No. 790
What the Scriptures Say about Spiritism and Occultism
“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 19:31)
Who practiced Spiritism and Occultism in Bible times?
(1) The worst of the heathen (non-Jews):
Exod. 7:11: “Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.”
2 Kings 9:22: “And he [Jehu] answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?”
Isa. 19:3: “And . . . Egypt . . . shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.”
Acts 8:9: “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which . . . used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria . . .”
(2) The worst of the Jews:
1 Sam. 28:7: “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and inquire of her.”
2 Chron. 33:6: “And he [Manasseh] . . . observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.”
Jer. 14:14: “Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name . . . they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.”
What Scriptures show that the dead cannot communicate with the living?
Job 14:21: “His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.”
Psa. 6:5: “For in death there is no remembrance of thee [the Lord]: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”
Psa. 115:17: “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.”
Psa. 146:4: “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”
Eccl. 9:5-6, 10: “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. . . . Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”
Isa. 38:18-19: “For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day.”
Isa. 63:16: “Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not.”
Dan. 12:2: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake . . .”
John 11:11, 14: “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. . . . Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”
What Scriptures show that evil spirits (the fallen angels) are personal beings?
Luke 4:41: “And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And He rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that He was Christ.”
Acts 19:15: “And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?”
Jas. 2:19: “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
What are the principal strategies and methods of fallen angels for controlling humans?
(1) Lies, deceptions, and false doctrines:
John 8:44: “He [Satan] . . . abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
2 Cor. 4:4: “. . . the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not . . . .”
2 Thess. 2:9: “Whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.”
1 Tim. 4:1: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.”
(2) Devil worship:
Lev. 17:7: “And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring.”
Deut. 32:16-17: “They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not . . .”
1 Cor. 10:20: “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.”
(3) Spiritism (impersonating the dead and claiming communication with the dead) and Occultism (fortune telling, sorcery):
Deut. 18:10-11: “There shall not be found among you any one . . . 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.”
(4) Demoniac possession:
Matt. 8:28: “And . . . there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”
Matt. 12:22: “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him . . .”
Luke 8:2: “And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils.”
Do the Scriptures show an example of fallen angels impersonating the dead?
An example is King Saul’s “séance” with the witch of Endor after he lost fellowship with God:
1 Sam. 28:7, 11-16, 19-20: “Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit . . . And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. . . . Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. . . . And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived [concluded] that it was Samuel . . . And Samuel [his representation] said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed . . . and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more . . . therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Then said [the representation of] Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? . . . Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me . . . Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid . . .”
How do we know this incident was an impersonation?
(1) God and His servants (of whom Samuel had been one) would have nothing to do with Saul:
1 Sam. 28:6: “And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.”
(2) God had forbidden necromancy – the supposed communication with the dead. Hence His servants, including Samuel, shunned it and Saul himself had forbidden it:
Deut. 18:10-11: “There shall not be found among you any . . . consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.”
1 Sam. 28:3: “And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.”
(3) God punished Saul with death for consulting with the demons through the witch of Endor:
1 Chron. 10:13: “So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord . . . and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it.”
(4) God would not permit one under His death sentence, as was the witch of Endor, to disturb the death-sleep of His faithful servants, of whom Samuel was one:
Exod. 22:18: “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.”
How are we instructed to regard Spiritism and Occultism and their various methods such as séances, visions, trances, etc.?
(1) We are to regard them as the operations of devils, not of dead people:
Deut. 32:17: “They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.”
2 Kings 21:2-3, 6: “And he [Manasseh] did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. . . . he reared up altars for Baal . . . and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards.”
(2) We are to regard them as abominations:
Deut. 18:9-12: “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. There shall not be found among you any one . . . 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: and . . . the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”
(3) We are to regard them as polluting practices:
Lev. 19:31: “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them.”
What will be the ultimate fate of those who follow Spiritism and Occultism?
(1) They will not be fit for the Kingdom:
Gal. 5:19-21: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft . . . 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.”
(2) If unrepentant, they will be annihilated along with others of the goat class:
Rev. 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
What should our attitude be toward Spiritism and Occultism and what are our tools for resisting them?
(1) We are to avoid and oppose them:
Isa. 8:19: “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God?”
Eph. 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [wicked spirits] in high places.”
Jas. 4:7: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
(2) We are to put on the armor of God and embrace His Word:
Eph. 6:13, 17: “Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. . . . And take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
(3) We are to pray:
Matt. 6:13: “And lead us not [let us not be lead] into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
(Based on Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 17, pages 460-466.)
