{"id":3780,"date":"2025-06-18T23:03:52","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T23:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sunesishq.com\/notes\/?p=3780"},"modified":"2026-02-20T15:01:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T15:01:34","slug":"from-shadows-to-substance-the-higher-way-of-divine-guidance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sunesishq.com\/notes\/from-shadows-to-substance-the-higher-way-of-divine-guidance\/","title":{"rendered":"From Shadows to Substance\u2014The Higher Way of Divine Guidance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

It has always been God\u2019s modus operandi<\/strong>\u2014His established pattern\u2014from the book of Genesis to divinely select individuals<\/strong> for specific purposes and assignments. Examples include Noah, Abraham and Gideon. In the Old Testament, we consistently see God initiating relationships by personally choosing and calling people. Below is a curated list of individuals who were directly selected by the Lord<\/strong> according to the Old Testament portion of Scripture.\u00a0<\/strong>How was it then that when Judas gave up his post as an Apostle\u2014sacrificing his bishopric\u2014by choosing to become a son of perdition, the early church selected his replacement by casting lots? We\u2019ll discuss what possibly transpired. Suffice it to say the early Apostles selected two men of their own free will and then asked God to choose one of their own selections. Instead of waiting for his response, they cast lots to choose between Joseph called Barsabas and Matthias.<\/p>\n

Act 1:23-26 (KJV)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

23 And\u00a0<\/em>they appointed two<\/span><\/em>,\u00a0<\/em>Joseph<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and\u00a0<\/em>Matthias<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

24 And\u00a0<\/em>they prayed<\/em><\/strong>, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,<\/em><\/p>\n

25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.<\/em><\/p>\n

26 And\u00a0<\/em>they gave forth their lots<\/em><\/strong>; and\u00a0<\/em>the lot fell upon Matthias<\/em><\/strong>; and\u00a0<\/em>he was numbered with the eleven apostles<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Matthias is a notable yet relatively obscure figure in Christian history, explicitly mentioned only once in the Bible\u2014in Acts 1:15\u201326. While he was likely a devoted follower of Jesus throughout His earthly ministry and was considered worthy to be a witness of the resurrection (Acts 1:22), it is arguable that he was not God\u2019s intended choice to fill the vacant twelfth apostolic position. Though he may have played a role in the early Church’s foundation, the divine selection appears to have been revealed later through prophetic direction and confirmed by the apostles and teachers at Antioch, including Peter. Perhaps the most compelling evidence of this is the remarkable ministry of Paul, who went on to write nearly two-thirds of the New Testament and significantly shaped the doctrine and identity of Christianity as we know it today.<\/p>\n

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Abraham<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:<\/em>
\nAnd I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.”<\/em> \u2014 Genesis 12:1\u20132 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Moses<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.”<\/em> \u2014 Exodus 3:10 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Aaron (High Priest)<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him… that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office…”<\/em> \u2014 Exodus 28:1 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Joshua (Successor to Moses)<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.”<\/em> \u2014 Deuteronomy 31:23 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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David<\/strong><\/p>\n

“I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him.”<\/em> \u2014 Psalm 89:20 (KJV)<\/strong>
\n“And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.”<\/em> \u2014 1 Samuel 16:12 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Solomon<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And of all my sons… he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.<\/em>
\nAnd he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house… for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.”<\/em> \u2014 1 Chronicles 28:5\u20136 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Jeremiah<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”<\/em> \u2014 Jeremiah 1:5 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Samuel<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.”<\/em> \u2014 1 Samuel 3:20 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Cyrus (King of Persia)<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him…”<\/em> \u2014 Isaiah 45:1 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Nebuchadnezzar<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant…”<\/em> \u2014 Jeremiah 27:6 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Gideon<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?”<\/em> \u2014 Judges 6:14 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Isaiah<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”<\/em> \u2014 Isaiah 6:8 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Elijah<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying…”<\/em> \u2014 1 Kings 17:2 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Elisha<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And Elisha the son of Shaphat… shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.”<\/em> \u2014 1 Kings 19:16 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Bezalel (Tabernacle Craftsman)<\/strong><\/p>\n

“See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri… of the tribe of Judah…”<\/em> \u2014 Exodus 31:2 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Saul (First King of Israel)<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Is it not because the Lord hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance?”<\/em> \u2014 1 Samuel 10:1 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Zerubbabel<\/strong><\/p>\n

“In that day… will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant… and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.”<\/em> \u2014 Haggai 2:23 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Ezra<\/strong><\/p>\n

“This Ezra… was a ready scribe in the law of Moses… the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.”<\/em> \u2014 Ezra 7:6 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Nehemiah<\/strong><\/p>\n

“And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.”<\/em> \u2014 Nehemiah 2:8 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Levi (Tribe Chosen for Priesthood)<\/strong><\/p>\n

“At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord…”<\/em> \u2014 Deuteronomy 10:8 (KJV)<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Biblical Definition of \u201cLots\u201d \u2014 Hebrew and Greek Word Study<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Hebrew, the word for \u201clot\u201d is \u201cgoral\u201d (\u05d2\u05d5\u05b9\u05e8\u05b8\u05dc)<\/strong>, which denotes a portion, destiny, or decision rendered by chance<\/strong>. It was used extensively in the Old Testament for assigning tribal land (Joshua 18:6) or determining guilt (Leviticus 16:8). In the Greek, the term is \u201ckl\u0113ros\u201d (\u03ba\u03bb\u1fc6\u03c1\u03bf\u03c2)<\/strong>, which carries the meaning of an assigned portion, or casting of lots (Acts 1:26).<\/p>\n

Strong\u2019s Concordance:<\/strong><\/p>\n