Exodus 28:15-30
~15 min read
💭 Consider this: What has your experience in making decisions taught you about how God works?
TRANSCRIPT
Our text for tonight’s message is taken from Exodus 28:15-30. Have you ever had any difficulties in making decisions? Have you ever been confused about what God wants you to do and you just do not know what to do? Decision-making can be very difficult. When it comes to making an important decision that affects our life, most people wish God would just tell them exactly what to do.
‘Which school should I go to’? ‘Which company should I work for’? ‘Whom should I marry’? ‘What medical treatment should I choose’? Life is full of decisions. When it comes to the difficult ones, it’ll be wonderful to know exactly what is God’s Will. This is what we want to learn from this passage, especially in verses 29 and 30. The title of our message is ‘How Can We Know God’s Will’?
Before we come to these two verses, allow me to briefly run through this entire passage. Remember in our previous message, we have learned about the garments of the priest, especially the high priest who represented God before the people and the people before God. God is sacred. And everything pertaining to His worship had to be sacred as well, including the garments of the priest. As the high priest went about with his duties in the Tabernacle, he wore this special garment which was holy, glorious, and beautiful, reflecting the divine nature of God.
It was also a reminder to the people that, as sinners, they were not allowed to enter into the Most Holy Place and meet with God who was holy, glorious, and beautiful. They were represented by their mediator, the high priest, dressed in righteous garments. But the high priest himself was a sinner. So he had to first offer a sacrifice for his own sins before he could offer the sacrifice on behalf of the people.
This is a wonderful picture of Jesus Christ — our Great High Priest — who did not need to offer any sacrifice for His own sins because He had none. He was perfect, without sin. Unlike the high priest, His sacrifice was perfect and permanent in that He offered Himself on the Cross of Calvary once and for all, never to be repeated. Unlike the high priest, Jesus did not put on the priestly garments because He was holy, glorious, and beautiful in His very divine nature. And the believers who put their faith in Him are clothed with His righteousness. What a beautiful picture.
The most important garment of the high priest was the ephod which was a long sleeveless vest, something like an apron. And it was suspended by shoulder straps. Attached to the ephod was the breastplate. Here from verse 15-28, God went on to describe the breastplate. The most striking feature of the breastplate was the beautiful collection of precious stones. They were arranged in four rows with three precious stones in each row.
Interestingly, all these precious stones were found in the Garden of Eden according to Ezekiel 28:13. And we will see them again in Heaven where they will decorate the foundation of the Heavenly City according to Revelation 21. In a sense, the glory of God’s Tabernacle stretches from creation to glory. These precious stones represented the people of God. There were twelve stones, one for each of the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Each stone was engraved with the name of a particular tribe.
There were four rings on the breastplate, one for each corner. The top two rings attached the breastplate to the shoulders of the ephod. The bottom two rings attached the breastplate to the high priest’s belt. Therefore, it kept the breastplate close to the heart of the high priest. Remember, there were also two precious stones attached to the shoulder straps of the ephod. And engraved on those two stones were the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
In other words, when the high priest entered into the Tabernacle to make atonement for the sins of the people, symbolically and spiritually speaking, he was carrying the people on his shoulders. At the same time, he was carrying them close to his heart. It was his responsibility not only to carry the people’s burdens on his shoulders but also to have their interests close to his heart.
Today, we do not need to go to the pastor, priest, elder, or any other persons to represent us before God. We go to Christ directly. However, if God has called a person to serve as a spiritual leader, He has placed the spiritual burdens of the people on his shoulders and also in his heart. That is why the pastor will always be concerned about the spiritual well-being of the people. ‘Why are they not growing spiritually’? ‘Why are they not obeying God’s Word’? ‘Why are they not worshipping and serving God as they should’?
That is why the pastor is troubled when he finds out that he’s the last person to know of their afflictions, not because he demands to know every single detail or he has no other business but he wants to share their burdens. As long as he is alive and serving God, he will always be carrying this spiritual burden on his shoulders and in his heart. But no one can carry our burdens on his shoulders and have our interests in his heart like the way Jesus does.
Jesus — our Great High Priest — bore our burdens as He went to the Cross of Calvary. He died and shed His precious blood. And He continues to have our concerns close to His heart as He sits on the right hand of God, interceding for you and me. As Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without [sins]”.
