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THE BIBLE AND THE OCCULT

The question is often asked, are some of these strange phenomena known today as the occult part of God's contact with the human race or are they in opposition to His will? Should Christians indulge in the co- cult? There is danger in becoming involved in things that God condemns.

 Interest in occultism is growing at a fantastic rate! Many church people are not aware of its growth! It is hard for many Christians to believe that the occult, from Satan worship to the syndicated newspaper column on astrology, has found the interest that it has today. A growing interest in such arts and sciences has been manifest among business and professional people, students and ordinary working men and women. Today, things which before had been considered "off limits" are the "in things.

 Hal Lindsey, author of Satan Is Alive and Well on Planet Earth, reports that a young Englishman named Os Guiness made a start- ling discovery as he searched all the great libraries of London for literature on occult practices. His findings were to the effect that the occult was listed in most major works on history as phenomena which had been all but extinct. The development of modern science following the Renaissance had put to death most occult practices. However, he discovered that beginning with 1966-1967 there was an avalanche of literature and documentation on the subject. ,

 Occult practices and interest in them have become big business which has many takers. In an article entitled "Astrology Revisited: Hit or Myth?" by Mort Weisinger in the March 1973 Signature magazine it was reported that there are an estimated 200,000 astrologers practicing in the United States, when the part-timers and amateurs are counted.

Newspapers throughout the country with a total readership of 40 million people carry horoscope columns daily. Astrology, as a business, is reported to currently run as high as $200 million in business each year. There are at least five major companies using computers to cast individual horoscopes at a cost of from $20 to $50 each.

Other signs of the growing interest in the occult may be observed by the popularity of shows and television programs which feature it in one form or another. Programs like Bewitched and the Munsters, now often television reruns, feature one or more occult practices as a regular part of each program.

 Some programs directed specifically to children, have capitalized on the revival of interest in the occult. The animated series Archie features a teenage witch named Sabrina. Much of the show's fun and action is built around the magic performed by this cartoon character. The Broadway show Hair has popularized the "Age of Aquarius," supposedly the age of peace. Aquarius is the eleventh sign1of the zodiac.

Prominent personalities and many books have aided the cause of the occult. The Association for Research and Enlightenment has been brought into existence to study the occult phenomena and keep alive the memory and work of Edgar Cayce. Edgar Cayce, a clairvoyant and Sunday school teacher, died in 1944. Today, books about his life and occult experiences are numerous on any newsstand.

Mrs. Jeane Dixon began to gain attention in the early '50s as a clairvoyant. It Was then that she began to write a syndicated column for many of the nation's newspapers. Her predictions, while full of error and inaccuracies, have attracted a great deal of attention and have helped to advance interest in general in the occult. 

Spiritism was given a great moral boost when the late Bishop James Pike, of the Episcopal Church, made it known that he was attempting to communicate with his dead son through a spirit medium. Bishop Pike, a national religious figure, by implication if not in deed, popularized the concept that Christianity and the occult are compatible with each other.

The real problem with the growing popularity and interest in the occult arts is that astrology, witchcraft, and fortune-telling are all made to look innocent and full of fun. The witchcraft portrayed on television and other entertaining media appears to be funny and harmless. The horoscope in the daily newspaper may be read casually with- out thought as to its origin.

A group of high school or college students may think that a session of table tapping or with the ouija board is no more than entertainment. Some, looking for a little excitement, may have their fortunes told or attend a seance of a spiritist without thinking of or knowing of the tragic consequences of these practices.

Most, if not all, of these activities while holding a certain mysticism are not considered "off limits" by many people. Their popularity is growing to the extent that many professing Christians participate in one or more of these occult practices regularly. To many people, other than the most dedicated occultist, these practices hold a certain fascination but may not be taken to have serious consequences.

 One of the dangers of occult practices, however, is that they have a way of becoming acceptable for experimentation until their adventurers become completely convinced of their credibility. Many books dealing with the exposure of occult arts relate how people very innocently become dependent upon them in one form or another as they begin to experiment with them.

