Thursday, April 11, 2019

Denial

There were those who pretended they didn't know Y'shua after he had been captured and sentenced to death. They didn't want to end up being thrown in jail themselves, or killed. When asked, they denied knowing him.

In the end times scenario folks will be reporting perceived 'believers' to the authorities to save their own skin, whether they are Christian or Jewish or Mormon etc.... because by then the Image of the Beast will be the god folks are commanded to worship, bow down to or die. There will be 'believers' who will worship the beast in order to save their own lives. This includes 'taking the mark' in order to buy or sell.

If we truly are Set Apart Believers we must resist temptation in order for the devil to flee from us. It has been foretold that some of us will go to jail and be tormented ten days before being executed. Some of us will go to war against this final world system and die on the battle field. Some of us will perish because of the plagues that scourge the earth. Then there will be those who flee, head for the hills and are protected in the wilderness for those final three and a half years.  Whichever group we end up in it will be by our faith in Yahweh, the One True Elohim that we will be able to endure until the return of Yahshua, whether dead or alive.

The truth of His Instructions found in Scriptures is what gives the understanding we need in order to endure until the end. Yes folks, there is a dooms day yet to play out and the doom and gloom will be for anyone who rejects Yahweh as the Creator and denies the existence or purpose of His Son Yahshua.

There have been famines, wars and rumors of wars going on for a long time. Nations and kingdoms have risen up and fought each other as the years go by. There have been plagues and diseases then as well as now. The only thing different is that all these 'signs' have been getting worse, like labor pains which begin with a twinge now and again, becoming closer together and building in intensity as time goes by. Things are bad now, and will get worse. 

Through all that is yet to come, we must continue to stand strong in our faith in the Creator and not be afraid to share the Good News of the Kingdom to Come and not be deniers of Y'shua as the Son of our heavenly Father.


We've Been Invited to the Wedding Feast as Guests

We have read that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son:
Matthew 22:3 ~ He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. Again, he sent other servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner. My oxen and fatlings have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, and another to his business.… 
Sounds a bit like what was happening in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark. Interest wore off and folks went on about their daily affairs. Those folks did not enter the ark and in our future there are folks who will not enter the banquet hall = the Kingdom of Heaven.
Revelation 19:7 ~ Let us rejoice and exult and give glory to him for the marriage supper of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready. And it was granted her to be clothed in fine linen, bright and clean, for fine linen is the righteousness of the Set Apart believers. ... Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
It could be that Scriptures is our invitation to this banquet. Read it all again - it is a very detailed invitation. Everything has been prepared and written for our benefit. All we need do is accept this invitation, follow the Instructions, dress appropriately, keep our lamps filled with oil and enter.  Those who have heard the Good Shepherd's voice calling them will accept the invitation to attend this banquet, and are those who enter the hall before the doors are shut and locked.

It's not the church or the saints 
showing up as the Bride.
One of the Messengers said: Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.... and he showed me the Set Apart city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from Elohim; in which was the glory of Elohim, as a brilliant light, and resembling a very precious gem; like a jasper stone, resembling crystal. 
If the New Jerusalem is the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb, Y'shua Messiah, who are we? Are we not 'the body' with Y'shua as the 'head', and if we are joined as one with Messiah now, how can we be the Bride later? How are we to understand the meaning of this New Jerusalem as the Bride, dressed in righteousness? and how do we expect to be the bride IF when we rise from the dead there is no marriage when we have become incorruptible like the Messengers in heaven? (Mark 12:25) Where is the connection people ?? The New City of Jerusalem is slightly beyond our understanding for the time being, but it has always been the center of attention for our Creator. After the thousand year kingdom Yah will restore all things. This restoration, the joining back together of Yahweh and Yahshua as One is akin to the purpose of marriage, the two become one. We, in this lifetime, have become one with the Messiah.

1 Corinthians 12:27 ~ Now you are the body of Y'shua, and members each in your place 
Romans 12:4 ~ For as we have many members in one body and those members do not have the same functions; so also we, who are many persons, are one body in Y'shua, and are naturally members of each other. But we have different gifts according to the grace given to us.
1 Corinthians 10:16 ~ The cup of thanksgiving which we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Y'shua (the renewed covenant)? And the bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Y'shua? Therefore, that bread is one, so we are all one body, for we all take to ourselves from that one bread (Y'shua, the bread from heaven).

