The Levitical Priesthood
In Exodus 19:5–6, the entire nation of Israel was offered the office of the Melchizedek priesthood, as it is written:
Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And you shall be unto me a kingdom of [Melchizedek] priests (see September 2025 Yavoh magazine for a detailed explanation), and a holy nation…
The two primary duties of the office of the Melchizedek priesthood are to live the Torah and to teach the Torah. The offer of the Melchizedek priesthood was accepted by the entire nation of Israel. In Exodus 19:8, it is written:
And all the people answered together, and said,
All that the LORD has spoken we will do …
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17) is a summary of the obligations of the Melchizedek priesthood office to keep the Torah. The Ten Commandments were given to the nation of Israel after Moses had spent forty days and nights upon Mount Sinai (Deuteronomy 9:9–11). However, the nation of Israel became unfaithful in their service to the office of the Melchizedek priesthood when they worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32:2–6). The sin of the golden calf is mixed worship unto the God of Israel. It is specifically mixed worship in celebrating the Biblical festivals unto Him. In Exodus 32:4–5, it is written:
And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation [Strongs H7121], and said, Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.
The Hebrew word translated as “proclamation” is ‘qara’. The Hebrew word ‘qara’ [Strongs H7121] is the same word associated with declaring when to celebrate the Biblical festivals. This is a major duty of the office of the high priesthood of Israel. In Leviticus 23:2, 4 it is written:
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim [Strongs H7121] to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts … These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which you shall proclaim [Strongs H7121] in their seasons.
Exodus 32:4–5 is a prophecy that the office of the Aaronic high priesthood would be corrupted (given that Aaron made the proclamation) and that the Festivals of the Lord would be celebrated with mixed worship unto the God of Israel. The sin of Jeroboam is also the sin of celebrating the Biblical festivals with mixed worship. In 1 Kings 12:26–28 it is written:
And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem [keep the festivals], then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah … Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Jeroboam built his “golden calf” system of worship unto the God of Israel by appointing priests to declare the celebration of the festivals that were not the designated priests by the God of Israel, while also deciding to celebrate the festivals according to his own calendar rather than the priestly calendar by which the Zadok priests kept the Festivals in Jerusalem. In 1 Kings 12:31–32, it is written:
“And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah [the Feast of Tabernacles], and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made…”
The Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated in Jerusalem by the Zadok high priests according to the priestly calendar. This calendar was originally given to Enoch by the angel Uriel (1 Enoch 74:2). The Zadok priests didn’t follow a Babylonian calendar to keep the Biblical Festivals. In the days of Jeroboam, the Southern Kingdom of Judah had not yet been taken into Babylonian captivity. The Zadok priests exclusively served in the office of the high priesthood, beginning with the rule of Solomon, until the office of the high priesthood got corrupted by the Greeks in the 2nd century BC. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia article on ‘Zadok,’ it says that from the time of Solomon that:
reliable historical data shows that the high priesthood remained in the hands of the Zadokites from this time until the rise of the Maccabees. [1]
In 1 Chronicles 29:22, it is written:
… And they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.
Today, the Rabbis of Rabbinic Orthodox Judaism claim that the authority to declare when to celebrate the Biblical festivals was given to them. In the Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 25a, it says:
Rabbi Akiva … said to him [Rabban Gamaliel] I can learn [from a verse] that everything that Rabban Gamaliel did is done (i.e., it is valid). As it is written: ‘These are the appointed seasons of God, sacred convocations, which you will proclaim them…’ (Leviticus 23:2, 4). Whether you have proclaimed them at their proper time, or whether you have proclaimed them not at their proper time… (emphasis mine) [2]
Rabban Gamaliel was the grandson of Hillel and a teacher of Paul (Acts 22:3). Under the teachings of Rabban Gamaliel, Paul would have followed the Babylonian calendar. However, when he was on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1–2), Paul became a believer in Yeshua as the Messiah. As a believer in Yeshua, Paul testified that he was a follower of “the Way” (Acts 24:14). As a follower of the Way (a term for those who lived in the Qumran community where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found), Paul would have followed the priestly calendar under the authority of the Zadok priests who lived there.
