Casting Lots (Proverbs 18:18)

Casting lots is a practice no longer performed, but it did settle disputes in Jesus' time and before.

"To cast lots puts an end to disputes, and decides between powerful contenders." Proverbs 18:18, Amplified

It was common practice to cast lots to understand who was at fault or to whom something belonged. The book that I always think about when talking about lots is the book of Jonah. In stead of the men blaming each other, they cast lots to decide who was at fault for the angering of the gods. You see, Jonah was given a specific message to give to a specific people and he decided to go in the opposite direction. He had hired a crew to take him far away, to the edge of the known earth. Because of his transgression, he placed the crew of the ship in great danger. This storm was so intense, it frightened these experienced sailors. In order to find who was at fault, because of course Jonah did not offer up any confession, the said, "Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us." (Jonah 1:7, New King James) When the lot fell to Jonah, he finally opened up about what was going on.

Lots were even cast for the clothing of Jesus and for the land the children of Israel would possess as they went into the promised land. The Urim and the Thumim may have even been a type of lot system put in place for the High Priest. In other words, lots were a way to settle disputes. It was believe that their outcome was divinely inspired, whether it be from the gods or the One God.