JUDGES 20:8-11 URIM AND THUMMIN

Q: This may not be the best example, but there are numerous passages where it seems that people cast lots to determine the will of God (Urim & Thummin? Also I Samuel 14:40-45). Does the Bible present casting lots as a God-ordained or God-sanctioned method of determining His will? If so, is this just something that was practiced in certain specific circumstances by certain people or something that could potentially even be practiced today?

In reading 1Samuel 30:1-8,  I wondered about the ephod, "...bring me the ephod...David inquired of The Lord...He answered..."  I believe there have been previous references to David using the ephod & inquiring of The Lord. This almost seems like divination...can you explain?

Both of these questions relate to the same method used by Israel's leaders to discern God's will during special circumstances of importance to the nation. This was the only God-ordained form of divination allowed, and was recommended by Moses for use by the people to determine God's will after his death (Numbers 27:21).  It was not needed during the period of the prophets, but there are hints that the practice was revived after the return from exile (Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65).

The best educated guess regarding the procedure is as follows:  The high priest was summoned, wearing his special upper garment (ephod) to which was attached a breastplate containing two flat stones called the Urim and Thummin.  After appropriate ceremonies and prayer, a yes-no question was asked of God, and the high priest would cast the two stones in the air. Two “heads” would indicate yes; two “tails would mean no; and one head and one tail would indicate that God declined to answer their question.  This last situation explains why I Samuel 28:6 states that God did not answer Saul by the Urim.

Can or should similar methods be used today by Christians?  I can't give a definite “no” answer, but the following negative factors should be kept in mind:
1. The method did not work unless a high priest was involved (Again, look at the Ezra and Nehemiah passages above).
2. Its use was reserved for major questions involving the whole nation, not for individual concerns.
3. Its use was superseded when more direct forms of communication from God were available.

Sometimes cited in favor of using forms of divination today are two biblical passages: Gideon casting a fleece (Judges 6) and the casting of lots by the eleven Apostles to find a replacement for Judas (Acts 1).
Concerning the first passage, Gideon's activities are actually proof of his great lack of faith in what God had already clearly revealed to him orally. Also, the two castings of fleece were used as a means of confirming a supernatural event. There is no correlation between this incident and the popular practice of “casting a fleece” used among some charismatic groups whereby a person will direct the future course of their life dependent upon whether some random event (a stoplight being red or green at a particular intersection, for example) will occur.

The Acts 1 incident seemingly provides more justification for a modern form of divination by Christians.  Again there are several caveats to keep in mind: 
1. As in the case of the Urim and Thummin, only a specially God-appointed group indulged in the practice, and the decision was one of importance to the whole community.
2. This event took place before the Day of Pentacost when the Holy Spirit descended on all the believers.
3. The apostles only resorted to divination after much thought and prayer regarding the merits of the two candidates.
4. There is no further positive mention of any form of divination in the New Testament. However,  group church decisions such as occurred at the so-called Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15) can still be consulted profitably today as good examples of how to go about it.

In closing, for those more interested in the subject of discerning God's will for your personal life, I would highly recommend Gary Friesen's Decision Making and the Will of God.