Nehemiah 7:61,64-65
"61 And these were the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not identify their father’s house nor their lineage, whether they were of Israel....
"64 These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were EXCLUDED from the priesthood AS DEFILED. 65 And the governor said to them that they SHOULD NOT EAT OF THE MOST HOLY THINGS till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim."
(The genealogy of some priest's was not found.)
Everything in the Old Teatament has application or elucidates a principle to teach us more about our New Covenant. Though we are no longer under law because Jesus fulfilled it, the Old is full of types, stories and pictures explaining the New, kind of like a dictionary. Because we are under the New Covenant, we now study the Old not to find laws, laws and more laws but to see more of Jesus!
So how does this apply to us today? Let's find out!
Here in Nehemiah, The Children of Israel were returning to their land after seventy years of captivity in Babylon. Some of the prests sought the listing of their names among those of the priestly tribe but they could not be found. During their captivity their genealogy had been lost along the way. If it could not be proven that they were priests, they would have to be excluded from partaking of the most holy things until proven otherwise.
Why is this such a big deal? Because the priestly tribe was given all the best food from offerings by the common people, all the best clothing, the nicest housing, the best of everything. They would not be accorded these privileges with their fellow priests until their identity could be established.
Notice it doesn't say that these undocumented priests "were defiled" but that they were excluded "AS DEFILED," because of their lost genealogy. They would have to be excluded until someone could consult with the "Urim and Thummin" to settle the matter.
The Urim And Thummim.
What are these items? They were an integral part of the high priest's garments. The LORD had commanded Moses “And you shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be over Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD. So Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart before the LORD continually.”
Exodus 28:30
(For more on the Breastplate of Judgment, follow this link: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/what-does-god-see-when-he-looks-at-you.html)
There has been much speculation about what these things were and how they functioned. What really sheds some light on them, no pun intended, are the meanings of the words in Hebrew. "Ūrim" comes from the root word, "Ūr," which means "light" in Hebrew. Whenever you add "im [ים] on the end of any word, it's functions like our letter "s," making it plural. "Ūrim" means "lights." "Thummin" comes from the root word, "tom," meaning "perfection or integrity." "Thumim" literally means "perfections completenesses."
Whenever a writer wishes to emphasize something in Hebrew, he will either use the word twice or use the plural of the word. For instance: If someone died a very violent death, they would say he "died died" or that he "died deaths." The valley where David slew Goliath, one of Israel's greatest enemies, was called the "Ephes Dammim," which means "boundary (ephes) of the BLOODS (Dammim): plural, meaning it was very bloody.
The Urim and Thummim were used to shed perfect "lights" on their perfect "perfections or completenesses," (plural) leaving no doubt as to their true identity, positively proving them to be priests.
(Israelites returning from Babylon.)
Modern-Day Babylon?
When you hear sermons today about Babylon, either they're talking about the Babylon mentioned in the Old Testament or the great evil of the end times, drawing a picture of worldly lusts and pursuits, particularly of an immoral nature. While that teaching has some merit, the meaning of the word in Hebrew is very telling because Babylon means "confusion."
The Holy Spirit is drawing pictures to help us understand a very important spiritual truth here. #1) These undocumented priests were coming out of "Babylon:confusion" #2) There was "confusion" over their identity. #3)They were excluded from the most holy things until their identity was established.
What is the Holy Spirit trying to tell us?
(Identity crisis in the Church?)
Who are the priests of uncertain origin, where are they and how does this apply to the Church today? You and I, Church: You and I are priests and kings according to the order of Melchizedek.
Much of the Church today is, or has been in Babylon/confusion on many things. Our identity in Christ; the identity of real Gospel--the genuine article being grace. What has been widely taught has been law "MIXED" with grace, the Galatian heresy that Paul preached against wa-a-a-ay back in the 1st century. Well folks, t's back and has been wreaking havoc in the Church. It has been preached so often and for so long that many don't even recognize the real thing. Some even call it "heresy."
Of course, the devil is delighted with all this "confusion." Obviously, he is behind it all, but he's had unwitting, though unintentional, help from the pulpit.
But the worst part of all is the priests being unable to partake of the most holy things. These "priests," are confused about their identity in Christ and unable to partake of the most holy things because of "doctrines" they have been taught which have excluded them "as defiled."
What are these most holy things today?
The Most Holy Things Under a The New Covenent.
Obviously we don't sacrifice animals anymore, right? What did those sacrifices portray? Every single one of them depicted an aspect of Jesus' once-for-all sacrifice. There are five offerings alone listed in the book of Leviticus and one found only in Numbers. There was the Burnt Offering, The Grain Offering, the Peace Offering, the Sin Offering and Trespass Offering." Five to describe ONE!
The only one not listed in Leviticus, The Ashes of the Red Heifer, is found only in Numbers. For more on this topic, follow the link below which leads you through a nine-part study of an ordinance that King Solomon, in all his wisdom, couldn't figure out. If you get it, guess what? You're smarter than Solomon!!
What do we do today to "show forth the Lord's death, till He comes?" WE PARTAKE OF COMMUNION. Since His one sacrifice suffices once for all time, animal sacrifices are no longer needed nor are they accepted by God. So, we partake of the elements of bread and wine IN REMEMBRANCE of Jesus.
Every benefit accorded to us priests because of Jesus' sacrifice: Healing, breakthrough, revelation, provision, protection are ours. We are taken care of in a way that the world is not. We get the best of everything from God!
But when our people are not told they are the righteousness of God in Christ or that God is angry with them when they mess up, they feel distant from God. Their true identity is not being preached to them: That they are hid with Christ in God, precious in His sight forever righteous.
Jesus said to His disciples in the upper room when He broke the bread and gave them the cup: "Do this IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME." But what do we often hear? Instead of making it a REMEMBRANCE of Jesus, we call to remembrance our sins that He has already taken away.
