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Amen. So keep your place there in Exodus chapter 28. So we're going through the garments of the high priest, and we're looking at each of these garments and the detail that God gives us in this chapter. And nothing in the Bible is on accident, so we're looking at the details of this. Why did God give all this detail? We're looking at how these garments apply to us in our Christian lives, how the Bible says in Revelation 1.6 that we are kings and priests. So how does this affect us? What does it all mean? There's no detail that God puts in the Bible that is there just for nothing, okay? And we've seen that when we looked at the robe so far. We looked at the robe and all the details of the robe. We looked at the mitre last week, the headpiece. We saw that, by the way, in Revelation chapter 22, and we read that this morning. We saw that, again, Jesus seals people in their foreheads, and that's where that plate was to go with the mitre. So the whole idea of the mitre was the plate, okay? It was the plate where it was holiness unto the Lord. It was not a tall hat, you know, to bring glory upon yourself. It was to show that the priest belonged to the Lord, okay? And we see that with the mitre. So tonight, we're going to look at the breastplate. We're going to look at the breastplate. Look down at verse number 15, and remember now, remember the location on the body is super important for these garments. It means something with every garment. So let's read, starting in verse 15 through verse 30 talks about this breastplate. Let's start reading at verse number 15 in your Bibles. The Bible says, and thou shalt make the breastplate. It's not just any breastplate though. Look what it says already here. It says the breastplate of judgment with cunning work. That means it's to be, you know, cunning means it's to be skillful. This isn't to be something that's slapped together. It's to be very specific, very nicely made. The breastplate of judgment with cunning work after the work of the ephod, thou shalt make it. Of gold, of blue, of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, that shall make it. So notice what it's called right away. It's called the breastplate of judgment, okay? So this is showing, number one, that the priest, this priest, and by the way, you're a priest, so whenever we're going through this series, just think of yourself, all right? We are kings and priests. This is the priesthood of the believer that we're living as we've believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and we're saved tonight. So it's called the breastplate of judgment. So judgment is something that is going to be needed, but that's something that you're told that you should not have today, that you should have no judgment, which is like the dumbest thing ever, okay? To say that anyone shouldn't have judgment. Who would, I mean, think about, you know, isn't that what people say today, though? Don't judge. Don't judge. Don't ever judge. You know, I mean, how would you like to raise your children without having, you know, isn't that what everyone's trying to instill in their children is to have good judgment? What judgment means is to discern, to be able to tell good from evil, okay? Being able to tell, you know, what's good and what's bad. Should I go this way? Should I go that way? That's what we're all trying to do is raise children with good judgment. Yet everyone's saying, you know, look, it's a wicked person that's telling you not to judge anything, to have no judgment, all right? Turn to Matthew chapter 7 real quickly and I want to show you some King James Bible language now that I taught you how to read the King James Bible this morning in that two-minute grammar lesson. Go to Matthew chapter 7. This is what people will use to say that you should never judge. Don't judge. Don't judge. Go to Matthew chapter 7 and look at verse number 1. The Bible says in Matthew chapter 7, now just remember your ye's and your you's, okay? You know, that everyone has to change the Bible and we have to have 170 different Bible versions because no one can understand the these and the thou's of the King James Bible. The ye's and the you's are plural. The these and the thou's are singular. There you go. Now you can read the King James Bible, okay? But look at verse number 1 of Matthew chapter 7, talking about judgment here real quickly before we get started. Judge not that ye be not judged. So who's Jesus talking about here? So the ye's, the ye's you will always see with the you's. The ye's and the you's go together. So one is the subject and one is the object, okay? Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged and with what measure ye meet, it shall be measured to you. Again, Jesus here is talking about if you have a red-letter Bible, these are red letters, he's talking to a group of people, okay? He's talking to a group of people. So he's not saying never judge. He's saying judge not that ye be not judged and then if we keep reading, remember the context as well, whenever somebody throws out some verse at you, just read a couple verses before and a couple verses after and get the context. It says for what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. The Bible here is telling you not to be a hypocrite. It's not saying have no judgment. It's saying don't be a hypocrite. Then he gives an example. He gives a specific example now. Notice the switch in the ye's to the these and thou's. Look what he says. And why beholdest thou, now he's talking to a single person. He's giving an example to a single person. He's saying beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye but consider us not the beam that is in thine own eye. So now we're talking about a single situation, okay? So here's a person that is, you know, being judgmental about something with somebody but they've got a major sin in their own eye. A mote being a sliver and a beam being a huge, you know, railroad tire, whatever