Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. [James 1:27]

We may have often heard about the prevalence of sex and violence on TV shows and movies, and even the print media.  And we should guard our eyes and minds lest we become desensitized to the two.  But there is another dangerous pollutant on the rise--the occult.

It seems that magic and witchcraft are becoming more glorified.  Among kids and the reading public, it's Harry Potter.  Among the viewing public, we have shows like "Sabrina," "Charmed," and "Bewitched."  I'm also amazed there are people who aren't ashamed to call themselves witches, or even pagans.

Anyway, a couple or so nights ago, I dreamt I was talking to an old friend and church mate from my college years.  And our topic was astrology.  When I woke up, I was reminded of how many people, including Christians, see nothing wrong with reading horoscopes and even asking for the zodiac sign.  I believe that that's part of the fulfillment of this prophecy: "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).


I don't recall any Scripture passage in the New Testament that specifically denounces astrology, but one principle remains: guidance should come from God and His Word, not psychics and horoscopes (which are both channels used by demons).  In addition, the Old Testament is God breathed and is still useful for teaching, correcting and training in righteousness, so that a believer may be thoroughly equipped (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16-17):

"Do not practice divination or sorcery....Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them.  I am the Lord your God." [Leviticus 19:26b,31]

"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." [Leviticus 20:6]

"And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars--all the heavenly array--do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshipping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven." [Deuteronomy 4:19]

"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.  You must be
blameless before the Lord your God." [Deuteronomy 18:10-13]


Oh, wait a minute. Jehu had been anointed king of Israel by a prophet commissioned by Elisha, and he was told to destroy the house of Ahab. [2 Kings 9:1-10]  Jehu later confronted Joram king of Israel (and son of Ahab) and told him, "How can there be peace as long as all of the idolatry and witchcraft of  your mother Jezebel abound?" (2 Kings 9:22). In other words, IDOLATRY AND WITCHCRAFT are both associated with Jezebel.  Since "Jezebel" is not to be tolerated, so do I believe God will not tolerate in the church the "spirit of Jezebel," or the spirit of idolatry and witchcraft--which would and should include astrology, and even rebellion (cf. 1 Samuel 15:22).  As what's written for the church in Thyatira goes:

"I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess.  By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her
ways. I will strike her children dead."    [Revelation 2:20-23a]

Also, "the acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; IDOLATRY AND WITCHCRAFT; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." [Galatians 5:19-21]


And then there's also this passage in the New Testament: "A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power." [Acts 19:19] Do take note that the
burning of the scrolls is part of the spread of the word of the Lord, which is basically something that can be considered an outpouring or revival.


Now I'm reminded of the revival brought about by Josiah, who led the people back to the word of God:

"Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years....He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and walked in all the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left...

"Hilkiah the high priest said to Shapan the secretary, 'I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord.' He gave it to Shapan, who read it. Then Shaphan the secretary went to the king and reported to him...Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

"When the king heard the words of the book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Acbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant: 'GO AND INQUIRE OF THE LORD FOR ME AND FOR THE
PEOPLE AND FOR ALL JUDAH ABOUT WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK THAT HAS BEEN FOUND...'

"The king called together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. He went up to the temple of the Lord with the men of Judah, the people of Jerusalem, the priest and the prophets--all the people from the least to the greatest.  He read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant, which had been found in the temple of the Lord.
THE KING STOOD BY THE PILLAR AND RENEWED THE COVENANT IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD--TO FOLLOW THE LORD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDS, REGULATIONS AND DECREES WITH ALL HIS HEART AND ALL HIS SOUL, THUS
CONFIRMING THE WORDS OF THE COVENANT WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK. THEN ALL THE PEOPLE PLEDGED THEMSELVES TO THE COVENANT.

"HE DID AWAY WITH THE PAGAN PRIESTS APPOINTED BY THE KINGS OF JUDAH TO BURN INCENSE TO BAAL, TO THE SUN AND MOON, TO THE CONSTELLATIONS AND TO ALL THE STARRY HOSTS….FURTHERMORE, JOSIAH GOT RID OF ALL THE MEDIUMS AND SPIRITISTS, THE HOUSEHOLD GODS, THE IDOLS AND ALL THE OTHER DETESTABLE THINGS SEEN IN JUDAH AND JERUSALEM."

[2 Kings 22:1a,2,8-9a,10-13; 23:1-3,5,24; emphases mine]


So, there we have it: Let's turn to God and His Word for guidance.  Let's forget about psychics, horoscopes, tarot cards, palm-reading and the like.  God is sufficient.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. [James 1:27]

Grace and peace,

-- Oscar