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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/john-stubbs/garments-of-the-high-priest-breastplate-urim-and-thummim/
Now, thank you very much for coming to the meeting tonight. Believe it or not, this is the third meeting so far in ministry on the High Priest garments. And I'm sure the week will pass quickly enough.
But it is my prayer that we'll treasure these moments together, gather together in fellowship around the good word of God, especially as we consider this delightful, fascinating, absorbing subject. And it's all that because it concerns our Lord Jesus.
We are considering for those here for the first time the garments for glory and beauty, that Aaron wore as Israel's first High Priest. And we have seen that they are typical of the many excellencies and glories of our Lord Jesus.
These garments, resplendent and beautiful, and mystic and symbolical, ceremonial, holy garments, really foreshadow the greater glories, one greater than Aaron, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, with that in mind, would you please turn this evening to Exodus 28 again.
We will read a little longer reading tonight, but the word of God is important to read. And we will read from verse 15 of Exodus 28, please. Verse number 15. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work.
After the work of the ephod thou shalt make it of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twine linen shalt thou make it. Four square it shall be, being doubled. A span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
And thou shalt set it in settings of stones, even four rows of stones. The first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle. This shall be the first row. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
And the third row a ligur, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold in their enclosings. And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet.
Every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathing work of pure gold. And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
And thou shalt put the two wreathing chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate. And the other two ends of the two wreathing chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod before it.
And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward. And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the fore part thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod, with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually. 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. Now may the Lord himself bless his good word, and we absolutely, as we have said before in these meetings, cast upon God for his help each time we minister the word of God.
These are, as you can see by the chart, beautiful garments. The very best of garments, the wise-hearted and skillful men and women that prepared these garments and made these garments, the very best, the most costly, because they are really a picture or a type of the great glories of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So the garments had to be the very best and the most costly. So far in thinking of the high priest's garments, the first thing he would put on each day as he commenced his ministry was the inside coat, white, pure linen coat, worn next to the skin, very close to the body, underneath all the other garments.
And in this we saw the sinlessness of our Lord's priesthood. Then underneath the rubber blue there is a girdle to be distinguished from this curious girdle, it is called, of the evil. This unseen girdle, as we saw too, speaks of the service, the activity of our Lord Jesus Christ, his ongoing work in heaven representing us as our great high priest.
So the pure linen coat suggests the sinlessness of his priesthood, the unseen girdle the service of his priesthood. Then in the blue robe that we considered last night, beautiful indeed it is, isn't it?
The blue robe brings before us a picture of the sphere of his high priestly ministry. We don't have a high priest on earth. Blue, we said last night, is the predominant colour of the tabernacle, very conspicuous.
Blue is the colour of the sky, and so immediately it suggests to us the heavenly ministry of our Lord Jesus. His sphere, as our great high priest, is not on earth, or in any earthly temple, or so-called holy place, it's in heaven itself.
What a wonderful thought that is. And then we suggested in this what looks like a glorified waistcoat, it's the ephod, it's the essential, pre-eminently essential, priestly garment, which he couldn't do without, he needed, he couldn't function as a high priest without this ephod.
This is the essential priestly aspect of the garments, this is the insignia of his office, the ephod. And last night we suggested the ephod brings before us the suitability of our Lord's priestly ministry.
In other words, the Lord Jesus is fitted, suitable, worthy to be our high priest. Why? Well again, as we said last night, because he's been a man here, he's trod the path before, he's made like unto us, but at the same time he has sinned a part, he has been here in this world, and that enables him to perfectly sympathise for us in heaven, and also to succour us and sustain us down here in the wilderness of this world.
Good to know we have in heaven a real high priest, a great high priest, who loves us, who cares for us. So what is it that makes the Lord fit to be representing us as our high priest in heaven? It is his manhood.
He has taken manhood to the throne. Thus, part of the ministry, most important, touching the garments, bringing before us a different aspect of the ministry of our Lord Jesus as a great high priest. The sinlessness of his priesthood, the girl underneath the robe of blue, the service of his priesthood, the sphere of his priesthood in the robe of blue, the suitability of his priesthood in the ephod.