A fortune-teller makes a prediction in vague and general terms. To the individual to whom this is addressed it may appear to be a detailed account of some past or future experience which gives credibility to the seer. Through auto-suggestion a horoscope may appear to have correctly advised an individual to act, and in so doing, the individual comes to believe that he should rely upon astrology because he becomes convinced that its advice is helpful.

While the occult may appear innocent, funny and exciting to millions, it is in reality a damning art which enslaves and destroys its adherents. The prophets of God of old knew magic and witchcraft distracted from the worship of the one, true God. They warned that indulgence in such black arts would bring God's judgment upon those who relied on them or practiced them.

 Meaning of the Word Occult

The word occult means those things which are hidden or secret. It is very hard to list all occult practices because of the many deviations and combinations which have come into practice. They are so numerous that Kurt E. Koch, a German evangelist and student of the occult for thirty years, lists forty-seven different practices or objects used in the occult arts in his book, The Devil's Alphabet.

Merrill F. Unger has divided the occult phenomena into five basic categories in his book entitled Demons in the World Today. His categories are listed as: physical, psychic, metaphysical, magic and cultic. Mr. Unger places various occult practices and their variations under these general headings.

 Under the physical he has placed levitations, apports and telekinesis. Spiritistic  visions, speaking in a trance, table lifting and materializations are listed under the psychic category. Ghosts and apparitions are named under the metaphysical classification. Black and so-called "white" magic belong to the magic listing, and spiritism is listed under the cultic practices.

The Bible lists and treats at least three major and distinct forms of occult practices. God's Word talks specifically about divination, necromancy, and witchcraft. Most Bible references made to occult practices can be classified under one of these general classifications. A good example of this may be found in Isaiah 8. In verses 19 and 20 the text says,
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 ? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

This reference to "familiar spirits," wizards," and to those who "peep and mutter" is clearly referring to the occult practice of necromancy. It makes a clear reference to consulting the dead for a revelation from the dead on behalf of the living.

None of these practices has ever met with the approval of God. He has continually judged both the practices and those who seek to perform them as an abomination. Reliance upon any practice which seeks to supplant faith in God is idolatry. All occult practices are idolatrous because they become the object of the individual's faith rather than God. To be acceptable with God, each individual must "believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Isaiah points out that "light" cannot be obtained from the occult. It is obtained only in the law of God. Therefore, rather than give heed to the occult for enlightenment, it is better to hear only those who speak ac- cording to God's Word.

 A closer study of the three major categories of the occult mentioned in the Bible will reveal their nature. It will also help to classify many of the current practices in which Christians should not participate. Let us consider them individually.

 Divination

Divination can briefly be described as the consultation of tokens in obtaining secret or illicit knowledge of the future. Many of the more crude forms of this occult practice are so gross they are specifically named in the Bible.

The prophet Ezekiel condemns the form of divination known as "augury." This is the form in which the diviner uses his skill to read and interpret signs or omens.

In Ezekiel 21:21 a reference is made to three forms of augury. It says, 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 [teraphim], he looked in the liver.

Ezekiel referred to "belomancy," a form of augury in which arrows were shot into the air. The diviner would then read or interpret the manner in which they fell to the earth. He refers to "consulting the teraphim." This is a form of augury in which the diviner at- tempts to consult the dead by use of images, or in modern day, a portrait of the deceased person, for the purpose of communicating with the spirit of the departed.

The third and last form of augury referred to by Ezekiel is called "hepatoscopy." This form of divination is best described by the words, "looking in the liver." It is said that the diviner, in this case, studied the entrails of fowls and animals. If they were found to be healthy he predicted success or good for- tune. On the other hand, if the animals' livers or other organs were found to be unhealthy the diviner predicted caution and possible failure.

These ancient and heathenish practices, while not unknown today, do not find the wide following that another popular form of divination has found in the modern world. Astrology, which is also known as "astromancy" is a form of augury. It has millions of followers who are very faithful to it. Their horoscopes are their "bibles." They will not make a move without consulting their horoscopes.