1 Corinthians 12:20 ~ There are many members, but one body.

I am beginning to see the marriage supper of the Lamb, this wedding feast, as a metaphor for our thousand years in the earthly kingdom. We made ourselves ready to enter the banquet hall by reading Scriptures (the invitation) abiding by the Instructions best we can in this day and age, and having the testimony of Y'shua, Son of Yahweh.  When the end comes we will be gathered together given incorruptible bodies (linen robes of righteousness) and set back down on the promised land, the land of Canaan which will be ruled and overseen by Y'shua.  There is no bride scenario at this time. The Bride is the New Jerusalem which comes after the thousand year reign of Y'shua.  It is then that our Father restores all things, makes all things new and we shall have no memory of anything that happened before.  The Two become One as they were in the beginning.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

The Reason Why

Let us take a look at what Yahweh's Instructions tell us about His Set Apart times. In previous studies I've gone over the descriptions given for each 'feast day' and many have seen how they are 'types and shadows' reflected in the life and times of Y'shua and the end times scenario yet to come. Now lets focus on why we are to observe them. 

Each 'feast day' covered in this posting is linked to a previous in-depth study for your further research, so you will see that I am not 'adding to or taking from' His word. This particular study will single out its reason and how we should observe each set time in today's world. I believe we are at that point where we worship YHWH in spirit and in truth.
Note that I have combined Passover with Unleavened Bread because the passover offering was made the evening before the first day of Unleavened Bread. I know it was common for the entire 8 days to be called The Passover but as you see, only the last few hours of daylight of the 14th day are set apart for the passover. Yahweh's days are counted from sunset to sunset, so the passover offering kicks off the days of unleavened bread. First Fruits, Feast of Weeks or Feast of the Harvest cover the time line up to Shavuot.

The passover offering was made to YHWH as protection from death, it was the blood of the lamb painted on the doorposts and lintel that was a sign to Yahweh to pass over that dwelling and not kill any first born that may be inside. This was the final plague He brought against Pharaoh convincing him to let His people go. They leave on the 15th day of the first month which is the first day of Unleavened Bread, to be observed for all time. And when ask why and what does it mean, the answer is:
It is the passover sacrifice to YHWH Elohim because He passed over the houses of the (descendants of Jacob and the mixed multitude) in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians. 
His people are instructed to do this so they remember the day of their departure from the land of Egypt for as long as they live. The blood of the lamb was a sign to YHWH and saved them from death - they were set free from being slaves to Pharaoh. In modern times our acceptance of the shed blood of His Son is also a sign to YHWH, and sets us free from our old sin-nature, saving us from death eternal. We will be passed over on the day of His Wrath.  The Blood of the Lamb was shed for our sake. Yahshua is the Spiritual Bread from heaven, without blemish, without sin, without leaven.

"Feast of Weeks" is the time of counting the days (49 days = 7 weeks) from the barley harvest. Day 50 is Shavuot. The barley harvest is not date specific because it can ripen and be ready for harvest on different days, year after year, depending on the weather. Day 50 was when the new grain offering was made. The new grain at this time was of the wheat harvest. All in all, this time period was for folks to offer the best of the best from their harvest to the priest to offer up before Yahweh. We should remember to always be thankful for His abundance in our lives and not hesitate to give the best of what we have to those in need. We should not try to put a date on something which He did not.

(this link covers more than just the Day of Trumpets)

This day is for making a joyful noise, something pleasing to our Creator letting him know that we are here and not to forget us, as we praise Him as our Elohim and rejoice in all His Ways. It is the first day of the seventh month according to Yah's Calendar.

(once you click on this link you'll need to scroll down a bit to reach the Day of Atonement study)

The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement, a day to practice self denial, the day on which expiation is made on our behalf before Yahweh. It is a day we resist from tending to our usual daily 'things' and realize the importance of Yahshua who laid down his life for our sake. We should be silent this day as he goes before Yahweh on our behalf.

(after you click on this link, scroll down to the part about Sukkot)

This is the time of the in-gathering of Yah's people, which begins on the 15th day of this seventh month. It is a time when Set Apart believers will be gathered together and inherit the promised land.  

The cycle for the year is complete.

In observing our Creator's set times we are being trained up in order to enter His Kingdom on earth at the return of Y'shua. His set times remind us of being set free from slavery to our old sinful ways by way of His Son; to offer up the best of the best to our Creator giving thanks for His abundance in our lives. We give our offerings to the poor and needy, the hungry and thirsty and we care for widows and orphans in our communities.  We are being made ready to receive His Spirit as we continue on His path of righteous living. The sounding of the trumpets bring our attention to the beginning of the seventh month and on the tenth day we give our full attention to our Father in Heaven where Y'shua offers atonement for our sins. In all this we are made ready to be gathered together with other Set Apart believers to receive our inheritance, the land of Canaan with Yahshua as our king and high priest.

