ISRAEL'S TOOLS OF
DIVINATION OR PROPHECY
By Dr. Lee Warren, B.A., D.D.
Introduction
Throughout mankinds history, all cultures believed in some form of divination, from the most advanced societies of Egypt, Greece, and Persia to the most primitive Aboriginal tribes. The book Oracles and Divination (© 1981 Shambhala Pub. Inc.) by Michael Loewe and Carmen Blacker defined divination "&as the means or the attempt to elicit from some higher power or supernatural being the answers to questions beyond the range of ordinary human understanding. Questions about future events, about past disasters& about time and mode of religious worship and the choice of persons for a particular task (Intro.)."
What is the intent of this article?
Space is not available to cover all aspects of divination in all cultures. This article will deal with three basic objects that Yahweh gave Israel to perform divination. They were:
a) the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 25:22),
b) the Urim and Thummim, two objects placed inside the breastplate of the high priest with 12 other stones and (Ex. 28:30),
c) the robe of the high priest-called the ephod (1 Sam. 30:7-8).
Israel used all of these objects to ask Yahweh about any problem they had. The symbolism of these objects of divination, which many scholars missed, will be explored.
Now the objects that Israel used in divination basically were no different than those used by the Gentiles. In the sense that both groups used physical objects to interact with Spirit, they were the same. Yet Israels objects had significance that must be understood if one is to transcend these crude methods of communicating with Spirit. Israel's objects of divination symbolically represented the Messiah and were tools to understand the operation of Spirit.
This form of worship took place under the Law of Moses or the Old Covenant, where Israel sacrificed animals, worshipped in temples, and kept feast days and rituals (Heb. 9:8-14). Now the Master Yahshua brought this era to an end (Rom. 10:4; Heb. 10:1-10). He said Elohim (God) is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and Truth (John 4:21-24). Prior to the New Covenant, men had devised ways to seek the invisible realm.
Are there many ways to divine?
There are innumerable methods used to divine and many of these modes conformed to mankinds superstitious beliefs and primitive magic in ancient times. Most methods of divination were developed before the Hebrew scriptures and the formation of Israel.
Scholars credit the region of Babylon as being the founders of some of the most popular methods of divination. Astrology is one of the oldest methods. It is the belief that heavenly bodies such as the stars, moon, etc., have effects upon the human affairs and foretell the future,
Other methods of divination include:
a) hepatoscopy (which is the inspection of liver of animals),
b) numerology (study of the occult meaning of numbers and their supposed influence on human life),
c) geomancy (divination when random figures are formed as a handful of dirt is cast to the ground),
d) hydromancy (divination by the observation of water),
e) I Ching (A Chinese book of divination consisting of 64 hexagrams used to see what course of action to take),
f) necromancy (foretelling the future by communication with the spirits),
g) rhabdomancy (divination with a rod or wand especially to find water),
h) dreams and visions (images occurring in a persons mind while asleep or in a trance state, Num. 12:6).
Today the most common divination objects that Hollywood and tabloid newspapers have made famous are crystal balls, tarot cards, and astrology signs. The psychic telephone lines are also very popular and lucrative forms of divination in American culture. This shows that even now in our technologically advanced society mankind needs a higher power to commune with and resolve his problems. People err in not realizing that the true and only counselor, the Messiah, is within them (Lk. 17:20). He can solve all problems and answer all questions. The prophet Isaiah wrote: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty Elohim (God), The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6)."
Are there examples of divination in the Bible?
An example of divination in the Bible can be seen when Nebuchadnezzar, the Gentile king of Babylon, used it to determine whether to enter and destroy Jerusalem for being disobedient to Yahweh. He used common objects of his day (arrows, images, and a liver) to divine. Ezekiel wrote: "For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort (Ezk. 21:21-22)."
Yahweh on occasion and according to His purpose did answer these primitive methods of divination. However, many cultures interpreted the answer as a validation to their method. Such a conclusion would be incorrect.
Why did Yahweh answer men who divined?
Yahweh communicated with mankind through some of these methods of divination since their mindset was immersed in primitive magic and superstition during this period. In short, Yahweh condescended to mans level, as a parent would with a child, to communicate with him.
It was in this context that Yahweh chose to create a people as a model for the rest of the world. He gave Israel certain objects to use in divination. We will discuss various methods of divination that Yahweh prohibited Israel from using.
Did Yahweh prohibit
Gentile forms of divination?
