In ancient days, several stones or perhaps precious gems called lots would have been cast or thrown from a clay jug to make important decisions. The casting of lots was a custom or rite used then to make important decisions, much as we practice drawing straws or flipping a coin today. Several examples of this practice occur in both the Old and New testaments.
In the Old Testament, lots were cast by the high priest to select the scapegoat on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:8‐10). This method was also used to divide the land of Canaan after its conquest under Joshua (Numbers 26:55-56; Joshua 14:2). Lots were further cast to select warriors to fight against the men of Gibeah (Judges 20:9-10) and apparently to choose Saul as the first king of Israel (1 Samuel 10:19-21). In addition, sailors on the ship bound for Tarshish, with Jonah on board, used lots to determine who had caused the stormy seas. In Jonah’s case, lots were used to narrow down who was responsible for the storm. “And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah” (Jonah 1:7). It was heathens who were casting the lots, but the indication is that God used the occasion to manipulate the results to show that Jonah was the cause. Thus, God did so because it furthered His purpose.
In the New Testament, Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments (Matthew 27:35). After prayer, the apostles used lots to choose Mathias as successor to Judas (Acts 1:24-26). The disciples were trying to find a replacement for Judas Iscariot. They narrowed the possibilities down to just two people, but they could not decide between them. Thus, they prayed that Jesus would make the final decision and the disciples cast lots. They prayed, “‘You, O Lord who know the hearts of all, show which of these two you have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place” (Acts 1:15-16). “And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Mathias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:25). Keep in mind that either man would have been a good choice.
