Casting Lots to Determine God’s Will

Some decisions are just too big to be left to chance. There are some decisions in life that are so huge, you wouldn’t dare flip a coin on them.

• What career you want to have.
• Who to marry.
• Which house to buy.
• Whether to challenge your 6-year-old to a Fortnite rematch after how he destroyed you the last time. 

These are weighty matters to consider. And yet, you would actually see people in the Bible casting lots to make some of these types of big decisions. Decisions of going into battle, figuring out who was guilty of a crime- and even matters of life and death.

Do I think it’s weird that Bible characters would use games of chance to make important decisions? Not necessarily. People make bad decisions all the time. 

It’s not necessarily weird to see people making important decisions in ways left up to random chance.

The weird think about it to me…is that it worked.

God often worked through people casting lots- literally playing games of chance- to reveal His will to them and to guide them to the correct choice.

I find this to be weird, and I’d like to explore why it’s in the Bible.

Because if God revealed His will like that to them, would God reveal His will like that to me?

Turn to Ezekiel 21, and let’s get weird.

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0:00 - Introduction

1:50 - Ezekiel 21, Guiding Nebuchadnezzar

7:25 - Is Anything Random?

15:45 - By the Spirit

18:50 - Next Time & Mailbag

20:40 - Closing Thoughts

If you want to get in touch, my email is [email protected]

Hosted by Luke Taylor

If you’re intrigued by strange Bible stories, uncovering Bible mysteries, or learning about unusual biblical teachings, this podcast is for you! Dive deep into weird Bible facts, biblical controversies, and the supernatural in the Bible, while exploring the hidden stories of the Bible you may have never heard. Get a fresh perspective as we explain the Bible in ways that challenge the norm and uncover the unexpected. I’m so glad you’re here- don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so that you never miss an episode!