Astrology charts are made up of two circles. An outer circle shows the signs of the zodiac at the time of one's birth. The inner circle is divided into twelve pie-shaped pieces depicting different aspects of the earthly life. These twelve pie-shaped sections are called "house cusps."

 The zodiac signs and the planets on the chart affect the houses beneath them in the inner circle. It is by reading these signs that the astrologer attempts to see where his strengths and weaknesses are. By reading the pattern of good and bad days, the diviner feels that he can understand his life. His astrology gives him a sense of security and confidence.

The Signs of the Zodiac

A brief explanation of how these signs are read might be enlightening. Astrologers believe that planets affect each other in several ways. If they are within 10 degrees of each other, they are said to be in "con- junction." This causes them to have a strong effect on each other. When they are 120 degrees apart they are said to reinforce each other in a "trine." This reinforcement is even greater when they are only 60 degrees apart. If they are at a right angle, that is, 90 degrees apart, an obstacle is in the way. A square" develops when they appear at a right angle with each other. A real disaster is feared when th6 planets are 180 degrees apart, or in "opposition" to each other.

Christ's disciples must understand that astrology is a religion to its devoted followers. It is not considered as a joke or as mere speculation by its converts. Its devotees guide their lives by it. Many of them are deceived into believing that astrology is a type of revelation from God. Thus they see no conflict between it and Christianity.

To the serious astrologer, man is a part of God. He believes that man fits into a very definite part of the structure of the universe. He looks upon man's unique position as making him the "essence of God" and a part of the totality of everything in the universe.

This belief causes the astrologer and his followers to believe that they can be at one with God's purpose so long as they follow their horoscopes. By reading their chart properly and by faithfully following its instructions, they believe they will not run into conflict with natural or earthly events. Their horoscopes are believed to be the source by which they can live harmonious lives with God.

God cannot accept such idolatry and cries out against it. His instructions to Israel were: If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that ... hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded ... then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman ... and shalt stone them with stones, till they die (Deuteronomy 17:2, 3, 5).

Astrology, while not mentioned by name in Deuteronomy 18:10, is referred to in a direct sense. It appears to be listed along with some of the other forbidden occult practices so prevalent in Israel's day. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or daughter to pass through (he fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times [one that practices augury] or an enchanter, or a witch.

Astrology is the practice of divination of the type that is known as augury. Astrology is dependent upon interpreting signs and is referred to in the phase "an observer of times," which has also been translated as, one that practices augury." Astrology is the pure and simple practice of augury.

In the book Bible Demonology by Merrill Unger, a reference is made to astrology in connection with Amos 5:25, 26. Mr. Unger has concluded that the reference to "Moloch" in- verse 26 is a reference to "Saturn worshipl and planetary divination in general. To support this conclusion, Mr. Unger refers to Stephen's quotation of these same verses in his defense before the temple council at Jerusalem in Acts 7:41-43. Stephen links Israel's golden calf of the wilderness experience -with Israel's idolatrous worship of the host of heaven. He says, And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, 0 ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness ? Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

In the book of the prophet, Amos was prophesying against Israel, that is, the ten tribes which at the time remained separated from Judah. Their idolatry had been well established in the chronicles of Israel. They had come to rely on all manner of occult .practices.

To determine the extent of Israel's sin in the use of occult practices such as astrology and other divination, you may want to read 11 Kings 17. Of particular interest are verses 16 and 17. They report the evils which were committed, And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, even to calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 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.

In prophesying against Babylon, Isaiah specifically lists and mocks the divination which the Babylonians were accustomed to using. His prophecy shows how weak and useless their mystic powers were against the judgment of God. He writes, Stand now with thine enchantments and with the multitudes 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. . . . Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee . . . they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame (Isaiah 47:12-14).