Now we come to a very fascinating subject indeed. The next item of the dress of Aaron we want to consider is of course this four square breastplate with twelve precious gems or stones on it. Upon each stone is written a particular tribe, one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
He bore this breastplate continually. That breastplate went in with him into the holy place. He bore the breastplate before the eye of Jehovah. It is also, significantly enough, described as, called this breastplate, the breastplate of judgment.
Why? Because in some mysterious way, in connection with the urim and the thummim, which we will look at a little later, Aaron gave answers to the problems and difficulties of the high priest. They could come to him, whatever the problem was, if it couldn't be settled otherwise, they would come to him.
And Aaron would consult the urim and thummim in the presence of God and receive the mind of God and the will of God in revelations in some mysterious way from God to give decisions and to settle whatever the problem may have been.
That's why it is called the breastplate of judgment or of discernment. So Aaron had a great role to fill, not only in his daily priestly ministrations and at the altar and in the holy place, but also in answering difficulties or solving problems that the people came to him for help.
So it's called the breastplate of judgment. It's four squared. As a matter of fact, it's like a span in measurement, which is a man's hand. Inside there's a little pouch or pocket into which I take the urim and thummim in place.
I've noticed in the Bible there are four, four square things. Very interesting. The four square altar of incense in the holy place of the tabernacle. Perfect intercession. That altar of incense is a type of the intercessory work, the prayers of our Lord Jesus as our great high priest in heaven on our behalf.
So in the altar of incense we find it's a four square altar of incense. Bringing before us the thought of perfect intercession. Then we have the four square burnt offering altar. That tells us of perfect propitiation.
In the four square altar, which stood in the tabernacle between the door and entrance and the laver and the tabernacle itself, we have a wonderful foreshadowing and type of the death of our Lord Jesus.
And the fact that it was four square, interesting, tells us of the perfect propitiation of our Lord Jesus. So the altar of incense, perfect intercession, four square. Then the burnt offering altar, four square, perfect propitiation.
And then of course in the breastplate, four square, perfect, as we shall see, perfect representation. Then we've got to go into the New Testament to another four square thing, a wonderful thing. The book of Revelation, a four square city, perfect habitation.
Now there's four things, four, four square things in the Word of God, three in the Old, one in the New, something for you to feed on and look into. And if you look hard enough with dependence upon God, He will give you light and you will enjoy it, I'm sure, very, very much.
So the breastplate that Aaron wore, four square with twelve stones on it, upon each name of a tribe of, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Now the fact of the breastplate is this, behind it is the heart of Aaron.
This breastplate is on the heart of Aaron. Now notice, it could not fall below the heart because it was held up by golden chains. It could not rise above the heart because it was held in place by the blue lace.
When we think of the breastplate on the heart of Aaron, what do we think of in type? Why we think of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, it would be true to say, that Aaron didn't always serve the people in love.
Another very simple thought, you may think it's simple, but I really enjoyed it, was this. It would be quite impossible for Aaron, great man though he was, great office though he had to carry with him, it would be quite impossible for him to love every individual Israelite.
A physical impossibility. He may have known many of them, got to know many of them, but don't forget you've got over two million souls that he represented. What a tremendous responsibility Aaron had. Over two million souls.
No, no. In reality, physically, he just couldn't really express his love, or love through personal knowledge, any individual, every individual in the nation, even little children as well. How different it is with our Lord Jesus Christ.
I enjoyed thinking of that great verse again in Galatians chapter 2. The Son of God loved us. No, no, no. That's true. But it's better than that. The Son of God who loved me. Got it? How different to Aaron.
Aaron, our Lord Jesus Christ, loves us intimately, loves us personally, cares for us personally. His interests are his concern as he functions as our great high priest in the heavenlies. He sustains our worship.
He takes us into the presence of God. To all our prayers and praises, he adds his sweet perfume. Thank God for the intercessory ministry of the Lord Jesus. No, no. Aaron couldn't love every individual.
Impossible. But our Lord Jesus can. The Son of God loved me and gave himself to me. May we be in the good of that tonight. Great simple yet profound thought. It'll humble us. It'll keep our souls in the right condition just to remember that personal love that the Lord Jesus has for us.
