Gideon

Chapter 65

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EVIDENCES OF THE URIM AND THE THUMMIM MANIFESTED AS

THE NINE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

06-09-13

(Dan 5:10-12)  Now the queen [mother] by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble [Heb: terrify] thee, nor let thy countenance [Heb: cheerfulness: brightness] be changed: (Dan 5:11)  There is a man [Daniel] in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light [represents “the Urim” (Heb: lights] and understanding and wisdom [which together represent “the Thummim” (Heb: perfections], like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; (Dan 5:12)  Forasmuch as an excellent spirit [an early allusion to the Holy Spirit], and knowledge [knowledge A], and understanding [wisdom A], interpreting of dreams [tongues B], and showing of hard sentences [prophecy B, or, discerning the spirits A ], and dissolving of doubts [faith C], [the latter being five gifts of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:7-11) that] were found in the same [saved] Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.

1.      Commentary: “light and understanding and wisdom… was found in him” = is a wholestic reference both to Daniel, who was imputed for righteousness by God and thus enabled (qualified) to bear these gifts, and a reference to the nine gifts of the Spirit found in the New Testament. The “light” symbolizes the “Urim” (Heb: lights) (Exo 28:30 that are carried “in the breastplate of judgment” worn by the High Priest; the phrase combining “understanding and wisdom” together symbolizes the “Thummim” (Heb: perfections) (Exo 28:30) which were also carried “in the breastplate of judgment” (Exo 28:30).

2.      (Exo 28:30)  And thou shalt put in [the pocket of] the breastplate of judgment the Urim [Heb: lights] and the Thummim [Heb: perfections]; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: And Aaron shall bear the judgment [God’s counsel] of [to and upon] the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

 

THE INSCRUTABILITY OF THE URIM AND THE THUMMIM WHICH ARE PRECURSORS

(TYPES AND SHADOWS) OF THE NINE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Commentary: In Hebrew, Urim has the meaning of "Lights" and Thummim has the meaning of "Perfections." Both the Urim and the Thummim are always mentioned in the plural and capitalized [a hint]. What are they? No-one really knows. What we do know is that they were placed in the inside pocket of “the breastplate of judgment… upon" the heart of Aaron the High Priest who represented the children of Israel (Exo 28:30). In the Old Testament the tabernacle and its furniture were outside the congregation; that is, external physically to them, and the congregation entered into the physically manifested but temporal, external to them, tabernacle compound of God. The Urim and the Thummim are consistent to that Old Testament external relationship. They were physical and external to the congregation but, significantly, located as close as possible to the Old Testament priest’s heart inside the breastplate of judgment. In the New Testament the tabernacle and its furniture are spiritual and internal to each person "for the kingdom of God is within you." (Luke 17:21). We would therefore expect the Urim and the Thummim to be consistent with this New Testament internal relationship. Patterns.

 

Commentary: The Urim and the Thummim were consulted for judgments. Most scholars believe them to have been cast as lots in response to a question. This conclusion seems to be borne out in scripture by implied applications of the Urim and the Thummim (Josh 7:14-18; Jud 20:27,28; I Sam 14:37-45; II Sam 5:23; 21:1; etc.). However, no where does the Bible specifically state that the Urim and the Thummim were cast as lots. Moses placed the Urim and the Thummim inside the breastplate of judgment worn by the High Priest but where did he get them from? They were not made by the hands of men as was the tabernacle or the pattern would have been given by God. No physical description or point of origin is ever given. They were just there, rather like Jabez (1 Chr 4:9,10), with no beginning or ending, but they were indeed a gift from God to all mankind. They were undefinable and unmeasurable. What does this suggest to you? The "Lights" and "Perfections" have characteristics in common with the brasen laver and the golden candlestick. All the latter are undefinable and unmeasurable and perform the same function, i.e. they give perfect light [i.e., understanding].

 

Commentary: The nine gifts of the Spirit seem to fall into three divisions of three, corresponding respectively to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The gifts of revelation which are the three mind gifts (Father God = gold). The gifts of inspiration which are the three vocal gifts (Jesus Christ = frankincense). The gifts of power which are the three working gifts (the Holy Spirit = myrrh).

1.      (1 Cor 12:7-11)  But the manifestation [Gk: exhibition] of the Spirit [of God, the Holy Spirit] is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit (1) the word of wisdom; to another (2) the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another (3) faith by the same Spirit; to another (4) the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another (5) the working of miracles; to another (6) prophecy; to another (7) discerning of spirits; to another (8) divers kinds of tongues; to another (9) the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally [Dan 5:12] as he will.

 

THE THREE GIFTS OF REVELATION - A

The (1) "word of wisdom" is one of the gifts of revelation which are the mind gifts. This is supernatural revelation or insight into divine wisdom which is His will and/or purpose. Another mind gift of supernatural revelation is the  (2) "word of knowledge" which is insight into divine knowledge and thereby also the plans of others. The third mind gift of supernatural revelation is the (3) "discerning of spirits." This gift is insight into the realm of the spirits that we may recognize the spirits and spiritual things both good and evil.

