Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 18; Psalm 105; Isaiah 45; Reelation15
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. (Deuteronomy 18:9)
The Canaanite tribes were idolaters and communicated with devils. The offered sacrifices to false gods which the Bible says are devils:
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. (1 Corinthians 10:20)
God told the Israelites not to learn to do after these abominations. God does not want his people learning the ways of false worship. Is it surprising in our day that so few actually worship the Father in Spirit and in truth as his word instructs? Just as the Israelites of old, many today have tried to mingle a little Bible with heathen religion. The result is an abomination to God. Here are some of the practices that the Canaanites were involved with:
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or 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. (Deuteronomy 18:10-11)
Making a son or daughter pass through the fire was a form of child sacrifice by burning!
Divination is trying to predict the future using occult means or magic. Modern examples would be 'water-witching' or tying a wedding ring on a string and holding it over a pregnant woman's stomach trying to determine the sex of a child.
An observer of times is an astrologer who trys to predict the future by horoscopes – you can read this in any newspaper in America daily!
An enchanter is one who casts spells.
A witch is a person who practices magic. How 'bout those Harry Potter books?
A charmer is another form of spell-casting.
A consulter with familiar spirits is one who makes contact with the spirit world and gains information from spirit entities. This is the basis for most indigenous religions around the world, including Native American Spiritism.
A wizard is a conjurer or one who uses sorcery and magic.
A necromancer is one who supposedly makes contact with the dead.
All of these practices are an abomination to God. He does not want his children to even learn these ways. We are to have nothing to do with them. Now think of our day with children's cartoons glorifying occult practices and teenagers fascinated with vampire movies like Twilight! Harry Potter books are incredibly popular. Follower of Christ, have nothing to do with these practices!
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
The occult is no place for a believer to be dabbling!
In Christ,
Rody
