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DIVINATION
Deuteronomy 18:10-12a states:
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.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto
the Lord.
Let's look at those abominations a little closer.
1. "One that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire": This
is a heathen practice. The heathen would "dedicate" their children to an idol
by making a child pass through the fire." Leviticus 18:21 tells us not to "let
any seed [children] pass through the fire to Molech." Molech was a god of the
Egyptians and children were his victims. The statue was heated up by an inside
fire and then the children were passed through his hot arms in order to
receive Molech's blessing. Many children were actually burned alive by this
practice (see II Kings 16:3; 17:17, 31; 21:6; II Chronicles 28:3; 33:6).
2. "Divination" is the "art or practice that seeks to foresee or foretell
future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by means of augury
[divination or omen] or by the aid of supernatural powers." Divination takes
many forms. The letters "mancy" come from the Greek and means "divination."
The Bible mentions divination in many places (see II Kings 17:17; Jeremiah
14:14; 27:9; 29:8; Ezekiel 12:24; 13:6-7, 23; Zechariah 10:2; Acts 16:16). The
following are some, but not all, of the forms of divination:
DOWSING or the DIVINING ROD (also called WATER-WITCHING)--divination by
means of a divining rod (usually used to find water, but can also be used to
find lost items, criminals, etc.)
ASTROMANCY or ASTROLOGY--divination by the stars
HYDROMANCY--divination by water or any other liquid
NECROMANCY--divination by the dead (see note No. 9 on necromancy)
OUIJA BOARD--foretelling the future by means of the ouija board by
certain messages being spelled out on the board
NUMEROLOGY or ARITHMANCY--foretelling the future by numbers
PALMISTRY or CHIROMANCY (also CHEIROMANCY)--foretelling the future by
reading the hand
ONEIROMANCY--divination by dreams
I CHING--A Chinese book used to foretell future events by tossing coins
or yarrow sticks. The future is told by the way the coins or sticks fall.
TAROT CARDS--Cards used to foretell the future--regular playing cards are
often used, but the Tarot cards are a special set of cards used for
foretelling the future. The Tarot cards are also used for meditation.
HARUSPICATION--divination by the entrails of birds, animals, and reptiles
CRYSTAL-GAZING--divination by looking into a crystal ball or by using a
crystal
AXINOMANCY--divination by axe heads
RHABDOMANCY--foretelling the future by rods or wands
BELOMANCY--divining by arrows (see Ezekiel 21:21)
CAPNOMANCY--divination by the behavior of smoke
TEA LEAVES--Divination by looking at the tea leaves in the bottom of a
cup after the person, whose future is being foretold, drinks the tea.
HEPATOSCOPY--divination by examination of the liver of an animal (see
Ezekiel 21:21)
SCAPULIMANCY--Divination by setting on fire the shoulder blade of an
animal and watching it crack. The witch doctor would then foretell the future
by the cracks.
GRAPHOLOGY--foretelling the future by a person's handwriting
3. "Observer of times": This is another way of foretelling the future,
and means the same as prognostication (see Leviticus 19:26; II Kings 21:6; II
Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 47:13).
4. "Enchanter": To influence by charms and incantations; bewitch"; the
practice of the magical arts (see Leviticus 19:26; II Chronicles 33:6; II
Kings 17:17; 21:6; Isaiah 47:9, 12; Jeremiah 27:9; Daniel 1:20). In Exodus
7:11, 22; 8:7 we see that the enchanters and magicians duplicated the miracles
of Moses and Aaron. This proves that Satan can (and does) duplicate SOME of
the things that God does. However, since God is almighty, and Satan is only
mighty, we find that Satan cannot duplicate everything that God does. This
fact is borne out by Exodus 8:18-19.
5. "Witch": A woman wizard; one that practices the black arts or magic; a
sorceress. Witchcraft deals with evil spirits (see Exodus 22:18; I Samuel
15:23; II Chronicles 33:6; II Kings 9:22; Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Galatians
5:19-21).
6. "Charmer": A person who puts a spell on someone else; a magician; same
as an enchanter (see Isaiah 19:2-3).
7. "Consulter with familiar spirits": Webster tells us a familiar spirit
is "a spirit or demon that serves or prompts an individual" or "the spirit of
a dead person invoked by a medium to advise or prophesy." The witch of Endor
was such a person. I Chronicles 10:13 tells us: "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." This should make it clear that one who has
a familiar spirit is actually the same as a witch. (See Leviticus 19:31; 20:6,
27; I Samuel 28:3-9; II Kings 21:6-7; 23:24-25; I Chronicles 10:13; II
Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 8:19.)
8. "Wizard": A male witch; one that practices the black arts or magic; a
sorcerer. (See Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27; I Samuel 28:3, 9; II
Kings 21:6; 23:24-25; II Chronicles 33:6; Isaiah 19:3.)
9. "Necromancer": One who foretells the future or uses divination by
means of communication with the dead. A necromancer supposedly forces a corpse
to speak instead of a spirit.
There are also strong warnings in the New Testament about these
practices. (See Galatians 5:19-21; I Timothy 4:1-8; Matthew 24:24; Revelation
9:18-21; 16:13-15; 21:8, 27.)
--Dr. Cathy Burns
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