A Holy Priesthood Having The True Urim and Thummim

*"Upon this body will be the fixation of the Urim and Thummim that are the portion of the Melchizedek priesthood whose descent is not counted in the genealogy of that creation which is under the fall but in another genealogy which is a New Creation. Hence these priests will have a deep inward search and divine sight into secret things of Deity, will be able to prophesy in a clear ground; not darkly and enigmatically, for they will know what is couched in the first originality of all beings, in the eternal anti-type of nature, and will be able to bring them forth according to the divine counsel and ordination. The Lord sweareth in truth and righteousness that from Abraham's line, according to the Spirit, there shall arise a Holy Priesthood. Abraham and Sarah were a type of that which would be produced and manifested in the last age. The mighty Spirit of Cyrus is appointed to lay the foundation of this third temple and support it in the building."

    Again, we see that the Melchizedek priesthood is one whose descent is not counted in the genealogy of that creation which is under the fall, but in another genealogy which is Christ, the New Creation. As such, upon this body of priests will be the fixation of that which the Old Testament Urim and Thummim was but the type, that is, the mind of Christ.⁽²⁾ I have never read a clear explanation of just what Urim and Thummim was in the Old Testament or just how it operated. But it is clear that whatever they were, they were used to get the mind of the Lord.

    Having the mind of Christ in this sense is far more than merely have the Holy Spirit resident in us with His mind. It is having actual and immediate access to that mind and having complete and total understanding of it. Many have been the times when we have known a thing by the Spirit but have not understood it. These will have deep and penetrating insight given them so that when they speak forth the word of God it will not be according to their faith, for that which is seen is not faith, but according to a deep inward knowing of the mind of God.  The ministration of these priests will not be as has been seen in the gift realm, as glorious as that has been. It will not be gifts at work at all, but the Son Himself, as the greater works begin to flow out from this consecrated body of priests unto a hurting and perishing world. Everywhere this river of Spirit flows, life springs forth! These are the sanctuary waters which issue forth from beneath the threshold of the completed temple, the Spirit in an inexhaustible supply!

    As we stand today on the brink our entrance into that inheritance reserved for those who are kept by the power of God unto a salvation (redemption, release) ready to be revealed in the last time, our minds go back to that time which was typical of it. The time when Joshua (Old Testament name for Jesus) would re-circumcise the people, sanctify a priesthood and lead them into that which God has so long ago promised to their father, Abraham.

    The message then was the same as it is today. "Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you." The Ark (the Presence of God) would be borne by a holy, prepared priesthood. This meant that not only would they be assured of victory over their enemies, but that it would be required of them to live righteous and sanctified lives. This time of the great crossing over was typical of something God had purposed for a long time.

    "And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he is also flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years" -- Genesis 6:3. The number, 120, represents the end of flesh. There was given to man in the days of Noah 120 years until the Lord sent the inundation which brought the end of all flesh, as God stated in the above verse. Flesh has always been that which has bound and enthralled mankind.

   The end of flesh and our admission into the glorious liberty of the sons of God is what we look forward to. There were 120 in the upper room when a flood of the Spirit came on the day of Pentecost. Since then, there have been 40 Jubilees (50 years), or years of release. 40 X 50 = 2,000 years. We are approaching very near to that 2,000th year, or 2-day mark now.

    When the children of Israel crossed Jordan after coming out of the wilderness, the Ark was placed upon the shoulder of a consecrated priesthood who stood in Jordan, the place of death to self, and the waters stood up on an heap all the way back to the place of Adam! And the people crossed over, 2,000 cubits removed from the Ark! It has been 2,000 years since Jesus Christ, our divine Ark, stood in death and conquered it that we might pass through into our inheritance during the time of harvest (the end of the age ... Matt.13:39). What a Jubilee!

    But that isn't all. Since God originally spoke of His intentions of the "end of all flesh" there have been 120 Jubilees. 120 X 50 = 6,000. Thus we see man's six working days coming to a close as God sends one more final deluge of His Spirit upon planet earth, which deluge will surely be the sunrise of a new day for mankind and the beginning of the end of flesh.

    The inauguration of a holy priesthood is news which causes angelic choirs to sing for joy and should cause our hearts to join in with them. No longer will sin be hidden in the church. No longer will men and women be able to lead double lives; one in the pulpit and another behind closed doors. This body of priests will be given the same penetrating, soul-searching knowledge that Jesus had when He walked this earth. But this knowledge will be for the salvation of men, not for their destruction. This knowledge will work in mercy for reconciling men and women to God.

    There will probably be some hard-hearted Annanias' and Sapphira's who will be instantly judged. But for the most part, men's hearts will melt in true repentance, resulting in their complete and total restoration. The word of the Lord will come forth clearly, for they will not speak as our modern day Scribes and Pharisees do. They will speak as those having authority and their word will be one of power to deliver.

    In fact, we don't even need such a manifestation of Christ as I have just described in order to have an uncompromised word of God go forth; just uncompromising, dedicated men and women who are willing to be stoned (even if it is only verbally), turned out of the temple and barred from speaking any further.

    This portion of the prophecy is very important, as I see it. It witnesses to the scripture itself that God will bring forth a Holy Priesthood from Abraham's line, and we know that, but it declares that He will do this, not according to the flesh, but ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT! Are you a Jew? Are you a Greek? Are you black or white? IT MATTERS NOT! Race and genealogy are not a part of that which God is doing in the New Creation, which is Christ.

    Smart men, men wise according to this world's knowledge, have debated and disputed for years attempting to show that God will fulfill His promises along natural lines, declaring that the United States is Manasseh and that Canada is Ephraim, after the flesh. Well, they might be, but I don't really see that it matters if they are. What God is doing, that which concerns His highest and best, is after the Spirit and not along natural lines at all.

    Consequently, He has appointed the mighty Spirit of Cyrus to lay the foundation of this "third" temple. The Spirit of Cyrus was that spirit which moved king Cyrus to allow the chosen seed to return from their Babylonian captivity to Zion. He helped them in the rebuilding of the walls and of the temple. God has been faithful to supply His Spirit after the same manner calling to His own, "Come out of her my people..." and causing them to depart from spiritual Babylon. That same Spirit has supported them in returning and in laying the foundations of the "third" temple.

    The first temple was the original one which God built in the garden. It fell through transgression. Jesus came as the second temple, was sown in the earth, and raised again the third day to be seated forever at the right hand of power and as the federal Head and Capstone of the third and final temple, His Body. This is the house He is building for His Father to inhabit. In His Father's house are many mansions (dwelling places), for the house of God is made up of many members, each a dwelling place of the Lord.

2. Urim and Thummim were stones called "Lights and Perfections," hidden in the pocket of the High Priest's breastplate. When the High Priest took them out and inquired of the Lord, they would light up if the answer was "yes", and they would remain dull if the Lord was not in it (No). It relates to the rise and fall of the Spirit within. Our hearts light up when the Spirit is saying, "Yes!" It stays dull or "blah" when it is No. It is today the witness of the Spirit.-- Contributed by Bill and Elaine Cook. [USE YOUR BROWSER'S "BACK" BUTTON (NOT THE ONE BELOW) TO RETURN TO THE FOOTNOTE POINTER LOCATION ABOVE (ON THIS SAME PAGE). USE THE "Back" BUTTON (BELOW) ONLY TO RETURN TO PREVIOUS CHAPTER]