Roll of the Dice

"THE LOT IS CAST INTO THE LAP, BUT IT'S EVERY DECISION IS FROM THE LORD". PROVERBS 16:33.........This is one of my many favorite verses from the Old Testament.

In a commentary I read, "the lot was almost always used in a ceremonial setting and was the common method for determining God's will". Casting lots is refered to in the book of Leviticus...determining which goat to offer up as a sacrifice to God on the Day of Atonement. In the book of Numbers... lots were cast to decide which land was to be given to the men of Israel (601,730) after the plague....it was told to Moses by the Lord. Then, again in the book of Joshua...there was land to be divided and a group of men were instructed by Joshua to go out and survey the land and make a map. Upon their return Joshua said he would then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord, and the land would be distributed to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. One isn't sure how these lots were cast, whether it was dice that was rolled or two ums used...one containing the tribal name , the other the division of the land. But, whichever way, the choice was taken out of human hands and into the hands of the Almighty, allowing God to match land and tribes the way he saw fit.

In the book of Jonah we have the perfect example of "a lot being cast but it's every decision being of the Lord". Jonah had been told by the Lord to go to Nineveh and preach against their sinfulness. Instead he bolts and runs onto a ship bound for a port elsewhere. The crew was one that was superstition and believed in false gods. The Almighty caused a huge storm out in the ocean and after the crew prayed to their gods with no change in their circumstances they told Jonah to pray to his god. They, then cast lots to find out who was guilty for their circumstances. Their system worked but only because God intervened (every decision), to let Jonah know that he couldn't run away. "The lot was cast but it's every decision is from the Lord".

In John 19:24, lots were cast for the seamless garment of Christ during his crucifixion. This is recorded in John, the book of Matthew and also in the book of Psalm 19:22. Again, the lot was cast, but it's every decision is from the Lord. You see, the casting of lots for the seamless garment fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 22:18.

Lots in life are going to be cast into our lap...from little to big. Some of the lots seem small, while some seem to overflow in the laps of others. But, it is not bad luck for one person and not so bad luck for another. It is another verse that God uses to show us how very much he is in control....how we are to call him the Almighty..how nothing gets by Him! And the words "but it's every decision is from the Lord" comforts me and helps build my faith. No, I am not lucky or unlucky....I know, in an intimate way, an Almighty God that knows all and sees all and no matter what lot is cast to me it's every decision is from the Lord. Praise to you, my Almighty Father!!