Partaking In An Unworthy Manner.
Some Christians have been told, "Don't partake of communion unless you have confessed all your sins. You might get sick and die!" The preacher who says such things doesn't realize believers are CLEANSED OF ALL SIN FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES FROM THE MOMENT THEY ACCEPTED JESUS AS THEIR SAVIOR.
How can you confess to be forgiven when your sins were all cleansed for all time the moment you were born again? THEY ARE GONE! You cannot be made more right with God than you already are.
Church, between us and God, sin is a done deal. That's what "NO CONDEMNATION" means. We no longer confess our sins in order to be forgiven; WE CONFESS THEM BECAUSE WE ALREADY ARE.
You see, we are regenerated spirits but we're still in unregenerated bodies. From time to time, we commit sins. Our confession to God is now not to be made right with Him but that we are powerless to overcome it and we need His help. Instead of asking Him to forgive what has Lready been put away, thank Him for your right standing and His Finished work. That sin or destructive behavior which has you bound will lose it's power over you. It will be broken in your life simply by continually confessing,"l am the righteousness of God in Christ," even in the midst of committing your sinful behavior.
This great misconception that one must pass the communion elements by if you have sin in your life is not what "partaking in an unworthy manner," means. If by unworthy they mean confessing sins you have committed, NEWS FLASH: EVERYBODY IS UNWORTHY.....including the preacher who said it.
It is not the PERSON who is unworthy: It is the MANNER that is unworthy.
Remember the paralytic who's friends tore up the roof of a house in Capernaum (probably Peter's home) so they could get him in front of Jesus? The first thing he said to the man was "Your sins are forgiven." Why did He say that? Because if he felt condemned before God because of his sins, he would not be able to receive his healing." He needed to know he had right standing with God. THEN Jesus said, "Rise; take up your bed and walk." Immediately he did so, stood on his feet and walked out of the house. He now carried that which formerly had carried him!
So what does it mean to partake unworthily? Here it is in a nutshell:
Discerning the Lord's body means you recognize that HIS BODY was broken, beaten, scourged and bruised SO THAT YOUR BODY WOULD BE PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY WHOLE.
His broken body was not for the forgiveness of sins. That's what His shed blood accomplished. It cleansed every sin; past present and future.
More often than not the bread and the wine are combined to say that His body and blood were both given for the forgiveness of sins. THAT IS PARTAKING IN AN WORTHY MANNER. You must discern that His body heals us physically; His blood cleanses from sin. That is proper discernment.
Why is the Holy Spirit so intent on warning us about partaking in an unworthy manner? Because when you don't partake worthily you aren't taking full advantage of communion for your complete health and wholeness, your complete "Shalom."
(For more on this topic follow this link: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/shalom.html)
This has the ultimate, unfortunate and unintended consequence of our people dying before their time. They could have lived longer by taking God's heavenly medicine in the prescribed manner.
Contrary to popular religious belief, you won't get sick or die if you haven't "confessed all your sins" before partaking. That is just another false doctrine; a lie of the devil. Some actually use it as a scare tactic in a vain attempt to get their people to live right. IT DOESN'T WORK. In fact, it backfires, causesing even more sin and disobedience.
Believers are sick or have died before their time because they were not taught to understand the difference between Jesus' body and blood and to take hold by faith of all that Christ died to give us. He emptied Himself of EVERYTHING so He could give it to us. BY HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED.
(For more on this topic, follow this link:
http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/by-his-we-are-healed.html)
The "most holy things" in the Church today are those described above: FREELY AND OFTEN partaking of the Body and Blood through communion leads to our healing and complete shalom in every area. Since you are all in Christ PRIESTS and kings, you don't need an ordained minister or priest to partake at home alone or in the company of other Christian friends.
The "most holy things" in the Church today are those described above: FREELY AND OFTEN partaking of the Body and Blood through communion leads to our healing and complete shalom in every area. Since you are all in Christ PRIESTS and kings, you don't need an ordained minister or priest to partake at home alone or in the company of other Christian friends.
Establishing Your Identity.
How can the "priests" have their true identity revealed? The exact same way the priests of ancient Israel did whose genealogies were lost. They need a "priest," a fellow believer who knows how to consult the Urim and Thummim. They can shed "perfect lights--URIM" on their "perfect completenesses--THUMMIM" in Christ. It can be your pastor, your Bible study leader or your friend who is helping you to understand you are not going to be complete in Christ some day: YOU ALREADY ARE. You are the righteousness of God in Christ. Spiritual growth from this point on will be in the knowledge of just how complete your completenesses are.
In these last days the Lord is raising up a whole new generation of priests/King shepherds who will feed the sheep. This new priesthood in the land--the order of MELCHIZEDEK--are shining perfect enlightenment on the people's perfect completeness in Christ!" The old levitical priesthood that bound them up with wrong doctrine is passing away!
God says to this old order:
Jeremiah 23:1-7
1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the LORD. 2 Therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away,' and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the LORD.
3 “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4 I WILL SET UP SHEPHERDS OVER THEM WHO WILL (#1) FEED THEM; and (#2) they shall FEAR NO MORE, (#3) NOR BE DISMAYED (#4) NOR SHALL THEY BE LACKING,” says the LORD.
5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called:
The LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Yahweh Tsidkenu!
(Yahweh Tsidkenu.)
HALLELUJAH! All you faithful preachers of the true gospel out there keep on preaching!
Keep on shouting out the truth!
The people need you, whoever you are, wherever you are, to reveal to them their true identity.
You don't need to be a pastor or theologian, have any special title or position.
You are a priest/King after the order of Melchizedek, just like Jesus.
You are the Urim and Thummim.
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