(those are a couple of funny sounding words because we don’t communicate in Hebrew) but it’s about knowing the will of God in the major and not so major decisions of life…..Those times when you need guidance from beyond yourself…
I want to talk about God’s Method of Speaking to His People both under the Covenant of Abraham and the Covenant of Grace.
You cannot put God in a box, because apart from his written word, God is not going to put everything in black and white before we need to know it. The moment we think we have figured out how God moves and works in a given situation, He does things that are totally outside the box and that’s when we get a glimpse of how supernaturally amazing He really is! God loves us, but sometimes in His leading, He comes to teach us and as uncomfortable as that is at times, the lessons are all well worth it! He tells us to call, and I will show you!!!
A man was totally impressed with a pastor’s sermon, which was very convincing and emotionally moving,about preparing for death. He approached him after the service, complimented him and said that he would like the pastor to do his funeral when he died. “Of course”,the pastor said, and he pulled out his calendar and asked when he would like to schedule it. Well, we want to know God’s will but not that precisely!
Let’s start with some quick background concerning the Urim and Thummim….
In the Old Testament God spoke to his people, by various means to communicate with them at important times in the life of the nation. Some of the most amazing means of communicating with His people was during the time of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and the first Temple during the reign of King Solomon. God gave very detailed and specific instructions concerning how the tabernacle was to be built, along with all of the furnishings that were to be inside, and the manner in which all sacrifices and worship was to be done.
He also gave very detailed instructions on how the garments of the High Priest were to be made.
Every part of the garment of the high priest carried a type and shadow of Christ within it, and every part of it still has an impact upon worship today, even in the modern church. The outer garment, called “The ephod”, was constructed very specifically as God had commanded. There were stones on the shoulders, on the breastplate, and there were two stones inside a pocket behind the breastplate that was covered with 12 precious stones; each with the name of one of the tribes of Israel etched in its surface.
Exodus 28:30 And you shall put within the breastplate, the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
In the Hebrew language, the word "Urim" means ‘lights, or enlightenment", and can also mean, “to set on fire.’…."Thummim" means ‘perfection or integrity" and also speaks of ‘completeness and innocence” In the Greek language, they are translated to mean, ‘manifestation and truth". These were clear indicators of God’s desire and intention in important decisions effecting the nation. Jewish scholars indicate that one stone was black or “no” and the other was white or “yes”….It could also indicate guilt or innocence and even mean favor or disfavor….Which stone means no or yes, has been lost to antiquity….
As a side note, the words Urim and Thummim, are never in the singular, because they are integrated with the 12 stones in the Ephod, so they are plural nouns, since they interact together to indicate the will of God. Hebrew tradition says that the Urim and Thummim caused letters in the 12 stones in the breastplate that were engraved with the names of the tribes, to glow so that it spelled out a message. Other traditions state that when the stones glowed, a message from God came to the priest, to explain what the glowing stone meant….
We are given a very good example of how God used the Urim and Thummim (the yes and no stones). Abiatharthe priest, had gone to David bringing with him the ephod or breast plate… Scripture tells us that it was a time, when all of the families of David’s army had been captured by the enemy, and the army had begun to turn against him. David was in a real funk….
1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. v7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray you, bring me the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. v8 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail recover all”.
On three separate occasions, David used the ephod to inquire of the Lord what he should do in the face of the enemies of Israel. Hebrew writings indicate that all the stones in the breastplate would glow when Israel went to war to indicate that God was with them and the large stones on the priest’s shoulders would flash with bright light, declaring that the battle was the Lords…Hallelujah!
The last account in history, of these stones being used for guidance is the record of Ezra using them to determine the ancestry of the priests who returned from the Babylonian exile, so he could reinstitute the priesthood in Ezra 2:63. They were rebuilding a nation after very devastating times when their very existence had been threatened….
Sometimes you feel like the Los Angeles weatherman Fritz Coleman, who had relocated to California and his Mom and Dad called to ask how he liked it after a year of reporting the weather. That year, included severalearthquakes, several wildfires, extreme winds, record flooding, and even some tornadoes. So he wrote home to his mom and dad and said.. "Dear Mom and Dad, California—is far more than just a state, it's an Act of God Theme Park." (We will see more and more of that before He returns…. Oh, how we need His guidance)
Well God chooses to get our attention in many ways. The Urim and the Thummim were used in the Old Testament, but now we have a better way. We have the leading of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and the very presence of God's shekinah living within us if we are Born Again.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Just as the priest had the witness of God’s spirit throughthe stones that were in the Ephod… We today have the witness of God’s spirit within the Ephod of our spirits! 1 Peter 2:4 refers to believers as living stones which has some reference to the manner in which God revealed His will through the Urim and Thummim and used them to show others the way. Without direction from God, we can easily fall into the trap of our enemy who seeks to steal kill and destroy. As long as we follow God and seek his will, we will escape the traps of the devil.
One night a house caught fire and the young son was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Don’t be afraid, Jump! I'll catch you." But the boy cried out in terror, “Where are you Daddy, I’m afraid, where are you?” The dad knew the boy had to jump if he was to save his life. But all the boy could see, was flames, and smoke, and the blackness of the night. He was afraid to leave the roof as his father kept yelling: "Don’t be afraidson, Jump, I will catch you!" But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you, I’m afraid." His father calmed his fears by replying, "It’s Ok son, just trust me now, you can’t see me, but I can see you and that's all that matters."
The Book of Hebrews has this to say about how God speaks to his people beginning at Hebrews 1
Hebrews 1:1 “God, who at sundry times (pol-oo-mer…. In just the right time) and in many and various ways spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, v2 He has in these last days spoken (in just the right time) unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds. v3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. v4 Being so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than them all”.
