God spoke through the drawing of lots in the story of Zechariah. Luke 1: 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. [1] At the time, there was an abundance of priests, and they were divided into twenty-four groups (1 Chronicles 24). Each priest served at the Temple two weeks out of the year. The tasks of each priest were determined by lot.[2]
A priest burned incense in the Holy Place before the morning sacrifice and after the evening sacrifice. This was a very high honor and was allowed only once in the life of a priest. Some priests would never receive the honor. Zechariah was chosen by lot to burn the incense in our story. From the details, it was probably the evening offering at about 3 pm.
The incense symbolized the prayers of the people going up to God. While Zechariah burned the incense in the Holy Place, worshippers prayed in the Temple. This was a divine setup for the angel to speak to Zechariah to give a message of the birth of John the Baptist.
What Were Lots?
The practice of casting lots is mentioned seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament.[3] It was a way of determining God’s will. Proverbs 16: 33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.[4] The Bible never describes the lots physically. They may have consisted of white and black rocks, sticks of varying lengths, or dice. No matter their form, God’s people used them to ascertain God’s will.
Joshua used lots to divide and assign plots of land as the people of God moved into the promised land (Joshua 14-21). Leaders used lots to find God’s will in situations, determine guilt or innocence, and of course, to assign duties to the priests. This was a common practice of the day. The sailors used lots to determine that Jonah was the cause of the storm (Jonah 1:7).
No Lots Used Today
We see a few mentions of lots in the New Testament. The soldiers cast lots to divide Jesus’ garment (Matthew 27:35). Then, between Jesus’ ascension to heaven and the giving of the Holy Spirit, the disciples cast lots to determine a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:26). But things changed.
God sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). Now, instead of coming upon believers for a time, the Holy Spirit dwells within believers. Jesus had promised the Spirit, who would help believers discern. John 16: 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. [5]
As we grow in faith on our spiritual journey, we will grow in hearing what God is saying. While it may seem easier to throw dice to determine something, God desires a close relationship so that we may know His heart. Philippians 1: 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. [6] To learn how God spoke through the drawing of lots, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/an-angel-surprise
[1,5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 171). Victor Books.
[3] https://www.gotquestions.org/casting-lots.html
[4,6] The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.