 

Some characteristics that these three mind gifts have in common is that they are initially manifested internally in our mind and are received from the mind of God. These gifts are received inside the tabernacle in the Holy Place and correlate with the internal receptor senses of sight, hearing and smell. The message of these gifts is initially received internally directly from God. The path is Spirit to spirit. Inside to inside. God's Holy Spirit to our spirit. Both the giver and the receiver of the mind gifts dwell in the same body and are in one accord. God to inner man. Most Holy Place to Holy Place. This is a pure manifestation. This is the gold the wise men presented to the child Jesus. These three gifts are the Urim inside the body of Christ. These are the "Lights" of the mind in the body of Christ.

THE THREE GIFTS OF INSPIRATION - B

These are vocal gifts having to do with hearing. The gift of (1) "prophecy" is supernatural vocalization in the native tongue. Prophecy is either an inspired interpretation or a foretelling of God's Word to the edification and/or exhortation and/or comfort of men. The gift of (2) "divers kinds of tongues" is supernaturally inspired vocalization in a language which is not known to the speaker. The gift of the (3) "interpretation of tongues" is the supernaturally inspired interpretation into the native tongue of that which is heard vocalized in an unknown tongue.

 

A gift is something that is received. The true gift is not the vocalization but the hearing. The vocalization initself provides no edification, exhortation or comfort unless received. The hearing, as in understanding (Rom 10:17), of the vocalization produces edification, exhortation and/or comfort and is therefore the gift. The speaker is the agent. The vocalization produces sounds. The hearing produces understanding. An unaccepted gift remains merely an unopened package until it is received. We have to open our mail to receive the contents.

 

These three vocal gifts have mutual characteristics. They are initially manifested without conscious thought, pre-meditation or understanding. They are unknowingly spoken that they may be first heard and then understood. The speaker himself has to hear the words he vocalizes before he can receive the understanding. The speaker is the mailman. The words are spoken with an ignorant tongue and heard with a knowing ear. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Mark 4:9).

 

The words enter the hearer from the outside. The message of these three gifts is vocalized and disseminated from the door of the tabernacle into the open court of the tabernacle. The message of these gifts is initially received externally from mailmen as agents of God. It is the Word of God relayed by men. This path is Spirit thru spirit to soul, transformed by the hearing of Spirit to soul. The Spirit, spirit, and soul all dwell in the same body and are in one accord. God to inner man to outer man, transformed by the hearing of the Word of God. This gift is the frankincense given by the wise men to the child Jesus. This is the frankincense of vocalized confession heard at the brasen altar and the frankincense of vocalized prayer, praise and worship heard at the golden altar. These three gifts are among the Thummim inside the body of Christ. These three are among the "Perfections" because they are for the perfection of the body of Christ (Ehp 4:12).

 

THE THREE GIFTS OF POWER - C

The gifts of power are working gifts. The (1) "gifts of healing" is supernatural power to heal all manner of sickness without human aid. The (2) "working of miracles" is supernatural power to affect the course of nature. The gift of (3) "faith" is the supernatural power to believe God. The gifts of healing and miracles and faith are three interrelated power gifts. Faith is a miracle and a healing. A healing is faith and a miracle. A miracle is faith and a healing. These power gifts visibly demonstrate the power of God at work in a person or an object of nature. These are "touch" gifts. The person or object is visibly touched by the anointing of God. The path is Spirit thru spirit thru soul to natural body, transformed by the touching of Spirit to body. The Spirit, spirit and soul are in one accord. The body obeys the orders of the soul.

 

This is the myrrh presented by the wise men to the child Jesus. This is the anointing oil touching the tabernacle furniture and boards and priests and Levites as they minister to a natural body. This occurs in the court of the congregation. It is a visible demonstration of the anointing power of God. These three gifts are among the Thummim inside the body of Christ. These three are among the "Perfections" because they are for the perfection of the body of Christ (Eph 4:12).

 

SUMMATION

The Urim are the internal mind gifts, Spirit to spirit. These are pure. The mind gifts are God the Father, the gold. The Thummim are the externalized vocal and touch gifts, Spirit to spirit to soul. These interact with the soul. The vocal gifts are God the Son, the frankincense. The touch gifts are God the Holy Spirit, the myrrh. Men are symbolized by trees in the Bible. Both the frankincense and the myrrh are bled from trees herein representing the body of Jesus Christ (frankincense) and the Holy Spirit (myrrh). It is good to meditate upon such things.

 

The mind gifts having to do with thought are bestowed inside the tabernacle from the Most Holy Place to the Holy Place. The vocal gifts are bestowed from the door threshold of the Holy Place toward the court of the congregation rather like calling out or trumpeting a message across the river Jordan. Some are too far away to hear. The touch gifts are bestowed outside the tabernacle in the court of the congregation. We are first touched by God in the court of the congregation and then we hear from God as we approach the tabernacle and then we receive from God as we enter inside the tabernacle. The gifts of God merge and overlap without beginning or ending.

 

Although all the latter explanations may seem definitive, they are incorrect. The Holy Spirit remains undefinable and unmeasurable. These explanations are given merely as a guide for general thought and understanding that we may come closer to Him but admittedly still do not fully know Him.

 

In the Old Testament He is the Urim and the Thummim, the Lights and the Perfections. In the New Testament He is Father God, Jesus Christ and the Holy spirit. He is the gold, and the frankincense and the myrrh. He is the nine gifts of the Spirit. He is our Lord God Almighty.

 

 

Amen