you want to look at there, okay? It says thou hypocrite don't ever judge. Is that what it says? No, it says thou hypocrite first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. See the idea with judgment here is to get the mote out of your brother's eye. It's to help get that, I mean we're talking about sin here. We're talking about getting the sin out of someone's life or helping your brothers and sisters get something right in their life. You can't do that when you have that sin in your life. I mean how effective is it going to be try to get, you know, your kids to stop sinning a certain sin, you know, don't drink kids. Don't drink as they've watched you drink for 18 years. This is what this is saying. This is what this is talking about. It's like it's just it's not gonna work. Kids are hypocrite detectors by the way. Kids will tell a hypocrite when they're like four years old. It's ridiculous. I mean God's put that in their heart. They can just see hypocrites like that and Jesus is warning us of that but notice how he switches. Just the language. Notice how he switches talking to the group to giving an individual example with somebody. That's the beauty of the detail of the King James Bible, okay. Just by changing that to a single word like you, it would be very confusing reading something like this. You would lose, you would lose that, you would lose, you would get it. It's a rounding error, you know. You round 12.137 to 12. The next person I give 12 to, they have no idea what those other numbers are. That information is gone. It's lost, okay. So look but the Bible is saying here you should have judgment. It's just saying hey clean your act up first and then you can actually help somebody. It's very similar actually to James chapter 2 that people misunderstand. James chapter 2 is talking about being a prophet to somebody. How can I profit my brother? It's like look if your faith, if you're not out there working your faith, if you're not out there showing your faith, it's not that you're not saved because your works have nothing to do with you being saved. It's about whether or not you're gonna be a benefit to anybody. That's it. It's very similar Matthew chapter 7 to James chapter 2 in that sense. So look there's a need for judgment. That's why the breastplate is called the breastplate of judgment, okay. Go back to Exodus chapter 28. It's important. Look judgment is super important especially, especially for a leader, especially for a leader. Man you are all leaders of your family tonight. I hate to break it to you but go to 1 Kings chapter 3 and I'm gonna prove this to you how important judgment is, how important good judgment is. Go to 1 Kings chapter 3. This is Solomon's prayer. Solomon just he's a young man. He's somewhere you know he's probably less than 20 years old. He takes over the kingdom and look at look at where Solomon's state of mind is right now. Look at 1 Kings chapter 3. Look at verse number 5. 1 Kings chapter 3. Look at verse number 5. Solomon has just taken over. David is gone and Solomon is just taking over the kingdom and look what the Bible says. It says in Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God said ask what I shall give thee. He says the same thing to us by the way. So you should be praying every single day. Just a side note. Look at verse number 6. So God says to Solomon in a dream ask me what you want and I'll give it to you. And Solomon said thou hast showed unto thy servant David my father great mercy according as he walked before thee. Who's he talking to? Is he talking to a group of people? No he's talking to God singular. He's talking to a single person as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness. Righteousness by the way just righteousness here is talking about the work of exercising good judgment. Okay that's what righteousness would be. If you walk and exercise good judgment all the time which we don't because we sin all the time but righteousness would be it could be characterized as exercising good judgment. So look what he says. You know David he's talking about his father. He said he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of what? Of heart. Don't forget that. With thee with God and thou has kept him for this kept for him this great kindness and thou has given him a son to sit on his throne. He's talking about himself as it is this day. And now O Lord my God thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father and I am but a little child. I know not how to go out or come in. He say I know nothing. This humbleness is a is a good place to start always when you're talking to the Lord. And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou has chosen a great people that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Now look at verse number nine. One of the one of the greatest verses in the Bible in my opinion. He says what does he ask for? What is this what is this kid ask for? Can you imagine if you go find pull some kid off the street who's 14 years old and say what do you want? You can have anything. What would they say? Would they say this? Look at verse number nine. He says give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to what? Why? Why does he need an understanding heart? To judge thy people. He's the king. He's a leader. He wants to have proper righteous judgment. He wants to be able to exercise judgment correctly. And that I may discern what what is what is judgment? Here it is. That I may discern between good and bad. For who is able to again judge this thy so great a people. I'm sure and that made God very happy. Look at the next verse. And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him because thou had asked this thing and ask not ask not that for thyself a long life neither has asked riches for thyself nor has asked for the life of thine enemies but has asked for thyself an understanding to discern judgment again behold I've done according to thy words well I have given thee a wise and