At the “Jews for Judaism” website, it states the following:
…any Messianic who is keeping any Jewish holiday based on the Jewish calendar has accepted the authority of the Rabbis, and their authority to declare when the months begin.” (emphasis mine) [3]
Before the sin of the golden calf, the priestly service unto the God of Israel was performed by the firstborn in each family. In the Midrash Rabbah Genesis 63:1, it says:
AND JACOB SAID: SWEAR TO ME, etc. (Genesis 25:33). Why did Jacob display such eagerness for the birthright? Because we learned: Before the Tabernacle … the sacrificial service was performed by firstborn; after it was erected … the sacrificial service was performed by priests. [4]
In Midrash Rabbah Numbers 4:8, it says:
TAKE THE LEVITES, etc. (Numbers 3:45). Similarly, when Moses had sacrifices offered at Sinai it was the firstborn who offered them; as it says: And he sent the young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace-offerings (Exodus 24:5). What is the meaning of ‘the young men’? The youths among the firstborn. ‘Who offered burnt-offerings’: From here you learn that no man offered sacrifices except the firstborn. Now when Israel committed that unnamable act (the sin of the golden calf) they said, ‘Let the firstborn come and offer sacrifices to it’; as it says: And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings (Exodus 32:6). [5]
In the Midrash Rabbah Numbers 6:2, it says:
TAKE THE SUM OF, etc. (Numbers 4:22). They [the firstborn], in fact, would have been worthy of assuming the priestly office and the duties of the Levites, if they had not sinned in connection with the incident of the Golden Calf. For originally the firstborn offered sacrifices; as it says, “And he sent the young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings, etc. (Exodus 24:5) … Who caused the firstborn to forfeit all this glory? The cause was their having exalted themselves and worshipped the Golden Calf. … Thus we find that the firstborn Israelites fell from their greatness as a result of the incident of the Calf. [6]
In Midrash Rabbah Numbers 4:8, it says:
TAKE THE LEVITES, etc. (Numbers 3:45) … God said to them: ' I have given promotion to the firstborn having made them great in the world and they have renounced Me and have risen and offered sacrifices before the Calf. Behold, I shall dismiss the firstborn and enroll the sons of Levi.’ Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to number them; as it says: ‘Number the children of Levi’ (Numbers 3:15). [7]
Therefore, because of the sin of the golden calf, the priestly service was taken from the firstborn in each family and given to the Levites. In Numbers 8:18, it is written:
And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
After the sin of the golden calf (Exodus 32:2–6), the Levitical priesthood was established (Numbers 8:5–22). The office of the high priesthood was to come from Aaron and his sons (Exodus 28:1). The Levitical priesthood was meant by the God of Israel to be the priesthood that governed the nation of Israel until the Messiah would come and restore the Melchizedek priesthood. This was done when Yeshua ushered in the New Covenant when He shed His blood upon the tree for the forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:7). In Galatians 3:19, it is written:
Wherefore then serves the law [the Levitical priesthood]? It was added [the Levitical priesthood] because of transgressions [the sin of the golden calf], till the seed should come [the Messiah] to whom the promise was made…
What is the Function of the Levites?
The Levites are an offering unto the God of Israel. In Numbers 8:13, it is written:
And you shall set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an [wave] offering unto the LORD.
The inheritance for the Levites among the tribes of Israel is the office of the priesthood. In Joshua 18:7, it is written:
…the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance…
In order to perform the duties of their office, the Levites were to be cleansed. In Numbers 8:5–7, it is written:
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shall you do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
The Various Duties of the Levites
The Levites were the ministers of the Tabernacle. In Numbers 3:5–7, it is written:
And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him. And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
The Levites set up and took down the Tabernacle. In Numbers 1:51, it is written:
And when the tabernacle sets forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up…
The Levites camped around the Tabernacle. In Numbers 2:17, it is written:
Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.
The Levites were given the tithes of the Tabernacle. In Numbers 18:20–21, it is written:
And the LORD spoke unto Aaron, You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any part among them: I am your part and your inheritance among the children of Israel. And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
The Levites tithed the tithe that they received. In Numbers 18:26, it is written:
Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When you take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.
The first fruits were brought to the Levites. In Deuteronomy 18:1, 4 it is written:
The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi …they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance… The first fruit also of your corn, of your wine, and of your oil, and the first of the fleece of your sheep, shall you give him.
