The origin of Biblical prophetism
TEACHER
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Lesson 01
BASIC BIBLICAL TEXT
John 15.1-8
BASIC BIBLE TEXT
9 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there.�10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,�11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.�12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.
Deuteronomy 18:9-12
BASIC BIBLE TEXT
37 So Saul asked God, "Shall I go down and pursue the Philistines? Will you give them into Israel's hand?" But God did not answer him that day.
�38 Saul therefore said, "Come here, all you who are leaders of the army, and let us find out what sin has been committed today.
�39 As surely as the LORD who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die." But not one of them said a word.
�
1 Samuel 14:37-42
BASIC BIBLE TEXT
Deuteronomy 18:9,11
40 Saul then said to all the Israelites, "You stand over there; I and Jonathan my son will stand over here." "Do what seems best to you," they replied.
41 Then Saul prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, "Why have you not answered your servant today? If the fault is in me or my son Jonathan, respond with Urim, but if the men of Israel are at fault, "respond with Thummim." Jonathan and Saul were taken by lot, and the men were cleared.
�42 Saul said, "Cast the lot between me and Jonathan my son." And Jonathan was taken.
1 Samuel 14:37-42
GOLDEN TEXT
Deuteronomy 29:29
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.�
AIMS
Identify the similarity between prophecy and the practice of divination among the peoples neighboring Israel;
Understand that divination practices have become part of Israelite culture, with numerous biblical examples;
Recognize that as time went by and they got mature, there was a definite separation between divination and prophecy.
INTRODUCTION
Figuring out what's going to happen ahead of time seems to be man's innate desire. However, the truth is that tomorrow belongs to God and the hidden things too.
Only God can reveal the present and the future. It is in this universe that biblical prophetism is inserted.
1. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIVINATION AND PROPHECY
Never was prophetism exclusive to the people of Israel, on the contrary, this practice was part of several cultures - including the peoples neighboring Israel, which, through personal interaction, influenced the development of biblical prophetism.
1.1. The word divination
By biblical interpretation, this is a word with strong negative connotations. The practice of divination is contrary to the principles of faith; however, we need to go back in time to a period of life when God's people had neither the Bible, nor a formed idea about God and His character.
Both the prophecy and the divination were part of the same context: that of the mysteries and enigmas that involved the message of God, or of the gods, that needed to be interpreted by those men or women.
1.2. The influence of neighboring peoples
Influence among neighboring nations is relatively natural. Maybe that's why God ordered the extermination of all those peoples. However, the order was not fully carried out (Psalm 106:34-36).
When these practices were directed to false gods, they became sinful and destructive.
2. EXAMPLES OF PRACTICE OF DIVINATION
Despite God's warning that his people should not be influenced by neighboring peoples, a natural influence on the culture of Israel took place. These practices became part of the activities of the people, the prophets and were even institutionalized by the priests.
This ritual, which was part of many ancient cultures, was called astrology. The Babylonians were among them.
One of the most intriguing cases in the Bible is, without a doubt, that of the Magi from the east. They learned of the birth of the king of the Jews through a star (Matthew 2:2,9). This fact reveals the universality of God's power and love.
2.1. Divination through the stars
Little is known about these objects, but they were often mentioned in biblical texts:
■ When Rachel steals it from Laban, her father, and runs away with Jacob (Genesis 31.19-35);
■ In the book of Judges (17:5), Mica a scoundrel made some teraphim out of the silver he had stolen from his mother;
■ In 1 Samuel 19:13,14, David's wife Michal lies on his bed with one of these teraphim pretending it was David sick there.
2.2. Divination through teraphim
This practice was part of Canaanite rituals and unfortunately influenced culture of Israel (Deut 18:9-11).
When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. Not being able to count on Samuel's guidance, he consulted a spirit. So, the king of Israel went to the house of the Pythia of En-dor, so that she could invoke Samuel from the dead.
2.3. Divination through the dead
There is a wide variety of biblical passages related to divination through instruments and objects, such as:
• cups (Gen 44.5)
• oracles (Ezek 21.21)
• arrows (Ezek 21.21)
• ephod (1 Sam 23:9-11; 30:7,8)
• Urim and Thummim (Num 27:21)
2.4. Divination through magical instruments
3. – THE SUPERIORITY OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY
If Hebrew prophecy was not unique in its origin, in the writings of the prophets, it became incomparably superior.
3.1. – The prophecy is based on moral reasons
While divination delimits its target in discovering the future, prophecy seeks to fulfill purposes that have to do with the will of a unique, holy and true God.
The soothsayer does not mind achieving his goals through immorality, lies or any dishonorable means.
However, the life and actions of a true prophet of the Lord must be guided by a moral attitude infinitely greater than that of his own culture. Without this moral basis, there is no legitimate prophet or prophecy.
3.2. – The judgement of the practice of divination
Every practice of divination is associated with Satan, not only because one goes to the most inappropriate environments to seek revelations about the future, but also because it demonstrates a lack of submission to God and a lack of trust in the provision and care of the Most High.
A person seeking information about the future ends up submitting to the disgusting and immoral demands of dark spirits.
CONCLUSION
The Bible vehemently condemns all sorts of divination, consulting with omens, or any other practice that confronts the character and purposes of God. Scripture recommends submission, faith in God, and trust in his true prophets. This is evident in the book of Israel's Chronicles, which states: “Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful“ (2 Chron 20:20).
God bless you!
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