What kind of love is it? The golden chains? A divine love. Is that not true? Not only that, but it rings an eternal love. He loved us before we were born, before we were thought about. We were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
God set his love upon us. The Lord Jesus set his love upon us. So this love of Christ, let's ponder this very simply and sweetly. Golden chains. His love is an everlasting, eternal love. Never waver. We'll enjoy it forever in realms of bliss and glory.
And then, it's an eternal love and a divine love. Eternal in the rings, divine in the chains. And then, I think of the blue lace holding up, helping to secure the breastplate to the ephod. That it be not separate from the ephod.
We think of the heavenly love of our Lord Jesus. His love brought him down from heaven. He was the highest of the high and the only move he could make was a downward move. We sometimes think, oh the wonder of his love.
See him coming from above to atone and die for thee. Praise him, praise him cheerfully. So there's much to ponder on the breastplate, on the heart of Aaron. We think of the love of our Lord Jesus. I think we have the truth of the breastplate, don't you, in John 13 in verse 1.
Which comes in just before the Lord washes the disciples' feet. That's a picture of the priestly ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, as he would refresh us on the pilgrim journey. Before that lovely scene, he's brought before us by John, he tells us this.
Jesus having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. I used to quote it for a long time like this. Don't mind telling you. Jesus having loved his own, loved them unto the end.
Well that's true as far as it goes, but the verse doesn't say that. It says this. Jesus having loved the world, having loved, having loved. Jesus having loved us. While in the world, he loved them unto the end.
I can understand the Lord Jesus loving me in the glory when I have a body like unto his. When I'll be conformed to his image. I can understand the Lord loving me then when I'm rid of this old nature, the flesh principle within me.
I can understand that. But I can't understand why the Lord should love me while in the world with all my failures. Jesus having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. That's the truth of the breastplate, beloved.
We read much of the love of our Lord Jesus in John's Gospel. The breadth of it. Now Jesus loved Martha and Mary and Leses, John 11. The depth of it. Greater love hath no man than this, that no man should lay down his life for his friend.
The length of it, I've just quoted in John 13. He loved them unto the end. What about the height of it? Love to the Father. The same love of the Father, where the Father loved the Son, he loves us, John 17.
It's a love of the Lord that will not rest, contend until he has us in the glory with him. So in John's Gospel we read of the breadth of his love. And the depth of his love. And we read too of the height that his love will take us to as well as the length of it.
What a precious thought is the love of Christ. Three times this is mentioned in the New Testament. The love of Christ. What an interesting item of earth, clothing and garments the breastplate is. These garments were, I'm sure, important to him.
He would feel a sense of dignity and responsibility. He would be aware of the importance of his office, especially when he wore those high priestly garments. These garments would be important to the people as they saw him.
And if they didn't see him first they would hear him come because every step he took the bells would sound. They would know it's the high priest. His role was important for them. These garments would be significant for them.
They would be impressed by them. The ceremonial garments of holiness. Holiness unto the Lord. Garments for glory and beauty. But these garments too would be important to God. Especially as he looked upon the breastplate with the twelve names of the tribes, not so much inscribed or written upon them but engraved in a skillful way so that they couldn't rub off or be removed in any way.
Every time then that Aaron moved into God's presence in the first part of the tabernacle proper, not the holiest, but the holy place, God would look upon the breastplate and see all the tribes of Israel.
There's no way that God could forget the twelve tribes. It would be a memorial as it were unto him. Let me think tonight and try and be of help to you on this lovely subject of Aaron's garments of glory and beauty.
Think of the stones for a few moments. The stones. The rarity of these stones. The radiance of these stones. Especially when the sun shone upon them. They would glisten with such a wonderful sheen. The rarity of the stones.
The radiance of the stones. The representation of the stones. Those stones on the breastplate of the High Priest Aaron represented all the nations. And then the resting place of those stones. They would be put, says God, into golden enclosures fitted and fastened in such a way that it would render it impossible for those stones to get loose, fall out, drop off.
There would have been a disaster. No. There's a security about those stones and we'll come to that in a few moments. Four things very simply and briefly and I trust healthily about these stones and the breastplate.
The rarity of the stones. Do you know what I think? I think on Aaron's breastplate you have the greatest and costliest assemblage of precious costly gems ever known. That's quite a statement. Very rare.
