed prophet said this Eli-Abiathar ministry would never be cut off. And Solomon knew all about this prophecy. Abiathar should have been executed for treason. But instead, Solomon told him:

“You cast your lot in with my brother Adonijah. You tried to bring down this kingdom. And because of that, you deserve to die. But I'm not going to kill you. You carried the ark of God for my father, David, and you were afflicted with him. Because of those things, I will not put you to death at this time. Now, go to Anathoth, to your own field, to do your own thing. You are lightly esteemed!”

“So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord; that he might fulfill the word of the Lord, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh” (verse 2:27).

The Eli priesthood is still here today! But God says to their kind, “Go, do your own thing. I lightly esteem you!”