understanding heart. So here's here's what you need to understand wisdom and understanding equals proper judgment. So that's what God gave him so he would have proper judgment. And then that's why this is where Solomon Solomon you know became so wise and so so so smart that people come from all over the world to give him gold and to listen to his proverbs so that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. All right so look wisdom and understanding equals judging properly. Okay and we see that it all comes from where? Go to Exodus chapter 28 go back there. Okay go back to Exodus chapter 28. Understanding and wise judgment is what the priest needs. Now where does where does the the garment go? Let's look at the the place that the garment goes because that's very important. Look at Exodus chapter 28 and verse number 6. Let's go through let's look at verse number 16 gives us some detail about it. It says four square it shall be being doubled a span shall be the length thereof and a span shall be the breadth thereof. All this is saying is that a span is they say a span is from your pinky to your thumb they say about nine inches so that's how big it is and it says it's four square four square in the King James Bible means that it's a square. Okay it means it the Bible kind of explain it kind of defines itself here it says four square it shall be being doubled a span shall be the length and a span shall be the breadth so it's the same wide as it is tall. Okay nine inches so it's a nine inch square now look at verse number 17 verse number 17 the Bible says and thou shalt set in the settings of stones even four rows of stones the first roll shall be a Sardis a Topaz a carbuncle this shall be the first row the second row should be an emerald a sapphire and a diamond the third row a ligur and agate and an amethyst the fourth row a barrel and onyx and a jasper they shall be set in gold in their enclosings when it says gold ouches ouches of gold what that means is that's the that's the in setting where the stones sit so an ouches is the gold the gold setting as you would if you have a gold diamond ring you know the ouch would be where the diamond sits down in the ring okay and the stone shall be with the name of the children of Israel 12 according to their names like the engravings of a signet everyone with his name should be according to the 12 tribes now I'd study the stones for you but we don't know which name went on which stone so you know we'll just have to go use the the sermon series that we we had on the 12 tribes of Israel for that because we don't know which stone goes with each tribe but go to verse number 22 but the point is is that the names of the 12 tribes sit on the breastplate that's the important thing that you know need to know okay so the breastplate of judgment this shows you what is the judgment towards what is his judgment to be used for his judgment is to be used for the 12 tribes his judgment is going to be is to be used for the nation we're talking about the high priest here okay look at verse 22 and now shall make upon the breastplate breastplate chains at the end of the wreath and work of pure gold and shall make upon the breast rate two rings of gold and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate so there's rings on each side and it's connected here and it's connected down to his his girdle and now shall put the two wreath and chains of gold and the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate and the other two ends the two wreath and chains shall now fashioned in the two ouches and put them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod before it those are the top chains and thou shall make two rings of gold now shall put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof which is in the side of the ephod inward and the other two rings of gold shall thou make and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath toward the forefront thereof over against the other coupling thereof above the curious girdle of the ephod and they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod which with a lace of blue this is what connects the rings that they may be above the curious girdle of the ephod and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod is just showing you how it's to be attached to his his location now look at verse number 29 this is the important part verse number 29 says an Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment where upon his heart when he goeth into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually remember Solomon what did he ask for he asked for this wise and understanding what a wise and understanding heart and here the breastplate of judgment is to be over the priests what over his heart okay the Bible talks about the heart as the place actually let's look at a few verses we could look at a hundred verses on the heart but let's look at the verses on the heart the Bible verses on the heart are super important in the Christian life turn to Jeremiah chapter 17 turn to Jeremiah chapter 17 the heart and look it's it's a it's a location in the body it's a it's a part of the body that is used for a specific picture in the Bible and I want to show that to you tonight look at Jeremiah chapter 17 in verse number 9 so Solomon asked for a wise and understanding heart to exercise judgment to properly judge the priest wears the breastplate of judgment over his heart that has the names of all the tribes of Israel on these stones look at Jeremiah 17 in verse number 9 the Bible says a lot about the heart so let's look at what it's talking about here the Bible says Jeremiah 17 9 it says the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it now look what is that saying is the heart a good thing or is the heart a bad thing okay the what is the heart when the Bible talks about the heart let's look at what it is first turn to Romans chapter 10 in verse number 9 look the Bible here in Jeremiah 17 9 is saying that that Satan the