If we need forgiveness, Jesus will pardon our sins. If we need provision, He will provide for our needs. If we need a home, He will give us a roof over our head. If we have a question, He will provide the answer. If we have a problem, He will give us the solution. If we need fellowship, He will be our Friend. If we need healing, He will heal the wounds of our body and soul. Indeed, what a Friend we have in Jesus.
I. God Has Provided The Urim And Thummim For Them
But what about the need to make decisions? Will He help us? Will He give us the wisdom, understanding, and discernment to make the right decision? Most certainly He will. This is where we come to verses 29 and 30 of Exodus 28. God provided the Urim and Thummim for the children of Israel. Look at verse 29, “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”.
“[Memorial]” means reminder or remembrance. Most certainly God did not need to be reminded. So I believe that this remembrance — this “memorial” — was for the high priest to know of this great responsibility: he was called to represent the people before God. Verse 30, “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”.
It was called “the breastplate of judgment” because of the Urim and Thummim. The word “judgment” means to pronounce a decision on a case. Here it means to judge, as in to make a decision. The breastplate was folded double to form a pocket or pouch and inside were the Urim and Thummim. Apparently, the children of Israel knew what they were made of and what they were used for. However, the Bible does not describe for us all these details. Most likely, it is to prevent us from making a replica and trying to use it today, which is not God's plan. The Hebrew words for “Urim” and “Thummim” mean light and perfection.
Many scholars have tried to give their opinions on what the Urim and Thummim were made of and how they were used. Some had suggested they had letters written on them which would then provide the answer. Others say they had numbers written on them, odd and even numbers. Or they had two sides, one that said ‘yes’, the other that said ‘no’. Yet others say they had different colours, probably black and white, black meaning the answer is ‘no’ and white meaning the answer is ‘yes’. We do not know for sure. The Bible is silent. All these suggestions are just speculations.
What is certain is that the children of Israel used the Urim and Thummim for making decisions. And to get direct guidance from God. Whenever the high priest used the Urim and Thummim, the people understood that God was using it to declare His Will. As Proverbs 16:33 says, “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD”. Allow me to give you several examples from the Old Testament whereby the people looked to the Urim and Thummim for making decisions.
When Joshua was appointed to succeed Moses, he consulted God using the Urim and Thummim (Numbers 27:18-21a). And God gave him the answer as to when the children of Israel should stay and when they should move forward (Numbers 27:21b). When King David wanted to know whether he should attack the Amalekites, he consulted God using the Urim and Thummim (1 Samuel 30:7-8a). And God said, ‘Go and attack the Amalekites’ (1 Samuel 30:8b).
After the children of Israel returned from the seventy years of captivity in Babylon, Nehemiah and the Israelites wanted to rebuild the city. A question arose as to whether certain men were eligible to serve as priests. The reason was because their family records had been lost. There was no way to determine whether they were the descendants of Levi. And at that time, the priesthood had not been fully in place yet so they could not use the Urim and Thummim. Nehemiah said to these men that they should not eat the sacred food until the time came when they had the priests to administer the Urim and Thummim. You can read about that in Nehemiah 7:65.
At other times though, the Bible does not explicitly say they used the Urim and Thummim. But through phrases like they inquired God, they cast lots, they drew lots, we know that — most likely — those were references to the Urim and Thummim. Few things we can learn about how the Urim and Thummim were used. It could only be consulted by Israel's spiritual leader. And only for things that really mattered, important things, especially pertaining to the nation of Israel. It was not used by ordinary people for day-to-day decisions. The people did not go to the high priest to ask what clothes to wear or what they should eat for dinner. Or even more serious questions like which job they should choose or whom they should marry.
All those practical decisions pertaining to their personal lives, personal choices, they had to draw principles from the Commandments of God as well as to rely on the Holy Spirit working on their common sense. If God wanted to, He could have given to every Israelite a personal set of Urim and Thummim. But He did not do that. So, the vast majority of the people still had to rely on faith in God and His Word as they made the daily decisions. They only consulted God using the Urim and Thummim on very unique and extraordinary matters.
Today, in the same way, God could have given us the Urim and Thummim to carry around in our pockets so that whenever we wonder what to do, we could take them out and roll the dices, so to speak, and find out the answers. ‘Should I go to this university or that university? Should I take on this job or that job? Should I live in this neighbourhood or that neighbourhood? Lord, just tell me what to do; just tell me yes or no, and I will do it’. But it does not work that way.