Very beautiful. Excellent. Precious gems indeed they were. And of course, jewels do speak of believers in the Bible. You and me. Go to the end, for example, of Malachi. The last book of the Bible. In the day when I will, says God, make up my jewels.
Jewels are everywhere in the world so are believers. Jewels are very precious to us and to many. Many jewels fetch great large sums. We are precious to God and so we could go on just thinking of the analogy of gems and believers in the day when I shall make up my jewels.
The rarity of these stones. The costliness. May I remind our hearts that before ever we could be in the heart of Aaron or represented in heaven by our Lord Jesus Christ he had to die. He had to pay a great price.
He had to lay down his life. He had to be forsaken of God in those three hours of darkness. What a cry that was. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? It pierced the model universe on high. Upon eternal shores its echoes break.
That lone, that loud lamentable cry. My God, my God, why didst thou me forsake? Let us remember every one of us are those for whom Christ has died. And if we are precious to the Lord we ought to be precious to one another.
Never ride roughshod over a believer, another believer. Never treat them cruelly. Don't be ungracious and inconsiderate and unkind to fellow believers. Avoid that at all costs. And remember to view each believer in the light of the cross and the saviour's love and what he gave himself.
And the price that he had to pay in order that we might be jewels and precious to him. We are precious to the Lord. We ought to be precious to one another. The rarity of, the rarity of these stones. What a minute.
Where did these stones come from? Are you thinking? Well, where did they come from? Where a lot of the other stuff came from that Israel had. The gold and the silver and all these beautiful colours. The nation brought out many things with them from Egypt.
It was kind of really to be viewed as payment for their long years of bondage and affliction in Egypt. These stones came from Egypt. Egypt speaks of the world. And isn't it lovely to go to John 17? I enjoyed this thought and I trust you will.
The Lord Jesus in his high priestly prayer, notice the connection, high priestly prayer we can call it, John 17, refers to those his own and every believer truly has taken out of the world. We're in the world but we're not of the world.
We're a heavenly people. Remember that. We belong to heaven. We're taken out of the world. And linked indissolubly and eternally and securely with our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't it lovely to think of these stones?
Why, beloved, what can I say? These stones that were once in Egypt have now been taken, polished and prepared skillfully and they're lifted up and elevated and put on the breastplate. That's a little parable of what the Lord has done for us.
He has taken us out of the world. Thank God. How it humbles us. How it speaks to us tonight. How indeed it challenges us to do greater things for the Lord and to be more devoted to Him and more loyal to Him.
More reverent in our behaviour. Keeping ever the Lord Jesus before us. He has taken us through salvation and redemption out of the world fast striving for God's judgment. And what has He done? He has elevated us.
The Ephesians, for example, were made to sit with Christ in heavenly places. What a wonderful thought. Aren't you glad you're saved tonight? But it's not only that God has delivered us from the pit and hell that we deserve.
He's done far more. Spiritually speaking, He has elevated us to such a high, exalted position. We're on His heart, my friend. He never forgets us. He serves in continual love at God's right hand as our High Priest.
He's very real. He cares for us. May each believer tonight here be in the good of the priestly ministry of the Lord Jesus. And try please to appreciate it. How much you owe to what the Lord is doing as our Great High Priest.
I'm convinced of this. Not until we get to glory in heaven will we fully appreciate how much in heaven, in His ministry, the Lord has done for us down here. The rarity of the stones. Precious cost of gems.
The radiance of the stones. The radiance of the stones. My, they were beautiful. They seemed to shine with the glory. And I'm sure when the sun fell upon those gems, why, they must have been beautiful.
Very beautiful to behold. My brother, my sister, the sun of righteousness has shined upon us. This is Paul in 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 10. There's coming a day when God's purpose for us will be fulfilled.
At the rapture of the church He'll take us to heaven. And there's a day following. When the Lord comes to the earth and begins His reign to be the King of kings and Lord of lords, in His second advent.
What does it say? 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 10. It says this. He will be glorified in the saints. He will be admired in everyone, in every believer. My, we don't shine very brightly for Him now. Some Christians suddenly are more of a damp than a lamp.
