6 The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;
7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.
8 The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.
9 This earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it; and this earth will be Christ’s.
10 Then the white stone mentioned in Revelation 2:17, will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one, whereby things pertaining to a higher order of kingdoms will be made known;
11 And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word. (D&C 130)
We are told, in verse 10, that “…the white stone…will become a Urim and Thummim to each individual who receives one…” It will pass from one state to another. By contrast, we are told, in verse 9, that “…this earth, in its sanctified and immortal state, will be made like unto crystal and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell thereon…”
These differences in tense are important. They correspond to the higher and lower kingdoms being referred to—the white stone being involved in an active, transitional process of revealing things that pertain to higher kingdoms and the earth in an already existing state of revealing things that pertain to lower kingdoms.
It is also important that the stone that makes known things of a higher kingdom is individual. Each individual receives one. Whereas the earth, on which all of the inhabitants dwell, becomes one Urim and Thummim given to many.
It is also interesting to note the imagery of inhabitants dwelling on this earth that will, then, be a Urim and Thummim. It conveys the idea that, as those inhabitants ascended, they subdued lower kingdoms—the ability to comprehend things of a lower kingdom being under their feet. Underscoring this idea is the fact that “this earth…will be made like unto crystal”—a very clear and transparent substance. It calls to mind imagery that this earth will be a window, of sorts, through which one can view the things of lower kingdoms that have been subdued and overcome.
A scripture from the book of Revelation conveys the same imagery:
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. (Revelation 15:2)
Verse 8 tells us that “the place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.” And verse 7 says that the angels “reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.”
So, there is a pattern here. The stone and the places where these beings reside are meant to convey information. They are the means of making manifest “lights” and “perfections”—understanding and truths of things pertaining to both higher and lower kingdoms.