How has our nation come to the point of moral and financial bankruptcy? Did it just happen – or is there a cause and effect that has gone unseen because of a great deception? God makes a very strong statement at the end of:
Revelation 18:
23 …for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Here are some definitions of words we do not use that much – that will be appearing in today’s sermon:
Definition of sorceries: It is the use of evil supernatural power – witchcraft.
Definition of an Evil Omen: It is phenomenon or occurrence regarded as a sign of future disaster.
Definition of a zombie: It is a corpse said to be revived by witchcraft, esp. in certain African and Caribbean religions.
Definition of a séance: A "séance" is a meeting of mediums who contact spirits of the dead.
Definition of a ghoul: It is an evil spirit or phantom, especially one supposed to rob graves and feed on dead bodies.
Definition of the occult: The occult has to do with relating to, or dealing with evil supernatural influences, agencies, and phenomena. It is dabbling with the things of the spirit world that are beyond the realm of human comprehension – mysterious - hidden from view; concealed.
In this week’s letter to the brethren, “The Countdown to the Return of Jesus Christ,” I did something that I don’t normally do – I wrote a satire on Trick-or-Treat: Satire goes over a lot of people’s heads.
Let me start off with the ‘treat.’ The ‘treat,’ is that everyone will receive affordable healthcare.
The ‘trick,’ is that it will never be funded. There is no possible way a shrinking labor force can fund an ever expanding group of eligible recipients. Wait! There is a way. We can just keep borrowing and borrowing!
We hit the 17 Trillion dollar debt mark today – what difference does it make!
We will just double that debt to 34 Trillion dollars over the next few years – after all – those are just numbers that the house and senate members have shown that they lack the character to address.
The ‘treat,’ is that we can just print money right into prosperity – look at how the stock market is shooting skyward like there is no tomorrow!
The ‘trick,’ is that something might go wrong. But what could possible go wrong?
All the possible safeguards have been built-in to provide coverage for all low-income Americans and all arriving non-Americans as well. The new law requires that most employers – those who are unable to get waivers – will provide coverage for their employees.
The government has provided a central health insurance exchange where the public can compare policies and rates – and that is working – we saw where a woman in Delaware has signed up already this week.
There are a few little glitches, as were expected, at the beginning of this very compassionate program – like a huge surge of full-time employees being cut to part-time status – and 90 million unemployed workers.
It is expected that there will be some malcontents – that is what the new internment camps are for – we’ve used them before. (Back in WWII we had the War Relocation Authority where Americans were placed in internment camps.)
What does the immoral and depraved state of our nation have to do with Halloween? Could there possibly be a connection between the fundamental meaning and practice of Halloween – and the great deception that has brought our country to the point of no return?
In today’s sermon we will tie the two together – because God says “for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.”
Halloween is a Godless custom that is based on the same principles that Washington DC is following in its relentless pursuit of the destruction of America.
We tend today to relegate Halloween into a category of those things that just aren’t that important. Halloween is very attractive to the youth and the uninformed – those who still fully expect something for nothing. In fact, they are beginning to expect everything for nothing.
Let’s focus on the deception that God warns us of – “for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.”
There is an occult, sinister, dark side to Halloween that few people today suspect or know anything about. We have been lulled into saying “What is the big deal?” What does it hurt? “Isn’t it good social interaction for our kids?” Think about this:
Trick-or-treat is supposed to be a harmless custom of teasing and frolicking – so why all the symbols of death, ghosts and witches [women with evil magic powers]?
Little children are taught to go up to a neighbor’s door and say, “Trick-or-treat.” Give me a treat – and it is only subtly implied – or I will play a trick on you.”
The very origin and beginning point of the trick-or-treat tradition is based on the concept of extortion – by unlawfully demanding and obtaining something through the use of force or the threat of infliction of some damage, pain or suffering. People say, “‘Extortion’ is going way too far.”
Today’s adherents of Halloween say that they would never stoop to making victims of their benefactors – of course not! But the thought is there.
And not surprisingly – our nation has crossed the threshold of expecting treats to be given them – we know it as the “entitlement” ruling class – that has come to political prominence. I’m not speaking of the elderly who worked hard all their lives – building this nation and paying into Social Security. I’m speaking of the product of our society that is lawless, lazy, crooked, immoral, and irresponsible that is able to vote themselves all the treats that they should have been earning for themselves.
