Section 890
II. I shall now inquire how the Urim and Thummim may be applied to Christ, in respect to the use of them
I have already observed a two fold use thereof: the first was that upon these stones, that is, the Urim and Thummim, were engraven the names of the twelve tribes of Israel which the high priest bore upon his heart, when he went into the holy place, or a memorial before the Lord; from whence we may observe these two things.
First, That the elect of God lie near the heart of Christ, the great High priest; for as the names of the twelve tribes were engraven on these stones, and borne upon Aaron's heart: so are all God's elect engraven On the heart of Christ; not only upon the palms of his hands, but upon his heart, as the church in Solomon's song desired; saying, Set me as a seal upon thine heart (Song of Solomon 8:6): they lay near his heart, and were the objects of his love from eternity; he was not only rejoicing in and with, and before his Father, but also in the habitable parts of the earth, in the views of that part of the earth which he knew would be so, and where his elect should dwell; and his delights were with the sons of men, even before the earth was made, or the highest part of the dust of the world was formed: They lay near his heart when he died for them, and there they still lie, and ever will do so.
Secondly, That what Christ did, who is our high priest, with Urim and Thummim, he did it as our representative, in our name, and in our room and stead; even as Aaron, when he slew the sacrifice on the day of atonement, and carried the blood within the vail, did it in the name of the whole congregation; so when Christ offered up himself a sacrifice, he did it in our name, and for our sins: Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us (1 Corinthians 5:7); and this was received by the Father, as an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savor on our account; and now he is entered into the holy place by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us. It is, with the names of all the elect, engraven upon his heart; he is entered into heaven as a forerunner for them; he is gone before to take possession of glory in their name, as well as to prepare it for them; and therefore they are said now to sit together in heavenly places in him (Ephesians 2:6); what he receives there, he receives in their name; what he does he does in their name; and on their account, he appears in the presence of God for them. So much for the first use of the Urim and Thummim.
The second was, that with these the priest asked counsel of God for the people in matters of moment. This may represent unto us Christ's acting for us as an Intercessor, Advocate, or Counselor, one of whose titles in Isaiah is the Counselor (Isaiah 9:6); or, as the Septuagint translates it, The Angel of the great council; he acted as such, in the great council that was held between the eternal Three, concerning man's salvation; and has acted as such ever since; he now pleads our cause, removes all charges, answers all accusations, consults our interest, and acts the whole part of an advocate for us; If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1). But let us consider a little more particularly, how these things may he applied to Christ.
1. None but the high priest might ask counsel of God by Urim and Thummim; Joshua must stand before Eleazar the priest who shall ask counsel for him a the judgment of Urim before the Lord (Numbers 27:22); so none but the Lord Jesus Christ is the believer's counselor, advocate, intercessor and mediator; no angels nor saints departed; for there is but one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). As there is but one mediator of redemption, so there is but one mediator of intercession; so that when we want counsel and advice, we must employ him: when we want any favor at God's hand, we must make use of his interest: when we have a cause to plead, he is the only person we must, and the most proper person we can, apply unto.
2. The high priest, when he did this, put on the: Ephod, and none but he might do so. The Ephod may represent unto us the garment of the human nature, with which Christ, our great high priest, is clothed; which, though all the three persons had an hand in making, yet it was thought proper that the second person alone should wear it; which garment, as the Ephod was girt about the priest with a curious girdle, is gilt about Christ with the girdle of love, and no other girdle but that could have fastened it to him. Because the children were partakers of flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14), the children whom he loved, and because he loved them, therefore he himself also took part of the same. And as the Ephod was a glorious garment, being adorned with sparkling gems and precious stones, so is the human nature of Christ, now in heaven full of glory; For we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour (Hebrews 2:10): and in this nature as well as in the divine, does he act the part of a counsellor, advocate, and intercessor for us.
3. Counsel was asked by Urim and Thummim only for public persons; as for a king, or the house of Judgment; the senate or sanhedrin; or the whole congregation of Israel; and that only in matters of moment, as I have already observed. Now our great high priest, with Urim and Thummim, is acting the part of a counsellor and intercessor, not for the men of the world, but for the whole congregation of the elect; I pray for them, says he; I pray not for the world (John 17:9). Those that he concerns himself for, are persons of note, they are princes, the sons of a King, nay, Kings themselves; such whom he has loved and washed from their sins in his own blood, and made them kings and priests to God and his Father (Revelation 1:5, 6). And the things that he is concerned about for them, are not trivial matters, but things of the greatest importance; such as the conversion of elect sinners, and the consolation of called saints, that they may have the Spirit as a comforter to abide with them; and the manifestations of pardoning grace to their souls; that their faith may not fail in an hour of temptation, but that they may persevere to the end, and be with him, where he is, to behold his glory.
4. The person for whom counsel was asked, was to stand before the priest: which shews us, that we must make our application to Christ, our high priest; we must ask in his name, and put our petitions into his hands, and stand before him waiting for an answer; for he has said, whatsoever ye ask in my name that will I do.
5. And lastly. As those responses which God returned by Urim and Thummim were certainly true, without any falsity or equivocation in them, such as the diabolical oracles of the Gentiles had; so as true are all those things which he says unto us by Christ: God did at sundry tunes, and in divers manners, speak in time past to the fathers by the prophets (Hebrews 1:1); sometimes by dreams and visions, and sometimes by Urim and Thummim; but he hath now in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. And as all he said by dreams rind visions, or by Urim and Thummim, was true so is all that he has said to us by his Son, who is truth itself, the faithful witness, who hath fully declared the whole counsel of God unto us.
Thus I have considered how the Urim and Thummim may be applied to Christ, or said to be with him, and lastly, Is the true Urim and Thummim alone with Christ? You learn hence, the superiority of Christ's priesthood to that of Aaron's; the Levitical law was but a shadow of good things to come, which good things are brought to us by Christ, who is the substance of those shadows. And we may also learn the glory of the gospel dispensation, in which the day is broke, and the shadows are fled and gone; and we all with open face beholding, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).