I hope you're not a damp. I hope you're a lamp. That you shine for something of the character of Christ. And that your very disposition speaks of this. You warm the heart of other believers. And not put a, dare I say, a wet blanket on you.
No, no. We'll shine one day. And we'll be admired by people in the millennium. Whether saved Gentiles or restored Israel that will go into the millennial kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. They will look with amazement on the church, everyone that forms the bride of Christ.
My, indeed, we'll shine then distinctly and clearly and beautifully. Christ's image will be stamped upon us. Oh, I'd love to enlarge on this. But let me just say a little word about the love of the Lord again.
The love of the Lord Jesus. I have suggested that I think and I hope to profit that we have what answers to the breastplate in John 13, verse 1. He loved them unto the end. But come with me just for a few moments to Romans 8.
Do you remember the great truth of Romans chapter 8? Hmm? Who should charge God's elect? It is God that justifies. Listen. Who shall condemn us? Christ has died. It is Christ that has died. Who is even raised from the dead?
Who is at the right hand of God? The last thing he says in that verse, Romans 8, verse 34, is this. Who maketh intercession for us? Beloved, is that not the intercessory work of our great high priest?
What does the next verse say? That's Romans 8, verse 34. It is Christ that died. Yet rather rose again. Who is even at the right hand of God? Who maketh intercession for us now? Verse 35 says. What does it say?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Ah, dear child of God. There was no way that this breastplate could be separated from the ephod. It was tied or securely fastened to it. Impossible! That it drop off and be loosed from the ephod.
Isn't that the breastplate? I am convinced that in Romans 8, verse 35 we have the truth of the breastplate. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Then you remember he mentions seven things, persecution, and famine, and nakedness, and so on.
None of them can separate us from the love of Christ. You talk about eternal security. The eternal security of the believer. There it is. Once in him, in him forever. Oh, it's not being saved today and lost tomorrow.
No! That's fundamental error. Our salvation is an everlasting eternal salvation. The Lord Jesus said, I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish. Be in the good of the truth of your eternal security, dear child of God.
It rests upon the finished work of the Saviour. His shed blood upon the cross of Calvary for us. But I submit to you that there you have the breastplate. Which speaks of the love of Christ. And the fact that Romans 8, verse 34 in that statement, or verse 35 comes in, after he is mentioned, who maketh the decession for us.
I think the connection is lovely. We've got to come to the New Testament to support typical truth and pictures in the Old Testament, even Aaron's garments. The rarity of these stones. The radiance of these stones.
Even the resting places of these stones. Just like the boards of the tabernacle could never fall down. Just like the bread on the table of showbread, the twelve loaves could never drop off that table.
So there was no way that the breastplate stones could fall out and fall off the breastplate. They were so secure in their golden enclosures. It's a divine work. A perfect, eternal work. Even our standing in Christ, it'll never change.
Our security is a settled matter. Bestest I've said in the finished work and shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. But there's something else I want to say. There's so much and I'm just looking to God for help.
I've got to be honest with you tonight. To know a little more about the twelve stones and their meaning and why certain tribes were on a certain stone would require a long, long, long, and research. I can only introduce it in a general way tonight and try to be helpful and bring what I see in the truth typically of the breastplate, speaking of the love of Christ, into the New Testament to see that the Lord Jesus is the answer.
There's something more I want to say to hearten you and encourage you and lift you up is this. The representation of the stones, industriously the cow was on there. A leading tribe like Judah, the first stone was on there.
Even the weakest tribe was represented on these twelve stones on the breastplate. What is the difference? What is the difference between the onyx stones on the shoulders of the high priest just on the top of the ephod?
We have these two onyx stones. Six tribes are named there on one side of the shoulder. Six of the tribes are there on the onyx stone on the right. What's the difference with these stones here? I think it's clear from a close consideration of the book of Exodus 28 that the order of the names of the tribes on the onyx stones on the shoulders is in order according to their birth.
May I suggest what we have here is the equality of grace. These two onyx stones are on the same level on the shoulders. Six names on the one, six names on the other. Every believer is accepted in Christ.