The firstborn were brought to the Levites. In Nehemiah 10:36, it is written:
Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks, to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in the house of our God.
The Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant. In Deuteronomy 10:8, it is written:
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
The Levites didn’t have any land inheritance. In Joshua 13:33, it is written:
But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
The Levites were given cities in the land of Israel to live. In Numbers 35:2, 7 it is written:
Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and you shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them… Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and you shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
The Levitical priests were teachers of the Torah. In Malachi 2:1, 4, 7 it is written:
And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you… And you shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, says the LORD of hosts… For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the Torah at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
The Levites were given authority to make Torah rulings. In Deuteronomy 17:8–9, it is written:
If there arise a matter too hard for you in judgment… being matters of controversy within your gates: then shall you arise, and get you up into the place which the LORD your God shall choose [Jerusalem] And you shall come unto the priests the Levites… and enquire; and they shall show you the sentence of judgment
Later, the authority to make Torah rulings was given specifically to the sons of Zadok by the God of Israel. In Ezekiel 44:15, 24, it is written:
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 come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, says the Lord GOD… And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all mine assemblies [the Biblical festivals] (meaning tell you when to keep them); and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
The Levites were worship leaders. In 1 Chronicles 9:33, it is written:
And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites… for they were employed in that work day and night.
In 1 Chronicles 15:16, it is written:
And David spoke to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of music, psalteries and harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.
The Levites were divided into priestly courses. These priestly courses were originally given to David, who gave them to Solomon, who gave them to Zadok the priest. In 1 Chronicles 28:11, 13 it is written:
Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper chambers thereof, and of the innerparlors thereof, and of the place of the mercy seat… Also for the courses of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD…
The priestly courses were divided among the Zadok priests from the line of Eleazar and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar. Sixteen courses were given to the line of the Zadok priests from Eleazar, and eight courses were given to the line of Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar. In 1 Chronicles 24:3–4, it is written:
And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in their service. And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than of the sons of Ithamar; and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers.
The twenty-four priestly courses are listed in 1 Chronicles 24:7–19 as it is written:
Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, The fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, The seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, The ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, The thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, The fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, The seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Aphses, The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezekel, The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and twentieth to Gamul, The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four and twentieth to Maaziah. These were the orderings of them in their service to come into the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.
The Twenty-four Priestly Courses are Linked to the Priestly Calendar
These twenty-four priestly courses were directly linked to the priestly calendar kept by the Zadok priests who were leaders of the Qumran community. The first day of the year is always the fourth day of the week (our Wednesday). [8] It follows the spring equinox. The complete cycle of the priestly courses is over a six-year period. Therefore, the seventh year would follow the outline of the first year of the six-year cycle. In year one and week one, the priestly course of Gamul served in the Temple. [9] According to 4Q320 Frag. 4 Col. 3, here are the priestly courses who served during the Biblical festivals in year one.
The festivals of the first year: On the third day of the week of the sons of Maaziah is the Passover. On the first day of Jedaiah is the waving of the omer. On the fifth day of Seorim in the second Passover. On the first day of Jeshua is the Feast of Weeks. On the fourth day of Maaziah is the Day of Remembrance. On the sixth day of Jehoiarib is the Day of Atonement. On the tenth day of the seventh month on the fourth day of Jedaiah is the Feast of Booths. [10]
For each year in this six-year cycle, the designated priestly courses are stated for each first crescent moon and full moon. In 4Q321a Frag. 1 Col. 1 it says:
The first year: the full moon is on the fourth day of Gamul on the first day of the first month. On the fifth day of Jedaiah on the thirtieth day of the month is the second full moon and the first crescent is on the sixth day of Maaziah on the seventeenth of the month. The full moon is on the Sabbath of Koz on the thirtieth day of the second month and the first crescent is on the first day of Malchijah on the seventeenth of the month… [11]
Therefore, the monthly moon cycle is charted in an effort to ensure that you know which year of the six-year priestly cycle is the current year. As a result, the moon cycle is charted over three years. After three years, the moon cycle is aligned with the 364-day yearly cycle to ensure that the first day of the new year is like it was on the fourth day of creation in Genesis 1:14.
