The Urim And Thummim

This is the first exhaustive study of the Urim and Thummim since 1824, and in this book Van Dam sets out to rectify that lack of attention. He investigates all of the biblical data concerning this enigmatic oracular means of high-priestly revelation and its connection, in the historical books of the Old Testament, with the common phrase "to enquire of Yahweh/God." After surveying the history of interpretation and the treatment of the terms in the various versions and translations, Van Dam examines the implications of similar oracular devices and priestly dress within the larger cultural context of the ancient Near East. He places the Urim and Thummim within the context of divine revelation and human inquiry and the corollary probibition of divination in ancient Israel. He concludes that the breastpiece functioned as a pouch to hold the Urim and Thummim, which therefore clearly were tangible objects. Van Dam traces the use of this oracular instrument through the early monarchy under David--from the time of Joshua through the early monarchy under David--and its apparent disappearance by the time of the "classical" prophets, where a shift to primarily verbal oracles occurs. Concurrent with his study of the history of the oracle, Van Dam interacts with current discussion on the nature and process of God's revelation to humankind.

Seer Stone v. Urim and Thummim places the Book of Mormon translation on trial, presenting the latest research in one of the most comprehensive treatments of the translation process to date providing encouragement for Latter-day Saints who fear they have been “betrayed” by the translation history taught by the Church for over 190 years. Did Joseph Smith study and master the Nephite language? Did the Prophet tutor some of the early Brethren in ancient Nephite characters? Did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon using a dark seer stone in a hat? Why are progressive historians creating a new history using sources from a man who vowed to wash his hands in the blood of Joseph Smith, while boasting that he had deceived the Prophet and his God? Has The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints covered up its history for nearly 200 years? Was Joseph Smith a treasure digger? During his life, did the Prophet artfully suppress his alleged treasure digging past? Did Joseph Smith cover up his use of a seer stone during the translation, feigning use of the Urim and Thummim? What new information has The Joseph Smith Papers Project uncovered that challenges our understanding of the translation process? Is David Whitmer a credible witness of the Book of Mormon translation? Did you know that David Whitmer consulted a witch and occultic seer stones, denounced Joseph Smith as a false prophet and aided the mob in the persecution of the Missouri Saints? Was Joseph Smith involved in sorcery, astrology and ritual magic? “Seer Stone v. Urim and Thummim makes a great case for simply going ‘back to the basics’! That is, accepting the translation of the Book of Mormon as Joseph said it was done, as opposed to how others claim it was done. It is well researched and very enlightening and a must read for those who are willing to accept the words of Joseph and other prophets at face value.” —Kay M Godfrey, Author, Joseph Smith Epoch Historian “As you read this book, it will validate your knowledge that the Book of Mormon is a real history of a real people. The Stoddards have once again born witness that Joseph Smith was and is truly our Prophet, Seer, and Revelator. You will love this book.” —Rian Nelson, Author and speaker, FIRM Foundation “The Stoddards present a thorough and careful analysis of the numerous errors and sometimes outright falsehoods that have crept into many of the translation narratives, even some by respected scholars, who relied on changing accounts from both fallible acquaintances and also outright enemies.” —Leslie Pearson Rees, Author, “Ye Have Been Hid: Finding the Lost Tribes of Israel”

When an archaeologist-scientist wires two ancient crystal stones (the Urim and Thummim) to a computer system, a chat page suddenly downloads onto his screen and God begins talking with him on line.

This is the extended and annotated edition including * an extensive annotation of almost 10.000 words about the oracles in religion * an interactive table-of-contents * perfect formatting for electronic reading devices THE Sibyls occupy a conspicuous place in the traditions and history of ancient Greece and Rome. Their fame was spread abroad long before the beginning of the Christian era. Heraclitus of Ephesus, five centuries before Christ, compared himself to the Sibyl "who, speaking with inspired mouth, without a smile, without ornament, and without perfume, penetrates through centuries by the power of the gods." The ancient traditions vary in reporting the number and the names of these weird prophetesses, and much of what has been handed down to us is legendary. But whatever opinion one may hold respecting the various legends, there can be little doubt that a collection of Sibylline Oracles was at one time preserved at Rome. There are, moreover, various oracles, purporting to have been written by ancient Sibyls, found in the writings of Pausanias, Plutarch, Livy, and in other Greek and Latin authors. Whether any of these citations formed a portion of the Sibylline books once kept in Rome we cannot now determine; but the Roman capitol was destroyed by fire in the time of Sulla (B. C. 84), and again in the time of Vespasian (A. D. 69), and whatever books were at those dates kept therein doubtless perished in the flames. It is said by some of the ancients that a subsequent collection of oracles was made, but, if so, there is now no certainty that any fragments of them remain.

The Urim and Thummim were the prescribed method of divination used in the Old Testament of the Bible, which the Tribes of Israel used to consult the LORD. The objective of this book is to provide a functional means of using the Urim and Thummim in conjunction with the Breastplate of Judgment to assist in the decision making process.The Judeo-Christian believer will find this method of divination superior to others, because it encourages the inquirer to use the Bible to develop solutions for life's problems. Like all forms of divination, it can be done for meditative or recreational purposes, or as a way of exercising the mind and improving in one's problem solving abilities. This book is structured to allow immediate use of the Breastplate of Judgment. After using the Urim and Thummim to select a Tribe of Israel, you can immediately turn to the corresponding chapter and begin analyzing the information to assist in the decision making process. Each chapter begins with a table that lists the blessings the tribe received from its mother, father, and Moses. General attributes are separated into positive (Urim) and negative (Thummim) qualities. Each of the sections in the table is then elaborated on further, followed by relevant information taken from the Pseudepigrapha Apocrypha. This book is structured to serve as a reference guide for utilizing the Breastplate of Judgment, but it can also be read from cover to cover to gain insight into the Twelve Tribes of Israel or to explore other concepts related to Judeo-Christian divination. To demonstrate that contemplative divination functions by using intuition and deductive reasoning in unison to evaluate abstract information against a set of criteria, the Astrological connections commonly associated with Palmistry were replaced with characteristics from members of the family of Israel. This demonstrates the interchangeability of set criteria, and reinforces the fact that the information derived by divination is the result of a person's mental efforts. Divination is a process that relies more on the art of interpretation, than it does on the random selection of concepts. The Urim and Thummim were the only prescribed method of divination authorized in the Bible, and the High Priest used them to obtain guidance from God. The 'Urim and Thummim Divination Kit' is the only functional system for using the Urim and Thummim in conjunction with the Breastplate of Judgment in existence today. This book is truly unique. Not only does it provide the only functional method of using the Breastplate of Judgment with the Urim and Thummim, but it also presents Judeo-Christian based systems of Palmistry, Dream Interpretation, and Tarot Card Reading. It presents these systems as a means of spiritual growth, and relates them to other mystical Judeo-Christian philosophies such as Alchemy and the Kabbalah.

The Oracle of Yahveh: Urim and Thummim, The Ephod, The Breastplate of Judgment by Paul Carus, first published in 1911, is a rare manuscript, the original residing in one of the great libraries of the world. This book is a reproduction of that original, which has been scanned and cleaned by state-of-the-art publishing tools for better readability and enhanced appreciation. Restoration Editors' mission is to bring long out of print manuscripts back to life. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it.

Questions run the breadth of the Mormon experience, including doctrinal questions as well as questions about the LDS lifestyle.