Casting Lots

(study on casting lots)

Casting Lots is mentioned 70x in the Old Testament and 7x in the New Testament.

What is it?

I'm not sure, it could be any kind of game of chance; from flipping some type of coin, to rolling dice, to game of sticks/straws, or something completely different that we are not aware of.  Fact is we don't know the exact process.  http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cast+lots (link to various definitions of casting lots)

Casting Lots in the Old Testament (lets look at several verses)

In Numbers we find the 12 tribes getting their inheritance of land, and choosing it by lot.

Numbers 26:55, 33:54, 34:13, 36:2

In Joshua 18: 6-10, Joshua said to go survey the land and write a description of it in 7 portions, then he said he would cast lots and determine who gets what. (sean's summarized version of verses)

In 1 Chronicles 25:8-9, they cast lots for there duties, young and old, teachers as well as pupil.

1 Chronicles 26:13-14, they cast lots for each gate, concerning the Levitical Gatekeepers.

In Jonah 1:7, the sailors cast lots to find out who was the cause of the Lords wrath and the trouble they were in, and low and behold the lot fell on Jonah.

In Matthew 27:35, we find the Roman solders casting lots over Jesus clothes.

So we get to the Question, Do we as Christians need to Cast Lots?

In Acts 1:26, the disciples proposed 2 people to take Judas Iscariot's place among the 12 after praying together, and then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias, so he was numbered with the 12.

So the disciples who started the first church, and are the first example of Christians cast lots to replace Judas, it ha to be a legit practice for discernment. Maybe a holy stricken game of chance. When making important decisions in our life, what do we have to turn to for guidance. Should we cast lots?  We know we are to pray, as did the disciples before they cast lots to replace Judas.  Yet, we look exactly after vs 26, we have the start of Acts 2 (the Pentecost), where Jesus/God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to dwell among them.  I think that's the key!  The Holy Spirit is God dwelling in our hearts, it's his gift of guidance and discernment, power and wisdom, and love.  I don't personally cast lots for any decision I make, I know I can pray to God, seek out wise Christian counsel, and trust in the Spirit to guide me in the right direction.  Theres really no need for me to cast lots. The believers received the Holy Spirit that day, and never gain did they have to cast lots for they had the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12

¹⁰ For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so    the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.