Ezra 2:61-63
Most of the nation of Israel stayed behind in Babylonia by choice, with a small remnant coming back into Israel when they were released. This remnant retained a heart for God, and their priest Ezra restored the law and ritual.
The second chapter of Ezra records those returning remnants, listing first the people that returned, then the priests, the Levites, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants, followed by a list of priests whose pedigrees were lost. The take-over by the Babylonians had caused much confusion with the records of Israel, and there were several men who claimed to be priests but they were unable to prove their heritage by genealogy. Because they couldn’t prove who they were, they were, “as polluted, put from the priesthood” (verse 62).
Babylon had a foreign governor that ruled over that portion of Israel called, the Tirshatha. He ordered them to abstain from the unleavened bread and the sacrificial meat, which belonged to the priests, until someone could judge them with the Urim and the Thummim. This mysterious parchment dates all the way back to Exodus 28, when God ordered the high priest to wear it in a pouch near his heart, under his priestly garments. It was often used in order to ascertain the will of God, lighting up the ephod of the priest, spelling out the answer to the question. Even this information is speculative, but what is not speculative is what their names mean in Hebrew. Urim is translated “lights” and Thummim is rendered “perfection”.
The light was needed to shine on their pedigree, to prove to everyone that these men were who they claimed to be. Only a priest could use Urim and Thummim, and God spoke through this process. The Bible does not record the result of their usage in this case, but I think that it is safe to say that if they were found to be liars, we would have heard of such. Obviously, the “light” shined on their “perfection”, revealing them to be heirs of the priesthood.
Satan spends every possible moment that he can trying to cause the believer to doubt who they are in Christ. He will mock you, condemn you, torment you and cause you to believe that you are less than the Word promises that you are. You need your High Priest Jesus to shine His light onto the perfection that He has given. Notice that Jesus’ first usage of “I am the light of the world” came just after He gave the gift of no condemnation to the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:11, 12). His light is to shine on your “no condemnation”!
It is my job, as a gospel preacher to shine a light on your perfect place in Christ. What a great job I have! Paul said that you are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), you are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) and that you have been perfected forever because of sanctification (Hebrews 10:14). Let those words encourage your soul, and use them as a defense against the accuser who will try to get you to question your place in Christ. Feel no need today to prove your son ship to the enemy. You are what the Bible says that you are: no longer a servant, but a son (Galatians 4:7).
May the God of peace shine His heavenly light of love into your soul, revealing the perfection of Jesus. As He is, so are you in this world (1 John 4:17).
Most of the nation of Israel stayed behind in Babylonia by choice, with a small remnant coming back into Israel when they were released. This remnant retained a heart for God, and their priest Ezra restored the law and ritual.
The second chapter of Ezra records those returning remnants, listing first the people that returned, then the priests, the Levites, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants, followed by a list of priests whose pedigrees were lost. The take-over by the Babylonians had caused much confusion with the records of Israel, and there were several men who claimed to be priests but they were unable to prove their heritage by genealogy. Because they couldn’t prove who they were, they were, “as polluted, put from the priesthood” (verse 62).
Babylon had a foreign governor that ruled over that portion of Israel called, the Tirshatha. He ordered them to abstain from the unleavened bread and the sacrificial meat, which belonged to the priests, until someone could judge them with the Urim and the Thummim. This mysterious parchment dates all the way back to Exodus 28, when God ordered the high priest to wear it in a pouch near his heart, under his priestly garments. It was often used in order to ascertain the will of God, lighting up the ephod of the priest, spelling out the answer to the question. Even this information is speculative, but what is not speculative is what their names mean in Hebrew. Urim is translated “lights” and Thummim is rendered “perfection”.
The light was needed to shine on their pedigree, to prove to everyone that these men were who they claimed to be. Only a priest could use Urim and Thummim, and God spoke through this process. The Bible does not record the result of their usage in this case, but I think that it is safe to say that if they were found to be liars, we would have heard of such. Obviously, the “light” shined on their “perfection”, revealing them to be heirs of the priesthood.
Satan spends every possible moment that he can trying to cause the believer to doubt who they are in Christ. He will mock you, condemn you, torment you and cause you to believe that you are less than the Word promises that you are. You need your High Priest Jesus to shine His light onto the perfection that He has given. Notice that Jesus’ first usage of “I am the light of the world” came just after He gave the gift of no condemnation to the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:11, 12). His light is to shine on your “no condemnation”!
It is my job, as a gospel preacher to shine a light on your perfect place in Christ. What a great job I have! Paul said that you are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10), you are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21) and that you have been perfected forever because of sanctification (Hebrews 10:14). Let those words encourage your soul, and use them as a defense against the accuser who will try to get you to question your place in Christ. Feel no need today to prove your son ship to the enemy. You are what the Bible says that you are: no longer a servant, but a son (Galatians 4:7).
May the God of peace shine His heavenly light of love into your soul, revealing the perfection of Jesus. As He is, so are you in this world (1 John 4:17).
