Old Testament Gambling
Posted : admin On 4/7/2022Gambling isn’t mentioned in the Bible at all. There are no occurrences of it. Some mention “casting lots” as a possibility of speaking about gambling but that’s really not the same thing. Casting lots was commonly used in Bible times to make decisions; it was a way of inquiring of the Lord. The Old Testament prophets proclaimed God’s devastating judgment against those who “devour” the poor, and yet gambling proponents entice those at the bottom of the economic ladder to risk everything, though they end up with nothing. The concentration of lottery ticket outlets in lower-income neighborhoods is no accident. The only New Testament reference to anything that approaches modern gambling is the account of the Roman soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ garments at the foot of the cross. (Matthew 27:35) Since the Bible does not deal with the issue directly, we are forced to look at the larger context of the Bible. Deu 21:22 (KJV) And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: Deu 21:23 (KJV) His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
Answer: Although the words 'gambling' or 'lottery' are not in the King James Version Bible, numerous verses denounce the attitudes that are behind them. They include idol worship and greed, which are the foundations that encourage this kind of behavior.
People often indulge in gambling, be it playing the lottery or going to a casino, because they hope to 'get lucky.' Scripture states that such things as fortune, fate, luck and destiny are as foreign gods in whom the people foolishly place their hope.
The Eternal clearly states that not only does not like the attitude behind gambling he is willing to punish people for indulging in such foolishness. Through the prophet Isaiah he states, 'But you who forsake the LORD . . . who prepare a table for Fortune, and who furnish the drink offering to Fate, Therefore I will destine you to the sword; and you will all bow down to the slaughter . . .' (Isaiah 65:11 - 12, HBFV).
Old Testament On Gambling
Old Testament Bingo Cards
The TEV Bible translation of Isaiah 65:11 states that those who reject our Creator worship gods of 'luck and fate,' the two primary characteristics that underpin gambling. A passage in the book of Proverbs states, 'Worthless, wicked people go around telling lies. They wink and make gestures to deceive you, all the while planning evil in their perverted minds . . .' (Proverbs 6:12 - 14, TEV).
The CEV translation states that liars go around 'winking and giving signals' to deceive others. Such signals between people are the same kinds of stereotypical signs often associated with those seeking to tip the gambling odds in their favor.
One of the deceptive beliefs behind gambling is that by making a small 'investment' one can become rich. This attitude leads to what the word of God defines simply as GREED. Games of chance where money is involved also encourages the false notion that a person can get something for nothing. Being greedy is ultimately a waste of time and distracts a person from what is truly important in life.
Someone once stated that the person who dies with the most toys (cars, houses, other possessions) wins at life. It is this type of materialistic drive and the desire to have more that helps fuel an obsession with gambling. The world's wisest man, Solomon, stated several times how foolish is was to pursue riches (Proverbs 23:5, 27:20, 24).
One day a person shouted to Jesus from a crowd asking him for help in dividing a family inheritance between him and his brother. Jesus' sharp, to-the-point response first stated that his purpose on earth was not to be a judge or arbitrator between people to settle their disputes.
Old Testament Bingo
The word 'arbitrator' used in the NASB and other translations for Jesus' response in Luke 12:14 come from a Greek word whose meaning is very similar to the word 'destiny' in the Hebrew. Both words have in common the same concept of portioning out or dividing that gambling businesses partake in when they take the wealth of one person and give it to someone else.
Jesus warned the man who screamed for his help to be wary of covetousness (greed) since God never intended a person's life revolve around the accumulation of physical things (Luke 12:15). He then gave what is known as the parable of the foolish rich man who built bigger barns (verses 16 - 21).
Old Testament Bingo Printable
The book of Jeremiah also warns us not to be 'greedy for gain' (Jeremiah 6:13, 15). In short, the Bible says that gambling, especially with our hard earned money, is something we should not pursue or indulge in.