He’s telling you now, “trust me, even though you can’t see me, I can see you”…..
God is not limited in his means of communicating withus and he can choose any method he wants at whatever time he wants. Sometimes his method of speaking is through dreams and visions; sometimes through audible voices; sometimes through signs and wonders, and even miracles; and sometimes he uses ways that are only meant for a time and a season, and then those methods may never be seen again. The apostles cast lots to see who the Holy Spirit would have to replace Judas…
But I like what one church sign said… “To get in touch with God try knee mail”…..
In our day, the most reliable and easily understood method of communication that God has with his people is through the written word of God, and through the gifts of the Spirit, which we call, “The Speaking Gifts” as well as dreams, visions, and circumstances. There are closed visions and open visions. There are angel visitations and theosophies (which are appearances of Christ himself) I have had several of these, I don’t have time here to speak of those….
He will also give us Wisdom (called a discernment gift) from the Mind of Christ to help us to understand more fully and act more wisely on the revelation, on the teaching, and the Knowledge, or exhortation that we have already received. It will come as a new way of seeing something we already knew, so we can apply it correctly to a current situation or it may be an understanding of something that is confusing to us andwill help us to be better and more productive in the kingdom of God.
2 Timothy 1:6 “Wherefore I put you in remembrance that you stir up the gift of God, which is in you by the laying on of hands. v7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.
Paul is exhorting his spiritual son Timothy, who is pastoring the church of Ephesus, as he waits in a Roman prison to see what the future holds for him….
Paul is clear that the church leaders are to lay hands on the believers and stir up the gifts that are within them by the Holy Spirit. It is important that we also understand the importance of laying hands on ourselves, if no one is around to agree with us and stir up the “Speaking, discerning and knowing” gifts….
Jesus himself spoke of this, in John 7:38 He that believeth (continually believes) on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. v39 (And this he spoke concerning the Spirit”)
Discernment and soundness of mind are pretty important…. Speaking of discernment…..
A church organist was asked to play for a big convention at her church, with the theme posted on the church sign… “Wisdom and discernment in the body of Christ”…. She couldn’t find a baby sitter for her 6 year old son, so she decided to just put him on the floor in the organ loft and give him some toys to play with. As the service progressed, an usher rushed into the loft and informed her to take her son off of the small keyboard to the side of the organ. Her son had been playing “Three blind mice” on the church steeple bells! ( not the song you want for a wisdom and discernment conference) discernment can make a big difference just when you need it most…
Ephesians 3:16 “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man, v17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, v18 May be able to comprehend (the gift of wisdom) with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height. v19 And to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fulness of God”.
Praise the Lord, the veil of the temple has been torn in half… no longer is the fullness of the glory of God confined behind the curtain of the Holy of Holies. It has now been opened wide to reveal the glory of God through the light of Christ.
He is our Urim ( our “light of enlightenment", and the one who “ sets us on holy fire.”)
He is our Thummim, (our “perfection, our integrity, our “completeness” and our “holiness”… Our “manifestation of God’s truth”)
The word Urim, begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the word Thummim, ends with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet… and it tells us that He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end…the first and last… the answer to your question… Your go forth, and He is also your be still and know that I am God”!!!
Matthew Henry is the well known bible commentator,and his father was a Presbyterian minister named PhilipHenry. The woman who won Philip Henry’s heart was an only daughter named Katharine, who was the heiress of a considerable fortune. Her father objected to the union of his daughter with a member of the clergy. "You see," he said to his daughter, "he may be a perfect gentleman, a brilliant scholar, a Godly man and an excellent preacher; but he is a commoner, and we do not even know where he comes from!" "True," repliedKatharine, "but we know where he is going, and I would like to go wherever he’s going with him." As believers, we would do well to have this same persuasion….
We may not always know the way and the destination, our heavenly Father leads, but we would always be wise to go with him!
He is the stone that the builders rejected, who is now become the head cornerstone….
Jesus, as the great High Priest, makes manifest the counsel and purposes of God and looking to Him, we find all the answers to our every question and problem, even before we knew we had them.
Jesus is walking in our midst…He is enlightening our hearts and minds through the inbreathed Word of God…..He is working by the Holy Spirit to bring us all to a place of perfection through both His justice and his grace as we exercise our faith in Him and yield ourselves to His will.
We are entering into the darkest hours of world history that will ever be, and yet we are also going into the most glorious and victorious hour that the church will ever experience on this earth! Glorious light in the midst of darkness… Supernatural help in the time of great need!
Oh, friend today, how amazing is it to know that the Living Word, the very presence of Christ within you, is enlightening your heart and soul to see and know the very will of God and voice of the Lord, no matter what the situation or the circumstance!
He is a very present help in time of need!
I can call on him and he is near, and He answers me in His own way and time if I will steady myself before Him, quite my spirit and listen!
I can seek him and find him when I seek him with all of my heart!
I know that like ourselves, you face situations every day, where you need the modern day Urim and Thummin in the decisions and choices you must make in your home, your job, and your relationships….
Lamentations 3:22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions they fail not. v23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. v24 For the LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him”.
We saw today that Paul instructed the churches to stir up the gift of God by the laying on of hands in 2 Timothy 1:6….
I want our staff to come and let’s stir up these God given gifts and abilities in your situations…..whatever they may be….
releasing and receiving that which God by the Holy Spirit has made available to each of us….We don’t know what the week holds but He does…
Out of your inner most being allow the rivers of the Spirit to flow…. Come, let us believe together for God to open and release His supernatural Urim and Thummim that is located in our Spirits, that we may more clearly receive His guidance and Direction….