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UNTO THE PURE ALL THINGS ARE PURE
“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate [worthless].” (Titus 1:15-16)
The Apostle is not here speaking of the worldly, but of those who have learned and appreciated the truth. He is speaking of those who have enjoyed at least the first step in heart purification – justification – but whose hearts have become defiled through a failure to maintain the law of love as their ruling principle. Instead of their hearts being filled with love, they have let selfishness and its defiling influences return as the ruling principle of their hearts. They not only have the spirit of the world, they sometimes exercise it in a much more destructive way than does the world.
The Apostle goes on to intimate that those in this condition seem especially prone to impugning the conduct and motives of others. Being selfish themselves, they attribute selfishness to everyone else. Being impure themselves, they attribute impurity to others. They have lost that spirit of love which “Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” (1 Cor. 13:5) Having lost the spirit of love, their hearts rapidly fill with selfish, envious, and unkind sentiments toward others.
Some even go to the extreme of impugning the motives of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. They are unable to think of love and benevolence as motivating factors for conduct, because in their own hearts they think merely of selfishness and personal aggrandizement as motives. They view the divine purposes from this standpoint, and conclude that God was moved by pride or vanity to recover man from sin and death, merely to show what He could do. They claim that our Lord Jesus was motivated to become our Redeemer because of a desire for self-gratification, honor, and power. This demonstrates that no one can bring a clean thought out of an unclean heart.
The Apostle suggests that not only have their minds become corrupted, but also their consciences. They act, speak, and think evil, and yet their consciences do not reprove them; they become blinded, self-deceived. What a terrible condition this is, and how careful all of the Lord’s people should be, not only to have pure hearts and minds, but also to keep their consciences in close accord with the Word of the Lord. This condition can only be maintained by judging ourselves, strictly and frequently, by the standard which God has given us: His law of Love. In the words of the hymn,
“I want the first approach to feel
Of pride or fond desire;
To catch the wandering of my will,
And quench the kindling fire.”
The Apostle points out that those whose minds become impure are likely to profess knowledge of God and His Word as loudly as ever, perhaps even boasting of it. Therefore, we cannot always judge on the basis of their professions who among them is of a pure mind and good conscience, and in full harmony with the Lord. Instead, we will know them by their works. As the Master said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” (Matt. 7:16) If any profess to know God, and yet by their works renounce Him, we are fully justified in questioning whether or not they are self-deceived, whether or not their consciences, as well as their minds, may not have become defiled.
Renouncing the Lord by our works does not necessarily mean resorting to murder, robbery, licentiousness, etc. It instead means that the previously clean heart or will, which previously produced noble and pure qualities, has been replaced with an unclean heart or will, producing impure qualities. No wonder the Apostle describes those with such hearts as abominable! All who have the spirit of the Lord must abhor the spirit of evil, however surprised and grieved they may be to find it coming from one who previously exhibited sweetness, love, kindness, and good works.
The Apostle James echoes the same thought: “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” (Jas. 1:26) As our Lord said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” (Luke 6:45)
The unbridled tongue speaking selfishly, enviously, bitterly, boastfully, slanderously, proves that the heart from whose fullness these things overflow is unsanctified, unholy, and grievously lacking the spirit of Christ. Whatever religion it may have attained is vain because that heart is not in a salvable condition. Only by disobedience to the law of Love could anyone’s heart and conscience be so defiled, after having been purified through faith in the precious blood, and consecrated to the Lord. One having thus lost the spirit of the truth, and having a poisoned or defiled mind and conscience, is surely “to every good work worthless.” (Titus 1:16, Dia.)
What course should be pursued by those who find themselves possessed of impure minds – minds inclined to surmise evil rather than good, envious minds, selfish, resentful, bitter, unforgiving, minds which love only those that love and flatter them? Is there any hope for those who find themselves possessed of such impure minds? Would God not utterly reject them?
God is very compassionate, and it was while all were sinners that He provided for our redemption. There is hope for all who see their defilement and who desire to be cleansed. But true repentance means both contrition and reformation, and for help in the latter we must go to the Great Physician who alone can cure such moral sickness. Of Him it is written, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.” (Psa. 103:3) All of His sanctified ones, it is safe to say, were at one time more or less diseased, and thus in some degree “worthless” for His service.
It is true that it is worse for those who were once cleansed but who like the sow return to “wallowing in the mire” of sin. (2 Pet. 2:22) But still there is hope, if they return to diligently taking the Good Physician’s medicine. The danger is that the conscience, having become defiled, will so pervert the judgment, causing bitterness to be esteemed as sweetness, and envy and malice as justice and duty, and the “mire” of sin to appear to be the beauty of holiness. It is only then that the case is practically a hopeless one.