great deceiver is going to come after this thing he's going to come after your heart why go to Romans 10 and chapter number 9 Romans 10 chapter number 9 if you're a soul winner you know this is a very popular verse I'm sure you have it memorized but look at Romans 10 9 and let's look at Romans 10 9 and Romans 10 10 I always like to take soul-winning verses and every now and then you know you kind of repeat these verses so many times and you say these verses so many times I always like to go and read you read the verses before and after every now and then to get the context of these soul-winning verses but look at verse number 9 so we're talking about the heart and why Satan tries to deceive our heart and why the heart can be so deceitful look at verse number 9 it says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and what what's the important thing of salvation here what's the important thing of salvation it says and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved to be saved you must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and that belief comes from where it comes from your heart okay it comes from your heart look at verse number 10 for now it's going to tell us what the heart actually is okay what it's used for okay for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation the Bible here is telling us is that the heart is the tool that your body uses to believe things it's it's it's the it's the philosophical origin of your belief is what the Bible is saying here and what the Bible is talking about when it says the heart the heart the heart it's where your beliefs come from is what Romans 10 10 just told us this is why Satan comes after your heart this is why Satan attacks your heart go to Matthew chapter 5 I'm going to read for you Jeremiah chapter 17 and verse number 10 the very next verse of the one we just read you go to Matthew chapter 5 in Jeremiah 17 10 the Bible says I the Lord search the heart I try the reins even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings so look only God sees your heart we go out and we give the gospel to people and they'll tell us yes I believe that and then we'll help them you know we'll help them confess their beliefs to the Lord and we will do that with them but ultimately we don't see the heart ultimately I have no idea what anybody in this room believes I mean I'm taking you at your word you know that that we're all believing the same things that we've all trusted on Jesus Christ but ultimately it's only God that can search the heart it's only God that knows what you believe and your belief think about this for a second you are saved by belief alone and this is just my opinion but I believe that the reason God made it that way is because your belief is the only thing that is uniquely yours no matter what I do I can't make you believe anything throughout history men have done terrible things they've arrested people and tortured people and in the martyrs mirror that we talked about this morning they even made people sign confessions but but they can't make you believe anything they can make you sign something they can make you say something but they can't make you believe anything that's yours and that's why I believe God has it by belief look at Matthew chapter 5 and verse number 8 so here's what we want our heart to be Jesus says he says Matthew 5 8 he says blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God turn to Hebrews chapter 4 turn to Hebrews chapter 4 so here's the here's the idea folks is is the heart is where your belief comes from the heart is where that righteous judgment needs to come from as well and that's why that sits on the heart of the priest look at Hebrews chapter 4 in verse number 12 you say how could you how could you like how could you possibly get somebody to change what they believe how could you get somebody to change what they believe you say I have some people in my life that I love that they they're not saved and I would like them to be saved how in the world could I get them to change the belief in their heart well the Bible says that there's only one thing that has power over the heart look at Hebrews chapter 4 look at verse number 12 the Bible says this it says this is why by the way this is why you know the word of God being pure is so important this is why that the NIV being this corrupted version is is something that we don't want to have anything to do with or any of these other versions and it's important as the front of your bulletin says in Psalm 12 6 that the words of the Lord be pure words why because they have power that's why I'm what kind of power I'm talking actual physical power to do what to change the heart you say why how do you know that well look let's read the Bible look at verse 12 for the word of God is quick you know what that means no quick means it means it can make things alive how many things that you know can make things alive how about this nothing nothing can make things alive the most technology on planet earth that they have today they can't make one cell alive but the Bible says that the word of God can the word of God is quick you know you're dead in your sins you know when somebody preached the gospel to you and you believed it you became alive why because the word of God is powerful that's why the word of God created the world the word God let there be heat and God said God and God said Jesus Christ the word created the world that's power hey that's physical power I mean to actually speak things into existence is actual physical power let's keep reading the word of God is quick and what and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit look it can get into someone's spirit and into their soul and physically look at this and to the of the joints and the marrow and as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of what heart it's a discerner you know what that means it means it's a detector it means it's a detector the word of God will detect a bad heart or a