When Yahweh gave the Law to Israel, He prohibited certain forms of divination performed by the inhabitants of Canaan land. Moses wrote: "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto Yahweh (the Lord): and because of these abominations Yahweh thy Elohim (the Lord thy God) doth drive them out from before thee (Deu. 18:10-12)."
Yahweh prohibited many of these Gentile customs for several reasons. Although universal Spirit power operated through Jew and Gentile divination alike, the latter was associated with graven idols (Hab. 2:18-19). Neither did Gentile divination lead one to understand the operation of Spirit because it was based on pure superstition and primitive magic.
However, there were forms of divination that Yahweh allowed Israel to perform, which led to an understanding of Spirit. It must be understood that none of the physical objects used in divination had any power of their own. It was Yahweh operating through these objects in much the same way that Spirit operates through our physical body (John 14:10).
How was divination
practiced under the Law of Moses?
Yahweh Elohim setup a prescribed way that Israel was to divine with various material objects. Simply put, divination was a physical means whereby Israel could inquire of Yahweh.
As in many cultures, the priests, shamans, witches, etc., were those that performed divination. Elohim designated the high priest as the one who could perform these rituals for he was the only one that had access to the Ark of the Covenant, Urim and Thummin, and the robe of the priest-the ephod.
What was the Ark of the
Covenant's purpose and its spiritual reality?
Now the Ark of the Covenant was Israels main object of adoration. It symbolically represents the earthly throne of Yahweh Elohim. Yahweh told Moses that the Ark of the Covenant was the place for him to commune with Yahweh, who would appear as a cloud between the wings of the cherubim above the mercy seat (Lev. 16:2).
Now Moses said that he heard the voice of Yahweh from this cloud (Num. 7:89; Ex 25:22). So clearly, the Ark was an object used in divination or to inquire of Yahweh, which has great spiritual meaning.
In many articles of the "PLIM REPORT" we have shown that the Ark of the Covenant has deep spiritual significance and the Messiah was the True Ark. (See Parts One and Two of "The Still Small Voice" in the September/October and November/December 1993 issues.) The Messiah removed all these forms of divination and showed that the True Diviner was the Father operating within Him (Jn. 14:10).
What was the Urim's and
Thummim's purpose and their spiritual reality?
Moses wrote that the high priest had two stones, called Urim and Thummim, used for divination to discern puzzling matters. "And of Levi he (Yahweh) said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one (Deu. 33:8)." Only The high priest had access to these two stones.
They were located inside a pocket of the priests breastplate covering his heart. Moses wrote: "And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aarons heart, when he goeth in before Yahweh (the Lord): and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before Yahweh (the Lord) continually (Ex. 28:30)."
No one knows the true operation of the Urim and Thummim. It is believed that the high priest put a question to them and they provided an answer either in visible or audible signs.
What do the words Urim and Thummim mean?
In order to understand the spiritual significance of Urim and Thummim, we must understand the meaning of these two words or we might think that they were no different than the dice Gentiles used for divination. The book The Tabernacle of Israel by James Strong (©1987 Kregel Pub.) states the following about meaning of Urim and Thummim.
Now "the Urim and Thummim" are not proper names. Urim is simply the plural of Ûr, which is occasionally used in the singular for light (Isa.31:9; 44:16; 47:14 50:11; Eze. 5:2 &) in the sense of flame and also used for Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, while the plural&is used for the region of lights.& Thummim likewise is only the plural form meaning perfection, and usually rendered, in the singular, 'integrity'&(p. 110)" Urim and Thummim according to Mr. Strong means "full of light as to amount and perfect as to kind, &a definite oracle." In short, the words Urim and Thummim signify light and perfection.
Did the two stones point to illumination?
Now the meaning of Urim and Thummim points to the principle of enlightenment. Buddha told the people in the East that he was "awake" or enlightened when he received a revelation under the Bodhi tree. The Messiah told Israel that He was the light of the world (Jn. 8:12), for the words He spoke were Life and Truth (Jn. 6:63).
By being the light, the Messiah was the perfection of Elohim manifest in the fleshly body (Jn. 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16). He told His disciples that the words He spoke and the miracles He performed were done by the Father within (Jn. 14:10). So Urim and Thummim represent the Holy Spirit operating within ones soul. This is especially true under the New Covenant where we do not need stones to speak to Elohim about a problem; a simple prayer and faith is sufficient. The Master said: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matt 7:7)."
What are the purpose and the spiritual reality of the ephod?
As stated earlier, the ephod was a garment the high priest wore on top of his robe, which was a part of his garments of beauty, glory, and splendor. Their colors were blue, purple and scarlet.
