THE URIM AND THE THUMMIM, lost and returned!

John 14:26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

One of the mysteries of ancient Israel is the ‘Urim and Thummim’: ‘Lights’ and ‘Perfections’ (Exodus 28:29-30). According to tradition, these referred to the twelve stones set in the High-Priest’s breastplate and were often used to consult God’s will. Only the High-Priest would wear them and only a king or prominent leader could inquire of them. The High-Priest and the inquirer would stand in the ‘Holy’, the first chamber of the tabernacle, and the answer would be given by the light of the Menorah shining on certain letters from the names of the tribes written on the stones of the breastplate.

Until they were lost with the destruction of the first Temple, Israel often consulted with Hashem by the means of the Urim and Thummim. One of the most popular examples is how Saul turned to the witch of Andor when a priest deprived him from the linen ephod carrying the Urim and Thumim by bringing them to David, who through their consultation was always able to stay one step ahead of Saul. (1 Samuel 23:6; 28:6).

Hashem wants us to consult Him (Proverbs 3:5-7). Why did He allow the Urim and Thummim to disappear? Only He knows, but during the time of the Babylonian exile Israel filled the void by developing systems of studies that kept them close to the Word and thereby to Hashem. After the exile, Ezra established these systems in rural center synagogues in a yearly Torah reading program.

When the people returned from the Babylonian captivity, Ezra also worked at re-establishing the Temple priesthood. When some families could not prove their Levitical descent, they were refused the offices of the priesthood (Ezra 2:61-62). Their name was not enough. They needed to be found written in the registry. Disobedience had had a disastrous effect on the country so Ezra was therefore determined to stick to the Torah commands about Levitical priesthood; circumstantial evidence was not accepted. Ezra then told potential priests, not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim (Ezra 2:63), a prophetic statement which lends itself to the idea that one day, a High-Priest will return with the Urim and Thummim.

Only that High-Priest-Priest, He who is Light and Perfection truly knows whose name is written in the ‘registry’ (Hebrews 5:5; Revelations 20:15). He promised through Moses and confirmed through Peter that we are a nation of priests (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9). As Yeshua HaMashiach returns with the Urim and Thummim, He will confirm whose name is written in the ‘Book’. We will then be able to partake of the ‘most holy food’, that of the ‘peace offering’ (Leviticus 7:31-32).

In the mean time may we, through the agency of the Holy Spirit learn to consult Him about all our affairs. May we learn to seek His advice and follow it no matter what it says.