What Does the Bible Say About the Occult? Part-2
Last week we defined the word “Occult” and looked at several categories of occultic
activity. Today we’ll be discussing what
the Bible says about the occult.
The occult is made up of many different concepts and practices, and God
does not condone their use. In the
Bible, these practices are labeled as evil and considered a form of idolatry. The power that is recognized should only be
God-inspired, and not through any other spiritual channels. The danger of occult practices cannot be
overstated. God strictly warned the
Israelites against being involved with the occult. We are told in Leviticus
20:6, “I will set my face against the
person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following
them, and I will cut him off from his people.”
The pagan nations that surrounded Israel were steeped in
divination, sorcery, witchcraft, and Spiritism. And this is one reason why God
gave His people the authority to drive them out of the land. (See Deuteronomy 18:9–14) The New Testament says that the rise of
interest in the occult is a sign of the end of the age, “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the
faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” (1 Timothy
4:1)
In Deuteronomy 18:10-12 we read, “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in
the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in
witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults
the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because
of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations
before you.”
These three verses condemn occultic practices as being
detestable to God. In 2 Chronicles 33:6
the Lord’s anger was released when Manasseh, the King of Judah sacrificed his
sons in fire as well as practicing sorcery and divination, which is the
practice of attempting to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge
by occult or supernatural means. There
is a difference between a real prophet and one who uses such practice to
achieve the same result, as we learn in Deuteronomy 18. The authentic prophet will be speaking the
truth, and such truth will come to pass as he speaks it in the name of the Lord
God.
Television programs today exploit various means of spirit
channeling whereby the person claims to be in contact with spirits who have
died. The idea is to help the living
find answers through contact with the dead and/or find comfort in the fact
their deceased loved one is all right.
But this practice is condemned in the Bible. (See Deuteronomy 18:11;
Leviticus 19:31)
Astrology is used, to a wide extent, to obtain special
knowledge through the stars, and planets whereby astrologers claim they can
foretell future events or give guidance for decisions through the placement of
these God-created objects. The stars and
planets God created are meant to be used only for light and for keeping track
of time. (See Genesis 1:14-15; Isaiah 47:13-14)
How are we to recognize the occult and those who promote
it?
There is an incident in Acts 13:6-10 involving Paul and
Barnabas in the early days of the church.
We are told that, “They traveled
through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish
sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the
proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas
and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer
(for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul
from the faith. Then Saul, who was also
called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said,
“You are a child of the devil and an
enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and
trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord?”
In this account, we see several characteristics of those involved in the occult. First of all, they are false prophets (See verse
6) who deny the basic doctrines of Christianity: the deity of Christ, the fall
of man into sin, heaven, hell, salvation and the atoning work of Christ on the
cross. Second, they seek to influence
other people, particularly those in positions of power, to turn them from the
faith (See verses 6-7). And third, they
do everything in their power to keep the true gospel of Christ from being
spread, opposing His ministers at every turn. (See verse 8)
When the truth of the gospel is distorted, watered down,
or flatly rejected, Satan and his demons rejoice.
The first sin, at the beginning of Creation, was an
example of how the occult/Satan deceived humanity by offering what appeared to
be a desirable experience, and the promise of great power. First, he twisted what God had clearly said
about disobedience bringing death.
Second, he hinted that God didn’t want humans to have knowledge or
power—and third, if they HAD that knowledge, they would “be like God.” (Genesis 3:4)
These are the temptations that draw people into the occult, interesting
experiences, often seemingly harmless or without apparent evil consequences,
power over life circumstances, and pride/greed.
Power and knowledge not acquired from God only comes from one source,
Satan. And with it, all the eventual
consequences of misery, deception, spiritual bondage, and death of both body
and eternal soul.
Readers are cautioned to remember that while the occult
is sinister and evil, the individuals involved are often average people who are
desperately searching (in the wrong direction) for answers to problems,
acceptance, and love.
While there are celebrated exceptions (the Son of Sam,
and Charles Manson), most occultists are not that different than any other lost
person who is apart from the saving knowledge of Christ. Often they are truly seeking supernatural
answers for their spiritual needs, unaware they are playing with fire. Christians are encouraged to respond to the occult, not
with fear and hatred, but by sharing Christ
with respect and love. “You, dear children, are from God and have
overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in
the world.” (1 John 4:4)
In order to help someone involved in this type of
practice, talk to them to discover the needs and problems they are facing. Don’t to be angry with anyone who is
involved. Simply share your faith in
Jesus Christ, and the fact He is the only answer to their difficulties. And trust the Holy Spirit as your guide to
share the Good News of deliverance.
There is no mistaking the fact that the occult in all its
forms should be avoided. We are to be “…self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the
devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1
Peter 5:8) Part of being self-controlled
and alert is being wise to Satan’s schemes, but not to investigate into the
details of every occult practice and phenomenon. We are to understand the devil’s ultimate
goal—the destruction of our souls—and take the offense by putting on “…the full armor of God so that you can take
your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:10–18)
Only then can we stand firm and extinguish the “flaming arrows” of the evil one.
What is the positive Christian alternative to the occult?
The answer is the same everywhere in the
New Testament. This is the victory that
overcomes the world, our faith. Against
all the allurements of the occult stands Jesus Christ, the incarnation of all
God’s revelation. Faith takes its stand
on the sufficiency of this revelation and seeks no other secret knowledge. Faith is open to the power of God through
Jesus Christ alone and seeks no other psychic or spiritual power. Faith holds on to Jesus, loves Jesus, trusts
Jesus, praises the all-sufficiency of Jesus, and rejects the temptress of the
occult.
“Then I heard every
creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all
that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
(Revelation 5:13)
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