Over the course of six years, every priestly course would serve in the Temple thirteen times. There are 52 weeks in the priestly calendar. So, a six-year cycle equals (6 × 52) or 312 weeks. Since there are twenty-four courses of priests, (13 × 24) equals 312 weeks, each of the priestly courses would begin their week of Temple service on the Sabbath. [12] Finally, the Zadok priests charted a 294-year cycle of six jubilees. [13]
The moon cycle, the 364-day yearly cycle and the 294-year jubilee cycle all needed to be aligned with the six-year cycle of the priestly courses for the priestly calendar to be completely in sync. Anybody who fully follows the priestly calendar must chart these various cycles to ensure the calendar is correct. You cannot determine your own method to determine the first day of the year in the six-year cycle of the priestly courses. You must follow the priestly calendar in the way that it was done by the Zadok priests in the Qumran community because they were given the authority to tell Israel when to keep the Biblical Festivals (Ezekiel 44:15, 24).
The Sadducees
Rabbinic sources describe the Sadducee and Boethusian groups as having originated at the same time, with their founders, Zadok and Boethus, both being students of Antigonus of Sokho (roughly 3rd century BC). In Avot of Rabbi Natan 5:1–2 (a minor tractate in the Talmud) it says:
Antigonus, a man of Sokho, [not a priest] received from Simon the Just. He would say: Do not be like servants who attend upon their master only on the condition that they receive a reward. Rather, be like servants who attend upon their master only on the condition that they do not receive a reward. And let the awe of the heavens be upon you so that your compensation will be double in the future. Antigonus, a man of Sokho, had two students who were studying his words. They would then teach them to other students, who would then teach them to yet other students. Those students then questioned what they had learned and said: Why did our fathers say [such a thing]? Is it possible that a worker should labor all day and not receive his compensation in the evening? If our fathers had known that there was [another] world, and that the dead would be revived, they would not have said this. So they decided to separate from the way of the Torah. Two factions emerged from them: the Sadducees and the Boethusians. The Sadducees were called that because of [the student of Antigonus] Zadok, and the Boethusians because of [the student of Antigonus] Boethus. [14]
Simon the Just was the last of the generation which considered that knowledge of the Torah and its interpretations was the exclusive privilege of the priests. He had numerous disciples, among whom were many non-priests. Antigonos of Sokho was one of them. [15]
Because of the views of their founder (a student of Antigonus of Sokho named Zadok who was not of the ‘sons of Zadok’ who were leaders in the Qumran community), the Sadducees rejected the doctrine of the Oral Torah. Furthermore, they only believed that the five books of the Torah were inspired. According to the New Testament, they also didn’t believe in angels or the resurrection of the dead (Acts 23:8). In the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Sadducees are the wicked enemy of the Qumran community. They are often referred to as “Manasseh” while the Pharisees are referred to as “Ephraim.” [16]
The Zadok Priests in the Qumran Are the True High Priests
A prophecy was given to Eli the priest (a descendent of Ithamar) that his house (his priestly line) would become desolate (no longer be high priests). Because of this prophecy given to Eli the priest (I Samuel 3:11–13), the line of Ithamar became disqualified for the office of high priest (1 Kings 2:27). As a result, the office of the high priest was given through Aaron’s son, Eleazar, whose lineage includes Phinehas (Exodus 6:25), who was promised an eternal priesthood (Numbers 25:11–13), and Zadok (1 Chronicles 6:3–15), through whom we have the promises given to the ‘sons of Zadok’ (Ezekiel 44:15, 24). Therefore, the Zadok priests in the Qumran are the legitimate high priests of Israel both now and during the Messianic Era (Ezekiel 44:15, 24).
