3.19.23 - Sunday Morning - Casting Lots, Part One

This morning I'd like to talk about a subject that I don't think that we've taught on before.

And I'm not going to give my text or my lesson till some way midway through our, usually

I start out with our text and our lesson, but I'm going to give it somewhere midway through

our lesson this morning. But it'll be on the lots or casting of lots. I don't know if you've ever

given much thought about casting of lots, what you know, what is that? What are the lots or what

were the lots that they would use and what were they used for? What was the different things or

what were the lots used for? And then that's Old Testament. Could there possibly be any teaching

in that for us? And then I believe that there's a key or a key scripture or many key scriptures,

but one key scripture specifically that we'll read a little later, which would be our text,

that really opens it up about these lots. Really, I think will cause us to really understand,

have a great understanding of it. And when I say a certain key to understanding, it's kind of like,

you know, we studied recently about Mount Transfiguration where Elijah and Moses and the Lord

was Mount Transfiguration. And you look at that, what does all that mean and everything? And the

key to understanding that is what the Lord said when Peter said, well, we'll build tabernacles for

all three of them. And the key understanding this, the whole thing is what does it mean? Because we

knew Moses represented the law, Elijah represented the prophets, and of course Jesus Christ represented

Jesus Christ. But when Peter said, I'll build three tabernacles, we'll build three tabernacles,

what did the Lord say? This is my son, hear ye him. And that's the key so we can say what was

Elijah there for us, Moses there for. It wasn't to build tabernacles to hear them, it was my son.

And of course that's what the prophets and law points to, but hear ye him. So I believe we have

a key this morning that will do the same thing about these lots that will cause us to understand

them a lot. It will tell us so much. And something else, it will tear us the

error of most of religious world. And Chuck, this has to do with something that I know you think

of often as we look at other people, something that you despise and we all should despise.

But this will show forth how most of the world is in this error. And again, I think this will help

us in this manner. So lot, I think it's used about a hundred times in the scripture, lot or lots.

Hebrew word, we pronounce something like go, go, row. And it means the definitions of it of lot,

lot, rough as in stone, pebble, a lot, small stones, a portion or destiny.

All this is part of the definition, Hebrew definition and a portion or destiny as if determined by lot.

So that's kind of the literal definition in the Hebrew. One thing that it's not, it's not a dice.

I know we have that thought some people do. It's not a dice. But it's used to, as we look in scriptures,

we'll read some of them, a few, not all of them. But it's used to make a decision, come to a conclusion.

I'm not saying this is it, but sometimes we'll flip a coin, caught in the air, heads or tails.

That's kind of used to kind of make a decision in a sense. So that's not too far off from lots,

what it is. I believe these pebbles or stones, they could have been, and we don't know exactly,

but it could have been a light one or dark one. And if we'd cast our lots in, the light one would

mean something or if we cast a dark one in, then that would mean something. We would all have these

stones and we would cast in to make a decision or a vote, so to speak. It could be a round rock or a

flat rock, something to distinguish the two. It could be, and you could have a lot that would

just represent you. This is my lot. Chuck, this is your lot and we cast it this way. It was kind

of like a vote or which is a decision-making process as far as that goes. So we'll read some

place in the scripture and again, I think it's very interesting and I saw some things that I had not

seen before. And let's go back to the book of Joshua to begin with and as we go back and we'll

read some, Joshua will read some in numbers about dividing up the inheritance for Israel

and how the lots were used there as well. Joshua chapter 18, I'm sorry if I didn't mention that.

Joshua 18 · chapter mention

Joshua was back there before judges.

And Joshua chapter 18 and begin verse six.

Joshua 18 · chapter mention

You shall therefore describe the land into seven portions and bring the description here to me

that I may cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. But the Levites have no portion among you

for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance and Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manassee

have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east which Moses the servant of the Lord

gave them. And the men arose and went away and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land

saying go and walk through the land and describe it and come again to me that I may hear cast lots

for you before the Lord and Shiloh. And the men went and passed through the land and described it by

cities into seven portions in a book and came again to Joshua the host of Shiloh and Joshua cast lots

for them in Shiloh before the Lord and there Joshua divided the land into the children of Israel

according to their divisions and we'll see this a lot. So here what we see is they go in to take

this inheritance this land of promise that God had given them and so Joshua here says well said

won't you go exploring maybe like Lewis and Clark and some of them go and bring back basically you

make kind of maps and things and you bring those back and then we'll kind of, I will,

Joshua was going to do the casting of lots here before the Lord so they would come back and I

don't know exactly how it took place but they'd come back to supposed to be with the map and maybe

each one that was represented had a lot of stone that represented them and whether you just threw

it down or how I did it you know I don't, we don't know that but we know that it was going to be

determined by law and again they would go in first explore it kind of make a map then come back give

her lots of Joshua and the lots of cast before the Lord would determine their inheritance.

