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 (Lev. 16:8–‐10). This method was also used to divide the land of Canaan after its conquest under Joshua (Num. 26:55, 56; Josh. 14:2). Lots were further cast to select warriors to fight against the men of Gibeah (Judg. 20:9, 10) and apparently to choose Saul as the first king of Israel (1 Sam. 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 (Matt. 27:35). After prayer, the apostles used lots to choose Matthias 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 Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:25). Keep in mind that either man would have been a good choice.
Now, some believe that casting lots is a form of gambling. But consider, gambling is an attempt to get something for very, very little: a nickel turns into a couple of hundred dollars at the pull of a lever, or a series of numbers you bet on for a dollar yields a million or so in return. This is gambling. It is ‘investing’ extremely little (at least at any one time) on the chance that you will get an enormous return. Casting lots however is not a form of greed. It was a request for a higher power to provide an answer. Such as with Jonah or Matthias as already mentioned. It was getting God to choose, which is not gambling. It could be consider be seen as a form of prayer. And, it certainly is not asking for something “for nothing”, but rather a choice be made by someone other than themselves.
Now, in Proverbs 16:33, it demonstrates that casting lots was not considered magic either, because the decision was from the Lord. Despite all this, there seems to be little justification for this practice today. Since the coming of God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we have had this ever–‐ present resource to guide us in our decision making and we are urged to bring our needs to the Father in prayer and rely on the direction him.