Zacharias is of the Zadok Priestly Line
Zacharias was of the course of Abijah (Luke 1:5) from 1 Chronicles 24:10. The course of Abijah was of the Zadok priestly line through Eleazar, the son of Aaron. When his father Zacharias died, John the Baptist grew up in the “wilderness of Judea” (Matthew 3:1, Luke 1:80, 3:2) in the Qumran community with the other Zadok priests. John the Baptist was in the Zadok priestly line to be the TRUE high priest in Israel. For this reason, Yeshua had to be immersed of John the Baptist (the true Zadok high priest in Israel) to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:13–15). Because of this, the true Zadok high priest in Israel (John the Baptist) declared Yeshua to be the Lamb of God (John 1:29) and thus the Messiah of Israel. The sect of the Pharisees refused to accept the ministry of John the Baptist (Luke 7:30) and refused to accept that Yeshua is the Messiah (Matthew 27:62–64, John 7:47–48, 11:46–47, 53) because they refused to accept the authority of the Zadok priests who were leaders of the Qumran community. John the Baptist was not only the true Zadok high priest, but he also had the ministry of the spirit of Elijah (Luke 1:17). Therefore, restoring the Zadok priesthood (which means recognizing the authority of the office to tell Yeshua’s people when to keep the Biblical festivals) is a part of the Elijah ministry in the end of days to restore all things (Matthew 17:11).
Why Was He Named John/Yochanon?
John the Baptist was given his name (John is Yochanon in Hebrew) by heaven. It was decreed from the LORD by the angel Gabriel. In Luke 1:13, it is written:
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
John’s father, Zacharias, was unable to speak until John was born and named. In Luke 1:18–20, it is written:
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel … And behold, you shall be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed…
So why was it so important that he be given this name, John/Yochanon, that his name was decreed from heaven? The last faithful Zadok priest before the Greek corruption of the priesthood started was named Onias III. Onias is a Greek name. The Hebrew equivalent is Choniyahu, or Yochanon, which means ‘grace of God.’ Onias III was the son of Simon II. In Sirach 50:1, it refers to Onias. Most translations say, ‘Simon son of Onias.’ However, at the website: bible.usccb.org/bible/sirach/50, it is translated as, ‘Simon Son of Jochanon.’ It has a footnote that reads:
Son of Jochanan: Simeon II, in whose time as high priest (219–196 B.C.) great works were accomplished for the benefit of public worship and welfare (vv. 1–4)… [17]
So, Onias in Greek means John or “Yochanon" in Hebrew. Heaven wanted the Elijah personality in the first century to be named John/Yochanon to link him to the last faithful Zadok priest (Onias III) before the high priesthood office got corrupted from Greek influence. As a result, the continuity of the faithful Zadok priesthood would be done by name. Yeshua recognized John the Baptist as the true, legitimate, rightful priest in Israel by being immersed of him (Matthew 3:13–15).
Furthermore, Yeshua was descended from the Zadok priesthood through His earthly mother, Mary. Mary and Elizabeth were cousins (Luke 1:34–36). Elizabeth is of the daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5). On His father’s side, Yeshua is descended from King David (Romans 1:3).
Yeshua is the true heavenly Melchizedek priest (Hebrews 5:10) of the heavenly Tabernacle (Hebrews 8:1–2). Yeshua is not an Aaronic high priest. The Hebrew word, “Melchizedek” comes from two Hebrew words. They are Melech which means ‘king’ and Zedek which means ‘righteousness’. However, if we change the vowels in Zedek to Zadok then Melchizedek can mean that Yeshua is King over the Zadok priests. This is because Yeshua’s Melchizedek priesthood is eternal and heavenly while the Zadok high priesthood through Aaron is administered through the earthly Temple in Jerusalem.
Since Yeshua restored the Melchizedek priesthood to be the premier priesthood of the New Covenant within Israel because of the consequences of the sin of the golden calf (the Levitical priesthood was established to cover for the sin of the golden calf), when Yeshua teaches the Torah from Jerusalem during the Messianic Era (Isaiah 2:2–3) from Ezekiel’s Temple (Ezekiel 43:7), Yeshua’s Melchizedek priesthood, which is over the New Covenant, will be superior to the Zadok priesthood which ministers unto the LORD in the earthly Temple. In other words, the earthly Zadok priesthood is under the authority of Yeshua’s eternal Melchizedek priesthood, which is the premier authority in the heavenly Tabernacle as well as Yeshua’s Kingdom on the earth. Yeshua is the administrative King for His Father over the Kingdom of God on earth and the eternal priesthood which governs the Kingdom of God on earth is Yeshua’s Melchizedek priesthood.