Numbers chapter 26 and we'll read a few here in Numbers, Numbers chapter 26

Numbers 26 · chapter mention Numbers 26 · chapter mention

and verse starting in verse 55, Numbers 26 and 55

and again what one thing we're looking for what is that what's the teaching in it for us today

we'll see that Lord willing a little later Numbers 25, 26 and 55, notwithstanding the land shall be

divided by lot this is as they was going into the land of promise notwithstanding the land shall be

divided by lot according to the name to the tribe to the fathers they shall inherit according to the

lot shall the possession there all be divided between many and few and these are they who are

numbered of the Levites at the families of Gershon and the family of Gershonites and

Coeth the family of Coahites and Marie the family of the Marieites actually I didn't

need to go quite that far but anyway so again the land was going to be divided by lot their

inheritance is going to be divided by lot and this doesn't show us exactly what Joshua did but I

believe is the same all their inheritance I think they would go in and they'd explore the land

which was also occupied by as they described them giants and so forth but they would go in and

plot out maps and now bring it back and then lots will be cast and that was that would determine

their inheritance. Numbers 33 and lots were used for other things and we'll get to maybe touch

on a couple of those as well. Numbers 33 and 52 then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of

the land from before you and destroy all their stone idols and destroy all their metal damages

and demolished all their high places. You remember that that's one thing they were to do

so they wouldn't take the gods of these other nations destroy all those may have been valuable

gold silver and so forth may have been valuable but he said destroy all of them 53 and you shall

just possess the inhabitants of the land and dwell their dwell their in for I've given you the land

to possess and you shall divide the land by lot for inheritance among your families and to the more

you shall give more inheritance and to the fewer you shall give the less inheritance and every man's

inheritance shall be in the place where on his lot falleth according to the tribes of your fathers

you shall inherit. So I do kind of picture and this is my opinion okay I don't give my opinion

that often or maybe I give it too much but I like to tell you when I give my opinion.

What I view is they go and as they would go and of course they took this land little by little

they didn't just march in take it all once because they were all too small so they would go in and

as we saw in Joshua go explore this bring me back a map and it says the lots were cast and

here says wherever they fall I kind of think maybe he did just kind of throw the stones out there

and this is this was their inheritance again that's my opinion but that's what I picture

here. Number 34 and 13 and Moses commanded the children of Israel saying this is the land

which ye shall inherit by lot which the Lord commanded to give unto you the nine tribes

and to the half tribe for the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of your

fathers and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers have

received their inheritance and half of the tribe of Manassee have received their inheritance. The

two tribes and the half tribe shall receive their inheritance on the side of the Jordan near Jericho

eastward towards the sun rising. So again we see the of course the the the nine half tribes and the

two and half tribes but still we see it was determined by lot by casting of lots and

so I guess we could ask the questions well it was all by chance I guess that would come to our mind

this casting of the lots and it tells us in Leviticus now we'll go there but you remember the

scapegoat and they would have two goats and they would offer the priest would offer this and

everything for himself before he offered for the sins of the people and they'd have two goats

and they would cast a lot which one was a scapegoat that was released which one was

sacrificed to the Lord just cast lots so do we say was a luck of the draw

would that come to mind it would it would by many let's go to Acts chapter one I think we have time

Acts chapter one another place that lots were used but certainly don't forget about the inheritance

the lot was used to determine the inheritance of God's chosen people Acts one and

well let's let's go let's go to our 15 we haven't read this for a long time Acts one and 15

and in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said the number of names

together was about 120 men and brethren the scripture must needs have been fulfilled which

the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas who was guided then that took