Remember that we are not to substitute what we think is right and proper. Since the temple or priesthood no longer exist, we adapt accordingly and do not travel to Jerusalem three times a year or stay home and pretend we honor Yahweh with our traditions. All added tradition only confuses the issue and takes away from Yah's intentions. 
  1. Remember how He set His people free from bondage and has done the same for us 
  2. Remove leaven/temptations from our homes and lifestyle so we don't fall back into our old sin nature
  3. Give freely of what we have to our brothers in need thanking YHWH for His abundance in our own lives 
  4. Become ready to receive His Set Apart Spirit, the Comforter who is the Spirit of Truth 
  5. Obey Yahweh and speak the testimony of His Son, do not be silent about the Good News of the Kingdom to Come 
  6. Be humble - it is in the hands of Yahshua to go before Yahweh on our behalf and offer atonement for our sin 
  7. Look forward to the day of Messiah's return when we shall be gathered together and set down on our land as promised.
Search Scriptures and you will find that we are not instructed to observe or celebrate the birth, death or resurrection of our heavenly Father's Son, Yahshua the Anointed One. It is not a commanded holiday, feast day or set apart time found anywhere in Scriptures. Yet millions of people take part in various man-made rituals associated with Christmas and Easter while ignoring the Creator's Instructions, not knowing they are only mimicking pagan practices dressed up as Christianity. Ash Wed., Lent, Holy Week, Good Friday nor any Sunrise Service activity is found to be endorsed by YHWH; in fact we are warned against adopting the practices of pagans. Once you come out of Churchianity don't let yourself be led down the path of Judaism either. Jewish Traditions are just as big of a distraction from the truth as all other man-made religions. Let me point out that it is out of love and compassion that I share this truth, and encourage you to read Scriptures to learn this for yourself; study to show yourself approved. There are No Dead Ends on His Path - Once we discover a truth lets not stop there and set up camp in a perceived comfort zone. Falsehoods continue to fall away like the scales fell off Paul's eyes - it took me a few years of casual study before I began see more clearly, but imagine what it would be like to have His Light go on all at once!

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Prayer in School

A FB post stayed on my mind for awhile making me think about praying and schools and who's responsible for teaching children to begin with.  I was in public school from 1960 to 1973 and we never had a set apart time specifically for praying. Did any of you (other than you Catholic folks who went to your own school)? Times were modest back then. Girls wore just below-the-knee length skirts or dresses and boys kept their hair trimmed to above collar length. There were those whose dads or barbers gave them butch (flat top) hair cuts.

Things started to change when I was in 9th grade, if I remember correctly, and gals were allowed to wear pants - most of us wore jeans - and the skirt length went to finger-tip. We'd stand straight with our arms at our sides, hands straight down and the hem line best not be above that measurement. Do that now and man! that is short! Long hair on the boys was being allowed, but maybe shoulder length was the maximum. 

By the time I was in 10th grade drugs were becoming evident, especially marijuana. The drug culture grew through the years in the town I grew up in. It wasn't that anyone stopped God from being there, but no one, no adult, stood up against the drugs and drinking because by then the teachers who went through college during the Vietnam era were pot smokers and peace freaks drinking Annie Green Springs and Boone's Farm. Some of them quietly promoted the rebellious spirit in their students.

I've never really put a lot of thought into this before, but sex, drugs and rock-n-roll pushed any hint of God right out the door and down the highway. The 60's ushered in a psychedelic way of thinking and viewing this country and the world. Music really influenced that generation (which I was a small part of) and most of that music was influenced by drugs. 

It seems really clear to me now, in my mature years and with eyes to see, that prayer should not be part of the school's schedule. Kids are supposed to be taught about God at home by their parents; they should be reading Scriptures and in study of His Word as we read those instructions in Deuteronomy 11:18. 

Personally, I was not raised up as a God Fearing child. I didn't stand a chance against the many temptations that came my way because I had no real knowledge of God, never read the Bible; I was not taught the truth by my parents because they did not know it, either. I don't blame them, it was just the way things were; we inherited the lies. How can we know sin if we are not taught our Creator's Instructions before our folks hand us off to the world?
Deuteronomy 11:18 ~ Therefore impress these My Words upon your very heart; bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead, and Teach Them to your Children reciting them when you stay at home and when your away, when you lie down and when you get up; and inscribe them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates to the end that you and your children may endure in the land that Yah swore to your fathers, to assign them as long as there is a heaven over the earth.
Prayer is not something that should be repetitive or expected to be done at certain times of the day. Prayer is not something one needs to do in public and it is quite acceptable to our Creator to pray quietly by our selves... the key is for prayer to part of everyday life.

