DECISION.Duly constituted and recognized authorities have the power of decision granted to them in all questions of right in the Bible. Moses (Exo 18:13), the judges (1Sa 7:16), and the kings (1Ki 3:16 ff.) exercise this power upon occasion. Questions of right between Christian brethren are to be decided by Church courts and not by civil authorities (Mat 18:17, 1Co 6:1-8). The only method of decision sanctioned in the NT is the exercise of godly judgment on the part of the individual to whom authority has been granted. The casting of lots by heathen soldiers (Mar 15:24) and the sortilege of Act 1:21-26 cannot be cited as examples for the Christian Church. No instance of the casting of lots can be found after Pentecost. The Spirit of a sound mind now decides what is right and what is true.<\/p>\n
D. A. Hayes.<\/p>\n
de-sizhun: Has several different shades of meaning. It expresses the formation of a judgment on a matter under consideration. It expresses the quality of being firm or positive in one’s actions. It expresses the termination of a contest or question in favor of one side or the other, as the decision of the battle, or the decision of the judge.<\/p>\n
1. National Decisions<\/p>\n
Until recent times the decision of disputed points between nations was determined by force of arms. Thus the questions of dispute were decided between Israel and the surrounding tribes, between Israel and Assyria, between Israel and Egypt, and later between Judea and Rome.<\/p>\n
2. Judicial Decisions<\/p>\n
In the earliest times the questions of dispute between individuals were decided by the patriarch who was the head of the family. When Israel became a nation men were appointed to decide the difficulties between the people. At first this was one of the most important duties of Moses, but when the task became too great he appointed judges to assist him (see Exo 18:13-26). One important function of those who are called judges was to decide the difficulties between the people (see Jdg 4:4, Jdg 4:5). The kings also decided questions of dispute between individuals (see 2Sa 15:1-6; 1Ki 3:16-28). As the people developed in their national ideals the decisions in judicial matters were rendered by councils appointed for that purpose.<\/p>\n
3. Methods of Forming Decisions<\/p>\n
Perplexing questions were many times decided by the casting of lots. The people believed that God would in this way direct them to the right decision (Pro 16:33; Jos 7:10-21; Jos 14:2; 1Sa 10:20 f). Casting lots must have been a common method of deciding perplexing questions (see 1Sa 14:41, 1Sa 14:42; Jon 1:7). It was resorted to by the apostles to decide which of the two men they had selected should take the place of Judas (Act 1:21-26). The custom gradually lost in favor, and decisions, even of perplexing questions, were formed by considering all the facts. See AUGURY IV, 3; LOTS.<\/p>\n
General references<\/p>\n
Deu 30:19<\/span>; Jos 23:8<\/span>; Jos 24:15<\/span>; 1Sa 12:20<\/span>; 1Ki 18:21<\/span>; Psa 37:34<\/span>; Psa 69:13<\/span>; Pro 4:25-27<\/span>; Isa 50:7<\/span>; Mat 24:13<\/span>; Mar 13:13<\/span>; Mat 10:22<\/span>; Mat 25:23<\/span>; Luk 7:23<\/span>; Mat 11:6<\/span>; Joh 8:31<\/span>; Joh 15:4-5<\/span>; Joh 15:7<\/span>; Joh 15:9<\/span>; Act 11:23<\/span>; Act 13:43<\/span>; Act 14:22<\/span>; Rom 2:7<\/span>; Rom 8:38-39<\/span>; Rom 11:22<\/span>; 1Co 15:58<\/span>; 1Co 16:13<\/span>; Gal 5:1<\/span>; Gal 5:10<\/span>; Gal 6:9<\/span>; Eph 4:14<\/span>; Eph 6:13<\/span>; Phi 1:27<\/span>; Phi 4:1<\/span>; Col 1:23<\/span>; 1Th 3:8<\/span>; 1Th 3:13<\/span>; 2Th 2:15<\/span>; 2Th 2:17<\/span>; 2Th 3:13<\/span>; 2Ti 1:13-14<\/span>; 2Ti 2:1<\/span>; 2Ti 2:3<\/span>; 2Ti 3:14<\/span>; Tit 1:7<\/span>; Tit 1:9<\/span>; Heb 2:1<\/span>; Heb 3:6-8<\/span>; Heb 3:14<\/span>; Heb 4:14<\/span>; Heb 10:23<\/span>; Heb 10:35<\/span>; Heb 12:1<\/span>; Heb 13:9<\/span>; Heb 13:13<\/span>; Jas 1:4<\/span>; Jas 1:12<\/span>; Jas 