Jesus for he was numbered with us and had obtained a part in this ministry now this man purchased

a field with the reward of iniquity and falling headlong he burst a thunder in the midst and

always bows gust out and it was known into all the dwellers at Jerusalem in so much that the

field is called in the proper tongue a kildema that is to say the field of blood for it is written

in the book of Psalms let his habitation be desolate and let no man dwell therein and his

bishopric let another take wherefore all these men who have accompanied with us all the time that

the Lord Jesus went in and out among us beginning from the baptism of John so these are going to

have to have the baptism of John at this point beginning with the baptism of John until the

same day that he was taken up from us must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection

and they appointed to Joseph called uh bar Sabbaths who was certain name justice and Matthias

and they prayed and said thou Lord who knowest the hearts of all men show which of these two

thou has chosen that he may take part in the ministry and apostleship from which Judas by

transgressing fell that he might go to his own place and they gave forth their lots

and the lot fell upon Matthias and he was numbered with the eleven apostles so one thing here and

this gives us a clue that we're going to that says uh in verse 24 show which of these two thou has

chosen and then they cast their lots and the lot fell on Matthias so did luck of the draw

that Matthias was chosen said show us which of these two thou has chosen

another place we see lots Jonah and I won't go there but you remember Jonah and and he uh uh

was supposed to go to a certain place where it was the revealed that he would go to a certain place

and he got on the ship going to Damascus and you remember they was out in there and the ship was

the the sea was was very temptuous and the ship was about to sink and everything

and Jonah was down asleep in the bottom there everybody else was trying to do everything

they could to keep the ship afloat and they talked to Jonas of uh you know why you sleep down

here and everything each one of them had already prayed to their gods Jonah wake up pray to your god

and so then it came that it was uh they'd tried everything they could they'd cast out all the

stuff they could to keep the ship afloat and everything so then it was decided that they would

uh cast lots to see which one of these men was the cause of this

so I don't know how many men was on the ship doesn't tell us that I don't believe

you mean where they cast lots and the lots fell on Jonah was it possible those lots could

have fell on anybody else no it wasn't possible was it was it chance boy just a coincidence

that those lots fell on Jonah wasn't a coincidence wasn't by chance

well how then these I could see where these men on that ship and boy there's a lot more in that

Jonah and I didn't notice it until recently we think of Jonah and everything but those men

after this they were I'll use the word converted and praised the god so there's a lot more going

on than just Jonah but anyway so but these men probably were casting these lots or those from

Matthias were giving our vote probably failed a certain amount of free will rather Chuck

but was that the case did they have free will in this and I know I know the world certainly

believes that we're free more agents going about our decisions and choices and so forth

so now I want to read our text Psalms or Proverbs Proverbs chapter 16

Proverbs 16 · chapter mention

you may still have questions about well was it a black stone and a white stone or flat stone

around stone you what kind of stone we might not answer that but this is the key to understanding

all this about the lots we you know Israel's all their inheritance was determined by casting of

lots and how it would fall in this these maps that they made and how it would fall on there

and Matthias was chosen by a lot and Jonah the lots fell on Jonah this is going to explain all of that

very short verse here Proverbs 16 and 33 the lot is cast into the lap

but the whole disposing thereof is all the Lord that explains it all that's the key to

understanding and that word disposing I don't I think we know what it means there but if we look

at it in the uh Hebrew it means it's pronounced something like mishpold means verdict formal

decree define law divine law so the lot is cast into the lap or cast on the maps wherever they're

cast but the whole disposing thereof is all the Lord those men didn't choose Jonah when they cast

lots there that was the Lord disposing of the lots those men didn't choose Matthias in fact they

did say Lord show us which one you have chosen they had David they had that knowledge know which

one you have chosen but they still cast their lots they still went through that process didn't change

though we saw who the Lord had chosen lots by chance did not choose the inheritance for Israel

Psalms 47 and 4 says he has chosen our inheritance for us so Joshua they came back they explored

and they said he said explore this territory divide up into seventh then he come back and

Joshua took the lots or their stones and cast it on there but the Lord is one determiner inheritance

and where it would be it wasn't my chance uh i want to go to Acts chapter 13 Acts chapter 13

