OCCULT
Such activities as astrology, witchcraft, divination, fortune telling, Satanism, seances, tarot cards, crystal balls, Ouija board, tea leaf reading, metaphysical books, Scientology books, etc.
You have heard the expression, “Curiosity killed the cat,” so do not become interested in things that are not for Christians. “I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil” (Romans 16:19). Though a man may tell himself he will not do evil, still his pride wants to know about evil (Genesis 3:5). “When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one…that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 18:9–13).
“And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven” (Deuteronomy 4:19).
“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets” (Daniel 2:27–28).
“Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them” (Isaiah 47:13–14).
All items of the occult, or items dedicated to such, should be taken out of your house and destroyed. Do not give them away; if they are bad for you, they are bad for others. “And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 19:18–20).
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Samuel 15:22–23).
“So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it” (1 Chronicles 10:13).
If one wants to know the future, he should read the Bible, not the things that are not in God’s Word. We are to trust to God. As is often said, “I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds it” (see ASTROLOGY).
ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH (see BAPTISM; LORD’S TABLE)
Such activities as astrology, witchcraft, divination, fortune telling, Satanism, seances, tarot cards, crystal balls, Ouija board, tea leaf reading, metaphysical books, Scientology books, etc.
You have heard the expression, “Curiosity killed the cat,” so do not become interested in things that are not for Christians. “I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil” (Romans 16:19). Though a man may tell himself he will not do evil, still his pride wants to know about evil (Genesis 3:5). “When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one…that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 18:9–13).
“And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven” (Deuteronomy 4:19).
“Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; but there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets” (Daniel 2:27–28).
“Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them” (Isaiah 47:13–14).
All items of the occult, or items dedicated to such, should be taken out of your house and destroyed. Do not give them away; if they are bad for you, they are bad for others. “And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed” (Acts 19:18–20).
“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king” (1 Samuel 15:22–23).
“So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it” (1 Chronicles 10:13).
If one wants to know the future, he should read the Bible, not the things that are not in God’s Word. We are to trust to God. As is often said, “I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds it” (see ASTROLOGY).
ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH (see BAPTISM; LORD’S TABLE)
