Tags
chance, dice, drawing of lots, fate, gambling, jackpot, lotteries, pebbles, random drawing, sticks, sweepstakes
They take my wallet and the shirt off my back, and then throw dice for my clothes. ~ Psalm 22:18, MSG
After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they whiled away the time by throwing dice for his clothes. ~ Matthew 27:35, MSG
Casting or Drawing Lots (a.k.a., Lotteries): The practice of casting lots (gambling; dividing; deciding; luck, chance, or fate; and so forth) is found in both the Old and New Testaments. Although no one knows if dice, coins, rocks, sticks, and etc., were used in ancient times, in the Holy Bible the casting of lots is depicted as being very similar to throwing dice or drawing straws. Two noteworthy New Testament instances of casting lots are when the apostles cast lots to decide who will replace Judas (cf. Acts 1:16-26), and when the Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments (cf. Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23).
Lot drawings…
Some good, some bad; some fact, some fiction;
Some short-lived, some everlasting; like
Shortest-stick pick
Last-minute clock tick
Bunny rabbit’s detached foot
Black-dotted white slip
Bingo-players’ lucky chip;
Tic-Tac-Toe
Eeny-meeny-miny-mo
Famous board game’s “Pass Go”
Three-lemon machine roll
High-roller cubed slot drops
Five combination white-ball pops
Dealer’s-card Blackjack hit
Casino’s riches bottomless pit…
Leprechaun’s fabled-green sacks
Consolation prize knickknacks
Magazine purchasers’ million-dollar stickits
Casting lots via raffle tickets
Wheel of Fortune ten seconds shock
Scissors, paper and rock
Best of three, you select
Games of Russian roulette…
One lottery cost is less than what’s lost
A sure-win to behold
Christ’s fire-tried gold
A rust-free treasure
Riches beyond measure…
Choose, earthly and heavenly inheritance
Red-tagged rack, marked for acceptance,
Freely-given lot matter of choice
Allowing mankind chance to voice
Results:
First-prize reward—eternal life with God . . .
Runner-up penalty—eternal doom by all odds….
~ from Montage of Poetic Imaginations (2003, edited)
Very nice! Fleeting and unsure riches compared to eternal and certain riches. Why would anyone pick the former?
As always Renee, I thank you for your kind comments and your constant support. I cannot begin to imagine why anyone would not choose eternal life, the way God offers it.
Many blessings to you . . . Shalom . . .
I can’t imagine, either! Shalom and blessings to you!