Urim and Thummim

[Minister Monardo]

And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things,
until there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. Ezra 2:63, Nehemiah 7:65

The connection between the Urim and Thummim and "eating the most holy things" is that the Urim and Thummim were required
to verify the ancestral identity of priests before they could legally consume sacred sacrificial food.
When the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem from Babylon, a group of men claimed priestly ancestry but could not find their names registered in the official family genealogies. Because their lineages were unverified, the governor (Tirshatha):
Barred them from serving as active priests.

Ordered them not to eat of the "most holy things".

Suspended their privileges until a High Priest arose who could consult the Urim and Thummim
to get a definitive answer from God regarding their lineage.

The Urim and Thummim were sacred objects kept in the breastpiece of the High Priest,
used as a physical instrument to determine the will of God and render a divine verdict.

Ultimately, Jewish tradition notes that the Urim and Thummim were lost during the Babylonian exile
and never recovered for the Second Temple, meaning these unverified families were never able to eat of the most holy things.

Where is the Spirit of Urim and Thummim found in the Church?

1 Corinthians 12:
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another
the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

In a properly ordered meeting.

1. How the Urim and Thummim Functioned​

The Urim and Thummim were physical instruments kept inside the High Priest’s breastpiece of judgment (Exodus 28:30),
worn over his heart when entering the Holy Place.

• The Meaning: "Urim" translates to "lights" and "Thummim" to "perfections" or "truths."
• The Mechanism: The Bible does not explicitly describe what they looked like or exactly how they worked. Most scholars believe they were small, sacred lots (made of stone, metal, or precious gems) cast to receive a divine "yes" or "no" answer from God.
• The Process: The High Priest would stand before the Ark of the Covenant, state a critical national or legal dilemma, and cast or draw the lots. For example, in 1 Samuel 14:41, King Saul asks God to use the lots to show whether guilt lies with him or the people, explicitly asking for "Thummim" or "Urim."
• 1 Samuel 14:41 Following Masoretic Text and Targum; Septuagint and Vulgate read:
• Why do You not answer Your servant today? If the injustice is with me or Jonathan my son, O LORD God of Israel, give proof; and if You say it is with Your people Israel, give holiness.
• Historical disappearance: The exact timeline is debated, but historical and religious scholars agree the Urim and Thummim were lost or ceased to function around the time of the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians (circa 586 BCE).
  

Deuteronomy 33:
8 And of Levi he said:“Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, Whom You tested at Massah,
And with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah,
9 Who says of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them’; Nor did he acknowledge his brothers,
Or know his own children; For they have observed Your word And kept Your covenant.
10 They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, And Israel, your law. They shall put incense before You,
And a whole burnt sacrifice on Your altar.