Sons of Zadok

With reference to Ezekiel 44:15-16—These twenty-four elders, then, are the twenty-four orders of the sons of Zadok, who shall enter into the sanctuary of Yahweh Elohim, and come near to His table to minister unto Him, and shall keep His charge (Ezek. xliv. 15,16). The flesh and blood descendants of Aaron, who ministered in the holy and most holy places in the Mosaic Olahm, will not be permitted in the Millennial Aion to come near unto the throne encircled by the elders. "They shall not come near unto me, saith Yahweh Elohim, to do the office of priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things in the Most Holy; but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed. But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein" (verses 13,14). Thus the natural descendants of Aaron are degraded to an inferior station in the new heavens and earth. They were unfaithful to the Deity under the law. They turned their backs upon him when Israel went astray after their idols, before which they ministered, and caused them to fall into iniquity; and "therefore, saith Yahweh Elohim, I lifted up my hand against them, and they shall bear their iniquity." This they will have to do during the thousand years; in which the saints will fill up the vacancy created by their degradation from their ancient rank near the throne to that of standing before the people to minister to them (verse 11).