Fortune-telling is another form of divination which sometimes falls into the category of augury. The type of fortune-telling in which the seer relies upon cards or a glass ball or other devices may be termed as augury. However, there is another form of for- tune-telling that may be termed as "inspirational divination." It differs from augury in that the seer in this case seems to fall under the influence of supernatural powers. The seer, without the aid of any device, sign or omen, makes a revelation while under this mystic influence.

The differences between these two kinds of fortune-telling may be clearly seen. Some fortune-tellers rely upon "card laying" known as "cartornancy" for making their predictions. Mrs. Jeane Dixon is known to use cards in this manner to help her see into the future. It is said that she treasures her cards because a "sweet old gypsy" gave them to her when she was but eight years old. She reports that they emit good vibrations because the old gypsy blessed them before giving them to her.

The technique for card laying is simple but contains many thousands of readings since each of the fifty-two cards is assigned a meaning. Love is assigned to the seven of hearts. The ten of spades is considered lucky while the ten of hearts means a fulfilled wish or dream.

Palmistry, crystal-gazing, which makes use of a ball and the use of rod and pendulum for the purpose of foretelling the future, are the practice of augury.

In inspirational divination the seer is supposed to be able to identify the characteristics of an individual through the examination of an article of his clothing or through concentrating on a few lines of handwriting. Sometimes, articles of this nature are unnecessary for a reading to take place.

This type of fortune-telling is not supposed to be an interpretation of signs or omens as in the case of augury. It is thought to depence more on extrasensory perception. This type of prediction often occurs when the seer is, or appears to be, in a trance much like a medium in a spiritist's seance.

The practice of divination in the form of fortune-telling and astrology are commonplace in the world today. But neither of these practices has ever been acceptable to God. His judgment is clearly defined by His Word. It is that His people are to avoid the use of these practices and those who indulge in them.

Necroniancy

 Necromancy literally means divination by means of consultation with the dead. Necromancy is in effect a classification of divination. It is singled out as one of the occult practices which are listed as an abomination to God in Deuteronomy 18. Necromancy is at complete variance with the recognition of God and the truth concerning the unconsciounce state of the dead.

Among the sundry laws stated in the book of Leviticus, chapter 19, verse 31, commands: Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God.

The terms "familiar spirits" and "wizards" are direct references to the per- son who practices necromancy. The "consulter with familiar spirits" of Deuteronomy 18:11 means a person who has a "divining spirit." In Leviticus 20:27 the term, "A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit literally means "in whom there is a divining spirit."

 The person who has a divining spirit might be classified as a clairvoyant. The term "wizard" is very closely related to the term, "familiar spirit." It has come to mean a diviner who alleges to practice necromancy through the possession of the spirit of a deceased person. The Wizard in modern terms might be thought of as a spirit medium.

The clairvoyant and spirit medium are an abomination to God. These practices deny the Bible doctrine that the dead are unconscious and that they are awaiting the resurrection.

This denial is evident in that both the spirit medium and the individual possessing a familiar spirit or clairvoyant allege that ,their revelations come from the spirits of de- ceased persons. If this were true, it would mean that the dead are conscious beyond the grave. The Bible firmly denies that this is possible (Ecclesiastes 9:5 and Job 14:21).

 Today it is common for necromancy to be practiced under the guise of "spiritualism." Actually, spiritualism is a misnomer. Properly named, it should be called "spiritism." Spiritism embraces the theory that it is possible to make contact With the deceased for the purpose of receiving revelation from beyond the grave.

The late Bishop James Pike went to his death in the' desert area surrounding the Dead Sea, apparently in the pursuit of making contact with his deceased son, Jim. Bishop Pike and others have popularized spiritism through their active participation in and endorsement of seances and mediums.

Necromancy is clearly identified in God's Word and is denounced by it. Those in Israel's day who resorted to such occult activities were to be put to death, according to Leviticus 20:27.

 When the modern concepts of spiritism are considered, it is no wonder that they fall under the denunciation of God. Generally spiritists do not have a creed, but many tenets have been developed from the pronouncements of spirit mediums while in a seance. 

