LUKE 1; JOHN 1:1-14 (CASTING LOTS)

The first scriptures that caught my eye were Luke 1:8-10, “Now it happened, while he was serving as priest before God when his priestly division was on duty, that according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense, and the whole crowd of people was there, praying outside at the hour of incense.” (MOUNCE), which mentions the practice of casting lots. 

Of course, many consider casting lots as delving into the occult. However, I knew that it was used by God’s people. I decided to do a word study on it and came up with a wealth of scriptures. I discovered that the Israelites had cast lots for almost everything, determining ownership of realty, deciding what someone’s duties were and when to do them, battle strategies, determining who had sinned, determining which specific animals to sacrifice to God, dividing up spoils, career positions, determining who was the cause of tumultuous weather, and even deciding which wood to use for offerings to God *. Casting lots also have links to gambling, which I could not find any biblical evidence to support that it is a sin. What does seem to be considered a sin is gambling over God’s people as supported by the verses below.

“And they have cast lots for My people, and have given a boy for a harlot and have sold a girl for juice [of the grape] and have drunk it.” –Joel 3:3 AMP

“Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity; her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets; and they cast lots for her honorable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.” –Nahum 3:10 ASV

“On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.” Obadiah 1:11 ESV

“You would even cast lots over the fatherless, and bargain over your friend.” –Job 6:27 ESV

Not only does the Bible advise casting lots to settle disputes, “To cast lots puts an end to disputes and decides between powerful contenders.” (Proverbs 18:18 AMP), but states that God is in control of it: “The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:33 NASB). Interesting. For many, to suggest that God is supportive of casting lots to determine our daily decisions is sacrilegious. However, the New Testament church cast lots to decide very important decisions, “And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, the one who knows the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.” (Acts 1:24-26 MOUNCE)

Therefore, I am wondering if the tradition of frowning upon gambling or anything resembling it such as casting lots may branch from a doctrine of demons. I am not advocating gambling due to the dangers for those with addictive behaviors, though I see nothing wrong with playing Bingo for entertainment and sense of community, not to mention another opportunity for evangelism; but I am suggesting that we revisit the whole idea of casting lots for making decisions so that we may not throw the baby out with the bathwater and miss an avenue that God may want to use. Sometimes, when we obliterate an avenue, we may find that we threw out other things of God that we wished we had not, such as the church forbidding dancing due to the misuse of it by the world. Sensual dancing outside of marriage is not advisable; however dancing before the Lord in church can be very powerful and healing.

The following verses use the Greek word “gowral” that means 1) lot a) lot - pebbles used for systematically making decisions; 2) portion a) lot, portion (thing assigned by casting lots) b) recompense, retribution. So the Scriptures below are either talking about pebbles, retribution, or a "thing assigned by casting lots". This gives us more proof that there may be something more to casting lots than what is on the surface.

“The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.” –Psalm 16:5 NASB

 “For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; That the righteous put not forth their hands unto iniquity.” –Psalm 125:3 ASV

“The nations roar like the roaring of many waters, but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away, chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind and whirling dust before the storm. At evening time, behold, terror! Before morning, they are no more! This is the portion of those who loot us, and the lot of those who plunder us.” –Isaiah 17:13, 14 ESV

 “Among the smooth stones of the ravine is your portion, they are your lot; Even to them you have poured out a drink offering, You have made a grain offering. Shall I relent concerning these things?” -Isaiah 57:6 NASB

“This is your lot, the portion I have measured out to you, declares the LORD, because you have forgotten me and trusted in lies.” –Jeremiah 13:25 ESV

I will even go further to suggest that the traditional frowning upon casting lots has caused the body of Christ to have incorrect mindsets of God. I had an abusive and painful childhood, which I believe that God had not only meant for me to go through but ordained it. I said this once in public as part of my testimony and someone argued that this was not true, that God had not meant for me to be abused, and that it was not His best for me. So……what? Did God fall asleep? As offensive as it may seem to some, I cannot believe in a God that did not have the power to prevent the abuse I suffered. My mindset is that He is powerful enough to prevent the abuse but that He knew what I needed to suffer so that I may seek Him. God knew what I needed to suffer so that I may the vessel I need to be to reach others. Then my suffering has a purpose and meaning. I believe my every footstep is guided by God as evidenced by Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way.” (NASB). If every decision made from casting lots is from God, then everything that has happened to me whether good or bad is also from God for nothing is a coincidence and nothing is left to chance -He is in total control so “that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose…” (Romans 8:28 MOUNCE)