And so this world embraces a celebration that foolishly has for its theme – goblins, skeletons, and frightening masks for tender little children.
When, just a month earlier – they totally rejected a celebration of peace, joy, happiness and safety for little children – the Feast of Tabernacles.
Think about it: On one hand there is a celebration of death and darkness and all things fearful and vile, like demons and the devil,… And on the other hand we have the Feast of Tabernacles – depicting Peace, happiness, security, safety, life, light, plenty, celebrating and praising God,…
How did the world come to accept and revel in such a strange and bizarre custom such as Halloween – depicting, for the most part, death?
The world is upside down – just like Washington DC is upside down – and now it is time to pay the piper.
Our nation was founded on Godly principles like freedom, justice, liberty, constitutional law and honesty. Those Godly principles have been replaced with greed, jealousy, dishonesty and lawlessness – those are the fruit of the sorcery that God speaks of.
On Halloween day, in 1987, I gave this message in Pasadena, California.
For those of you who might have missed it – I have rewritten it and am repeating it again today J. Seriously, much has changed in these ensuing 26 years.
October 31st will mark what the world has called Halloween. For many kids it is the time for costumes and trick-or-treat.
As alluring as the world thinks Halloween is – I find it a rather unpleasant topic to speak on – and yet the Bible is full of information on what is going on.
I find it necessary because there is a rapid growing fascination with, and enamorment with the entire Halloween genre. Children are absorbed by it – but adults are enthralled! We need to know the motivation and spirit behind the motivation of Halloween. Halloween is utterly pagan. There is no doubt about it.
Is it harmless, meaningless fun and games? No, it is dangerous and destructive. Celebrating pagan practices like Halloween as harmless fun is opening our mind and heart to Satan’s influences – and it is making light of God’s multiple and manifold warnings. If we observe pagan customs – it certainly makes a great deal of difference to God.
Movies are filled with massacres and witchcraft and television programs are promoting witchcraft to millions.
Obsession with the occult – things of demons and witches [women with evil magic powers] – is endemic in our society – from scary movies, to Harry Potter, to zombie TV series – it is a growing mania.
Even News TV spends an inordinate amount of time covering every lurid detail of the most bizarre of crimes as they come to trial – the kinds of crime that we didn’t hear of in the past.
Halloween is not harmless fun! God says that we are not to be observing such days, or participating in their celebrations. This evil holiday has its roots in Satanic practices and should be no part in the life of a Christian.
In God’s Church we have been taught not to have anything to do with these worldly customs – but why? First of all, Jesus Christ, the disciples and the early Church never observed Halloween, or anything like it.
What is the big deal? What does it hurt? Halloween is not one of God’s Feasts or a Christian practice – what should we think of it? Should we take it seriously? Yes we should, because Satan is the driving force behind Halloween – and we learned at Atonement that God places all the blame squarely on his head.
Some people like scary themes, horror movies, stories and celebrations like Halloween.
I made up my mind when I was a young man in my twenties not to go to any scary movies – after all – real life can be scary enough when you do not know that God is our protector.
Jesus teaches us that one of the things we should pray for often – is protection from the “evil one.” And that includes Satan’s host of demons.
Jesus had nothing to do with demons – except to turn to God and cast the demons out. Jesus cast out demons in the synagogues, in the multitude, in houses, at the seashore, in every city and village, and essentially everywhere He went.
Luke 11:
4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one.
In this world we do encounter evil spirits and their agents.
John 17:
15 I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil one.
And yet, the world rejects – hands down – God’s beautiful Plan and accepts the god of this world - - it is painfully obvious who the author of Halloween is - Satan.
Obviously, Halloween is not Christian in origin nor is it mentioned directly anywhere in the Bible. King David followed God with eagerness and zealousness.
1 Kings 11:
1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites;
One of the big problems with these foreign women and their strange beliefs, was that of evil idolatrous worship.
1 Kings 11:
6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father.
7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon.
8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods.
9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice,
God instructs us to observe a Feast in 7th month.
Leviticus 23:
34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
God allowed the nation of Israel to split in two after the death of Solomon because of Idolatry and witchcraft.