THE GOOD PHYSICIAN’S ANTIDOTES
The Good Physician has antidotes for soul-poisoning, which if taken properly will sweeten the bitter heart. Instead of envy it will produce love; instead of malice, hatred, and strife it will produce love and harmony. Let us all take these medicines, for they are not only good for the violently sick, but for the well and the convalescing also. The following are some of the prescriptions:
(1) “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he [the Lord] is pure.” (1 John 3:3) As our minds and hearts expand with this hope and we begin to measure its lengths, breadths, heights, and depths, it surely sets before us in rainbow colors the love of the Heavenly Father and the Redeemer, and we love the Father and the Son more and more because they first loved us. The divine form of love becomes more and more our ideal and the cleansing and purifying of our hearts follows. Looking into the perfect law of liberty – Love – we become more and more ashamed of all the meanness and selfishness which the fall brought to us. Anger, malice, wrath, envy, and strife become more and more repulsive to us when seen in their true light as works of the flesh and the devil. We will flee from these evils of the soul as from deadly contagion. Our hearts (wills, intentions) will become pure and we will set a guard not only upon our lips but also upon our thoughts, that the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts may be acceptable to the Lord. (Psa. 19:14)
(2) “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14) We can correctly conclude how, when, and by whom we were redeemed, but this avails little if we forget why we were redeemed. The redemption was not merely a redemption from the power of the grave – it was chiefly a redemption “from all iniquity.” Furthermore, the Lord has not merely sought a “peculiar people,” but rather a people peculiarly cleansed and purified. This medicine will surely serve to purge us from iniquity if we seek to serve the Lord.
(3) “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith [fidelity], charity [love], peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Tim. 2:22) Whatever it may cost, justice and righteousness must always be followed – we may not follow unrighteousness even for a moment. This is difficult for some because they do not know how to judge righteously. They are prone to judge according to rumor or appearances, or to accept the judgment of “scribes and Pharisees” as did the multitude which cried, “Crucify Him!” Had they followed righteousness they would have seen the Lord’s character in His works as well as in His words. They would have seen that He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” (Heb. 7:26) They would have seen that His accusers were moved by envy and hatred.
After righteousness, we are to pursue fidelity or faithfulness. The Lord has declared His own fidelity or faithfulness as our friend. In the words of the wise man, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” (Prov. 18:24) But notice that God’s Word puts righteousness first. Even the worldly recognize fidelity as a grace and often put it first, for many would commit theft or perjury because of fidelity to a friend.
Fidelity, love, and peace can only be exercised in harmony with righteousness, but unless unrighteousness has been proven against a brother or sister, our fidelity and love and peace toward them must continue. Indeed it must increase in proportion as envy and slander and all the fiery darts of the Wicked One assail them “without a cause.” This valuable prescription will help to keep our hearts free from the poison and bitterness with which the Adversary seeks to infect them. A pure heart is filled with love and is free from injustice, unrighteousness, and selfishness.
(4) “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit [the spirit of the truth] unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.” (1 Pet. 1:22) This medicine is for those who have used the other prescriptions and gotten clean. It points out that the purity came not merely through hearing the truth, nor through believing the truth, but through obeying it. It is also not merely a formal obedience in outward ceremony, custom, and polished manner, but thorough obedience to the spirit of the truth – its real significance.
All these steps bring us to the point where the love of the “brethren” of Christ is unfeigned and genuine. At first we may treat all with courtesy, or at least without impoliteness, but many of them we may not like, much less love. Maybe they are poor, or shabby, or ignorant, or peculiar, but by obeying the spirit of the truth we recognize that all who trust in the precious blood and are consecrated to the dear Redeemer and seek to follow His leadings are “brethren,” regardless of race, color, education, poverty or appearance. We reach the point where our hearts are so free from envy, pride, and selfishness, and so full of the spirit of the Master, that we can honestly say we love all the brethren with a love that is sincere and not at all feigned.
Having come this far along in the good way, the Lord through the Apostle tells us what is next in order that we may keep our hearts pure: “See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently [intensely].” It is important not to forget the pure heart, else it might be but a step from pure love into a snare of the Adversary, carnal love. Pure love is not to be cold and indifferent, however; it is to be so warm and strong that we would be willing to “lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)
With a love such as this burning as incense to God upon the altar of our hearts, there will be no room there for any selfish, envious thoughts, words, or deeds. Oh how blessed would all the gatherings of the Lord’s people be, if such a spirit pervaded all of them! If such love dominated even a fraction of hearts, it would quickly exercise a gracious influence for righteousness, fidelity, love, and peace, and against envy, strife, malice, slander, and backbiting.
Let all the Lord’s people more and more take these medicines which tend to sanctify and prepare us for the Master’s service, here and hereafter.
(Based on Reprint 2516.)
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