Showing posts with label decision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decision. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Urim and Thummim: the Instrument of Decision

Exodus 28:30 ~ Inside the breastpiece of decision you shall place the Urim and Thummim so that they are over Aaron's heart when he comes before YHWH. Thus Aaron shall carry the instrument of decision for Yah's People over his heart at all times.

The breastpiece was held in place by a cord of blue from its rings to the rings of the ephod so that the breastpiece rested on the decorated band and won't come loose from the ephod. Aaron carried the names of the twelve sons of Jacob/Israel on the breastpiece of decision over his heart for remembrance before YHWH at all times.
Does that ring a bell? Numbers 15:38 we find the instructions to make fringes on the corners of a garment and to attach a cord of blue to the fringe at each corner. These fringed corners with an attached cord of blue served to help one remember all the commandments of YHWH, to live by them and not follow after our own heart and eyes in lustful urges.
Exodus 28:15 ~ You shall make a breastpiece of decision worked into a design made in the style of the ephod: make it of gold, blue, purple and crimson yarns of fine twisted linen. It shall be square and doubled, a span in length and a span in width. Set in it mounted stones, in four rows: 
  1. carnelian, chrysolite, emerald
  2. turquoise, sapphire, amethyst
  3. jacinth, agate, crystal 
  4. beryl, lapis lazuli, jasper
They shall be framed with gold in their mountings. The stones shall correspond in number to the names of the sons of Israel; twelve corresponding to their names, engraved like seals, each with its name for the twelve tribes.
A Span is approximately 9 inches measured as a man's hand, fingers spread and the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky finger
Leviticus 8:6 ~ Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. He put the tunic on Aaron, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him, girding him with the decorated band with which he tied to him. He put the breastpiece on him and placed inside the breastpiece the Urim and the Thummim. And he set the headdress on his head and on the front of the headdress he put the gold frontlet, the Set Apart diadem as YHWH had commanded.

Numbers 27:12 ~ Yahweh says to Moses, "Ascend these heights of Abarim and view the land that I have given to the Israelite people. When you have seen it you too shall be gathered to your kin, just as your brother Aaron was. For in the wilderness of Zin when the community was contentious, you disobeyed My command to uphold My sanctity in their sight by means of the water.' Those are the Waters of Meribath-kadesh. Moses says to YHWH Elohim, "Let You, the Source of the breath of all flesh, appoint someone over the community who shall (lead them in all matters and whom they shall follow in all matters) so that Your community shall not be like sheep without a shepherd. YHWH answers Moses telling him to single out Joshua son of Nun who is an inspired man, to lay his hand on him to commission him, and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and in sight of the whole community. Invest in him with some of your authority so that the whole Israelite community may obey him. He will present himself to Eleazar the priest who shall on his behalf seek the decision of the Urim before Me."

This is part of the blessings that Moses, the man of YHWH, said to the Israelites as he bid farewell before he died. Deuteronomy 33:8 ~ And of Levi Moses said: Let Your Thummim and Urim be with Your faithful one (Moses), whom You tested at Massah, challenged at the waters of Meribah; who said of his father and mother, 'I consider them not'. His brothers he disregarded, ignored his own children. Your precepts alone they observed and kept Your covenant. They shall teach Your laws to Jacob and Your instructions to Israel. They shall offer You incense to savor and whole offerings on Your altar. Bless O Yahweh his substance, and favor his undertakings. Smite the loins of his foes; let his enemies rise not more.

We are not given a description of the Urim and Thummin other than they are placed inside the breast piece in order that they are over the heart of the High Priest and used in making decisions.

In the book of Nehemiah we read about Jerusalem's walls full of breaches and its gates had been destroyed by fire. The 'remnant' living there were in dire straights and disgrace and this grieved Nehemiah greatly. He was the king's cupbearer at the time and the king took notice of his troubled looks. King Artaxerxes allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to have it rebuilt.  When we get to Chapter 7 Verse 63 it repeats what was written in Ezra 2:61 about the priests not being able to prove their bloodline qualifying them to indeed be priests - none of them could find their genealogical records so they were disqualified for the priesthood. The Tirshatha (a Persian title meaning 'governor') ordered them not to eat of the 'most holy things' until a priest with Urim and Thummim should appear. 

┉┉┊┊┉┉
Hebrews Chapter 1 ~ In many ways and many forms, Elohim anciently conversed with our fathers by the prophets. But in these latter days He has conversed with us by His Son whom He has constituted heir of all things, and by whom He made the worlds; who is the splendor of His glory and the exact image of His nature, and upholds all by the power of His Word; and by his Qnoma (singular Divine Nature) he made a purification of sins and sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Our Creator stopped talking to man when His Son took the scene. I have heard many who claim that God talks to them or they have heard His voice. There is even a book titled Conversations with God. This just can't be so if we understand what is being said in Hebrews Chapter 1. For Set Apart believers it is Yah's Ruach haKodesh that guides us and comforts us with the truth. This is the same Spirit Y'shua gave his twelve Apostles who later passed it on to others ready to receive it. We have been born of water physically but if we are not born again spiritually we will miss the connection here.

There are many things that we handle day by day, some tougher than others, but most times we can handle it and make the proper decisions if we are Scripture Smart.  Other things need to be handed off to those more qualified than ourselves to help make the decision. Regardless, in the end, our Father in heaven gives the final answer to all things. Since we no longer have a high priest on earth, we still rely on YHWH Elohim to tell us 'yes or no' via His Set Apart Spirit.  Scriptures have temporarily replace the Urim and Thummin as our instrument of decision until the day that Y'shua takes his place as our king and high priest.