1 Kings 12:
26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
Jeroboam wanted the 10 northern tribes to remain separate - and not go down to the Feast at Jerusalem: [thereby re-uniting the country]
1 Kings 12:
32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in theeighth month, [about now – about the time of Halloween] on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar.
This "man-made feast" came the month after God’s true Feast...
1 Kings 12:
33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
This festival feast in the eighth month is exactly what Halloween is based on.
In recent years in my neighborhood, many people have been decorating their yards as cemeteries and making their houses look creepy and spooky. Now, churches have Halloween parties and haunted houses for fund raising projects.
Have you ever noticed the proliferation of cemeteries around old Catholic churches? …Tombstones and monuments above the graves?
Isaiah 65:
2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walk in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; Isaiah 65:3 A people that provoke me to anger continually to my face; that sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense upon altars of brick.
We see this inordinate obsession with the dead, and bones, and graves and headstones among the pagan religions.
Isaiah 65:
4 Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments [headstones]…
Earliest references to Halloween speak of the lighting of bonfires – ostensibly to ward off ghosts and witches that meander and wander about seeking the souls of evil men. Bonfires were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers. They were lit and sometimes used in divination rituals.
When I was a young Catholic seminarian, bonfires were a large part of our revelry. Little did I know then that “bonfires” was short for “bone-fires,” a reference to human sacrifices. Halloween has a long ugly history.
The belief was that the evil spirits could be placated and pacified with gifts – treats – of fruits and sweets.
The Catholics have a feast day called “All saints day,” when the immortal souls of all dead Catholics are to be honored on November 1st. Halloween is the evening and night before – all holy evening or – All Hallows evening – Halloween. That is where the name comes from. A preoccupation with death and horror has always been associated with the grotesque occasion.
The modern Halloween custom derives from a combination of the practice of the ancient pagan Druids and a similar custom of the Roman festival of gathering apples and nuts for winter storage.
What is this fascination with the demonic spirit world all about? There has been such an increase in the allure of the occult!!!
There is no festival that has so corrupted the American mind than that of Halloween. There is an absorption that is becoming fanatical.
It has influenced and corrupted Hollywood to the point where one of the most popular TV series is based on zombies and ghouls walking among us.
People have this intense and widely shared enthusiasm for the Halloween craze that is without rational basis, and do not even wonder why there is so great of an appeal and acceptance of such nonsense.
The celebration of Halloween and the practice of its symbols – legitimizes the dabbling with, and recognition of the occult.
It brings the dark side of the spirit world into everyday life – and by so doing, causes a very grave boundary into the evil side of the spirit world to be crossed and penetrated.
God tells us over and over not to cross that boundary. In the Old Testament and the New Testament God warns us about this realm into which we are not to delve.
Is there anything wrong with being involved in these practices? Yes, God takes a clear position on this subject, strongly denouncing these practices.
It is not immediately recognized by those in the world but this fascination with the occult ultimately is the source and motivation for the dismemberment movies, the mass shootings, the disappearance and kidnapping of a great many young women, and the gang related crimes too brutal to describe.
It is the ultimate enactments of those brutal crimes – which have robbed America of its peace of mind, safety by making us subject to vile predators who indulge themselves in the occult.
We have been robbed: No longer is it safe for little children to walk to school or play in the park. No longer is a young lady safe traveling alone. No longer are our schools safe from predators.
Should we simply go along with the crowd and celebrate this popular holiday of Halloween? The fascination with the occult and demon world continues to grow.
All that is known of the Spirit world is what is revealed to us in the Bible.
Not one word – not one syllable – of what is on TV or the movies or computer video games is factual – remember that – because The spirit world cannot be perceived my man’s 5 senses.
A good angel was sent to Daniel by God:
Daniel 10:
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision:
In Daniel 12:1 we find that Michael is called "the great prince which stands for the children of thy people." He is the most powerful angel for Israel.
Daniel 10:
12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
The angel came to Daniel in response to Daniel’s petition to God in prayer. But we are also given insight into the goings on of the unseen spirit world. We are privileged to see an interaction between the good and bad angels.
This angel who came to Daniel could not get through the demonic barricade without the help of the archangel Michael (Jude :9).
