Should Christians still cast lots today?

[Josho]

Casting lots is mentioned a number of times in the Bible, and was sometimes used to determine God's will, the question is should Christians still cast lots today?

Also was Matthias God's choice to replace Judas? Or was it just a move of the flesh when the 11 disciples nominated Barsabbas and Mathias and cast lots to decide who replaces Judas?

Here are a couple of examples

Aaron casting lots to determine which goat will be offered to the Lord.

Leviticus 16:8‭-‬9
He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord.


The 11 apostles casting lots to determine which man to replace Judas.

Acts of the Apostles 1:20‭-‬26 NLT
Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’ “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I heard of another Christian doing this or shall I say group of Christians, and before that I have never heard of Christians casting lots before ever since Matthias in the book of Acts.

 

[bbyrd009]

i voted yes, but i would argue that since we are (nominally anyway) not apostles, that we might allow for a third option, “something else, undefined,” lest we abuse the concept.
“Should i smoke heroin, or crack?” iow, although that is of course a dramatization

 

[Lambano]

Ah yes. I remember a Bible study in which my pastor referred to the Urim and Thummin as "God's holy dice".

 

[amadeus]

Ah yes. I remember a Bible study in which my pastor referred to the Urim and Thummin as "God's holy dice".

Yes, and does not God, in every case, know which way the "dice" will fall? To someone truly hearing His voice, may not God also share His knowledge of a thing. In the OT He would often do so by means of the Urim and Thummin. That was no gamble! Men do gamble... but God never does. If we stay always on His side will the final result ever be in doubt... will it ever be a gamble?

Is the Word of God ever a gamble?

"So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

 

[quietthinker]

Should Christians still cast lots today?
lots of ?

 

[Brakelite]

Should Christians still cast lots today?
lots of ?

Lol

 

[Brakelite]

Should Christians still cast lots today?
lots of ?

In the midst of an election campaign, a loaded question. At who???

 

[lforrest]

I'll bet this is how the pope is selected.

I don't think Christians should do this often as God gives us wisdom so we don't have to resort to divination.

 

[Rita]

I must admit that I never really understand how the casting for lots actually gave the result God wanted. To me it all seemed a bit of chance, and random. …..so I would not endeavour to use that as a means of deciding anything !

 

[lforrest]

Proverbs 16:33 We may throw the dice,
but the Lord determines how they fall.

 

[Rita]

Proverbs 16:33 We may throw the dice,
but the Lord determines how they fall.

I have always determined that the proverb meant ‘ we may think we have control over things but ultimately the Lord is sovereign ‘ I do see how it could be equally relevant with casting lots, but still would be skeptical.
Rita

 

[Desire Of All Nations]

In Acts 1:20, Peter quotes Psa. 109:8 where David prophesied that Judas was supposed to be replaced by one of the original 120 followers. There is no doubt that they made the right call in casting lots to know God's will in regards to which disciple was supposed to replace Judas.

As to whether Christians should practice cleromancy today, i would personally avoid it. A lot of self-willed people like to do things that they interpret as God's will, and practicing cleromancy would just be another excuse for such people to do what they already decided to do.

 

[quietthinker]

every time I do a bit of casting I get lots ......less than I hoped....fish ie. Should I cast on the other side or the right side?

 

[Lambano]

I must admit that I never really understand how the casting for lots actually gave the result God wanted. To me it all seemed a bit of chance, and random. …..so I would not endeavour to use that as a means of deciding anything !

I couldn't decide whether or not to "Like" that post - so I flipped a coin. Tails it is.

 

[Rita]

I couldn't decide whether or not to "Like" that post - so I flipped a coin. Tails it is.

Love it x

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Casting lots is mentioned a number of times in the Bible, and was sometimes used to determine God's will, the question is should Christians still cast lots today?

Also was Matthias God's choice to replace Judas? Or was it just a move of the flesh when the 11 disciples nominated Barsabbas and Mathias and cast lots to decide who replaces Judas?

Here are a couple of examples

Aaron casting lots to determine which goat will be offered to the Lord.

Leviticus 16:8‭-‬9
He is to cast sacred lots to determine which goat will be reserved as an offering to the Lord and which will carry the sins of the people to the wilderness of Azazel. Aaron will then present as a sin offering the goat chosen by lot for the Lord.


The 11 apostles casting lots to determine which man to replace Judas.

Acts of the Apostles 1:20‭-‬26 NLT
Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’ “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus— from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.” So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen as an apostle to replace Judas in this ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and Matthias was selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I heard of another Christian doing this or shall I say group of Christians, and before that I have never heard of Christians casting lots before ever since Matthias in the book of Acts.

I voted nay but i probably should have voted I don’t know. When considering casting lots I think of Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

I wonder if their casting lots for a replacement of Judas was finishing out the twelve. But who cast lots for Saul/Paul? Is there any casting of lots mentioned after the twelve are completed?

 

[VictoryinJesus]

I voted nay but i probably should have voted I don’t know. When considering casting lots I think of Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

I wonder if their casting lots for a replacement of Judas was finishing out the twelve. But who cast lots for Saul/Paul? Is there any casting of lots mentioned after the twelve are completed?

Acts 1:24-26 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, [25] That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. [26] And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Opps is it 12 or “numbered with the eleven”. Interesting is “that he might take a part” which is similar to
John 19:23-24 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. [24] They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

There is a thread titled should Christian’s gamble? I’ve always thought of casting lots as gambling …maybe that is wrong but I see dice and think of tables where dice is rolled.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

i voted yes, but i would argue that since we are (nominally anyway) not apostles, that we might allow for a third option, “something else, undefined,” lest we abuse the concept.
“Should i smoke heroin, or crack?” iow, although that is of course a dramatization

I have flipped a coin “heads” or “tails” …even doing this with my grandchildren to settle an argument over who is going first. Is that the same thing as casting lots or not even close?

 

[bbyrd009]

I have flipped a coin “heads” or “tails” …even doing this with my grandchildren to settle an argument over who is going first. Is that the same thing as casting lots or not even close?

for binary decisions that seems to follow their pattern just fine i reckon. Mostly it seems to be something agreeable to all that settles dispute, which might be the point

 

[bbyrd009]

I'll bet this is how the pope is selected.

I don't think Christians should do this often as God gives us wisdom so we don't have to resort to divination.

hmm, you dont think divination means something else?