Thank God tonight for the equality of grace. You're not saved if you are saved more than I'm saved. Every one of us has the same level, the same standing of acceptance. So the names on the onyx stones of the twelve tribes are according to the order of their birth.
But the twelve stones on the breastplate are different. That's according to the order of governmental order. I personally believe check it out if you like and if you find something good, come and tell me.
I believe that these stones here were on the breastplate in this order. The order according to how the tribes were situated and located around the tabernacle. A governmental order. God is a God of order.
Don't forget that. Godly order should mark an assembly of Christians gathered to the name of the Lord Jesus. God is not the author of confusion but of peace in all the churches of God. Says Paul in 1 Corinthians 14.
So these things are important. One day in the millennial reign, the 1000 years reign of Christ these tribes, each tribe will have a particular responsibility and be located in that new land of Israel when Israel are restored.
So the order of the names on the onyx stones on the shoulders an order according to grace typically. A grace order, if I can use that phrase. Here it's more on the breastplate the 12 stone, a governmental order.
Wait a minute. Something nice. So that we have the names of the tribes on the shoulders, and the shoulders I need to tell you speaks of strength and power. But here on the breastplate we have the heart.
If the shoulders speak of power and strength, well this speaks of the heart, the breastplate. The affection, the compassion, the love of Christ. Can I bring this to the New Testament? To the epistles of the Hebrews?
If I want to be convinced without any doubt that the high priest himself, his work and even his garments is a type of the Lord Jesus and his present glory is in heaven, I need only carefully read the epistles of Hebrews.
For in Hebrews beginning in chapter 4 right through to chapter 10 verse 18 we have a beautiful clear exposition of the high priesthood, the great high priesthood of our Lord Jesus. Come with me to Hebrews 4.
How does the writer describe the person of our Lord Jesus, our high priest in heaven? He says he's Jesus the Son of God. Jesus answers to the breastplate. As Jesus I am reminded of his love, the reality of his affection for me that as my high priest he represents me there in heaven.
He serves me in love in his continuing work on my behalf. Jesus, that's the breastplate. The Son of God power, strength, ability that's the shoulders. Our Lord Jesus is able and powerful and so loving fitted suitable worthy to be our great high priest in heaven.
For as he serves he serves me in love, he loves me. My name is on his heart but like the name is on the onyx stones on the shoulders my name, your name is on his shoulders. He's doubly suited whether we think of his manner and sympathy and love, Jesus or whether we think of the Son of God his divinity his power.
He'll never fail. He'll never let us down. He'll never disappoint us. Oh I would really love indeed to advance that to develop that but I hope I've said enough to whet your appetite. The stones their rarity their radiance their representation of the tribes their resting places so secure in such a way that they would never fall off the breastplate.
Can I come to the New Testament again before I come to the Urim and Thumm. I might finish a little after eight but we'll keep as near as we can with time. Can I come to the Philippian epistle Philippians.
Do you remember what Paul said in Philippians one, how he loved those Philippian believers? He loved them. He says I have you in my heart. Isn't that nice? There's an answer to the breastplate. Paul like the high priest had the saints on his heart.
He loved them. And when there was correction needed to be given he gave it in love. Do I have Waukesha on my heart? Waukesha assembly has been on my heart for many years. I don't mind saying and many other assemblies that we pray for very often and sometimes daily.
I have you in my heart. That's the breastplate. But the last chapter of Philippians, what do we have? How does he address the believers in Philippians. Listen, chapter four verse one. Dearly beloved long for Dearly beloved long for.
My joy, my crown. What lovely language of endearment. What affection. May I suggest if we have the breastplate seen in Paul in Philippians one. Here we have the stones on the breastplate seen in Philippians four.
Like the precious stones on the breastplate of Aaron the high priest Paul loved these saints. They were like precious gems to him. He regarded them most affectionately. Do you have the saints on your heart?
Are they like precious stones to you? We could pursue this. But time is moving very fast. I want to get to the Urim and the Thummim. We are distinctly told in Exodus 28 as well as Numbers Leviticus, beg your pardon.
Exodus 28 Leviticus chapter seven that these were real objects. Material things. Both passages tell us that the Urim and the Thummim were to be placed, put into the pocket behind the breastplate. They were to be put into the breastplate.
