Two Are Better Than One

URIM AND THUMMIM - February 11, 2010

In the “Fall” of 1942 I received a call from God to the “ministry”, though at the time I did not know Him. However, I obeyed Him to join the Navy in June of 1943, and 9 months later on Passover, He revealed Himself to me through reading the Book of Romans.

I knew the Bible somewhat from a Modernistic background, but felt the need to know it more accurately, so that I would understand what I had got myself into by yielding to the call of entering the Ministry. So I read the Bible through in 6 weeks. One of the two things that gripped my attention through this reading overview, was the “Urim and Thummim”. The Spirit revealed to me that it had a spiritual application both for me and others.

I questioned a number of pastors and Christians in Victoria, B.C., and searched through a number of books, but did not receive a satisfactory explanation. Then I remembered that as a paper-boy, one of my customers was a convert from a Jewish background to Christianity, while still maintaining her Jewish heritage. She had literally memorized the entire Bible, much of it in Hebrew as well as in English. At my first Naval leave, I hitch-hiked home to Port Alberni from Esquimalt, a naval suburb of Victoria, B.C., and went to her home to quiz her on my problem.

A big smile came over her face, and she said, “Turn to Proverbs 6:20-23, and read to me.“My son, keep the commandment of your father, and forsake not the law (Torah, or Teaching) of your mother: 21Bind them continually upon your heart; Tie them about your neck. 23When you walk, it shall lead you; When you sleep, it shall watch over you; And when you awake, it shall talk with you. 23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life.”

These verses exactlyparallel Exodus 28:15-30, for the breastplate of judgment was boundupon Aaron the High Priest's heart, and tiedabout his neck! And in this breastplate was the Urim and Thummim. “And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goes in before Jehovah: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before Jehovah continually” (Exodus 28:30).

Urim and Thummim means “Lightsand Perfection”. Urim is a light from God's Word to guide us. It also protectsus, and talksto us, for the law (Torah) is a light! Psalm 27:1 says, “Jehovah is my lightand my salvation.” And Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:48, “YOU shall be perfect, as your :heavenly :Father is perfect.”

So Godin His Word, and Jesus as our Living Word, are our lightand Perfection. When we put Christin our heart, we have a spiritual Urim and Thummim!

David made more use of the Urim and Thummim than any other Bible man. Even before he was king, while King Saul was yet alive, David continually consulted God by having the Ephod brought to him. For the Breastplate of Judgment was bound to the Ephod, and in that was the Urim and Thummim. When David was fleeing from Saul for his life, Doeg slew Ahitub and all the priests of Nob except Abiathar, who fled for safety to David, bringing the Ephodwith him (1 Samuel 23:6). So when David wonderedif the men of Keilah whom he had protected - would yet betray him to Saul, he inquired of Jehovah through Urim, and the Lord through Urim said they wouldbetray him. Previously God in 1 Samuel 23:2 and 4, when David inquired of Him, gave him accurate answers through Urim.

But when Saulinquired of the Lord, He did notanswer him through dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets 1 Samuel 28:6). Then when David became King over both Judah and Israel, the Philistines came up against him while he was yet new as king. David inquired of the Lord what he should do (2 Samuel 5:19) and God assured him through Urim that he would have victory over them. But the Philistines felt that another army as large as the first would do the trick. David againinquired of the Lord, and He gave differentinstructions (2 Samuel 5:22-25). David was to make an ambush - and wait till he heard God's angels going to war over the trees - to knock out the Philistines. ThenDavid was to go in and “mop-up”. All this happened exactlyas the Lord foretold.

Some of the rabbis in the Talmud and Mishnah believed that the Urim and Thummim were two stones: one black and one white. When the priest reached into the pocket of the Breastplate and brought one stone out - white meant “Yes”; and black, “No”. That is patently wrong, because the two answers David got from Urim in 2 Samuel 5 were detailed messages what to do, especially the second. “Prophecy” through the High Priest accompanied Urim, to give such detailed answers.

In 1944, God not only gave me the answer to Urim through Mrs. Mary Bertha Allquist - He also put into my hands the secrets of George Muller, who profited strongly from George Whitefield - in the area of Bible Meditation! As we “pray over” God's Word, the Holy Spirit speaks to us - as in Proverbs 6:20-22. I have found it so regularly in my 66 years as a Christian. God is faithful! This builds up Christ Jesus in our hearts, and He by His Spirit does for us what David received in his day.

Numbers have noted my references to Urim and Thummim through the years, and asked how they practically can gear into these secrets and mysteries, like David, George Muller, Rees Howells, Oswald Chambers and others. The above can be an open door to anybeliever to enter into these blessings also - for Godis no respecterof persons. Find the secret, and meet the conditions, and it will work for you also.

In 1963 I was speaking in a town East of Cashmere, Washington. A lady challenged me on the promises of God concerning one's devotional prayer language as outlined in 1 Corinthians 14. She said that she came up dryfrom an hour of such prayer, and “Whatwas I going to say about that?” I asked her about her use of the Wordin her devotions. “Oh - I don't use the Bible,” she replied. “That'syour problem,” I responded. “Take a Psalm a day for 5 months followed by Proverbs, and then repeat this for the next 6 months. Read aloudon your knees a verse or two at a time, and then pray over them devotionally. Then divide the rest of the Bible and read it, an OT book at a time, and then one from the NT in an alternate manner: Genesis, Matthew; Exodus, Mark; Leviticus, Luke; etc. She asked me to write it out, which I did, and entitled it, Read Your Bible Through in One Year.

We have literally seen tens of thousands go all over the world. We even saw copies in Egypt in 1980. We are soon going to put a copy of this on our Website, so that you can also make use of this secret. I have outlined the entire Bible on this format, and am presently producing an Interlinear Greek NT based on God's Bible Numerics as discovered by Ivan Panin. There are Greek Word Studies also based on this discovery. The Interlinear NT is currently in process of being put into print.

So - Urim and Thummim - is notjust an idle subject, but a door of great blessing through Bible Meditation. See Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; Psalm 19:14 for further encouragement to pursue this secret of George Muller and George Whitefield. J.A.W.