However, if Satan can muddle our mindsets and insert thoughts into our thinking such as “God is good therefore He would not want anything bad to happen to you,” “God would never want you to suffer,” “You are royalty and therefore God wants you to have only the best,” and if we receive these thoughts without checking the Bible, then it can cause us to covet, lust, become envious, jealous, hopeless, cause feelings of unworthiness, or even begin to grumble, which is a sin with serious consequences:

“We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents,  nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.” -1 Corinthians 10:9-11 ESV

^“It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh in descent from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones  to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly acts that they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These people are grumblers, malcontents who follow their sinful desires; their speech is arrogant, they flatter others to gain advantage.” -Jude 1:14-16 MOUNCE

But Satan does not stop there. He inserts religious thoughts that close us to the supernatural such as casting lots, even making us think that it would be a sin to engage in a practice that was once standard to God’s people in the Old and New Testament. I’m just wondering what else we are missing. We found out that dancing is much more than good feelings, speaking in tongues brought so much power to our prayer life and the healing touch of Jesus goes beyond the physical. What if we begin to stop grumbling, stop complaining and "accept and suffer unflinchingly every hardship" (2 Timothy 4:5 AMP) Embrace whatever circumstances He brings to us as Paul did so that we can say we “have learned to be content in whatever circumstance” (Philippians 4:11 MOUNCE) and “count it all joy” when we “meet trials of various kinds” (James 1:2 ESV).

Though I have learned to praise God for the trials just has heartily as I praise Him for the good things, there are times that I find myself getting upset when I encounter bumps in the road. I am beginning to train myself to stop this and just trust that God is in control and allow "the Lord of peace Himself continually grant" me "peace in every circumstance" (1 Thessalonians 3:16 NASB).

* “But the land shall be divided by lot. They shall receive their inheritance according to the names of the tribes of their fathers.” –Numbers 26:55 NASB

“According to the selection by lot, their inheritance shall be divided between the larger and the smaller groups.” –Numbers 26:56 NASB

“You shall inherit the land by lot according to your families; to the larger you shall give more inheritance, and to the smaller you shall give less inheritance. Wherever the lot falls to anyone, that shall be his. You shall inherit according to the tribes of your fathers.” –Numbers 33:54 NASB

“So Moses commanded the sons of Israel, saying, “This is the land that you are to apportion by lot among you as a possession, which the LORD has commanded to give to the nine and a half tribes.” –Numbers 34:13 NASB

“They said, “The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the people of Israel, and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother to his daughters.” –Numbers 36:2 ESV

“In the morning then you shall come near by your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the LORD takes shall come near by households, and the household which the LORD takes shall come near man by man.” –Joshua 7:14 NASB

“Their inheritance was by lot, just as the LORD had commanded by the hand of Moses for the nine and one-half tribes.” –Joshua 14:2 ESV

“These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.” –Joshua 19:51 NASB

“Then the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. And the sons of Aaron the priest, who were of the Levites, received thirteen cities by lot from the tribe of Judah and from the tribe of the Simeonites and from the tribe of Benjamin.” –Joshua 21:4 NASB

“The rest of the sons of Kohath received ten cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Ephraim and from the tribe of Dan and from the half-tribe of Manasseh.” –Joshua 21:5 NASB

“The sons of Gershon received thirteen cities by lot from the families of the tribe of Issachar and from the tribe of Asher and from the tribe of Naphtali and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.” –Joshua 21:6 NASB

“Now the sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.” –Joshua 21:8 NASB

“But now this is the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we will go up against it by lot.” –Judges 20:9 NASB

“Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot.” -1 Samuel 10:20 NASB

“He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its clans, and the clan of the Matrites was taken by lot; and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found.” -1 Samuel 10:21 ESV

