Casting of Lots

Proverbs 16:33

 

33The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

 

The casting of lots is referenced and used in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. It was used in the book of Jonah by the sailors to determine that Jonah was the cause behind the storm that overtook the boat. It was the method used in Acts to determine which of the two nominees would actually be the next apostle to replace Judas Iscariot. But what is the casting of lots? Merriam-Webster's Dictionary refers to it as the method of using an object such as straw, stones, etc to determine one's fate. Here in the United States it was just referred to as drawing straws. The premise behind it is that whoever picks the oddest of the objects used is the one who must do whatever is being asked. God used King Solomon to make it clear that the lot selected isn't by chance but the decision is made by God.

 

In the book of Esther, Haman attempted to make the decision to cast the lot or Pur, which is Hebrew for lot, on the Jews. He attempted to make it look like the decision to destroy the Jews in Babylon was an arbitrary decision, when in fact, it was his plan of revenge against the Jews for something that happened hundreds of years ago. But Haman didn't count on God placing Queen Esther in the court to counteract Haman's attempt to play God. And in the end, the lot fell on Haman.

 

What does this mean to you? The Hymn, "It is Well" states, "whatever my lot, it is well with my soul." What has God decided for you? It is not for you to attempt to cast the lot on someone that should not be. There are men and women who have been arrested for knowingly passing along infectious diseases because they were upset that the lot fell on them. If you engage in something that you should not, how can you blame an unsuspecting soul for your misfortune? Or a man or woman in love was scorned so they attempt to cast a lot on some unsuspecting soul. God has the final say for whom the lot is cast and He will allow it to work for His glory in the end no matter what attempt man makes.