Vines Expository Dictionary of the Biblical Words (© 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers) states the following about the ephod. "This word represents a close-fitting outer garment associated with worship. It was a kind of long vest, generally reaching to the thighs. The "ephod" of the high priest was fastened with a beautifully woven girdle <Exod. 28:27-28> and had shoulder straps set in onyx stones, on which were engraved the names of the twelve tribes. Over the chest of the high priest was the breastplate, also containing twelve stones engraved with the tribal names. Rings attached it to the "ephod." The Urim and Thummin were also linked to the breastplate."
The high priest represents Yahshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ), who is the high priest throughout eternity (Heb. 7:22-28). Now all the garments of the high priest symbolically represent the spiritual principles that compose the Messiah, such as peace, love, wisdom, strength, power, justice, beauty, etc. The Apostle Peter referred to the true believers as being clothed in humility (1 Pet. 5:5; Col. 3:12; Pro. 29:14), which is a spiritual principle. Hence, the ephod represents a soul being clothed in the Messiah.
Did King David
use the ephod to divine?
There are a few instances in the Old Testament where the ephod is used in divination. David used it when Saul was plotting against him. Samuel the prophet wrote: "And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelechs son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David. And David inquired at Yahweh (the Lord), saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all (1 Sam. 30:7-8). Now no one knows exactly how David got his answer; whether it was an audible or visible sign.
When the Messiah taught during His ministry, He showed that anyone could talk to the Father without these objects of divination. The Messiah told His disciples: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever (John 14:16)."
Davids comforter was not the ephod, but the Spirit that gave him the answer. Clearly, the people of this era thought they needed objects to commune with Yahweh, as children think they need numbered blocks or their fingers to count. Later they discover that they can mentally manipulate abstract numbers.
Were humans designated as vessels of divination?
Now Yahweh often used humans, especially seers in the Hebrew culture, as vessels for divination. It appears that men of this era were more prone to accept material objects and places as tools of divination rather than themselves. This was primarily due to the hold primitive magic and superstition had on humanitys mind.
Yahweh told Moses, Aaron, and his sister that He would appear to men in dreams and visions. Moses wrote: "And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I Yahweh (the Lord) will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream (Num. 12:6)." Yahweh considers dreams and visions the supreme form of divination. Remember, Joseph was a dreamer and interpreted Pharaohs dreams while he was in Egypt (Gn. 37th chp. & 41st chp.). Daniel also interpreted Nebuchadnezzars dreams about future world powers (Dn. 2nd chp.).
Now the Master, Yahshua the Messiah, informed Israel that the true temple where the Holy Spirit resides is mans soul which dwells in a physical body (1 Cor. 6:19-20). So the high priest within man is the Holy Spirit, the true diviner. This was not fully understood until the day of Pentecost.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit fulfilled the prophecy of Joel who said: "And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Yahweh (LORD) your Elohim (God), and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit (Joel 2:27-29)." The Holy Spirit is the True Diviner within that reveals visions, dreams, and revelations unto humans.
Conclusion
Now history shows that mankind has always believed in some Supreme Being or god(s) of their imagination whom they communicated with by divination. Many cultures have used various objects, rituals, and ceremonies in their divination.
Yahweh chose out a people Israel to be a model for the rest of the world (Isa. 42:6). They had a special knowledge of the operation of Yahweh Elohims Laws that the other nations did not have.
Yahweh gave Israel various objects, such as the Ark of the Covenant, Urim and Thummim, and the ephod, for divination and Israel took these objects literally. They believed the objects, in and of themselves, had some power. Israel did not realize that these objects symbolically represented the Messiahs power (Jn. 5:39) in a mans consciousness. Simply put, mankinds understanding of Spirit was concrete and physical, just as a child in its beginning plays with concrete objects before it is able to deal with abstract ideas of the mind.
The Messiahs purpose was to remove the Law of Moses and all physical forms of worshipping Yahweh under the Old Covenant. He demonstrated that communion with the Father took place in ones mind and a physical object could not help this operation. Everyone must realize that they are Elohims offspring. Yahshua told the teachers of Israel: "Ye are Els (Jn. 10:34)." Simply put, this means that our Father is within us.
True divination under the New Covenant is seeking the Holy Spirit within our hearts and minds through prayer and meditation. This is worshipping Elohim in Spirit and Truth in His Temple, our physical body (Jn. 4:24; 1 Cor. 6:19-20). Anybody not adhering to these principles is walking in darkness and has not matured spiritually. Finally, the Master said: "Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of Elohim (God) is within you (Lk. 17:21).