“Then Saul said, Draw near, all the chiefs of the people, and let us see how this sin [causing God’s silence] arose today. For as the Lord lives, Who delivers Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But not a man among all the people answered him. Then he said to all Israel, You be on one side; and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. The people said to Saul, Do what seems good to you. Therefore Saul said to the Lord, the God of Israel, Give a perfect lot and show the right. And Saul and Jonathan were taken [by lot], but the other men went free. Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken.” -1 Samuel 14:38-42 AMP

“And to the rest of the Kohathites ten cities were given by lot out of the family of the tribe [of Ephraim and of Dan and], of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh.” -1 Chronicles 6:61 AMP

“To the Merarites were given by lot, according to their families, twelve cities out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.” -1 Chronicles 6:63 AMP

“They gave by lot from the tribe of the sons of Judah, the tribe of the sons of Simeon and the tribe of the sons of Benjamin, these cities which are mentioned by name.” -1 Chronicles 6:65 NASB

“Thus they were divided by lot, the one as the other; for they were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God, both from the descendants of Eleazar and the descendants of Ithamar.” -1 Chronicles 24:5 NASB

“Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, ye shall offer an oblation unto Jehovah, a holy portion of the land; the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand: it shall be holy in all the border thereof round about.” –Ezekiel 45:1 ASV

“And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an inheritance unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you, who shall beget children among you; and they shall be unto you as the home-born among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.” Ezekiel 47:22 ASV

“This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their several portions, saith the Lord Jehovah.” –Ezekiel 48:29 ASV

“In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you and moan bitterly, and say, “We are utterly ruined; he changes the portion of my people; how he removes it from me! To an apostate he allots our fields.” Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot in the assembly of the Lord.” –Micah 2:4, 5 ESV

“When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He gave them [the Hebrews] their land as an inheritance [distributing it to them by lot; all of which took] about 450 years.” –Acts 13:19 AMP

“ Then he shall take the two goats and set them before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.” –Leviticus 16:7 ESV

“And Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Then in order to divide up his clothing they cast lots.” –Luke 23:34 MOUNCE

“So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it”—that the Scripture might be fulfilled that says, “They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” So the soldiers did these things.” –John 19:24 MOUNCE

 “And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.” –Joshua 18:6 ESV

“So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.” –Joshua 18:8 ESV

“And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the sons of Israel according to their divisions.” –Joshua 18:10 NASB

“These also, the head of each father's house and his younger brother alike, cast lots, just as their brothers the sons of Aaron, in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of fathers' houses of the priests and of the Levites.” -1 Chronicles 24:31 ESV

“The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the Lord, all who were skillful, was 288.  And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.” - 1 Chronicles 25:7, 8 ESV

“These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their chief men, had duties, just as their brothers did, ministering in the house of the Lord. And they cast lots by fathers' houses, small and great alike, for their gates. The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a shrewd counselor, and his lot came out for the north.” -1 Chronicles 21:12 ESV

“We, the priests, the Levites, and the people, have likewise cast lots for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God, according to our fathers' houses, at times appointed, year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the Law.” –Nehemiah 10:34 ESV

“Now the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem. And the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in Jerusalem the holy city, while nine out of ten remained in the other towns. And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.” –Nehemiah 11:1, 2 ESV

“In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur (that is, they cast lots) before Haman day after day; and they cast it month after month till the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.” –Esther 3:7 ESV

“For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them.” –Esther 9:24 ESV

“They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots.” –Psalm 22:18 NASB

“But the Lord sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a violent tempest on the sea so that the ship was about to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and each man cried to his god; and they cast the goods that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. So the captain came and said to him, What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call upon your God! Perhaps your God will give a thought to us so that we shall not perish.  And they each said to one another, Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us. So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.”–Jonah 1:4-7 AMP

“Seek and read from the book of the Lord: Not one of these shall be missing; none shall be without her mate. For the mouth of the Lord has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them. He has cast the lot for them; his hand has portioned it out to them with the line; they shall possess it forever; from generation to generation they shall dwell in it.” –Isaiah 34:16 ESV