People just want to have the direct answer. Is it not true? That is the reason why the unbelievers would consult psychics, fortune tellers, and so forth. The believers are no different. Some think that the pastor has all the answers to the decisions of life. But the truth is that God — in His infinite wisdom — has not chosen to give a direct means for all the answers, to all the decisions, we are required to make.
II. God Has Provided Something Better For Us
Today, we no longer have the Urim and Thummim. And we do not need the Urim and Thummim. Why? Because God has provided something even better for us, which is our second point. First and foremost, God has already told us the most important thing we need to know, and that is salvation is through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins and rose again from the dead to give us eternal life.
Before Jesus came, from time to time God gave direct guidance and answers to Israel because He was still working out His plan of salvation. The nation of Israel had to be preserved because that was where the Messiah would come from. But now the salvation is here; God has already said all that He needs to say. That is the reason why Hebrews 1:1 says, "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds" (Hebrews 1:1-2).
Today, the most important decision we have to make is whether or not we will put our faith in Jesus for our salvation. However, after we have put our faith in Jesus for our salvation, we still have to make many other decisions for our lives, for our families, for our church, and so forth. God has given to us the Bible so that we will put our faith in His Word. The Bible reveals God's will for our lives.
There are many verses in the Bible that particularly tell us that this is the will of God. For example, it is the will of God that we be saved (Galatians 1:3); it is the will of God that we submit ourselves to authority (1 Peter 2:13-15); it is the will of God that we keep ourselves pure (1 Thessalonians 4:3); it is the will of God that we give thanks for everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18); it is the will of God that we trust Him no matter what happens (1 Peter 4:19).
But there are also situations whereby we do not have direct verses that say, "This is the will of God." Nevertheless, if it is a commandment, a promise, a warning, a doctrine, or a principle recorded in the Bible, we know that it is the will of God, and therefore we must obey. Oftentimes, people would memorise Westminster Catechism question number one: "What is the chief end of man?" The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. But they do not read the next question, which asks, ‘What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy Him’? The answer is ‘The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to guide us how we may glorify and enjoy God’.
Therefore, my friend, we must study the Bible so that we may understand and obey His will. And to help us understand His Word, God has given to us His Spirit. God did not give to us a pair of dice to carry in our pockets and then to take them out randomly to find out His will. He has given us something even more precious, even better. He has given us His Spirit to come and dwell in us. Part of the Spirit's work is to help us to know and to do God's will. Remember, Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you".
So, as we put our trust and faith in the Bible — the Word of God — and in the Spirit's leading, God will direct us. The Holy Spirit will shape our minds, our thinking, our understanding, which will then lead us to make the right decision. And not only to make the right decision but also to empower us to fulfil and accomplish what we have decided. God wants you and I to trust in His Son, Jesus Christ; in His Word, the Bible, in the Spirit's leading. So as we put our faith in Him, He will direct us through the working of His providence. Sometimes we may face a difficult decision. We do not know whether to go or not to go. What do we do? We pray, and then God closed the door. We do not have to worry about it anymore because we know the door is closed. It is neither God's Will for us to go or not to go. He has closed the door.
At other times, we may face a difficult situation. We do not know what to do. We pray. It is not about even making a decision because we have no decisions to make. It seems as if there is no way out. Then God opens a door. And we know that is God's Will. We must pray. Do you realise that sometimes the reason why God does not give us a direct answer is because we are not ready for it? Take a moment and consider this: Let's say God has called you to be a full-time pastor or preacher, and He reveals to you that this decision will lead you to a life of persecution. You will be rejected and ostracised by your own family and friends. You’ll be put into prison and, finally, you will be killed. Will you not be paralysed with fear? Will that not affect your decision to serve the Lord full-time? Probably, yes.
The same goes with the decision to get married. If God reveals to you that, five years down the road into your marriage life, your spouse will die, your only child will die at a very young age, will you not be paralysed with fear? Will that not affect your decision to get married? Most certainly. That is not how faith works. God wants us to trust Him at every step of the way and He reveals His Will to us along the way through the circumstances of life and he builds up our faith in Him. Dear friend, God could have easily given us a direct answer to all the questions and decisions we have in life, but what will we learn? Nothing.
Instead, He gave us His Son. He gave us His Word, the Bible. He gave us His Spirit. And the Spirit leads us and helps us to understand that ‘My God is in control of all the circumstances of life’. Whatever happens, He has a purpose. And then we can say, "For all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). When you and I trust God at every step of the way, what will we learn? Faith. And we will understand that faith is the victory, faith in God is the answer to all the decisions of life. And we will always put God first, His Word, and the Spirit's leading in all the decisions we make, to the glory of God. I pray that all of us will do that.
