Urim and Thummin

What are Urim and Thummin? Our Pastor is teaching out of the Book of Ezra, and I pondered the meaning of Urim and Thummin? Here is the scripture reference:

Ezra 2:61 And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: 62 These sought their register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. 63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

It is repeated again in the Book of Nehemiah:

Nehemiah 7:63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took [one] of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name. 64 These sought their register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. 65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood [up] a priest with Urim and Thummim.

As you can see from the scripture reference, that this family was not found among the genealogy of the Children of Israel, and they were removed, and could not particiapte in the most HOLY duties of the priesthood.

A few other scriptures mentions the Urim and Thummin.

Exodus 28:29 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. 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.

Leviticus 8:4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This [is] the thing which the LORD commanded to be done. 6 ¶ And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound [it] unto him therewith. 8 And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. 9 And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, [even] upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses. 10 ¶ And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that [was] therein, and sanctified them.

Deuteronomy 33:8 ¶ And of Levi he said, [Let] thy Thummim and thy Urim [be] with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, [and with] whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; 9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. 10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. 11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

We can see that the Urim and Thummin are used in the Priestly duties of the Children of Levi. It was used to show the WILL of GOD. Here is Strong's Lexiconfor both words:

Urim = "lights"

1) stones kept in a pouch on the high-priest's breastplate, used in determining God's decision in certain questions and issues.

Thummim = "perfection"

1) stones provided for the means of achieving a sacred lot

a) used with the Urim, the will of God was revealed

Another word, that needs translation is Tirshatha. Here is Strong's Lexicon of this word:

1) Tirshatha - governor

a) a title used by the Persian governor in Judea

1) Nehemiah used this title

The Urim and Thummin are stones or a lot, that was used by the Priest,to reveal the WILL of GOD. They could only be used together, and not seperately. One example is given in the Book One of Samuel:

1Sa 28:6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

Why do you think it was important to remove this family from the Priesthood, until a Priest with Urim and Thummin, could be found to give an answer?

How does this teaching warn us about false pastor's and false teacher's today?