Spiritists, in general, do not accept the Bible teaching of a personal God. Their con- cept of God is that of pantheism. This doctrine holds that the universe which is self-developing when conceived in its entirety, is God. Because of this concept spirit- ism denies the virgin birth of Christ, the identity of Jesus Christ and the spiritual depravity of man. Spiritism holds that there is no evidence that man was alienated from God by sin. They scoff at the idea that God reconciled fallen and alienated man to Him- self by the sacrifice of His own Son.

The account of Saul, first king over Israel, who consulted a spirit medium, is a pathetic story. Earlier Saul had put all wizards and those who possessed familiar spirits out of Israel as God had commanded. But Saul, who was by now spiritually destitute and threatened by the armies of the Philistines, turned to inquire of a woman in Endor who was a necromancer. After disguising himself, Saul persuaded this medium to try to bring up Samuel that he might confer with him. Samuel had died and was resting with his forefathers in the grave (I Samuel 28).

What happened from this point on in the story has been a matter of much discussion. Regardless of whom it was that Saul con- versed with, one fact stands out. Saul received his death sentence in visiting the necromancer of Endor. This same fate is pronounced upon all who give themselves to the evil practice of spiritism.

Witchcraft

Witchcraft is synonymous with sorcery. In some translations of the Bible the word witch is translated "sorcerer" or "sorceress," whichever is appropriate to the text.

Sorcery is understood to be the pre- tended use of supernatural power. Therefore, the performance of all super- natural acts of magic, except for those miracles performed by the power of God, is sorcery. Sorcery is condemned in the Bible as a sin against God. In Exodus 22:18, God commanded Israel to "not suffer a sorceress to live." In Deuteronomy 18:10 the word witch" or "sorcerer" is once again found as a part of the list of occultists who were to be put away from Israel.

In discussing sorcery it seems important to make a difference between "magic" and miracles." All alleged magic or sorcery is not performed by supernatural powers. There is obviously a lot of slight of hand and tomfoolery in many of the things which have been and are presently being passed off as witchcraft. But this cannot be said of all sorcery.

All sorcery and magic cannot be passed over lightly. There are Bible accounts pertaining to such occult practices which have to. be taken seriously. In discussing witchcraft and magic, contrary to its modern presentation, the Bible never makes it to look innocent or like it is.  funny. The Bible discusses sorcery in serious terms. The Scriptures give substance to the reality and power of witchcraft.

In the account of Moses petitioning Pharaoh to release the enslaved Israelites, there appears a demonstration of sorcery made possible by evil, supernatural powers. Beginning with Exodus 7, the account is told how the sorcerers of Egypt duplicated some of the miracles of God performed by Moses and Aaron. In the case of the magicians they were able to make their rods become serpents in the same manner as was Aaron by God's instruction.

In subsequent acts the Egyptians were able to turn the river into blood and to make frogs come upon the land. In each case, they were duplicating the miracles performed previously by Moses and Aaron. Curiously, the magicians' powers were limited. 'they were unable to cause the dust of the earth to turn into lice as God's servants were able to do. They were unable to match the power of God from this point.

The acts which these sorcerers were able to perform, were not tricks. They are represented as performing their occult arts "in like manner" to Aaron and Moses. This performance, however real it was, is not to be compared in terms of the miracles per- formed by God's servants.

The apostle Paul describes the powers by which such works of magic are performed. In Ephesians 6:12 he describes the characteristics of the foe which every child of God faces and which can empower those who yield themselves to the adversary of God. He writes, 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 in high places.

It is easy to discern that God had sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and had empowered them to perform miracles as a means of establishing themselves as His spokesmen and to seek deliverance for Israel. Their power originated with God. The sorceries performed by those Egyptian magicians were not performed to enlighten Pharaoh. They were not performed as a means of directing him to do the will of God. Rather, they frustrated God's will and gave cause to Pharaoh to harden his heart against God and the petition of Moses. Their power did not originate with God but from His adversary.

