“And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron’s heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.” (Exodus 28:30)

The Book of Hebrews is a beautifully written letter comparing the New Testament order with the Old Testament order – and proving the superiority of the New Testament order.

The writer mentions:

“For the law having a shadow (or reflection) of good things to come, and not the very image of the things…” (Hebrews 10:1)

The writer, who some believe to be Paul, was detailing the ordinances of divine service and a worldly sanctuary as mere types and shadows. He states:

“And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.” (Hebrews 9:5)

This verse shows us that there were certain things the Lord had yet to give full revelation on concerning the Old Testament order.

Another one of these services, which was not spoken on, considering we have no New Testament reference, is the service within our text. That is, the Urim and the Thummim; which were placed within the breast plate of judgment. In the Old Testament we have only six other references which give us instruction of what the Urim and Thummim are (Leviticus 8:8; Deuteronomy 33:8; Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel 28:6; Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65).

In studying to show ourselves approved unto God, let’s see if we can see any types and shadows in the service of the Urim and Thummim.

First, we see from our text verse that the Urim and the Thummim were placed in “the breastplate of judgment”; and they would rest upon Aaron’s heart. The Lord goes on to say that Aaron would bear the judgment of the Children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually. What I would like point out from this text is The Place of the Urim and the Thummim; which was upon the heart of Aaron, the High Priest. As Born-Again believers, who have been regenerated, the Love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost (Romans 5:5).

Several Biblical study books indicate that the Urim can be defined as light and knowledge (or counsel), whereas the Thummim is perfection; thus placing upon the heart of every believer ‘the Light of Perfection.’

The Holy Spirit is the Person of the Godhead which lights the path of every believer, leading and guiding him into all Truth (John 16:13).

This is an awesome reality; that believers in Christ will be guided into “all truth.” They will enjoy, experience, and express to the measure of grace that they have been given; for unto every believer “…is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:7).

Secondly, from the text verse and other references, I would like to observe The Purpose of the Urim and the Thummim. Our text reads, “…Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.” It was unto Aaron’s heart that God gave judgment, counsel, and direction on behalf of the Children of Israel. If we look at our references on the Urim and the Thummim, we will see that Eleazar the priest asked counsel after the judgment of Urim before the Lord, on behalf of Joshua (Numbers 27:21). This shows us further that the Urim specifically was a way of communication between God and His priest, on behalf of His People.

We can also see in 1 Samuel 28:6, that the rejected King of Israel, Saul, enquires of the Lord for direction concerning a Philistine battle. The Scriptures go on to indicate that God refused to answer Saul by dreams, by the Urim, or by the prophets; giving us further confirmation that the Urim was a way of communication with God.

In the New Testament order, we see in several passages (Acts 8:29; 10:19; 13:2) that the Holy Spirit is God’s way of communicating to His Bride, the Church, the “new man”; so making peace. We who are in Christ no longer have to go to a priest with an ephod, Urim, and Thummim to get a word from God; but we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16). We have a Urim and a Thummim on our hearts. Thank the Lord for His unspeakable gift.

Finally, from the Book of Deuteronomy, I would like to bring your attention to The People of the Urim and the Thummim:

“And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;” (Deuteronomy 33:8)

What a special people the Levites were. They received no land as an inheritance; for the Scripture says the Lord is their inheritance (Deuteronomy 18:2). This particular Tribe of Israel inherited the Service of God. No one else could fulfill these Holy Ordinances. They are a picture, or a shadow, in the Law of God of what we have become by the Grace of God.

Peter says of the holy ones – that is, the Body of Christ, through Oneness with Him, by being the Bride of Christ – that we are “…a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people…” (1 Peter 2:9). We are leaders by the New Birth; we have been given counsel, direction, and judgment on behalf of the Kingdom of God.

We shouldn’t take this holy position lightly; and we should have great anticipation in fulfilling our roles in the New Testament order. In doing so, God will bless us abundantly. You have the ‘Light of Perfection’ living inside of you; that which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified (Acts 20:32).