What the Bible has to say about the Occult
What is the Occult?
The term “occult” is somewhat ambiguous, covering a wide range of that which is thought of as secret or concealed, mystical and metaphysical. Some of what is included as “occult” include:
What does the Bible Say about the Occult?
When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 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. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)
The word, “occult,” derives from a Latin word meaning “hidden, secret, and mysterious.” David Hoover lists three distinct characteristics of the occult:
The term “occult” is somewhat ambiguous, covering a wide range of that which is thought of as secret or concealed, mystical and metaphysical. Some of what is included as “occult” include:
- Spiritism: The belief that people can make contact with the dead through a medium in order to receive revelations from the beyond.
- Clairvoyance: The belief that certain people possess extra-sensory ability to perceive what cannot be clearly seen.
- Fortune Telling: The claim of foretelling the future by reading tea leaves, palms, tarot cards, etc.
- Astrology: The belief that the future can be foretold by studying the relative positions of the sun, moon, stars, and planets.
- Horoscopes: An outgrowth of astrology using predictions based on a chart with the signs of the zodiac. Advice is offered on the basis of predictions of future events.
- Witchcraft: A false religious system which has its roots in ancient pagan practices. Using priests and priestesses, rituals and chants, and teaching from the Book of Shadows, witches claim they are able to contact and utilize powers from the unseen world.
What does the Bible Say about the Occult?
When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 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. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so. (Deuteronomy 18:9-14)
The word, “occult,” derives from a Latin word meaning “hidden, secret, and mysterious.” David Hoover lists three distinct characteristics of the occult:
- It deals with things secret or hidden.
- It involves operations or events that seem to depend on human powers beyond the five senses.
- It focuses on the supernatural, the presence of angelic or demonic forces.
The following is a broad, yet incomplete compilation of various beliefs and practices generally considered to be occultic.
- Astrology, Meditation, Fortune telling, Channeling, Ouija boards, Ghosts, Crystals, Palm reading, Hypnotism, Demons, Parapsychology, I Ching, Dowsing, Psychic surgery, Magic, ESP, Reincarnation, Fire walking, Satanism, Witchcraft, Superstition, Spiritualism, Rosicrucianism, Tarot cards
Biblical World View
God is eternally transcendent ‘other’ than creation, although He is omnipresent (Acts 17:28). Creatures are individual and unique (Col. 1:16-17; 1 Cor. 4:7; Isaiah 55:8-9; Isaiah 48:11).
God is a personality or Infinite Person. He is Holy, and he is to be worshipped (Rev. 4:11). The Holy Spirit is a person (John 16:13-14). Humanity is fallen and sinful, but is created in the image of God and, therefore, has great value. Moral evil is real. Satan is a personal, wicked entity, with his will set against God (Jeremiah 17:5-9; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:23; John 3:19; John 8:44). The existence of evil necessitates God’s action. Forgiveness and the atonement of sin are offered via the death of Christ (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). A linear view of history is seen. The problems of evil and suffering are permanently resolved by Christ’s redemption, with the creation of a new Heaven and a new Earth (Hebrews 7:25-28; Hebrews 9:12, 25-28). Cosmology—suggesting that the physical world is good (although fallen)—should not be discounted. The notion has ramifications for spirituality; it should be integrated with spiritual reality (Genesis 1:31). Free grace, atonement, and forgiveness are offered by the mercy and initiative of God (Ephes. 2:8-9). God’s perfection is not affected by the world’s imperfection. (But He is moved to compassion—James 1:17; John 11:35.) Human language is rooted in reality. The Bible is valid and adequate to transmit God’s message to humanity. Hence, we see Jesus as “The Word made flesh” (John 1:1-4). Jesus of Nazareth is the unique, one-time incarnation of God (Hebrews 9:25-28). He does not have to “offer himself repeatedly.” |
Occult / Mystical World View
“God” is synonymous with creation (monism or
pantheism). “All is one.” “Thou art that.”
God is a principle, universal law, vibration, energy, or Universal Consciousness. God is “It,” not “Him.” The Holy Spirit is an impersonal force. Humanity is good, because it is a part of God. The totality of existence is really good as it is, although we do not perceive this. Moral evil is only an illusion, imperfection, negative vibration, or energy. “Evil” is simply a result of the law of cause and effect. “Good and bad” are part of Karmic balance. An enlightened person transcends moral distinctions. Christ’s death, resurrection, and atonement for sin are unnecessary and irrelevant. There is no need for forgiveness. A cyclical view of history and humanity prevails. Problems of evil and suffering are never resolved. There is no redemption, only an eternal balancing of Karma. The physical world is illusory or a projection of consciousness. Maya is “the veil of ignorance.” A person transforms him or herself through good works: “Working off your Karma; getting off the wheel of reincarnation.” God inherits the imperfection of the world. He (or It) is equal to the lowest form of creation by definition. Alternatively, the world mirrors the imperfection of God. Language, doctrine, and written revelation are ultimately inadequate and meaningless. They are a barrier to the experience of enlightenment and truth. There exists an endless stream of “god-men,” gurus, and avatars. |