Prov: Flip a Coin

[bcbsr]

 

FLIP A COIN

Pr 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Want to see God intervening in natural events? Just flip a coin. God determines the outcomes of all stochastic events. Statistically it can't be proven nor disproven. For while the probability curves of stochastic events are generally predictable in simple cases, the outcome of each particular event is not predictable. Thus while on the average the flip of a coin will result in heads half the time and tails half the time, the outcome is indeterminate for each particular flip. This is one way in which God is intimately involved in everything that happens, and yet his involvement is hidden.

This is not to encourage people to gamble. For though God controls the outcome of such events, he is unlikely to ultimately intervene in favor of gambling fools or greedy persons. But there were times in the Bible where casting lots was used to determine God's will.

For example the Lord commanded casting lots to be used in the Levitical sacrifical system to determine the scapegoat and the sacrificial goat. "He is to cast lots for the two goats— one lot for the LORD and the other for the scapegoat." Lev 16:8 Joshua cast lots in the distribution of the land of Israel to the various tribes. Jos 18:10 That helped to settle disputes as it is written, "Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart." Pr 18:18 Perhaps even the use of the Urim and the Thummim to determine God's will may have involved a sort of casting of lots.

While casting lots may be useful where wisdom wouldn't lead one to make one decision over another, I think that the casting of lots should not be used until all avenues of wisdom have been explored. For example I would say that the apostles were mistaken in their decision to cast lots for Judas's replacement, as it is written, "Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles." Ac 1:26  Rather than wait for the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus said would guide them into all truth, they took this unnecessary action without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. So while they gave God only two choices in this matter, it appears that Jesus chose someone entirely different to replace Judas - namely Paul.

So don't be quick to cast lots until you've explored all avenues of wisdom.

---

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources

[Neighbor]

On 12/5/2019 at 9:38 AM, bcbsr said:

Thus while on the average the flip of a coin will result in heads half the time and tails half the time

I tested the declaration I had read that of 500 flips of a US wheat penny (Philadelphia mint) that it will land heads up 350 times and on edge once.  I did this as part of my academic career during a lengthy run of  High School all afternoon detention sessions.

The room monitor was quite patient until about 300 flips, even then when  I explained what "we" were doing I was allowed to go on and finish the effort. I was dumbfounded to see the penny actually stay on edge one time of 500 opportunities.

If I remember  the US wheat penny has  heavier mass towards the tail side and so it has a slightly higher probability of ending  facing down. A rather useless bit of information to carry with me for life, for the few number of times I have flipped a wheat penny coin for anything of consequence. I think that has happened in my life- well never.

[Neighbor]

On 12/5/2019 at 9:38 AM, bcbsr said:

But there were times in the Bible where casting lots was used to determine God's will.

Perhaps in a negative way, for the replacement Apostle was selected because of men's presumption of God's will for them to select a replacement right then. They did not wait on God but proceeded immediately.  By lots they chose, and nothing is written of Matthias, while Paul the apostle out of time selected by God in an extraordinary manner is the author of much of the New Testament. That does not mean it was not  of God's foreknowledge nor predestination, but there is potentially a lesson there;  that all things done in the name of God are not of His will, sometimes it is done, even by His servants, in spite of it. 

I think it is dangerous  to  assume God's blessing on what  I think  must be filled or done right now in order to serve God's will. God must lead it and that often requires a lot of patiently waiting about.

[JustPassingThru]

Peter and the other disciples "cast lots" because it was written that Judas needed to be replaced and the casting of Lots, with full confidence that God determines the outcome of the Lots Acts 1:24-25,  ...fell to Matthias, ...we must remember this was before Pentecost and the beginning of the Dispensation of Grace, ...the Church Age.

Church history tells us Matthias preached the Gospel in Cappadocia on the coasts of the Caspian Sea went as far as  modern day Georgia, where he was stoned to death, martyred for His faith in his Lord. 

Jesus gave this commend to His disciples, Preach the Gospel in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the world, before He Ascended on High, ...which they all did and only John was not martyred, but died of old age. Paul was specifically chosen by Jesus as the Apostle to the Gentiles:

But the Lord said unto him (Ananais), Go thy way: for he (Saul, Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: Acts 9:15

Jesus "chose" Paul just like He "chose" the other 12 disciples that became Apostles.

Lord bless

[Neighbor]

Acts 1 English Standard Version (ESV)

 

 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,  until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.  He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”  And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.  And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,  and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.  And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.  All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said,  “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.  For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.  And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)  “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate,
    and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

“‘Let another take his office.’

 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,  beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”  And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.  And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen  to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”  And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

 

[Neighbor]

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.  Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”  The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.  Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.  And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”  And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,  and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”  But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.  And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”  But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”  So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;  and taking food, he was strengthened.

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.  And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”  And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?”  But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

 When many days had passed, the Jews[a] plotted to kill him,  but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night in order to kill him,  but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And when he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. And they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.  But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.  So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.  And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists. But they were seeking to kill him.  And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus....