Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
The use of lots to determine difficult decisions is permitted in the Bible. The Hebrew word for ‘lot’ is ‘goral’, referring to small rough colored stones used for lot purposes (the original dice?).
The Bible tells us of very anointed rulings made by lots, such as the story of Achan’s wedge. Lots were never to be used lightly or for personal purposes. They were for the purpose of determining the will of God in ambiguous matters or to settle a dispute. Lots were used for the distribution of the Land unto the tribes. A form of lot with the Ummim and Thummim was used to determine God’s will via the High Priest as well as another form was used to determine if a woman was guilty of adultery.
This proverb tells us that God is sovereign even in the use of lots. Some people wonder if God plays dice with humanity. How does He, even in a society that wants to play God in the matters of life and death, decides who lives or dies? We can immediately be reminded of the story of Moses that we have recently read in our Passover festivities. How does He decide who is sick or healthy? We can also turn to the story of the man who was blind from birth so that the Messiah could one day come and heal him. How does God decide between the pauper and the well to do? Does He choose who should win the elections? Elections or the choosing of a king is kind of done by lots also. We establish a system by which to make that decision and we take what comes.
A careful study of history confirms that God has been behind this cosmic ‘lot-ery’ called history. It is actually not as random as it looks. It is only random when we look at it from our human perspective. As we turn our eyes and look at it from the His perspective, we suddenly see the beautiful planning of the picture. It is like looking at and embroidered work from the wrong side.
Let us then look at our lives from the right side, and know that tough it seems sometimes that God plays dice to determine our destiny, His dice are ‘weighed’ to fall towards our greater good, as well as that of all humanity.
The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.
The use of lots to determine difficult decisions is permitted in the Bible. The Hebrew word for ‘lot’ is ‘goral’, referring to small rough colored stones used for lot purposes (the original dice?).
The Bible tells us of very anointed rulings made by lots, such as the story of Achan’s wedge. Lots were never to be used lightly or for personal purposes. They were for the purpose of determining the will of God in ambiguous matters or to settle a dispute. Lots were used for the distribution of the Land unto the tribes. A form of lot with the Ummim and Thummim was used to determine God’s will via the High Priest as well as another form was used to determine if a woman was guilty of adultery.
This proverb tells us that God is sovereign even in the use of lots. Some people wonder if God plays dice with humanity. How does He, even in a society that wants to play God in the matters of life and death, decides who lives or dies? We can immediately be reminded of the story of Moses that we have recently read in our Passover festivities. How does He decide who is sick or healthy? We can also turn to the story of the man who was blind from birth so that the Messiah could one day come and heal him. How does God decide between the pauper and the well to do? Does He choose who should win the elections? Elections or the choosing of a king is kind of done by lots also. We establish a system by which to make that decision and we take what comes.
A careful study of history confirms that God has been behind this cosmic ‘lot-ery’ called history. It is actually not as random as it looks. It is only random when we look at it from our human perspective. As we turn our eyes and look at it from the His perspective, we suddenly see the beautiful planning of the picture. It is like looking at and embroidered work from the wrong side.
Let us then look at our lives from the right side, and know that tough it seems sometimes that God plays dice to determine our destiny, His dice are ‘weighed’ to fall towards our greater good, as well as that of all humanity.
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