Daniel 10:
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia [and was unable to move on without help].
The prince of the kingdom of Persia was one of these mighty principalities or demons, a fallen angel working under the direction of Satan.
Daniel 10:
14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.
What we are witness to here is a clash of the titans – the 5 star Generals of the Spirit world. These are the principalities and powers of the angelic world who direct the affairs of nations.
Ephesians 6:
12 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.
But we cannot see the angels.
The King of Syria said spy out Elisha:
2 Kings 6:
13 And he [King of Syria] said, Go and spy where he [Elisha] is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? – How will we escape?
“We are totally surrounded by the bad guys – we cannot escape!” Elisha – a man of great faith and understanding was not worried.
2 Kings 6:
16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
Elisha knew that they were protected by a heavenly host of angels – but Elisha’s servant was totally oblivious to the angelic army.
2 Kings 6:
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
The King of Syria stood down for the moment but regained their composure for another attack in Chapter 7. The Syrians fled in fear in Chapter 7 simply at the sound of the heavenly host of angelic chariots in action:
2 Kings 7:
6 For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host:
Did you know that Halloween has not always been customary in America as it has become today? The founding fathers of America refused to permit the holiday; because they knew it was a pagan holiday, and the Puritans of New England maintained a strong opposition to Halloween – based on its demonic precepts and practices.
Maybe – just maybe, the tide of America’s grandeur began to ebb when we lost our way and first began to speak those words, “Trick-or-Treat.”
Television’s, “The Walking Dead,” is an graphic - scary zombie-filled world – American horror drama television series – world dominated by flesh-eating zombies. For three years running it has the highest ratings for a television series. Now, The Walking Dead is out for a fourth season of 16 episodes.
That is when I heard about this disgusting television series - because I have absolutely no use for that kind of stuff. This show had 16.1 million viewers for its 4th season premiere to become the most-watched drama series telecast in basic cable history.
Where does the impetuous for horror come from??? It is not Godly.
Shades of the tribulation! - It features predatory zombies who devour any living thing they catch. At every turn you are faced with the horror of the walking zombies.
One lady in the Church wrote: I am just shocked that God's people dare to even justify watching demonic T.V. shows and movies.
One TV personality did justify it as “escapism” – a diversion from real life and all its cares. Escapism is the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy. Watching man eating zombies is escapism – but it is escapism from morality and sensitivity – leading to acceptance of sinful and unnatural behavior.
What does God say about delving into these practices as a form of escapism? Will God allow the occult in the millennium – for example?
Micah 5:
12 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers:
13 Thy graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.
14 And I will pluck up thy groves [pagan worship areas] out of the midst of thee: so will I destroy thy cities.
Is Halloween merely innocent merry-making or a celebration of the “dark side” -- sinister forces and occult powers that exist on the earth? What is the truth about this fascinating holiday and people’s captivation by it? Where did it come from? Should God’s people celebrate it today?
Take a good look at the present day - celebration of Halloween. The whole theme is one of darkness, death, fear, threats, destruction and evil.
Make a list of the symbols of Halloween: When I began to make a list – I was astounded at how long it has become:
There are grotesque witches with warts and stringy hair and pointy hats, with black capes, on broom-sticks, black cats, bats, owls, ghouls, gargoyles, goblins, ghosts, skeletons, death, Jack-o lanterns, zombies, boiling caldrons with poison potions, frightening masks, spider webs, black widow spiders, dripping candles, evil omens, spooks, graves, coffins, and tombstones.
All of these the eerie sights - are symbols of death. Misshapen hunchbacks and grossly deformed characters and monsters. It is also a day of orange, black, and red candy – the Devil’s colors. Bobbing for apples in a tub of water, visiting haunted houses, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films, fortunetelling – the grotesque list goes on and on.
There is apple bobbing, divination, fortune telling, haunted houses, candles lit, and spirits called up. There are séances and ouija boards in the name of “fun” and excitement. Little boys dress up like their comic book heroes – spider man. Little girls dress up like “ladies of the night,” something they would never do???
But does it lessen the natural boundary between moral conduct and the reality of temptations later in adulthood?
Halloween is the highest day in Wiccan – a modern pagan, witchcraft religion. October 31 is the most important day in the satanic year. On Halloween for many centuries, witches would work their magic and then have wild parties all through the darkness of the night.