So, Yeshua is the high priest over the eternal Melchizedek priesthood, both in heaven and on earth, and the Zadok priesthood is the true Aaronic priesthood over the earthly Temple in Jerusalem. Being the true Aaronic priesthood, the Zadok priesthood has the authority to tell all Israel when to keep the Biblical festivals according to the priestly calendar, which came from heaven via the angel Uriel through Yeshua’s Melchizedek priesthood over the heavenly Tabernacle.
Yeshua acknowledged and affirmed this true Zadok priesthood at His first coming by recognizing the ministry of John the Baptist and his role to have the ministry of Elijah (Luke 1:17) to call the corrupt Temple system and the Pharisees to repent (Matthew 3:7) from departing from the Torah (Deuteronomy 17:8–11) given by Yeshua at Mount Sinai. This is still the message of the ministry of Elijah today to restore those things (Matthew 17:11), given to David then to Solomon (1 Chronicles 28:11, 13), and then to Zadok the priest (1 Chronicles 29:22) which was fallen (Amos 9:11).
Restoring the Zadok priesthood is a shofar call to leave celebrating the Biblical festivals through the mixed worship system of the golden calf which came from the Babylonian captivity through the Pharisaic sect. If the believers in Yeshua don’t repent and come out of the Babylonian worship system (Revelation 18:4), we will receive of her plagues (the Great Tribulation) and miss the Greater Exodus (Jeremiah 16:14–15) when Yeshua ends the exile of His people (Ezekiel 37:15–22). May the Bride of Yeshua make herself ready and be prepared for the coming of her Bridegroom (Revelation 19:7–8) by listening to the message of the ministry of Elijah (Isaiah 40:3, Malachi 3:1, 4:4–6, Matthew 3:1–2, John 1:23). It is the Elijah ministry and message which prepares the “Way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3) that is the coming of the Messiah of Israel. This includes the coming of King Messiah. May Yeshua return quickly in our days! Amen! ■
Article written by Eddie Chumney.
Eddie Chumney is the founder of Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int’l.
* Scripture references from the KJV
Footnotes
Gottheil, Richard; Samuel Krauss; Joseph Jacobs; and SchulimOchser, "Zadok," in The Jewish Encyclopedia, ed. Isidore Singer et al., vol. 12, (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1902), p. 628-630.
The Babylonian Talmud. Rosh Hashanah 25a. Edited by Isidore Epstein, Soncino Press, 1935.
Jews for Judaism. www.jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/biblical-basis-rabbinic-authority. Accessed August 2025.
Midrash Rabbah, Numbers." Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. Soncino Press, 1939.
Midrash Rabbah, Numbers." Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. Soncino Press, 1939.
Midrash Rabbah, Numbers." Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. Soncino Press, 1939.
Midrash Rabbah, Numbers." Translated by H. Freedman and Maurice Simon. Soncino Press, 1939.
Dead Sea Scrolls. 4Q320 1 i 1.
Dead Sea Scrolls. 4Q320 3 i 1-2.
Dead Sea Scrolls. 4Q320 4 i 3.
Dead Sea Scrolls. 4Q321a 1 i 1.
Dead Sea Scrolls. 4Q322 – 324a.
Dead Sea Scrolls. 4Q319.
Pirkei Avot 5:1-2 (Schlesinger translation).
sefaria.org. sefaria.org. Accessed August 2025.
Dead Sea Scrolls. Pesher Nahum Scroll 4Q169.
bible.usccb.org. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Sirach 50. Accessed August 2025.
Footnote 17 Additional Information
From the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Wisdom of Ben Sira. (Ben Sira), a sage who lived in Jerusalem, was thoroughly imbued with love for the wisdom tradition, and for the law, priesthood, Temple, and divine worship. As a wise and experienced observer of life he addressed himself to his contemporaries with the motive of helping them to maintain religious faith and integrity through study of the books sacred to the Jewish tradition. Written in Hebrew in the early years of the second century B.C., the book was finished by ca. 175. Ben Sira was known to Christians in translations, of which the Greek rendering was the most important. Though not included in the Jewish Bible after the first century A.D., nor, therefore accepted by Protestants, the Wisdom of Ben Sira has been recognized by the Catholic Church as inspired and canonical