Some have thought and suggested some come to say I don't agree with it. But they think in some way the breastplate itself is the Urim and Thummim. And in some mysterious way when the high priest was consulted and the sun shone in a certain way on these stones, that way mysteriously shall we say I was going to say magically but certainly miraculously the mind of God, the decision of God was revealed.
He passed it on to the inquirer. I don't think that's it. The Urim and Thummim to me were something as such separated from the breastplate but were put into the breastplate so they became a part of it and a significant part of it.
It's very likely, I can't be digmatic on this, volumes have been written by Jews, Jewish theologians and Christians over the centuries because you know here's a little significant point is it significant?
I believe it is. All the other garments and furniture and vessels and parts of the tabernacle are mentioned in the chapters and exodus to do with the tabernacle as being made. This was made, that was made, the other was made.
But there's not one verse that tells us the Urim and Thummim were made. Now that might seem strange to us in view of the other things in the tabernacle, all made, mentioned being made. Personally I think the Urim and Thummim were two stones placed into the parts of the breastplate through which in some way we do not know, the mind of God was determined.
A young man, this may make you smile, but I think it's a good answer from this particular brother. A young man once asked an old brother in Christ What's the Urim and Thummim? Can you tell us? He said I'm not really sure, I don't really know, but I'll tell you this.
If you are using in Thummim the word of God, you'll get God's mind. That was an answer spot on. Because the parallel to the Urim and Thummim is the Holy Spirit. We don't need to consult a high priest on earth, or Urim and Thummim, be they stones or whatever they are, they are literal objects because they were placed in the parts of the breastplate.
If we look at John 14 15 and 16, we will see it's the great work of the Holy Spirit who indwells us to guide us, to help us, to enlighten us, and not only to take all the things of Christ and reveal them unto us, we said that in our prayer, and it's lovely, shed light on the sacred page, the Spirit of God will do that.
But he will guide us and lead us, and help us to know communication from God. To know the mind and will of God which is of supreme importance. Somebody has said Urim and Thummim Urim, light. Thummim, perfection.
That's the Hebrew meaning of the stones. If there were stones, I believe there were. God will shed light on whatever difficult matter it may be. Don't despair. If your brother will fail you and just can't help in the difficulty, take it to the Lord in prayer.
Wait on him, he'll shed light on it and he'll give you perfect unerring judgment. That's why this breastplate is called in connection with the Urim and Thummim the breastplate of judgment. Now there's much more on the gums and the breastplate.
Not a lot more I can say on the Urim and Thummim, but much more I could have said about the breastplate. Time has gone. But I trust enough has been said to cheer us. Enough has been said to be a prophet to us.
And a guide to us. And an encouragement to us. An uplift to us. Just the thought of being reminded of the high priest in ministry of our Lord Jesus. Aaron was never a great high priest. But our Lord Jesus is a great high priest.
That adjective is reserved exclusively for our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. So we're passed on from the sinlessness and service and suitability and fear of our Lord's priesthood to the subjects of his priesthood.
The subjects. Who were the subjects? Priestly ministry. Twelve tribes. Tomorrow night we're going to read a short passage about the mitre, the pure white linen mitre, and this golden plate or crown is the word really fastened to the front of it by a lace of blue.
Very interesting. Just three verses we will read, but I assure you there will be plenty to consider. In fact, only today I'm not going to let you into a secret now. I want you to come back. Only today I got some up-to-date information about the temple treasury in Israel.
I mentioned it last night. They've got all the garments of a priest. I've seen it. They've got all they think they need for the Messiah to come back and the new third temple to be built. They haven't the Ark of the Covenant.
I mentioned that last night. They're blind to who the Lord is. They're waiting for their Messiah. He has come. They put him on a cross of open shame. They rejected him. Saw not the beauty in him. And they welcomed him as their Messiah.
His miracles ought to have been convincing. Giving them his credentials. He's the Son of God. He's their Messiah. All I will say is this. They have received from skilful craftsmen in Jerusalem a mitre, but in particular a golden crown.
And they have made it as near, as near as possibly they can to the details of its making and how it was to be made in the Hebrew text. I'll talk about that tomorrow, that up-to-date information. But if you come, your patience will be rewarded.