The choosing of Matthias

“Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:26
The choosing of Matthis to replace Judas is something that people often have questions about. Did Peter do the right thing in making the suggestion, or did God have another apostle in mind, namely Paul? Personally, I think it’s interesting that although Matthias was chosen as meeting the qualification of having been following Jesus since the start of His ministry, we don’t see his name mentioned in the Gospels, nor in the book of Acts. In fact, in Acts 2:14 we see the core group of disciples still being referred to as ‘the Eleven’, even after Matthias was chosen to be added to them.
Then there’s also the method by which Matthias was chosen: they cast lots. This was a method used frequently in the Old Testament (c.f. Prov. 16:33), for example, in dividing the land amongst the twelve tribes (Josh. 18), in selecting Saul to be king (1 Sam. 10:20-21), in finding who was to blame when Israel was defeated at Ai (Josh. 7:16-18), in determining the duties for the Levites (1 Chr. 24:4-5), etc. Some think that the Urim and Thummim was a method of drawing lots, with a white and black stone placed inside the breastplate of the high priest. But this is the only instance in the New Testament where we see the casting of lots used as a method of determining God’s will. We have entered a new dispensation, where God leads us in His will by the Holy Spirit.
I haven’t quite decided in my own mind who the twelfth apostle was supposed to be – Judas, Matthias, or Paul. All will be revealed at some point in the future however: the twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem will be inscribed with the names of the twelve apostles (Rev. 21:14). I’m content to wait until then.