My conclusion would be that a child who was raised and taught the Word of Elohim would know about prayer, when to pray and how to pray without paid government workers telling them when, where or how.  They would be better equipped to recognize sin, discerning good from evil, and make the choice to resist temptation. The devil will flee from those kids.




Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Five Years to Build the Ark


What!?

I always thought it took at least one hundred years, maybe even 120 years - that's what the Bible says.

Yeah, but, wait.... there's more. 

We read in Genesis 5:28 that Lamech was 182 years old when his son Noah was born and that he died 595 years later.

In the writings found in the book of Jasher, page 14, we read that Noah was 595 years old when Lamech, his father died. It was then that Yah said to Noah and Methuselah to remind all people of everything He had spoken to them in the days gone by and to turn from their evil ways, but the people did not listen. That is when Yah told Noah that the end of all flesh has come before Him on account of their evil deeds and He would destroy the earth. He instructed Noah how to and where to build a large ark; what to use and how to store provisions etc.... By this time Noah's sons are grown and willing and able to help fulfill this command of Yah.  

Genesis 6:3 ~ Yah said, My breath shall not abide in man forever, since he too is flesh, let the days allowed him be one hundred and twenty years.

This is when Yah started the 120 year countdown to the Flood.  Noah started building the ark 115 years later, after his father died, and finishing when he was 600 years old. In Genesis 7:6 we read that Noah was 600 years old when the Flood came. He had the ark built and provisioned during those remaining five years.

Noah was in his 500th year when he began children and lived another 350 years after the flood (all the days of Noah came to 950 years then he died - Genesis 9:29). He was 502 years old when Shem was born.

In Genesis 11:10 we read that Shem was 100 years old when he begat a son, and this was two years after the flood... that would make him 97 years old when he boarded the ark. Japheth was Noah's first born, a year or two older than Shem and Ham was the youngest.
Genesis 9:24 ~ When Noah woke up from his wine and learned what his youngest son had done to him.... (Ham saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers)
The call from Yah to repent went out 120 years prior to the flood gates opening. With the onset of the final 5 years those same unrepentant ones watched the building of the ark and still didn't get it ... and none of them turned from their evil ways. Oh, but when the rains started falling and the springs started flowing and the waters started rising - all things they had been told beforehand - now they start crying out to Noah to let them come into the ark, after Yah had already closed and sealed the door. It was too late for them to be saved.

Does this ring a bell with any of you? We too have been told the signs of the time of the end. We have been invited to the feast and we best be prepared to arrive before the doors are shut and locked, because then it will be too late to be saved. There will be those crying out to Messiah who will say, go away from me - I never knew you.

It dawned on me that Noah and Methuselah were the two end time witnesses of their day. They gave testimony for 120 years prior to the end of life as they knew it, preaching the Word of Yahweh and reminding people of what was and what was to be.


The Days of Unleavened Bread

Exodus 12:3 ~ ... on the tenth of this month each family shall take a lamb into their household... a lamb without blemish, a yearling male from either the sheep or the goats. Keep watch over it until the 14th day; and then all the assembled congregation of (Set Apart believers) shall slaughter them at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they are to eat it. They shall eat it the same night, roasted over the fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. Do not leave anything left over until morning, but if there are leftovers, burn them. Be fully dressed and ready to leave before you eat and eat quickly: it is a passover offering to YHWH as protection, because that night He will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every first born, both man and beast; and He will mete out punishments to all the 'gods' of Egypt because He alone is Elohim. The blood on the houses shall be a sign for you: when Yah sees it He will pass over you so that no plague will destroy you when He strikes the land of Egypt.
Exodus 12:15 ~ Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread... on the very 1st day (of the 7 days) you shall remove leaven from your houses... The first day and the seventh day are sacred occasions and no work is to be done, only whatever is to be eaten may be prepared.
Exodus 12:17 ~ You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread for on this very day (the 15th day of the 1st month) I brought you out of Egypt, to be observed throughout the ages as an institution for all time. 
Exodus 12:18 ~ In the first month from the 14th day at evening you shall eat unleavened bread until the 21st day of the month at evening. No leaven is to be found in your houses - whether one is a stranger or a citizen of the country you shall eat nothing leavened.
Exodus 12:24 ~ You shall observe this as an institution for all time, for you and for your descendants. And when you enter the land that I will give you, as I promised, you shall observe this rite... And when your children ask why and what does it mean, you shall say, 'It is the passover sacrifice to YHWH Elohim because He passed over the houses of the (descendants of Jacob and the mixed multitude) in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but saved our houses'.