good heart is what the Bible is saying here the Bible will discern between good and evil you know why you know why you know one that you get in a Bible preaching church that preaches like everything like everything in the Bible like if you're if you're fairly new here you're gonna hear the whole thing here there's gonna be stuff that you hear preach here and you're gonna be like never heard that before but look if it's in the Bible it's gonna be preached here but the point is is that if you have a bad heart it's gonna clash with the Bible it's gonna if you have a bad heart it's just gonna like it's just not gonna fit it's gonna it's gonna but that's the idea of the Bible it's supposed to it's supposed to hit you and discern your heart so you change you fix your heart you know that's why you know you hear you hear sin preached and you hear the just hard preaching on sin and you're in that sin and you're like ah it hits you but hey that's the idea because the Bible is a discerner it's a discerner yes the gospel yes salvation but hey we're trying to live a Christian life here too and it's here to help you discern and judge your Christian life as you walk forward that's why some liberal church that doesn't tell you what the Bible says isn't doing you any favors they're actually hurting you they're actually hurting you they don't care about you I mean how many times you got out so any you get somebody saved and they've been going to some church for eight or nine years and you're like you know they never told you how to get to heaven at your church those people don't love you just sending people straight to hell and the worst and worst is where that the pastor might actually be saved and he's not telling the people how to get to heaven it's crazy to even think about it but it happens all the time so the Bible here is saying is that that that the Word of God can change can fix can affect the heart it has the power to do that it's the only thing that's why when we go out what do we do we don't go out with our own words we don't go out and just like just like explain stuff to people we use the Word of God yes and we explain but we use God's Word because it's God's Word that has power not ours it's God's Word go to Proverbs chapter 4 so you say you know give me a break preacher I'm saved leave me alone go to Proverbs chapter 4 look folks this idea of the heart I'm telling you if I could preach anything until I was blue in the face it would be this this is the Christian problem right here is keeping your heart clear look at Proverbs chapter 4 in verse 23 I mean the Bible tells us this don't take my word for it the Bible says in Proverbs 4 23 it says keep thy heart with all diligence you know what diligence means diligence means persistence over time if you're a diligent worker it doesn't mean you work hard on Monday it means you go home you go you go to work and you work hard every single hour of every single day that's diligence the Bible is saying you must be diligent about your heart you can't just be like oh you know I got saved and I just I'm so excited for for a church and I'm so excited to get into the Christian life and you know I'm gonna get baptized and I'm gonna get soul winning and I'm gonna do this and you know why Christians are you know bottle rocket Christians they start out and they're like and then it's like pop they say the average Christian life lasts about two or three years that's what they say you talk to a pastor who's pastor for 20 years he'll tell you the same thing people they just burn out why because they don't keep their heart that's why because the devil look if you're saved tonight the devil can't send you to hell he can't take away your salvation you know what he can do he can take your heart away he could deceive your heart and he can he can get you to care about other things he can drag you into sin you know a lot of people think like you know what I'm just gonna I'm saved maybe I'll just I'm just gonna go into some sin for a while the problem is your heart that's the problem sin will steal your heart it'll take it away and look that's why people that's why people they're like hey I'm gonna go into a little bit of sin they get into sin it steals their heart and they never come back it's a terrible thing you have to keep your heart with diligence this is the Christian problem right here again and again and again it is the same thing you ask any Bible preaching Baptist pastor and he'll tell you the same thing turn back to Exodus chapter 28 protect your heart actually turn to first Kings chapter 11 let's let's beat this one to death turn to first Kings chapter 11 we talked about we talked about marriage this morning did we not do we talk about marriage this morning look you want to talk about keeping your heart but look the Bible says in Deuteronomy 17 that a king is to not multiply wives okay a king is not to multiply wives let's look at Solomon we were just studying Solomon right look at first Kings chapter 11 let's talk about this idea of your heart for just a couple more minutes go to chapter 11 so we saw Solomon when he was he was young he was humble he asked the Lord for wise and understanding heart look at verse number one of first Kings chapter 11 look what happened to him but King Solomon loved many strange women together with the daughter of Pharaoh women of the Moabites Ammonites Edomites Sidonians and Hittites of the nations concerning with the Lord said unto the children of Israel you should not go in unto them neither shall they come in unto you for surely they will what they will turn away your heart after their gods Solomon clave to these in love and he had 700 wives princesses and 300 concubines and his wives what they turned away his heart first of all you will find no man in the Bible that has multiple wives that had a good marriage I mean does I mean can you it doesn't that make sense you will find no Solomon he actually was married to Pharaoh's daughter first and read the book of song of