Let us pray. Father in Heaven, we thank Thee for enabling us to consider this portion of Scriptures in Exodus 28:15-30. Indeed, there are so many wonderful spiritual lessons we can draw, of which this evening we have learned about Thy Will. Thou has given to us Thy only begotten Son. Thou hast revealed to us the most important thing we need to know, and that is salvation is only through Thy only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Thou has also given to us Thy Word, the Bible. The Bible reveals Thy Will for our lives. We need to study it. We need to always consider Thy Word as we make our decisions in life. Thou hast also given to us the Holy Spirit, who indwells in our hearts, who will help us to know and to do Thy Will.
Indeed, based on our own strength, and understanding, and ability, we cannot make the right decisions. And oftentimes, when we yield to our own human strength, we make the wrong decisions. O Lord, forgive us. Turn our hearts back onto Thee, that we always put our Lord Jesus first, the Bible first, the Holy Spirit's leading first. And that Thou will direct us through the working of Thy providence. Whatever circumstances we may face, we know that Thou are in control, and we want to do that which glorifies Thee. So help us, that we will know Thy Will, do it, and glorify Thee. We pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THE BOOK OF EXODUSGod’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To PassGod’s Prophecy and Promise Had Come To PassExodus 1:1-7
From Prosperity to PersecutionFrom Prosperity to PersecutionExodus 1:8-14
God’s Protection in the Midst of AdversitiesGod’s Protection in the Midst of AdversitiesExodus 1:15-21
The Faith of JochebedThe Faith of JochebedExodus 1:22-2:10
Moses in EgyptMoses in EgyptExodus 2:11-15
Moses in the Desert of MidianMoses in the Desert of MidianExodus 2:16-25
Moses and the Burning BushMoses and the Burning BushExodus 3:1-9
Who Are You?Who Are You?Exodus 3:10-15
Who Am I?Who Am I?Exodus 3:10-15
God’s Message to Israel and EgyptGod’s Message to Israel and EgyptExodus 3:16-22
What If They Still Don’t Believe?What If They Still Don’t Believe?Exodus 4:1-9
Send Someone ElseSend Someone ElseExodus 4:10-17
Moses’ Return to EgyptMoses’ Return to EgyptExodus 4:18-20
When Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got WorseWhen Things Seemed to Get Better, They Got WorseExodus 5:10-21
When We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble ComesWhen We Have Done Everything Right, and Yet Trouble ComesExodus 5:22-6:5
Having to Learn the Same Lesson TwiceHaving to Learn the Same Lesson TwiceExodus 6:6-12
Faithful or UnfaithfulFaithful or UnfaithfulExodus 6:13-27
What God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and ObedienceWhat God Wants Is Our Faithfulness and ObedienceExodus 6:28-7:7
The First Plague - The River of BloodThe First Plague - The River of BloodExodus 7:14-25
The Second Plague - The FrogsThe Second Plague - The FrogsExodus 8:1-15
The Third PlagueThe Third PlagueExodus 8:16-19
The Fourth PlagueThe Fourth PlagueExodus 8:20-32
The Fifth PlagueThe Fifth PlagueExodus 9:1-7
The Sixth PlagueThe Sixth PlagueExodus 9:8-12
The Seventh PlagueThe Seventh PlagueExodus 9:13-35
The Eighth PlagueThe Eighth PlagueExodus 10:1-20
The Tenth PlagueThe Tenth PlagueExodus 11:1-10
The First PassoverThe First PassoverExodus 12:1-13
The Feast of the Unleavened BreadThe Feast of the Unleavened BreadExodus 12:14-28
Departure From EgyptDeparture From EgyptExodus 12:29-42
This Do In Remembrance of MeThis Do In Remembrance of MeExodus 12:43-51; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32
Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!Message 2: What is Church to you? My Covenantal Family!Exodus 12:48-49, Colossians 2:11-12
Redemption and ConsecrationRedemption and ConsecrationExodus 13:1-2, 11-16
Precious Lord, Take My HandPrecious Lord, Take My HandExodus 13:17-22
Between the Desert and the Red SeaBetween the Desert and the Red SeaExodus 14:1-14