In Leviticus we are reminded:
Leviticus 23:4 ~ These are the set times of YHWH, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate each at its appointed time: In the first month, on the 14th day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a passover offering to YHWH and on the 15th day of that month YHWH's Feast of Unleavened Bread... for seven days.
And again in Deuteronomy 16 we read that a passover offering is made to YHWH and slaughtered in the place Elohim will choose to establish His Name - For 7 days no leaven shall be found among you. You cannot slaughter the sacrifice wherever you choose but only at the place YHWH chooses to establish His Name. In the morning you may start back home - on the 7th day of Unleavened Bread hold a solemn gathering, do no work. 

His people are instructed to do this so they remember the day of their departure from the land of Egypt for as long as they live. The blood of the lamb was a sign to YHWH and saved them from death - they were set free from being slaves to Pharaoh. In modern times our acceptance of the shed blood of His Son is also a sign to YHWH, and sets us free from our old sin-nature, saving us from death eternal. 

These quotes from Scripture establish the fixed time of when to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which begins immediately after the the twilight meal of the roasted lamb: the passover offering. That is how it was done originally and for the purpose of being set free from Pharaoh. The blood of the lamb was the sign and anyone gathered together to eat in a household whose lintel and doorposts were painted with this blood were passed over by the Angel of Death. The Hebrew descendants of Jacob along with a mixed multitude who chose YHWH as their "God" left the next day. We, however, in today's world are no longer required to make a "passover offering" to YHWH because the death of His Son supplanted that rite. We should not imagine that we are to substitute any other behaviors on the evening of the 14th day of the first month.

In Numbers Chapter 9 we learn of an exception added by YHWH concerning those who might be unclean because of handling a dead body or might be traveling.  Under these two circumstances one was allowed to make a passover offering during the second month.
Numbers 9:9 ~ Yah said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites: When any one of you or your descendants is unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a journey, he may still observe the Passover. Such people are to observe it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. They must observe the Passover according to all its statutes. But the man who is ceremonially clean, is not on a journey, and still fails to observe the Passover, is to be cut off from his people, because he did not present Yah’s offering at its appointed time. That man will bear the consequences of his sin.  If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover offering to YHWH, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land.”
Again I point out that the passover offering is no longer required, so one being unclean or traveling during the 14th day of the first month would not need to observe 'passover' a month later.  Remember: Yah said this offering was brought to and slaughtered in the place He will choose to establish His Name - You cannot slaughter the sacrifice wherever you choose but only at the place YHWH chooses to establish His Name.  The last place He chose to establish His Name was Jerusalem in general and at the temple specifically where the priest would handle offerings etc.... and as we know none of that exists today but it is still the last place we know of where our Creator established His Name.

For us to observe this Set Apart time of Yah's in today's world, we simply remember that with a mighty hand YHWH frees us from bondage to sin, that hand being His Son who shed his blood for our sake. The following seven days we can choose not to eat anything that has been leavened; symbolically recognizing the true bread from heaven, Y'shua the Anointed One in which no leaven (sin) was found, The Lamb without blemish. We keep the first day and the seventh day as sacred occasions, which means the 14th day is a regular day of rest followed by the 15th day which is the first day of unleavened bread, and then the 21st day which is a double: regular seven day count for the day of rest and the last day of Unleavened Bread.  We do this to remember what our Creator did to set His people free back in the day and what He did to set us free in the renewed covenant.  If we accept the shed blood of Yahshua as a covering for our old sin nature which releases us from bondage to sin, we will be protected from eternal death. We will be gathered together and saved from the final 7 plagues to be poured out upon the earth.  As it was in the beginning, so shall it be at the end:
He will go through the (whole earth) .... and He will mete out punishments to all the 'gods' of (the world) because He alone is Eloah. The blood (of His Son) shall be a sign for you: when Yah sees it (on our hearts) He will pass over you so that no plague will destroy you (after Y'shua returns at the sounding of the 7th trumpet).
 Hebrews 10 (lightly paraphrased- Dusty) 
We choose to accept Y'shua as our High Priest who offered a one time sacrifice for sins, who sits forever at the right hand of the Father where he waits until his foes are placed as a footstool under his feet. For, by one offering (himself), he has perfected forever them who are sanctified (set apart) by him. And the Set Apart Spirit also testifies to us by saying: This is the covenant which I will give them after those days, says Master YHWH: I will put my Instructions into their minds and inscribe it on their hearts and their iniquity and their sins I will not remember against them. Now, where there is a forgiveness of sins there is no offering for sin demanded. We have therefore my Brothers assurance of entering into the sanctuary by the blood of Yahshua and by a path of life.

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. 

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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.