Divination

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The numerous references in Scripture to the various forms of occult science, as it is now called, and the strong denunciations against the Israelites’ having anything to do with it show that it was a dangerous reality, however much deception might at times have been associated with it. We read of it first in Genesis 41:88And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. (Genesis 41:8), when Pharaoh called for all the magicians of Egypt and the wise men to interpret his dream. All their resources failing, God’s man in the prison was called forth to show the dream, and this proved the occasion of working out God’s purposes respecting Joseph. Doubtless the above class of men were eminent for their learning, as were those at the court of Babylon, over whom Daniel was made chief (Dan. 4:7,97Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. (Daniel 4:7)
9O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. (Daniel 4:9)).
Among those in Egypt there were some at least who were able to exercise powers beyond what they obtained by human learning. When Moses was endeavoring by means of signs to convince Pharaoh of the power of God, the magicians of Egypt were able to turn their rods into serpents and to simulate the first two plagues with their enchantments (Ex. 7:22; 8:722And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said. (Exodus 7:22)
7And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. (Exodus 8:7)). These plagues were “turning the water into blood” and “bringing up frogs upon the land.” This was beyond mere human power, and certainly the magicians did not work by the power of God; it must therefore have been by the power of Satan. We know not the nature of the enchantments used; the word is lat and signifies “secret, magic arts.” Satan can suggest what incantations to employ, if man is willing, and can exercise his powers as far as permitted by God. After the first two plagues, the power was stopped, and the magicians had to own, when lice were produced, “This is the finger of God.”
Divination — “Prediction”
A remarkable passage in Ezekiel 21:21-2221For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. 22At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort. (Ezekiel 21:21‑22) gives some instances of how the heathen divined. The king of Babylon had come to two roads, and wanting to know whether he should take the road to Rabbath or the road to Jerusalem, he resorted to divination. First, “he shook his arrows” (as it should be translated). Doubtless two or more arrows were marked each with the name of one of the cities, and, shaken in the quiver, whichever arrow was taken by the right hand decided which road was to be taken. Jerusalem fell to the right hand. Perhaps the king was doubtful, so he consulted with images — teraphim. It is not known how these were used for divination — compare Zechariah 10:22For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. (Zechariah 10:2). The king still sought another guide — “he looked in the liver.” By certain set rules, the internal organs of a sacrifice were said to be propitious or the reverse. The king’s use of three sets of prognostications shows that he had no great confidence in his divinations; he may have been often deceived by them previously. How different from an answer from God vouchsafed to Israel!
Astrologers
Astrologers, habar shamaym, are “dividers of the heavens” for astrological purposes (Isa. 47:1313Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. (Isaiah 47:13)). The word for “astrologers” throughout Daniel is a different word, ashshaph, and does not imply any connection with the heavens, but it is rather “sorcerers” or “enchanters,” as we read with reference to Babylon in Isaiah 47:9,129But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. (Isaiah 47:9)
12Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast labored from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. (Isaiah 47:12) where a multitude of sorceries and great abundance of enchantments are spoken of. Along with the Babylonish astrologers in Isaiah 47:1313Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. (Isaiah 47:13) are associated star-gazers, who may have prognosticated events from the altered positions of the planets in respect to the stars. To this is added monthly prognosticators, who probably drew their deductions from the moon. Connected with Babylon is also the word soothsayer, gezar, “to divide, determine fate or destiny” by any pretended means of predicting events.
In the New Testament, besides the case referred to of the damsel possessed by a spirit of Python, we read of others, such as Simon who used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria for a long time (Acts 8:9-119But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. (Acts 8:9‑11)) and Elymas the sorcerer, a Jew who was met with in Cyprus, who perverted the right ways of the Lord (Acts 13:6,86And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus: (Acts 13:6)
8But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. (Acts 13:8)). These used magical arts (called “curious arts” in Acts 19:1919Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Acts 19:19)) and bewitched the people. Another word is used for sorceries in the Revelation, which refers to drugs, “to stupefy with drugs,” and then for any system of sorcery by incantations (Rev. 9:2121Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. (Revelation 9:21); Rev. 18:2323And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. (Revelation 18:23); compare Rev. 21:88But 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. (Revelation 21:8); Rev. 22:1515For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. (Revelation 22:15)). Sorcery is classed with the grossest of sins and is also applied to the professing church in mystical Babylon. The same word is translated “witchcraft” in Galatians 5:2020Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20).
G. Morrish,
Concise Bible Dictionary