1:25<\/span>; 1Pe 1:13<\/span>; 1Pe 5:8-9<\/span>; 2Pe 1:10-11<\/span>; 2Pe 3:17-18<\/span>; 1Jn 2:24<\/span>; 1Jn 2:28<\/span>; 2Jn 1:8<\/span>; Jud 1:20-21<\/span>; Rev 2:7<\/span>; Rev 2:10-11<\/span>; Rev 2:17<\/span>; Rev 2:25-26<\/span>; Rev 3:5<\/span>; Rev 3:11-12<\/span>; Rev 3:21<\/span>; Rev 15:2<\/span>; Rev 21:7<\/span>; Rev 22:11<\/span> Character<\/span>; Perseverance<\/span>; Stability<\/span>; Indecision<\/span>; Instability<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Exhortation to<\/p>\n Jos 1:7<\/span>; 1Ch 16:15<\/span>; 2Ch 19:11<\/span>; Mat 4:17<\/span>; Mat 6:24<\/span>; Luk 16:13<\/span>; Mat 10:32<\/span>; Luk 9:59-62<\/span>; Mat 8:21-22<\/span>; Luk 11:23<\/span>; Mat 12:30<\/span>; Luk 12:8<\/span>; Luk 17:32<\/span>; Col 2:6-7<\/span>; 1Ti 6:11-14<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Instances of:<\/p>\n \n – <\/strong>Instances of:<\/p>\n Heb 11:4<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Enoch<\/p>\n Heb 11:5-6<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Noah<\/p>\n Heb 11:7<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Abraham<\/p>\n Heb 11:8<\/span>; Heb 11:17-19<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Jacob<\/p>\n Gen 28:20-21<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Joseph<\/p>\n Gen 39:7-20<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Moses<\/p>\n Heb 11:24-26<\/span>; Num 12:7<\/span>; Heb 3:5<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Israelites<\/p>\n Exo 19:7-8<\/span>; Exo 24:3<\/span>; Exo 24:7<\/span>; Deu 4:4<\/span>; Deu 5:27<\/span>; Deu 26:17<\/span>; Deu 29:12<\/span>; Jos 22:34<\/span>; Jos 24:21-25<\/span>; 1Ki 19:18<\/span>; 2Ch 11:16<\/span>; 2Ch 13:10-11<\/span>; 2Ch 15:12<\/span>; 2Ch 15:15<\/span>; 2Ch 23:16<\/span>; 2Ki 11:17<\/span>; 2Ch 29:10<\/span>; Ezr 10:3-44<\/span>; Neh 9:38<\/span>; Jer 34:15<\/span>; Neh 10:1-39<\/span>; Psa 50:5<\/span>; Jer 42:5-6<\/span>; Jer 50:5<\/span>; Hos 11:12<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Caleb<\/p>\n Num 14:24<\/span>; Num 14:6-10<\/span>; Num 14:37-38<\/span>; Deu 1:36<\/span>; Jos 14:14<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Balaam<\/p>\n Num 22:15-18<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Phinehas<\/p>\n Num 25:7-13<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Joshua<\/p>\n Jos 24:15<\/span>; Jos 24:18-24<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Gideon<\/p>\n Jud 6:25-40<\/span>; Jud 1:7<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Ruth<\/p>\n Rth 1:16<\/span>; 1Sa 11:4-7<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Abigail<\/p>\n 1Sa 25:4-37<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>David<\/p>\n 1Sa 17:20-54<\/span>; 2Sa 22:22-24<\/span>; Psa 17:3<\/span>; Psa 26:6<\/span>; Psa 40:9-10<\/span>; Psa 56:12<\/span>; Psa 66:16<\/span>; Psa 71:17<\/span>; Psa 86:11<\/span>; Psa 101:2-3<\/span>; Psa 108:1<\/span>; Psa 57:7-8<\/span>; Psa 116:9<\/span>; Psa 116:13-14<\/span>; Psa 116:16<\/span>; Psa 119:8<\/span>; Psa 119:30-31<\/span>; Psa 119:38<\/span>; Psa 119:44-46<\/span>; Psa 119:57<\/span>; Psa 119:94<\/span>; Psa 119:106<\/span>; Psa 119:115<\/span>; Psa 119:125<\/span>; Psa 119:145-146<\/span>; Psa 143:12<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n A prophet<\/p>\n 1Ki 13:8-10<\/span> <\/p>\n – <\/strong>Elijah<\/p>\n 1Ki 18:22<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Jehoshaphat<\/p>\n 1Ki 22:7<\/span>; 2Ch 18:6<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Naaman<\/p>\n 2Ki 5:15<\/span>; 2Ki 5:17<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Jehu<\/p>\n 2Ki 9:11-37<\/span>; 2Ki 10<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Hezekiah<\/p>\n 2Ki 18:6<\/span>; 2Ch 15:17<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Joash<\/p>\n 2Ki 22:2<\/span>; 2Ki 23:3<\/span>; 2Ki 23:25<\/span>; 2Ch 34:31<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n