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TOPICAL BIBLE STUDIES
ARCHIVE O
These outlines are intended as "teaching guides" to the study
of any particular topic. The outlines may leave many unanswered questions
as to details since those details would be answered in the process of teaching
from the scripture references provided. In addition, there may be vocabulary
references and subject references that are unfamiliar. Hopefully before
too long, all the necessary topics will be available to provide a balanced
and complete theology.
Pronunciation guide
GREEK: Verbal Orientation
Hebrew Verbal Orientation
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Index
The Occult
Old Sin Nature: See Sin Nature
One world government
Darkness: outer
darkness
The Occult
1. Definition: Any activity that involves contact or influence from
spiritual sources other than God or God's angels; either directly or indirectly;
knowingly or unknowingly; through possession or association.
2. Biblical classification of occult activity: Deut. 18:10-12; Is. 47:13;
19:3; Ex. 7:11
A. Deut. 18:10-12
1. Human sacrifice:
a. Connected with organized worship of Satan and demons. Psalm 106:34-39
b. Or idolatry in general: 1 Cor. 10:20; Gal. 4:8; Rev. 9:20; Deut.
32:17
2. Uses divination: qAsam + qesem
Basically, fortune telling and decision making by using any of a variety
of tools or gimmicks.
a. shakes the arrows: belomancy - Ezek. 21:21
b. consults the teraphim: idolamancy -
Ezk. 21:21
c. looks at the liver: splagchnomancy -
Ezk. 21:21
d. water: hydromancy - connected with interpreting omens and events.
Gen. 44:5, 15, nAchash: piel inf. + piel imperfect
Gen. 30:27, piel perfect of nAchash
e. by rods (staffs): rabdomancy - Hos. 4:12
f. Divination was used in connection with calling upon the dead. 1
Sam. 28:8
g. Related to demon possession at Acts 16:16.
h. It also involves the "cursing" or
"blessing" of people and things. The sorcerer would enlist the demons to
bring such effects into the lives of people. Such a phenomenon would tend
to get people's eyes off the Messianic promise and onto the darkness
philosophy of the spirit world. Cursing uses the verb, arar, and refers to
pronouncing or calling down on someone, negative effects to affect their
life.
Sometimes such divination involved the pronouncement of positive effects
in someone's life, using the word, barak.
Balaam was a sorcerer who practiced divination (qesem) to curse or to
bless people. Numbers 22:6-7
At Job 3:8, the sorcerers are called, "the cursers of the day."
3. Practices witchcraft: Anan - another word for occult activity with
emphasis on dissemination of occult knowledge. (involves fortune telling.)
a. Technically, there is no difference between witchcraft and sorcery.
b. Deut. 18:14 with Lev. 19:26
c. Is. 2:6 and 57:3
d. 2 Kings 21:6
e. Jeremiah 27:9
4. Interpretation of omens: nAchash - Gen. 30:27; 44:5, 15. This is
the philosophy that every overt circumstance has hidden spiritual meaning.
5. Sorcery: using ritual, incantations and drugs to relate the supernatural
to physical life and environment.
a. kAshaph: translated by the Greek, pharmakeia to indicate the association
with drugs.
b. This is the actual practice of inter-relating with demons and utilizing
demon powers to bring the supernatural into the physical realm.
c. represented in the NT by the word mageuō and
mageia. Acts 8:9-13.
6. Spell casting: chAbhar + chebher
Using chemical and or emotional influence to produce a desired response
or action in another person.
a. Use of various types of jewelry involved: amulets
b. This would include the activity of "charming," which is
the practice of calling or warding off something or someone.
c. Cf. Is. 47:11, where "charm" includes all the occult activity
they were doing.
d. Jeremiah 8:17 and Ec. 10:11
7. Consulting demons: Literally, "one who consults" -
shAal - qal active participle. Two types of demon mentioned.
a. an "ōbh:" a ventriloquist demon used to imitate the
voice of someone who has died.
Greek: engastrimuthos
b. a "yiddoniy:" a knowledge demon who possesses all the
intimate secrets of the past and is used to verbalize that information
in some occult setting.
c. Lev. 20:27; 1 Sam. 28:7; Is. 8:19
8. One who seeks to the dead: dArash - to seek.
With or without demon assistance.
B. Isaiah 47:13: Let these now stand up and save you - -
1. the astrologers: those who divide the heavens.
hAbhar - Qal active participle, refers to the organized system of astrological
signs and arrangements.