Crossing the Red SeaCrossing the Red SeaExodus 14:15-31
The Song of PraiseThe Song of PraiseExodus 15:1-21
Will You Obey Or Not?Will You Obey Or Not?Exodus 15:22-27
The Danger of a Complaining SpiritThe Danger of a Complaining SpiritExodus 16:1-3
God’s Response to Israel’s ComplaintsGod’s Response to Israel’s ComplaintsExodus 16:1-10
The Test of FaithThe Test of FaithExodus 16:11-20
Lessons About the SabbathLessons About the SabbathExodus 16:21-36
Do Not Test GodDo Not Test GodExodus 17:1-17
Lift Up Your HandsLift Up Your HandsExodus 17:8-16
The Blessedness of ReunionThe Blessedness of ReunionExodus 18:1-12
Why Do We Have Leaders?Why Do We Have Leaders?Exodus 18:13-27
I Will Carry You On Eagles’ WingsI Will Carry You On Eagles’ WingsExodus 19:1-6
Approach God Fearlessly or FearfullyApproach God Fearlessly or FearfullyExodus 19:7-15
God Reached Out And SpokeGod Reached Out And SpokeExodus 19:16-25
Thou Shalt Have No Other GodsThou Shalt Have No Other GodsExodus 20:1-3
Thou Shalt Not Make Graven ImagesThou Shalt Not Make Graven ImagesExodus 20:4-6
Thou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s NameThou Shalt Not Dishonour God’s NameExodus 20:7
Thou Shalt Keep The Sabbath DayThou Shalt Keep The Sabbath DayExodus 20:8-11
Honour Thy Father And Thy MotherHonour Thy Father And Thy MotherExodus 20:12
Thou Shalt Not KillThou Shalt Not KillExodus 20:13
Thou Shalt Not Commit AdulteryThou Shalt Not Commit AdulteryExodus 20:14
Thou Shalt Not StealThou Shalt Not StealExodus 20:15
Thou Shalt Not LieThou Shalt Not LieExodus 20:16
Thou Shalt Not CovetThou Shalt Not CovetExodus 20:17
The Response To The Ten CommandmentsThe Response To The Ten CommandmentsExodus 20:18-21
How God Wants Us To Worship HimHow God Wants Us To Worship HimExodus 20:22-26
Why Would God Allow Slavery?Why Would God Allow Slavery?Exodus 21:1-11
The Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a lifeThe Punishment Fits The Crime — a life for a lifeExodus 21:12-17
The Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eyeThe Punishment Fits The Crime — an eye for an eyeExodus 21:18-36
The Punishment Deters The Crime — property lawsThe Punishment Deters The Crime — property lawsExodus 22:1-15
The Character Of GodThe Character Of GodExodus 22:16-20
Reaching Out To The Down-And-OutReaching Out To The Down-And-OutExodus 22:21-24
The Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of GodThe Compassion, Authority & Holiness Of GodExodus 22:25-31
Truth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But TruthTruth Cannot Be Subjected To Anything But TruthExodus 23:1-9
Remember Who God IsRemember Who God IsExodus 23:10-19
What Must We Do To Have VictoryWhat Must We Do To Have VictoryExodus 23:20-33
How We Ought To Worship GodHow We Ought To Worship GodExodus 24:1-4, 7
On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?On What Basis Can We Approach His Majesty?Exodus 24:4-8
Responding To God’s InvitationResponding To God’s InvitationExodus 24:9-18
The Right Attitude Of GivingThe Right Attitude Of GivingExodus 25:1-8
There I Will Meet YouThere I Will Meet YouExodus 25:9-22
Physical Or Spiritual Bread, Which Is More Important?Physical Or Spiritual Bread, Which Is More Important?Exodus 25:23-30
Let Your Light So Shine Before MenLet Your Light So Shine Before MenExodus 25:31-40
The Veil That SeparatesThe Veil That SeparatesExodus 26:1-37
A Day In Thy Court Is Better Than A ThousandA Day In Thy Court Is Better Than A ThousandExodus 27:1-19
Who Can Represent Us Before God?Who Can Represent Us Before God?Exodus 27:20-28:14
How Can We Know God’s Will?How Can We Know God’s Will?Exodus 28:15-30
Is Our Worship Attire Really Important?Is Our Worship Attire Really Important?Exodus 28:31-43
The Ordination Of PriestsThe Ordination Of PriestsExodus 29:1-21
The Provision For PriestsThe Provision For PriestsExodus 29:22-29
If Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceIf Thy Presence Go Not with Me, Carry Us Not Up HenceExodus 33:12-23