Solomon it's just this great love story between him and his first wife and then he goes and he does this and at the end of his life he says I've not found one woman that I could you know have a good life with basically you will not find one man who married multiple wives in the Bible who had a great loving relationship with with one of his wives it was just chaos it was just chaos in their homes in their households chaos I mean it's like you read some of the patriarchs and it's like you're reading a soap opera it's just it's just chaos jealousy favoritism but the main problem God said was this it said these wives will turn away your heart from me he says they'll turn your heart away from the Lord it says in his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the heart of David his father for Solomon then it talks about how he went off after all these these these false gods and all this type of stuff just because of his wives they turned away his heart the Lord what folks this could be anything this could be this could be money this could be your career this could be anything of this world that is thorns that chokes your spiritual life because it's not just I'm gonna go and I'm just gonna hey I'm just gonna go make money for five years I'm just gonna go make money for five years and then I'm gonna get back into the Christian life I'm gonna give a bunch of money to church no your heart will be gone and you'll never come back that's what will happen Satan is after your heart and guess what he's gonna steal it where he knows he can steal it with you he knows where your cracks are he knows what whatever can get you out of church and get you out of this Christian life that's where he's gonna hit you so you need to think about that what can get me out of the Christian life what do I care about more than the Lord that's what's gonna come after you especially look especially as you get effective in the Christian life you get effective in the Christian life you start making a difference for the kingdom of God on earth Satan's coming after you and he knows where to pull we're to poke he knows where to pull on your heart it's a serious thing please I mean please listen to me it's a serious thing and I mean anybody that's been in this Christian life for a while has known people that have fallen to this look they're as saved as you and me but but they've been taken out of the fight they've been taken out of the fight you have to guard your heart folks turn back to Exodus chapter 28 so the breastplate of judgment is upon the priests heart we see that he is to execute good judgment towards the nation look at Exodus chapter 28 in verse number 30 so that's his that's his idea he's supposed to I mean imagine imagine if you had a imagine if you had a leader whose heart was turned imagine if you had a leader over a nation whose heart was turned I mean imagine if you had a leader over I mean you'll laugh imagine if we had a leader over a nation that had no judgment welcome to America but I mean this is this is what you get imagine if we had a godly leader of a nation of our nation you know what kind of difference that would make just imagine I mean we haven't had that for a long time don't get me wrong I don't want to get into that but look at verse 30 and shall and thou shalt put the breastplate of judgment that I'm sorry thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the theorem Thuman and they shall be upon Aaron's heart when he goeth before the Lord and Aaron shall bear judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually you're like what in the world Urim and Thuman what what is that all right now look I don't read Bible commentary okay I don't read Bible commentary and this is a perfect reason why you can go read all kinds of crazy stuff on what these two things are let's just look at what the Bible says and look sometimes you just need to be okay with like you know God didn't tell us a lot on this God just didn't you know if God didn't give us a lot of detail it means that you just it's just not that important we just don't need to know everything all right but turn to Leviticus chapter 8 first of all the words mean light and perfection okay so there's some type of objects that go inside the breastplate okay let's look at I mean the Bible does talk about them and I think we can kind of infer and I'll show you my theory all right we think we can kind of infer what these things are but turn to Leviticus chapter 8 look at verse number 8 Leviticus 8 verse number 8 remember the priestess exercise what that it goes on his heart and he's to exercise judgment he's to exercise judgment on the people okay which means he's to be able to discern good and evil if somebody comes to him he's to be able to decide things if you know two people come with a conflict or whatever or you know just direction of the nation in general he's to be able to tell good from evil look at verse number 8 it says he put the breastplate upon him he also put in the breastplate the erum and the thumen now turn to Numbers chapter 27 Numbers chapter 27 it talks about it there as well in Numbers chapter 27 look at verse 21 Numbers chapter 27 verse 21 it says and he shall stand before Eliezer the priest who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of erum before the Lord so now we see that this erum has something to do with the actual judgment or the decision itself okay and his word shall they go out and at his word shall they come in both he and the children of Israel with him and even all the congregation turn to Deuteronomy chapter 33 let me show you one more example where this is at in the Bible okay Deuteronomy 33 and look at verse number 8 Deuteronomy 33 in verse number 8 the Bible says in Deuteronomy 33 8 it says and of Levi he said let thy thumen in thy erum be with the Holy One whom thou didst prove at Massa and whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah who said unto his father and to his mother I've not seen him neither did