I’m listing these verses here, because most people doubt the validity of the dark arts. However the dark arts have been around since the beginning of time. The Bible has written extensively on why people should not practice witchcraft.
This gives me confidence as a witch, in the strength of my ancestry. People of the past, like the people of the present, are confused as to what is right and wrong.
You make up your mind 🙂
Divination: any attempt to foretell the unknown by occult means
“When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-11)
1. DIVINATION IS PRACTICED IN NUMEROUS WAYS
2. DIVINATION TENDS TO IMPRESS PEOPLE, BUT IT SHOULD NOT
3. DIVINATION IS MANIFESTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS
4. DIVINATION IS FORBIDDEN BY GOD’S LAW
5. DIVINATION IS ABOMINABLE
1. DIVINATION IS PRACTICED IN NUMEROUS WAYS
Divination is practiced by Diviners (Deuteronomy 18:14)
Deuteronomy 18:14 – For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
Divination is practiced by Enchanters (Deuteronomy 18:10; Jeremiah 27:9)
Deuteronomy 18:10 – 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.
Jeremiah 27:9 – Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:
Divination is practiced by Witches [Wiccans] (Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:10)
Exodus 22:18 – Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Deuteronomy 18:10 – 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.
Divination is practiced by Charmers (Deuteronomy 18:11)
Deuteronomy 18:11 – Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Divination is practiced by Wizards (Deuteronomy 18:11; 1 Samuel 28:3)
Deuteronomy 18:11 – Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
1 Samuel 28:3 – Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.
Divination is practiced by Spiritists – Consulters of familiar spirits (Deuteronomy 18:11)
Deuteronomy 18:11 – Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Divination is practiced by Magicians (Genesis 41:8; Daniel 4:7)
Genesis 41:8 – And 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.
Daniel 4:7 – Then 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.
Divination is practiced by Astrologers (Isaiah 47:13; Daniel 4:7)
Isaiah 47:13 – Thou 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
Daniel 4:7 – Then 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.
Divination is practiced by Sorcerers (Jeremiah 27:9; Acts 13:6,8)
Jeremiah 27:9 – Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:
Acts 13:6 – And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
Acts 13:8 – But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Divination is practiced by Necromancers (Deuteronomy 18:11)
Deuteronomy 18:11 – Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
Divination is practiced by Soothsayers (Isaiah 2:6; Daniel 2:27)
Isaiah 2:6 – Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.
Daniel 2:27 – Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
Divination is practiced by False prophets (Jeremiah 14:14; Ezekiel 13:3,6)
Jeremiah 14:14 – Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Ezekiel 13:3 – Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
Ezekiel 13:6 – They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.
2. DIVINATION TENDS TO IMPRESS PEOPLE, BUT IT SHOULD NOT
Those who practice divination are considered by many to be ‘wise men’, but they should not be (Daniel 2:12,27)
Daniel 2:12 – For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2:27 – Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
Those who practice divination are oftentimes regarded with awe, but they should not be (Acts 8:9,11)
Acts 8:9 – But 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:
Acts 8:11 – And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
Those who practice divination are at times consulted in difficulties, but they should not be (Daniel 2:2;4:6,7)
Daniel 2:2 – Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
Daniel 4:6,7 – Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then 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.
Those who practice divination use mysterious words and gestures (Isaiah 8:19)
Isaiah 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? for the living to the dead?
3. DIVINATION IS MANIFESTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS
Divination is effected through Enchantments (Exodus 7:11; Numbers 24:1)
Exodus 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.
Numbers 24:1 – And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness
Divination is effected through Sorcery (Isaiah 47:12; Acts 8:11)
Isaiah 47:12 – Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.
Acts 8:11 – And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
Divination is effected through Observing Times [Astrology] (2 Kings 21:6)
2 Kings 21:6 – And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Divination is effected through Observing Heavenly Bodies [Astrology] (Isaiah 37:13)
Isaiah 37:13 – Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, or of Hena or Ivvah?”
Divination is effected through Raising the Dead [demonic possession of corpses] (1 Samuel 28:11,12)
1 Samuel 28:11,12 – Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul.
Divination is effected through Inspecting the inside of animals [entrails] (Ezekiel 21:21)
Ezekiel 21:21 – For 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.
Divination is effected through The flight of arrows (Ezekiel 21:21,22)
Ezekiel 21:21,22 – For 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. At 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.
Divination is effected through Cups (Genesis 44:2,5)
Genesis 44:2 – And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
Genesis 44:5 – Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
Divination is effected through Rods [pendulums, scrying, etc] (Hosea 4:12)
Hosea 4:12 – My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
Divination is effected through Dreams [Incubus, Sucubus] (Jeremiah 29:8; Zechariah 10:2)
Jeremiah 29:8 – For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
Zechariah 10:2 – For 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.
Divination is connected with Idolatry (2 Chronicles 33:5,6)
2 Chronicles 33:5,6 – And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he 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.
Divination is effected through Books (Acts 19:19)
Acts 19:19 – Many 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.
Divination can be a very lucrative [and dangerous] form Employment (Numbers 22:7; Acts 16:16)
Numbers 22:7 – And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
Acts 16:16 – And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
4. DIVINATION IS FORBIDDEN BY GOD’S LAW
In the Torah, God’s Law forbade the Israelites to practice divination (Leviticus 19:26; Deuteronomy 18:10,11)
Leviticus 19:26 – Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
Deuteronomy 18:10,11 – 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.
In the Torah, God’s Law forbids seeking out those with familiar spirits (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:14)
Leviticus 19:31 – Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 18:14 – For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
Those who seek familiar spirits are defiled by them (Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:14)
Leviticus 19:31 – Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 18:14 – For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
In Old Testament times, people who utilized divination were to be put to death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27)
Exodus 22:18 – Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Leviticus 20:27 – A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
God is against all who go a whoring after those with familiar spirits (Leviticus 20:6)
Leviticus 20:6 – And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
5. DIVINATION IS ABOMINABLE
Divination is an abominable practice (1 Samuel 15:23)
1 Samuel 15:23 – For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
All who practice divination are considered to be abominable (Deuteronomy 18:12)
Deuteronomy 18:12 – For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
Divination is considered to be a system of fraud and spiritual deception (Ezekiel 13:6,7; Jeremiah 29:8)
Ezekiel 13:6,7 – They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?
Jeremiah 29:8 – For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
Those who practice and enjoy divination will be frustrated by God (Isaiah 44:25)
Isaiah 44:25 – That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
God protects His people from diviners’ conjurings (Numbers 23:23)
Numbers 23:23 – Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
Divination is a form of evil and it provokes God to anger (2 Kings 17:17; Isaiah 2:6)
2 Kings 17:17 – And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
Isaiah 2:6 – Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.