Meaning of Numbers 27:21

This verse from Numbers 27:21 describes the divine process by which Joshua, the successor to Moses, would receive guidance for the Israelite nation. Before the High Priest Eleazar, Joshua was to stand, and Eleazar, through the Urim and Thummim, would discern God's will. This established a crucial precedent for leadership in ancient Israel, emphasizing that even divinely appointed leaders were subject to and dependent upon direct divine counsel for major decisions concerning the community's movements and actions. The Urim and Thummim served as a tangible mechanism for communicating God's will, ensuring that the collective destiny of the Israelites was guided by heavenly wisdom rather than mere human strategy.

Context and Background

This passage occurs in the aftermath of Moses' death and the selection of Joshua as his successor. Moses, having led the Israelites for forty years, was preparing to pass the mantle of leadership to Joshua. The wilderness generation had largely perished, and the new generation was on the cusp of entering the Promised Land. The need for clear, authoritative leadership was paramount, and the question of how Joshua would receive divine direction, akin to how Moses had, was pressing. God himself intervenes to establish this process, ensuring continuity and divine oversight for the conquest and settlement of Canaan.

Key Themes and Messages

• Divine Guidance: The central theme is the absolute necessity of God's guidance for His people. Leadership is not about autonomous decision-making but about facilitating God's will.
• Mediated Revelation: God's will is not always directly audibly communicated but can be mediated through established priestly functions, specifically the Urim and Thummim.
• Accountability of Leadership: Joshua, though chosen by God, is not left to his own devices. He is accountable to God's revealed will through the priest.
• Community Dependence: The entire community's actions – both going out and coming in (representing all endeavors, military and domestic) – are contingent upon this divinely sanctioned counsel.

Spiritual Significance and Application

This verse underscores the enduring principle that all legitimate leadership, especially within the covenant community, must be rooted in submission to God's authority and wisdom. For believers today, while the Urim and Thummim are no longer in use, the principle of seeking God's guidance through prayer, Scripture, the Holy Spirit's promptings, and wise counsel remains vital. It calls leaders and communities to humility, recognizing that true success and faithfulness lie in aligning with God's purposes, not in self-reliance.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This passage is a critical link in the narrative of Israel's leadership and their covenant relationship with God. It bridges the era of direct, personal communication with Moses to a more structured, priestly form of divine consultation. It foreshadows the later development of the prophetic office and the ultimate fulfillment of divine guidance in Jesus Christ, the Great Shepherd and High Priest, through whom believers have direct access to God. The establishment of a clear line of authority, sanctioned by God, is essential for the perpetuation of the covenant.

Analogies

One analogy is a ship's captain who relies on a sophisticated navigation system and the expertise of a navigator to steer the vessel safely. The captain makes the final decisions, but these decisions are informed by the data and analysis provided by the navigation system (Urim/Thummim) and the navigator (Eleazar). Another analogy is a modern military commander consulting intelligence reports and receiving briefings from specialized units before ordering troop movements. The commander is responsible, but the orders are based on carefully gathered and interpreted information.

Relation to Other Verses

• Exodus 28:30: This verse directly mentions the Urim and Thummim being placed in the breastpiece of the High Priest, stating they were "to be on Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the Lord." This establishes the priestly role in carrying and using these sacred lots.
• 1 Samuel 28:6: This passage highlights the limitations of the Urim and Thummim, noting that "the Lord did not answer him by dreams or by Urim or by prophets." This shows that divine communication was not always guaranteed, depending on God's will and the spiritual state of the inquirer.
• Deuteronomy 18:15-18: Moses prophesies about a future prophet like himself whom God will raise up. This points towards a more direct prophetic voice that would eventually supersede the priestly consultation of the Urim and Thummim, culminating in Christ.
• Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." This proverb encapsulates the spiritual principle of seeking God's direction that is so clearly exemplified in Numbers 27:21.