What other biblical instances show God directing outcomes through seemingly random events? Trusting God’s Hand in 1 Samuel 6:9 “Watch it; if it goes up the road to its own territory, to Beth-shemesh, then it is He who has brought this great calamity upon us. But if it does not, then we will know it was not His hand that struck us; it happened by chance.” (1 Samuel 6:9) • Two milk cows, never before yoked, march straight toward Israel—an outcome the Philistines think will prove whether the LORD is involved. • Scripture records the cows “did not turn to the right or to the left” (v. 12), confirming that what looked like a coin-flip was actually the sovereign direction of God. Lots, Dice, and Drawing Straws—Tools God Uses • Proverbs 16:33—“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” • Joshua 18:10—Joshua casts lots in Shiloh “in the presence of the LORD” to assign land, showing that borders of Israel are not chance but covenant. • Jonah 1:7—Sailors cast lots; “the lot fell on Jonah.” God exposes the runaway prophet without a sermon, just rolled stones. • Acts 1:24-26—The early church prays, casts lots, and Matthias is chosen. The risen Christ directs leadership through what seems random. • Nehemiah 10:34; 11:1—Lots determine temple wood offerings and which families settle Jerusalem, underscoring God’s ordering of community life. Ordinary Walks, Surprising Encounters • Ruth 2:3—“She happened to come to the portion of land belonging to Boaz.” A “chance” field visit writes her into the Messianic line. • 1 Kings 22:34—“A man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel.” A stray arrow fulfills God’s word of judgment on Ahab. • Genesis 24:15—Before Abraham’s servant finishes praying, Rebekah walks up with a jar on her shoulder. Timing that looks coincidental becomes the birth of a nation. Tests That Look Coincidental but Are Divine Filters • Judges 7:5-7—Gideon sorts soldiers by how they drink water; only three hundred remain. What appears an odd drinking habit test is God’s path to victory. • Judges 6:36-40—Fleece wet, ground dry; fleece dry, ground wet. Natural dew patterns reverse at God’s word, steering Gideon’s confidence. • 1 Samuel 14:41-45—Jonathan is revealed by lot as the one who tasted honey, guiding Saul’s army even when leadership falters. Calendar Dates and National Events Set by “Chance” • Esther 3:7—Haman casts the Pur to pick a day for genocide; the date chosen allows months for Esther’s intervention. • Esther 9:24—God turns the very lot that signaled destruction into the feast of Purim, a yearly reminder that random dates sit in His calendar. • Ezekiel 24:2—“Record this date, this very day.” Even the timing of Babylon’s siege is fixed by God, not Babylonian strategy. Bringing It Together From rolling lots to stray arrows, from cows on a country road to a Moabite widow strolling into the right field, Scripture—accurate and literal—presents event after event where the LORD directs outcomes that look random to human eyes. His sovereignty permeates the ordinary, assuring believers that no circumstance is outside His purposeful control. |
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