Meanwhile…23 Generations Later
“And Jehozadak went along when the LORD carried Judah and Jerusalem away into exile by Nebuchadnezzar.” (1 Chronicles 6:15, NASB95) Jehozadak was the 23rd generation from Aaron the Priest, as recorded in 1 Chronicles 6, a chapter which gives the lineage of Levi, the head of the priestly line. Levi had three children: Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Aaron and his descendents were appointed to the priesthood, often called the Levitical or Aaronic Priesthood.In the years between Aaron and Jehozadak there were highs and lows in priestly life. Aaron’s own sons died because they did not obey the word of the Lord. The priest, Samuel, presented a high point, but the priestly ministry of his sons brought another low point. Certainly the greatest time for the priestly role was during the days of Solomon with the construction and dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem.The priesthood likely could have saved Israel from destruction and being carried off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar. A strong priesthood could have called the nation to repentance, from the King on down. While their role was not one of political power, it did include, by definition, a degree of political persuasion. Yet, because the priests “got along to get along,” they allowed the political and social arenas of national life to drift into idolatry or outright secularism.Estimates say that there are somewhere around 300,000 Christian churches in America. What would happen if 300,000 Christian clergy preached repentance and a having a right relationship to God through His Son? What if the church members of these 300,000 churches lived a serious life of Biblical faith?We bemoan the influence of Hollywood on America today, but do you know that there are less than 40,000 movie screens in America? However, with a fraction of the venues and a fraction of the available seats, Hollywood’s sermons are much more influential than the sermons of Christian preachers.Now is the time for preachers to faithfully preach the Word of God, or else they may end up like Jehozadak—carried away into exile along with the rest of the nation. In His Grace,Dr. Randy White