Exodus 28:30 And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron's heart… As to the Urim and the Thummim, whether they were precious stones bearing those significant names, or what they were, no one is able at present to decide. Urim means "Lights"; Thummim, "Perfections." These mysterious contents of the breastplate seem to direct our thoughts to the heart of the Lord Jesus, as containing all lights and perfections, all grace and truth, all mercies and righteousness. In Him was light: and He manifested forth that light; He declared the Father. He is the light of the glory of God: all fulness of light dwells in Him. The Septuagint translation "Manifestation," is not an inappropriate expression, though rather a paraphrase than a translation. We are told in Ephesians 5:13, "Whatsoever doth make manifest is light." The high priest, with the Urim in his breastplate, became the channel by which God made manifest His counsels. The Lord Jesus, as the great High Priest, makes known the counsels and purposes of God. He is light; and in Him is no darkness at all; so that the mind and will of God can be perfectly revealed to Him, and can by Him be communicated to His saints. He is the brightness or shining forth of God's glory, the irradiation of God. The Thummim also, or all perfections of truth and holiness, dwell in Him. Light and truth, love and holiness, grace and righteousness are inseparable. Sometimes we find the Urim mentioned, without the Thummim (Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel 28:6). From these two passages it is clear that by means of the Urim, or lights, in the breastplate of the high priest, the counsel, judgment, and prophetic guidance of Jehovah were revealed. In three other passages (Deuteronomy 33:8; Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65), the Urim and Thummim are mentioned together. "Urim" is also translated "fire" and fires (Isaiah 24:15; Isaiah 31:9; Isaiah 44:16; Isaiah 47:14; Isaiah 50:11; Ezekiel 5:2). In the vision of the Son of Man (Revelation 1:12-16), the eyes of the High Priest, in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, were as a flame of fire. The lights and perfections of God searched into the ways of the seven Churches; and the Priest of the Most High could say, as He addressed each separately, "I know thy works," and could give a word of encouragement or of rebuke, according as it was needed. (H. W. Soltau.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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