“When direction from the Lord is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim—one of the sacred lots cast before the Lord—to determine his will. This is how Joshua and the rest of the community of Israel will determine everything they should do.”
Numbers 27:21 NLT
Sometimes we read passages like this and think, “Wait… was God using holy dice?”
That is not a silly question. The Urim and Thummim can feel strange to us because they belonged to a time when God guided Israel through the priesthood, the tabernacle, and sacred methods He Himself appointed. It was not superstition. It was not gambling. It was not Israel saying, “Let’s get lucky and hope God is in a good mood today.”
The difference was this: God had commanded the means.
Joshua was not told to trust chance. He was told to stand before Eleazar the priest and seek direction from the Lord. The sacred lots were not replacing God’s wisdom. They were a temporary instrument God used to reveal His will to His covenant people.
And that matters because Israel was not supposed to be self-led. Joshua was a strong leader, but even Joshua needed direction. The community had decisions to make, battles to face, and steps to take. They could not afford to be guided by personality, pressure, fear, or popular opinion. They needed the Lord.
So do we.
Now, we do not use the Urim and Thummim today. Please do not write “yes” and “no” on two Skittles and call it discernment. That may be colorful, but it is not biblical.
We have something better.
We have Christ, our great High Priest. We have the completed Scriptures. We have the Holy Spirit. We have prayer. We have the wisdom of godly counsel. We have the providence of God shaping our steps, even when the next step feels foggy.
The question is not, “Can I find a shortcut to God’s will?” The better question is, “Am I willing to seek the Lord before I move?”
God has not promised to satisfy all our curiosity, but He has promised to shepherd His people. He may not give you the whole map, but He will give you enough light for obedience. And often, that is where faith grows—not in knowing everything, but in trusting the One who does.
When direction is needed, do not panic. Do not rush. Do not baptize your impulses and call them “peace.” Stand before the Lord.
Open His Word. Pray with honesty. Ask for wisdom. Listen to mature believers. Pay attention to what obedience already requires.
God is not playing games with your life. He is leading His people, and in Christ, His guidance is never random.
Pray This
Lord Jesus, lead me with Your wisdom and keep me from rushing ahead in my own strength. Teach me to seek You before I move, to trust Your Word, and to obey the light You have already given. Amen.
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