But we are supposed to think of it as light-hearted and fun: The Peanuts comic strip character Charlie Brown (by Charles M. Schultz) sits in a pumpkin patch by the light of the moon awaiting the appearance of the Great Pumpkin! It all seems so innoxious doesn’t it – and not injurious to our spiritual health at all? Look at the Great Pumpkins for sale at grocery stores this time of the year! But it all plays into the allure of Halloween that has deceived the world.
At Halloween, people dress up their children as demons and witches and ghouls and monsters and werewolves and send them out into the street in the darkness to “trick or treat.” But where did this custom come from?
At Halloween there are parties where people masquerade, dress up as bizarre monsters, freaks, or weird figures.
Rooted in pagan traditions, Halloween grew out of a celebration marking the onset of winter’s gloom. Halloween falls on the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day - also known as All Saints’ Day.
What is the real truth about “Halloween”? Why does the whole western world celebrate this day – of witches, ghouls, goblins, demons, and skeletons? Why is it second only to Christmas in popularity and this seems to be intensifying every year?
As of late, Halloween has begun to rival December 25, Christmas, as a time for decorations, lights, parties, costumes, revelry, get-togethers … Christmas is near the saturnalia – December 21 – the darkest and shortest day of the year. Halloween is somewhat like that in that the sun has moved into the southern hemisphere and fall has descended with all the dead leaves and failing growth. Halloween comes after the harvest season and at the beginning of winter or the 'darker half' of the year.
Halloween is not new – if fact it is much older than Christianity – having been celebrated well back into Pagan past history.
The ancient Druids of England and Europe celebrated a pseudo fall festival at this time to the Sun-god. The Druids built a huge new year’s bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacred.
The great Irish and Scottish immigration during the 19th century brought that Druid influence to North America. Millions of Europeans emigrated to America, they carried along their traditions. This ritual was tied to the seasonal cycles of life and death, as the last crops were harvested and livestock were brought in for winter or for slaughter.
The barrier between the world of the living and dead is thought to be broached on Halloween. Roman Christianity merged with ancient Pagan ‘heathen’ rites, attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a church-approved holiday. Merged with Christianity, these Celtic rituals held sway in Europe for centuries.
The seventh-century Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st as All Saints’ Day to honor saints and martyrs.
Halloween, is deeply rooted in myths – ancient stories supposedly explaining the seasons and the mysteries of life and death – but it is not of God.
What does the Word of God itself say about the evil spirit realm? This is a very serious question. The Bible is full, full of warnings not to even think about fooling with Halloween and all that it symbolizes.
Starting in the Old Testament, let’s go through a few of God’s warnings to us. Let’s begin with a command from God not to have anything at all to do with witchcraft.
Leviticus 19:
31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits [this is a term that the Bible uses for all the sooth-saying, fortune-telling, magic spells, wizardry and sorcery, etc.], neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
In other words, God is saying that we are not to have anything to do with mediums or necromancers [wizards, dealers in black magic or sorcery]; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God.
The presence of a medium or evil spiritism among God’s people of Israel was considered a defilement. All these evil practices take people further from their Creator, the true and living God.
The Bible says that anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. What will happen if you do engage in these things?
Leviticus 20:
6 And the soul that turns after such as have familiar spirits [wizards and sorcery], 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.
How does God deal with witchcraft and sorcery?
Leviticus 20:
27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit [evil spirits and witchcraft], or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
…Because they destroy the soul and morality of a nation! We are not to look to omens or “signs” to direct our lives. The Bible reprimands people for doing this. It is an “abomination” and foolishness.
Deuteronomy 18:
9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God gives thee [that includes America], thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
10 There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire [abortion], or that [practices] uses divination, or an observer of times [fortune telling by stargazers using astrology – not astronomy], or an enchanter, or a witch,
Astrology: Our lives are not guided by the stars or the movement of planets.
Deuteronomy 18:
11 Or a charmer [someone who cast spells or curses], or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer [a wizard, deals in black magic or sorcerer]. [none of the black arts.]
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.
13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
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 allowed thee so to do.
