Decisions! We make thousands of them in the course of a single day. The majority of our decisions do not have long-term consequences, but there are some that do, some that will affect the lives of others. Sometimes our decisions are just not clear ones and we are forced to choose between two good or even two not so good things.
Numbers 16 is the first time I see the casting of lots in the scriptures. The high priest uses a lot to decide which of two identical goats is going to die and which is going to be released into the wilderness. This casting of lots is a shadow picture of an event which will happen at the end of the tribulation. Yehovah will decide at some future Kippurim service which men (with their families) will make it into the millennial kingdom alive and which ones won’t; just like Noah was delivered from the antediluvian world into this one safe and sound.
LOT, n.
1. That which, in human speech, is called chance, hazard, fortune; but in strictness of language, is the determination of providence; as, the land shall be divided by lot.
2. That by which the fate or portion of one is determined; that by which an event is committed to chance, that is, to the determination of providence; as, to cast lots; to draw lots. (Webster 1828 Dictionary)
The casting of lots works for Yehovah’s men because they have come out from the kingdom of their birth, made themselves fully His and then have come into covenant with Him at Passover as His son. These men (with their families) are His segulah, His special treasure that he talks about in Exodus 19. He cares what happens to these men and desires to lead and guide them in His providence. The casting of lots is Israel’s way to establish Yehovah’s will in their lives; lots were, and can still be used, to bring peace and contentment to some difficult decisions.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from Yehovah. (Pro 16:33)
Casting of lots causes contentions to cease, and keeps the mighty apart. (Pro 18:18)