 One of the greatest reasons that the Bible condemns sorcery is evidenced in this ac- count and its analysis, Magic clashes with the monotheistic faith of Christianity. Magic is inseparable from idolatry. The Bible speaks of the two in much the same sense. In 11 Kings 9:22, magic seems to be identified with idolatry where the "whoredoms" and 11 witchcrafts" of Jezebel are mentioned in the context of her idolatrous practices.

Samuel rebuked Saul for having disobeyed God. In doing so, he equated rebellion," a form of idolatry, with witchcraft" ( Samuel 15:23).

To practice witchcraft or sorcery, or to support those who practice such arts, is in reality acknowledging the power behind them. Thus it is a denial of God and a transgression of the first commandment. Jesus had occasion to indicate that there is a difference between miracles from God and magic or sorcery. In Matthew 9:32-34 this account is given, As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cost out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. In answer to this charge Jesus observes, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shalt his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.... But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you (Luke 11:17, 18, 20).

The apostle John expresses the need for Christ's disciples to have discernment in judging between magic and miracle. He writes. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world 0 John 4:1).

Jesus advises that it is by "their fruits" that a determination needs to be made. He says, "by their fruits ye shalt know them" (Matthew 7:20). Therefore, it should not be difficult to discern between a miracle of God and the deceptive magic of the sorcerer.

With God there is no "hocus-pocus" in the performance of His miracles. An extremely fine line of the difference between the manifestation of God's power and that of the sorcerer is described in I Kings 18.

In this chapter Elijah challenged the priests of Baal to a contest. This contest was for the purpose of establishing the claim of Elijah that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. The contest was to be a fire - a fire from heaven which was to consume a sacrifice laid upon an altar without fire under it. .

The priests of Baal made a sacrifice and began with all their strength to call upon Baal to consume the sacrifice. Their appeal, as Elijah jeered, became debasing and gross. The occult has a way of degrading and abusing its adherents. Nothing happened in spite of the fact that their own blood was being offered to their god in their frenzy to get an audience with him. Even though nothing happened, their episode illustrates the depraved nature of sorcery.

On the other hand, Elijah quietly offered one short but effective prayer to God. He petitioned, "Hear me, 0 Lord, Hear me that this people may know that thou art the Lord God" Q Kings 18:27). Following this, fire fell from the Lord and it consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the water which had been poured in a trench around the altar. There was no doubt. No magic had been performed. God had manifested His power. Proper recognition was given Him.

The occult and its practices cannot coexist with faith in God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Time and time again, as Israel's attention was distracted from God, they became involved in heathenism and the for- bidden and idolatrous practice of those whom God had rejected. As they experienced godly revivals, of which there were a few, they destroyed their idols, drove out their occultists and turned their devotion to God alone.

The conflict between the occult and Christianity is very clearly illustrated in Acts 19. The apostle Paul had been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in Ephesus, a city which had become a center for many oc- cultists. Several of these occultists were converted by Paul's preaching. In accepting the Lord Jesus Christ, these occult practitioners began in some number to "confess and show their deeds" (verse 18). But they did not stop with mere confession. They went a step further. Verse 19 says, Many of them also which used curious [magical] arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thou- sand pieces of silver.

The price of those books of occult arts, which were burned, has been estimated roughly to be equal to $10,000 in today's currency.

Under the convicting power of God's Holy Spirit, ~he sorcerers, necromancers and diviners of Ephesus came to see the truth concerning the source of the supreme power of this universe. They accepted the changing power of God through Jesus Christ to allow Him to renew their hearts and minds. In so doing, their books were no longer of use to them. "So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed" (verse 20).

This experience is perhaps as good a proof as can be offered outside of God's direct prohibition that the occult is not compatible with spirituality.

 One cannot be a practitioner of the occult and be a disciple of Jesus Christ. The two are opposed to each other. The apostle John says, For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8).