In the first month, the month of Nisan, the King Ahasuerus’s twelfth year, Pur (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman for each day in each month, and it fell on the twelfth month, the month Adar. Then Haman informed King Ahasuerus, “There is one ethnic group, scattered throughout the peoples in every province of your kingdom, yet living in isolation. Their laws are different from everyone else’s and they do not obey the king’s laws. It is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. If the king approves, let an order be drawn up authorizing their destruction, and I will pay 375 tons of silver to the accountants for deposit in the royal treasury. Esther 3:7-9 HCSB
People play the lottery every day and select numbers they feel are “lucky” and will help them win. Others seek the advice of a palm reader or fortune teller to make decisions and plan their future. Still others read their horoscopes each day hoping to find direction from the stars.
Haman “cast lots” to determine the best time to plan his destruction of the Jews. The casting of lots was a common practice to make decisions. The soldiers at the foot of the cross of Jesus cast lots to determine who would receive His robe. Interestingly, Haman’s plan played right into God’s plan. The casting of the lots selected a time that was almost a year later. This gave Esther plenty of time to make her plea before the king. Also, the Persian word for lots was “purim”, which became the name of the holiday celebrated by the Jews when they were delivered, not killed, on the day appointed by Haman.
Challenge: Know that God is sovereign and has everything under control. We may not always completely understand God’s ways, but we must trust Him, knowing that He knows what is best and can bring good even out of the negative circumstances that Satan throws into our lives. When faced with a decision, seek God’s will instead of relying on “lots” and other worldly methods. God wants to help His children in every area of life.