2. Those who see by the stars: chAzAh - qal active participle
Indicates a prophetic type activity
3. Who predict by the new moon: yAda = to know
Here, in the hiphil participle is used to indicate prophetic activity.
C. Isaiah 19:3, chanters: ittiym (only here). Appealing to the spirit
world, "the gods," through ritualistic and repetitive chanting.
1. Related to the "much talking" of Mat. 6:7
(battalogeō)
2. See 1 Kings 18:26 for chanting to Baal.
D. Exodus 7:11, the occult activity of Egypt: "And Pharaoh called"
- -
1. The wise men: chAkam: philosophers, ie, moral counselors
2. And the sorcerers: kishāph, piel participle (from
kAshaph):
this refers to the religious counselors.
3. And they also did, that is, the magicians of Egypt:
chArtōm - general term for the 2 mentioned above. Occultists in
general.
4. With their secret arts: Heb - "lat" in the plural
Occult powers and enchantments.
3. The true character of occult activity:
A. It is channeled from demons through the sin nature: Gal. 5:19-20
The fruit of the flesh . . . sorcery (pharmakeia).
B. It produces falsehood: sheqer
1. In general: Ezek. 13:1-7
2. Specific: Jeremiah 27:9-10
C. Therefore, deception: Zech. 10:2; Jer. 29:8 (amplified at Point
8).
D. Inadequacy:
1. Isaiah 47:12-15, 9
2. Dan. 2:2, 10-11, 27-28; 5:5-8
3. Jeremiah 10:2-11
E. It actually produces soul defilement: Lev. 19:31
F. And that results in spiritual neutralization. Deut. 18:13
(tAmiym, "blameless," - relates to spiritual integrity or
health)
G. It is detestable to Yahweh (the LORD). Deut. 18:9
H. And those involved with it are detestable to Him. Deut. 18:12
1. And so, it is totally forbidden: Lev. 19:26, 31
2. And carries the death penalty in Israel: Lev. 20:27; Ex. 22:18
3. Contributed to the discipline of physical death for Saul.
1 Chron. 10:13
4. Contributed to Israel's national discipline: 2 Kings 17:17-18
5. Contributed to the destruction of
Ninevah: Nahum 3:1-4
4. God does not use occult activity to communicate His truth.
A. Isaiah 45:18-19 with 8:19; 44:25
B. Job 4;12-16 with 33:14-18
5. Satan uses occult activity to imitate divine signs and miracles and
get people's eyes off of the character and plan of God as revealed in the
Bible. 2 Thes. 2:7-10 with Mat. 24:24
And based on 2 Thes. 2:7, "the mystery of lawlessness is already
at work." (lawlessness = anomia = independence from God). Satan has
been producing signs and miracles through occult activity for several thousand
years. Ex. 7:11; Acts 8:9-11; Mat. 7:22-23; Acts 19:13
6. Proper procedure for dealing with occult paraphernalia is to discard
and destroy it.
Acts 19:18-20
7. Comments on the deceptive character of occult viewpoint and activity.
A. Based on 2 Thes. 2:10, "every deception of unrighteousness."
And 2Corinthians 11:14, "Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."
B. Deut. 13:1-5; 18:20-22
False prophets who work miracles, but their message proclaims independence
from God - idolatry.
C. Mat. 7:22-27
Miracle workers using the name of Christ, but who do not know and practice
Bible Truth, and instead cultivate independence from God. (the word - anomia
= lawlessness).
D. 2 Thes. 2:7-9, the mystery of lawlessness
(anomia).
Independence from God. Using signs, miracles and wonders to promote
the religion of reaching personal godhood.
E. Acts 8:9-11,
Using occult magic to promote self as "someone great" so
that man is showcased and God is given lip service as at v. 10. Thus, independence
from God - following and proclaiming policy that is not His.
F. 1 Cor. 10:20, One may "think" he is worshiping God, but
actually it is demons.
G. Acts 16:16, fortune telling: appeals to man's self-centeredness.
But accuracy in this field is attributed to demons.
1. They can make expert guesses as to how human nature is going to
develop and respond.
2. they can also actually bring about certain things in your life to
fulfill previously given predictions.
8. Under the Mosaic law, involvement with the occult carried the death
penalty.
Lev. 20:6, 27; Ex. 22:18
However, the "church" has no mandate to put anyone to death
for any reason whatever. The church combats spiritual error by proclaiming
and living the truths of God's word as revealed in the bible. 2 Cor. 10:3-6
Return to topic demons.
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