Acts 13 · chapter mention Acts 13 · chapter mention

Acts 13

and 17 this is talking about the inheritance

Acts 13 17 the God of this people of Israel chose our fathers and exalted the people when they

dwelt as sojourners in the land of Egypt and with a high arm brought him out of it and about the

time of 40 years bore he their manners and the wilderness and when he had destroyed seven nations

in the land of Canaan and divided their land to them by lot so we see here in verse 17 that these

were chosen men chosen people chosen individuals and then we see also verse 17 that he destroyed

all that happens in the land so he would give it to these chosen individuals chosen people

and then we see there in verse 18 or 19 that he divided it by lot so a chosen people

and the Lord prepared the land for them destroyed the people before yeah they may have to win the

battle but it wasn't them it was of the Lord also and he divided it by lot not by chance it was by

lot but it wasn't chance the Lord determines the disposing of the lots so what about us

what about our inheritance is it based on our free will of choice our decisions our works

go to Ephesians once again we'll see that cannot be it cannot be our choice our decisions or our

works and I know it's our nature to want to claim that that we have something to do with a

dear friend one time we was talking about this and I'm not sure exactly but talk about Christ

and the way and everything and he said but you'd like to think we have something to do with it

and that's our nature like to think we have something to do with something to boast to him

so but do we Ephesians 1 and 11 talk about is our inheritance by chance or is it by free will

Hebrew 111 and whom also we have obtained an inheritance Israel had an inheritance

determined by lot on surface value they've determined by lot and whom also we have obtained an

inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worked with all things at the

council of his will so as Israel they would have those maps and they would cast the lots on there

where it wasn't by chance God determines the results of the lots and in this for our inheritance

predestinated

our choices our decisions would not could not change God's what he has predestinated

again Israel he says he has chosen our inheritance for us and it's the same for us

and look while we're here verse 4 according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation

of the world that we should be holding without blame before him in love certainly that shows it's

not by chance it's not by our works or our decisions or our free will chosen before the foundation

of the world chosen our lot chosen our inheritance had many more scriptures on this but we'll have

to let some of those go but it's not by our works not by our decisions not by our choices no more

than was Israel he's chosen their inheritance for them and yeah it was determined by lot but who

determines the lot God no choice no no chance is what I'm wanting no chance but man's religion today

believes that they're free more agents

but Jonah's shipmates Jonah wasn't chosen by free will although they cast lots

they cast their votes but it was God it couldn't have it could not have fallen anybody else

Matthias those men it wasn't their voting the electing Matthias it was God and again they even

said it show us who thou has chosen and lots fell Matthias who God had chosen although they did

cast those lots Philippians 2 13 says that he works in us both to will and to do of his good

pleasure so as those cast those lots for whoever and they fell on Jonah the Lord calls them to do

do he worked in both to will and to do of his good pleasure and same with Matthias the Lord worked

on them to both to will and to do of his good pleasure the outcome could not have been any

different the Lord works in us both to to will and to do of his good pleasure he gives he works

as to will he gives us that desire both to will and to do of his good pleasure and I know the world

wants to claim free will out of that so we can boast in something that we have done but where does

all the honor and glory go David you read this morning we preach Jesus Christ Jesus Christ and

him crucified uh Isaiah says that he declared the end from beginning from ancient times things

have not yet come to pass saying my counselor will stand and I'll do all my pleasure so

so from the beginning from ancient times whether we're looking at the lots that was broken up for

Israel or for Jonah or Matthias or for you and I and our inheritance all determined by God not

free will not by chance.

Pharaoh did not have free will the Lord told Moses go tell Pharaoh let my people go

so was it Pharaoh's choice well I'll let him go or I won't let him go no he told Moses he said well

Moses P.S. here before you go I'm I'm gonna harden his heart and he can't let him go

through all those plagues and everything so our text says about the lots the disposal of

is all of the Lord so if the disposal of the lots or of the Lord

what about all the arrangements in your life

we don't typically cast lots but who's in control who determines the events and arrangements

in your life

if a simple casting of a lot is guided by him how much more the events

in your life

the very hairs of your head are numbered

not a spare of false in the air without the father it doesn't mean not a spare of false in the air

that that only that he knows about not a spare of false in the air without the father

real quick Isaiah 46 let me read real quickly here

Isaiah 46

and verse four so as we look at whether we're looking at Israel God's elect we're looking at

his elect now in this day and age is it by chance is it by free will is it by choice

look at verse four Isaiah 46 and four and even to your old age I am he

he even to gray hairs I will carry you and this is what says I have made I will bear

even I will carry and will deliver you so from the making carrying and delivering

it's all of the Lord from the beginning to the ending all the way through your life is all of

the Lord so is it free will of man the chuck I know the world wants to claim that till it has

something both to but we see it's not the free will of man now they'd cast those lots but who

determined it the Lord we may make a decision but who calls us to make that decision he works

in both the will and to do of his good pleasure so all the honor and glory goes to

the Lord and not to us may the Lord bless us speaking of his word we're dismissed