The headline in today's post is a quote by the late Chuck Missler, an outspoken evangelical Christian, Bible teacher, and founder of Koinonia House, an online ministry on Bible prophecy. But this post is not about Chuck Missler. His quote simply serves to provide the best support to a premise I have regarding the divine counsel of God. It is true that the way the ancient Israelites sought God's counsel [in the Old Testament] was definitely different than the way the New Testament instructs us. BUT, I hope to show you that when you connect the dots between the two, it reveals the essence of Jesus.
This post has its origin in a conversation between my husband and a good friend regarding the Urim and Thummin, gemstones carried by Aaron, the High Priest of Israel within the ephod, or priestly garment. According to Exodus 28, a breastplate of judgment was constructed for the front of this priestly garment; four rows of stones, three stones per row, with each stone to represent one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Urim and Thummim were to be hidden in this breastplate of judgment over Aaron's heart, symbolically connecting divine revelation with the covenant people, and ensuring that the high priest's intercession and judgments carried the weight of God's instruction and the presence of all twelve tribes.
But what exactly did the Urim and Thummim represent and what was their purpose? To the High Priests of Israel, Urim was the Light of God, and Thummim was the Perfection of God. Together they evoked the Divine Counsel of God to His human servants. When Aaron consulted God about a matter before the people, God would make Himself known to Aaron. So how did this means of Divine Counsel work? I defer to Bruce Waltke, an American Reformed evangelical professor of the Old Testament and Hebrew. In his book entitled, "Finding the Will of God", Professor Waltke writes, "The priest could use the Urim and Thummim to determine God's will in a particular situation. We are not exactly sure what the Urim and Thummim were, but the priest carried in his breastplate perhaps two sticks or stones, one white and the other black, which would give a yes or no answer to a specific question. Should Israel be preparing for battle, they would somehow shake or toss the sticks. If they turned up black, the Israelites would not go to battle, and if they turned up white, they would proceed into battle with the knowledge that they were in the will of God. That is one form of divination that God allowed in the Old Testament.
Much has been made of the Urim and Thummim by modern mystics who want to find in them the key to the divine mind. [NOTE: This thinking aligns with the adherents of the Kaballah, described as Jewish mysticism, (and not corroborated by the Bible). The Kaballah teachings focus on understanding the nature of God and the inner meaning of the Torah]. All sorts of fanciful explanations have been put forward, including that the items may have glowed, that they had secret words engraved on them, or that they were ancient artifacts with magical powers. Moses never used them; they were given for the High Priest in aiding those who could not find God's guidance any other way...
The Old Testament seems to indicate that the Urim and Thummim faded from use during the early days of Israel's monarchy, and are only referred to once after the Babylonian exile. That may be because God then inaugurated the office of Prophet. The prophets now participated in God's heavenly court and communicated God's message to the earthly courts in Jerusalem and Samaria. Apparently, the prophets who revealed God's word to the king replaced the Urim and Thummim, through which He revealed His mind to the priest. The last time the Urim and Thummim were used was to determine the true ancestry of priests who returned from the exile (Ezra 2:63). After this the Bible never mentions the Urim and Thummim again."
Before I move on to the connection to the New Testament and Christ, I want to make it clear that the Urim and Thummin should not be compared to pagan divination practices. Scripture consistently warns against pagan omens and witchcraft (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). In contrast, the Urim and Thummim were firmly rooted in covenant worship, given by God Himself to His appointed priest as a valid and holy means of communication.
So, while the Urim and Thummim itself is not mentioned in the New Testament, the concept of divine guidance it represents is realized in a perfect and permanent way in Christ. Hebrews 1:1-2 alludes to God speaking "in the past to our forefathers through the prophets", but now speaks decisively through His Son. In other words, the high priestly office, with its breastplate and holy objects, finds eternal fulfillment in Jesus, our eternal High Priest, who provides definitive clarity regarding life and salvation.
I find it interesting that there's been no archaeological find of an original breastplate containing the Urim and Thummim. The detailed Scriptural description, including the arrangement of the twelve stones, and the uniqueness of the Hebrew priestly system all mark the Urim and Thummim as distinct from the superstitious divination of the surrounding cultures. They were specifically ordained by God to provide discernment and revelation to ancient Israel's leaders. Then God ordained the prophets to carry out His direction in trust and obedience. But we must not dismiss the profound practical and theological implications of these ancient gemstones on the High Priests ephod.
The Urim and Thummim are unmistakable symbols of Reliance on God; that Divine Truth must be regarded in holiness and reverance; and they are part of God's continuity of Revelation. The Urim and Thummin join the prophets, the Holy Spirit and Jesus, Himself, as holy instruments of His guidance. Ultimately, as "the Light of God", and the "Perfection of God", they point us to the person and work of Christ -- once hidden in the Old Testament [in the form of the Urim and Thummim) and revealed in the New Testament through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Just as Chuck Missler said, "The Old Testament is the New Testament Hidden; and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed". What a Sovereign God we serve!
Much appreciation for Bible.org and Bible Hub as reference sites for this post.
Jeremiah 10:23 I know, O Lord, that the path of [life of] man is not in himself; It is not within [the limited ability of] man [even one at his best] to choose and direct his steps.