It is commonplace for Presidents, and Court Justices and the elite of Washing DC to seek out soothsayers and mediums to have the future told. It was the same with King Saul of Israel, has earlier driven out all necromancers and magicians from Israel – he now seeks out a medium.
1 Samuel 28:
7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar spirit at Endor. [The Witch at Endor – people are enthralled with her. God says, “Don’t be enthralled.”]
Here is a picture of our national leadership and our nation today!
Evil King Manasseh did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.
2 Chronicles 33:
6 And [King Manasseh] caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom [abortion and child sacrifice]: also he observed times [Astrology - fortune-telling], and used enchantments [Magic spells and omens and sorcery], 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.
7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, {2 Kings 21:6 also}
2 Kings 9:
22 The evil Queen Jezebel practiced witchcraft bringing catastrophe on herself and all Israel.
Over and over, God denounces those who “conjure up spells” and those who practice witchcraft and sorcery.
Good King Josiah did something about the witchcraft in the nation.
2 Kings 23:
23 But in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, wherein this [Great] Passover was held to the LORD in Jerusalem.
24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits [mediums and the necromancers], and the wizards, and the images [statues of household gods], and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
This obsession with the dead and their spirits is not a new thing at all. It is found in all the ancient Pagan cultures that Israel came into contact with. It has come into America through contact and association with heathen peoples.
Isaiah 8:
19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits[mediums and the necromancers], and unto wizards that peep, chirp, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? [séances]
Remember how Egypt was full of idolatry, evil magicians, and sorcerers who gave counsel to the Pharaohs.
Isaiah 19:
3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail [be emptied out] in the midst thereof; and I will destroy [confound] their counsel: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers [sorcerers], and to them that have familiar spirits [the mediums and the necromancers], and to the wizards.
The prophet had to deal with witchcraft in his day – and we hardly recognize its existence today???
Daniel 2:
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men [of the black arts], the astrologers [enchanters], the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king;
This verse is prophetic in nature – and shows what we are dealing with today – and how God regards it.
Nahum 3:
4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts [sosrcery], that selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.
Let’s move into the New Testament to see how the Church was plagued then as we are now.
Acts 8:
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery [black magic], and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Simon the Sorcerer used his contact with the demonic world to catapult himself to the head of the false religious system – that has become the Roman Catholic Church.
Seeking the counsel of evil spirits has all become a part of everyday life today – it has become acceptable.
In California - when a child goes missing they call for the witches and soothsayers with the crystal ball - who sometimes not unsurprisingly have connections to the demonic world. Dealing with one of these witches got the apostle Paul thrown into jail.
Acts 16:
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel [slave girl who was a witch with evil magic powers] possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
She could tell the future and find missing people – things like that.
There is a very important lesson here brethren – I don’t want you to miss it. Those who are possessed of evil spirits easily recognize the Children of God – those possessing God’s Holy Spirit. There is an example right here:
Acts 16:
17 The same [witch girl] followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.
This sorcerer girl – probably in her late teens – latched onto Paul and his company – and tormented them wherever they went. They could not shake loose of her.
Acts 16:
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the [evil] spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Here pimps – who were making a good living off of her – were suddenly out of business – she couldn’t work her evil charms anymore.
Acts 16:
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
The pimps accused Paul and Silas of being the troublemakers. Whenever you stand up for God’s way – it is you who will be labeled the troublemaker.
Acts 16:
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [Paul and Silas].
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison [solitary confinement], and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
What a marvelous way to call this jailer and his family to conversion!
Acts 16:
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
One thing we do not often consider is how prevalent witchcraft was in the first century culture.
Acts 19:
18 And many that believed [Church members] came, and confessed, and showed their deeds.
19 Many of them also which used curious arts [those who had practiced the black magic 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.
There was plenty of Halloween type activity for the first century Church to contend with. This is a warning for God’s people not to get involved at all with this business.
Galatians 5:
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest,… are these;…
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, fits of anger… [just like we saw so much of in the Old Testament.]
God is sorting out right now who will be with Him and who will be destroyed:
Revelation 21:
7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful [cowardly], and unbelieving [faithless], and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers [sexually immoral], and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Revelation 22:
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers [those who practice witchcraft], and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loves a lie and tells a lie.
Brethren, do not believe the lie.
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"Trick-or-Treat" |
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