May 27, 2025
When people hear the word “occult,” they often think of dark, mysterious practices tied to the supernatural or hidden knowledge. Curiosity is frequently the entry point—what may seem like harmless fun, such as playing with a Ouija board, can quickly lead individuals into dangerous spiritual territory. God's Word makes it clear that these practices are forbidden. In Leviticus 20:6 and Deuteronomy 18:9-14, God warns His people not to seek out mediums, spiritists, or any form of divination, as these practices were common among the pagan nations He commanded Israel to dispossess.
This article focuses on divination, one of the primary categories of occult practice alongside mediums and magic. Derived from the Latin divinare, divination seeks hidden knowledge—typically about the future—through supernatural means. Scripture condemns this pursuit as deceptive and worthless, as seen in Jeremiah 14:14 and Ezekiel 21:21. Ancient methods like belomancy (interpreting marked arrows), consulting household idols known as teraphim, and hepatoscopy (reading animal livers) are examples of divination condemned in the Bible. Even in the New Testament, Acts 16 references a slave girl possessed by a “spirit of Python,” a demonic entity associated with fortune-telling. The practice of ventriloquism itself has occultic roots, originally referring to a “speaking spirit” from the belly—something Isaiah warns against in Isaiah 8:19.
Though divination may seem outdated, its modern forms—such as tarot cards, astrology, palmistry, numerology, and spell-casting—are still widely practiced and culturally accepted. While some, like researcher Kimberley Gibbons, argue that oracles offer comfort in chaos, the Bible presents a different truth: there is no hope or power in occult practices. These are deceptive and demonic counterfeits of God's truth and guidance. Christians must reject all forms of divination, recognizing that the true source of wisdom, hope, and comfort is found not in hidden knowledge or spiritual rituals—but in seeking God Himself.
Stay Awake. Keep Watch.
SOURCE: Harbinger's Daily