he acknowledge his brethren nor knew his own children for they have observed thy word and kept thy covenant so here we see this erum and thurim is with Levi it's with the priesthood here okay so look we know that just from these examples that they have something to do with the judgment okay they have something to do with the priest executing judgment and they're directly related to keeping God's Word as we see in Deuteronomy chapter 33 now let me just give you some possible examples here all right here's here's kind of an example that I think is possible this is my opinion okay this is my opinion this isn't decisive from the Bible but turn to Joshua chapter 7 so in Joshua chapter 7 we've just in Joshua chapter 6 they've just invaded Jericho the walls came down and what were they supposed to do they were supposed to destroy every living thing okay they're supposed to destroy man woman child all the cattle everything they were to take nothing okay look at Joshua chapter 7 and look at verse number 14 okay so the problem was in Joshua chapter 7 that after they they sacked Jerusalem or not Jerusalem Jericho in Joshua chapter 6 somebody took something okay somebody took some some stuff you know they call it the accursed thing in the Bible so there was somebody and then they went to AI so they were just like crushing everybody right the walls came down God's fighting for them all sudden they go up against AI and they lose and they're like what's going on and God tells them like look somebody somebody took something this is why okay look at verse number 14 so here God gives instruction to how they are supposed to find the person that took something okay look at verse number 14 it says in the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes and it shall be that the tribe which now underline these words in your Bible if you don't mind writing in your Bible I mean if not don't but it says that the tribe which what does it say it says the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man so here the Bible is telling us that I mean look we're talking about hundreds of thousands of people maybe millions of people here okay the the nation of Israel at this point and the Bible is saying bring the tribes bring the tribes it says bring the families and then it says bring the households okay but it says that the Lord is going to choose a tribe the Lord is going to choose a family and the Lord is going to choose a household look not every single person is going to go past here it's like the Lord is going to make some decisions here you're like okay how is he going to do that and it shall be he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire but if you look further if you look further and you look at verse number 18 now it actually happens Joshua it says in verse look at 17 says he brought the family of Judah no okay he says and Joshua rose up early in the morning verse 16 and brought Israel by their tribes and the tribe of Judah was taken that means the tribe of Judah was chosen by the Lord so they didn't go through all 12 tribes it's just Judah was chosen just like we saw in verse 14 and 15 and he brought the family of Judah and he took the family of the Zaraites see it's being narrowed down here because certain ones are being chosen here and he brought the family of Zaraites man by man and Zabdi was taken and he brought his household so now we see a man's house was taken man by man and Achan the son of Carmi the son of Zabdi the son of Zara the tribe of Judah was taken now we know by was taken in verse 14 and 15 that the Lord took him so here's here's my theory here is that this Urim and Thurim is some way for God to communicate his choices his judgment to the priest that that's my theory because the Lord is choosing people here the Lord is choosing Judah he's choosing the family here he's choosing you know the household and then finally he chooses Achan otherwise they would like had to search like hundreds of thousands of people so God is helping them out I think that this Urim and Thurim is used in this type of scenario it's just some way cuz look here's the thing how's the priest supposed to know as a man if two people come to him and one person saying he stole $20 from me and the other person's like no I didn't because here I hate to break it to you folks people will lie to your face lie straight to your face so I mean a man needs to be able to have some judgment I think it's just some way God used to you know I mean another example is in Leviticus chapter 16 where he casts lots on top of the two goats and God chooses I think maybe that was the Urim and the Thurman you know that was the the lots that the priest that Aaron or the high priest used to for to let God make the decision okay so it's some way where God made decisions and communicated that to the high priest that's all that to say that okay so what what about today you say I want to have good judgment what about today we'll turn to Deuteronomy chapter 17 so let me give you some let me give you some you're like we don't have these stones or these rocks or whatever these things are to help God communicate good judgment to us we do have the Bible though okay we do have the Bible so let's look at what the Bible says and how we can have good judgment in situations that might seem difficult you say I want to have good judgment but you know people sometimes people don't say things that are true and all this Deuteronomy 19 I'm sorry Deuteronomy 19 look at verse number 15 of Deuteronomy chapter 19 so the Bible the Bible gives us some some some philosophies to follow in our lives to have good judgment when it comes to difficult situations especially concerning people okay the Bible says the Deuteronomy 19 15 it says one witness shall not rise up again against a man for iniquity or for any sin in any sin that he sinneth then it says at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses shall the matter be established so the Bible here is just kind of giving us some advice