Seeking direction from God brings life.
Deuteronomy 18:9-18
71% of Americans claim to have had a paranormal experience; 34% believe in ghosts; 56% believe ghosts are spirits of the dead; 37% believe houses can be haunted; 55% believe psychics have real power.
Many think it is "fun" to play with the paranormal. Because it is a slippery slope, once a person gets curious and opens the door they only find trouble, and once opened that door can be difficult to close.
Moses provided us with a helpful road map for avoiding the dangerous pitfalls of the paranormal.
This study looks at the paranormal: The term consists of two parts: para and normal. The definition implies that the scientific explanation of the world around us is 'normal' and anything that is above, beyond, or contrary to that is 'para'.
In this passage Moses reports on eight practices that God's people were not to engage:
Child sacrifice: a way to manipulate a god to act upon one's behalf by destroying something precious to the individual.
Divination: rituals or acts intended to reveal the future or to discover the mid or will of a god.
Tell Fortunes: making the formerly unclear, clear by seeking identification of future events.
Interpret omens: observing natural signs and making a determination about future events.
Sorcery: attempting to use "magic" (the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces) for the benefit of the individual.
Cast Spells: using ritualistic magic to bind another to a desired course of action.
Mediums and spiritists: Someone who can speak with ghosts and other spirits.
Inquire of the dead: seeking the advice of the spirits of the dead in an attempt to know the unknown or see the unseeable.
The goal of each of these practices was to manipulate a god, a dead person, or events to one's own favor without seeking the input of the Holy Spirit.
Here are but a few historical samples of the paranormal. At right is an incantation bowl, also known as a demon bowl, devil-trap bowl, or magic bowl, is a form of early protective magic produced in the Middle East. The bowls were usually inscribed in a spiral, beginning from the rim and moving toward the center. Most are inscribed in the Aramaic languages. The bowls were buried face down and were meant to capture demons.
In this passage Moses reports on eight practices that God's people were not to engage:
Child sacrifice: a way to manipulate a god to act upon one's behalf by destroying something precious to the individual.
Divination: rituals or acts intended to reveal the future or to discover the mid or will of a god.
Tell Fortunes: making the formerly unclear, clear by seeking identification of future events.
Interpret omens: observing natural signs and making a determination about future events.
Sorcery: attempting to use "magic" (the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces) for the benefit of the individual.
Cast Spells: using ritualistic magic to bind another to a desired course of action.
Mediums and spiritists: Someone who can speak with ghosts and other spirits.
Inquire of the dead: seeking the advice of the spirits of the dead in an attempt to know the unknown or see the unseeable.
The goal of each of these practices was to manipulate a god, a dead person, or events to one's own favor without seeking the input of the Holy Spirit.
Here are but a few historical samples of the paranormal. At right is an incantation bowl, also known as a demon bowl, devil-trap bowl, or magic bowl, is a form of early protective magic produced in the Middle East. The bowls were usually inscribed in a spiral, beginning from the rim and moving toward the center. Most are inscribed in the Aramaic languages. The bowls were buried face down and were meant to capture demons.
A spell, charm or hex is a set of words, spoken or unspoken, which are considered by its user to invoke some magical effect. Historical attestations exist for the use of some variety of incantations in many cultures around the world. Spells can be used in calling upon or summoning a spirit, demon, deity or other supernatural agent, or to prevent a person from taking some action or in forcing them to remain on some path of action.
Child sacrifice is the ritualistic killing of children in order to please or appease a god or supernatural beings in order to achieve a desired result.
Magic or sorcery is the use of rituals, symbols, actions, gestures, and language with the aim of utilizing supernatural forces. The term magic comes from the Old Persian magu, this term was adopted into Ancient Greek, where it was used with negative connotations, to apply to religious rites that were regarded as fraudulent, unconventional, and dangerous. This meaning of the term was then adopted by Latin, and then incorporated into Christian theology during the first century CE, where magic was associated with demons and thus defined as being against religion.
"An interesting point about Moses' instruction is that he assumed these pagan practices, at least sometimes worked. ... these practices apparently were effective. The Lord did not forbid these practices because they did not work. The Lord forbade these practices because they seduced Israel away from their God."
"An interesting point about Moses' instruction is that he assumed these pagan practices, at least sometimes worked. ... these practices apparently were effective. The Lord did not forbid these practices because they did not work. The Lord forbade these practices because they seduced Israel away from their God."
1. God meant for Israel to be different than the surrounding nations.
2. The occult is real, dangerous and to rely upon it is a terrible offense to God.
3. Only God's power is safe to rely upon, nothing else.
4. Occult practices falsely proclaim that guidance and direction comes from consulting the dead rather than from open and honest conversation with God.
5. Occult practices falsely proclaim that analyzing the heavens can combat fear of the future rather than trusting in God and his word.
6. Occult practices falsely proclaim that we can manipulate God to do what WE want through human sacrifice or other ritual acts when God has already proclaimed his plan to us and with us.
7. When we die to self and sin, we discover life in God.
8. Jesus alone holds the words of life.
9. Jesus, not the occult, provides guidance, hope and a future.
10. The reality of Jesus as God's final word to us demands that we listen to him and worship him, turning away from all other voices and idols.
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Breakfast: Lynn or Angela
PRAYER THIS WEEK
- Those in need as a result of hurricane Irma.
- Those potentially in the path of hurricane Jose
- Those in need as a result of hurricane Harvey.
- Those in need because of loss. Awareness of how to help.
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