that if somebody is going to be accused of something there better be more than two people that have seen that have seen what that have seen the sin okay we're not talking about somebody that saw sin and then went and told a bunch of people that's not like 10 witnesses okay the person that saw the iniquity is a witness all right there needs to be more than two the Bible says the mouth of two or three turn to Matthew chapter 18 I mean second Corinthians chapter 13 says the same thing you turn to Matthew 18 and second Corinthians 13 Paul says is the third time I'm coming to you in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established same thing in first Timothy chapter 5 talking about an accusation against an elder you know there better be two or three witnesses there okay so this begs the question of you know even in Matthew 18 16 you're going to keep your place in Matthew 18 because we're going to go further into that but it says but if you will not hear thee talking about a conflict amongst brothers then take with thee one or two more just that power that power that now we're not talking about iniquity we're talking about just like so one or two more can hear the matter okay can hear the matter between these two that have a conflict okay so the question becomes like what if it's word against word what if you end up in a situation like you parents you're gonna end up in a situation like this I guarantee it you're gonna have kids that are like you know like he punched me you know and the other kid's gonna be like no I didn't it was like what do you do all right and then there's like blood coming out of the nose of the one or whatever but I mean you're gonna have to pass judgment in situations like that but notice Matthew chapter 18 it just says it says that every word be established it says those aren't necessarily witnesses to iniquity they're just to hear the matter and help with judgment but the point is the point is if if it's somebody talking about using somebody of a knee and there's only one person you just can't pass sentence I mean that's why our justice system is the way it is where there's you know 12 jurors you know and there's there's witnesses you can't just have like one witness in a crime there must be more than one witness because I mean it's biblical a lot of these things come from the bible all right but in cases like in cases where it's just case against case like two brothers I mean if there's a conflict of somebody in the church and you know brother so-and-so says you know he stole my car and brother so-and-so says no I didn't then in that case you know Matthew chapter 18 is talking about you know if you have a conflict with your brother you know if and there's no way you know there's not two or three witnesses it says you're to just go to your brother in Matthew chapter 18 look at Matthew 18 let's just look at it real quick because this is super important that you get this right as well so I mean there's no problem with having a conflict it's just you have to go through the proper channels and do the biblical thing to resolve it and especially in the Christian life in the church look at Matthew chapter 18 and look at verse number 15 it says moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee it says go and tell him let's go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou has gained a brother so most of the time look 99 of the time you're going to go up to your brother and be like hey you know when we were talking the other day and you said that thing I was really offended he's gonna be like oh I'm sorry and that's it that's the end of it all right but in a case where he's like I don't think I did anything wrong and you want to push it further you know the Bible says stuff for yourself to be defrauded that's always an option too but you know go go talk to the pastor go talk to the pastor sit down and and we'll talk through the situation and ultimately you know I mean it can go to the point where you know somebody that's just done something horribly wrong that's not going to admit fault they could be actually put out of the church for it the Bible does say here okay but the point is is that Matthew 18 is always an option if it's just word against word okay just go to your brother and tell them what your con what your your conflicts are but you can't pass sentence on somebody for iniquity with just one witness okay so judgment this is what this by this is talking about here this breastplate of judgment it's not you know like it's it's not just about people it's not just about conflicts with people the importance of good judgment is all about just like making choices in your life the importance of good judgment is directly connected with your heart and the Bible says that like if your heart gets deceived your your judgment is going to go out the window I hope you see the connection here your judgment is going to go out the window look you'll see people get backslidden in the Christian life and you'll look at what they're doing and you'll just be like what in the world is going on there and it's because their heart's been deceived and their judgment is gone that that's that's what happens okay that's why there's so many passages in the Bible about your heart and that's why the breastplate of judgment goes on the priest's heart because God wants you to guard your heart you're a priest you're a king you're a priest you ladies you have a priesthood of the believer as well it's not just for guys it's a it's a spiritual priesthood we're talking about here and the judgment is connected to your heart so guard your heart watch what you're doing get the sin out of your life watch what you're looking at watch what you're reading watch what you're you're getting involved in because it's not something that you can just go and get involved in for a while it's going to steal your heart away that's why the breastplate goes on the priest's heart let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer