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Witches, sorcerers, and ghosts are popular figures during Halloween. But the Bible strictly forbids occult practices such as witchcraft, sorcery, divination, interpreting omens, casting spells, and consulting a medium (Deut. 18:9-11). These counterfeit attempts to see the future, control one's fate, or obtain guidance are forbidden because God's people are to trust him for their future and seek his guidance. Test your biblical knowledge of these taboo practices:

1. The prophet Ezekiel describes how the King of Babylon stood at a crossroads, using _________ to determine which path to take by examining sheep livers.
   
   
2. When Paul and Barnabas preached the gospel on Cyprus, a man named Elymus, who practiced ________, opposed them.
   
   
3. King Saul wanted to summon the spirit of Samuel from the grave, so he consulted a woman who practiced _________.
   
   
4. The King of Moab hired Baalam to destroy the people of Israel by using ________.
   
   
5. In the book of Esther, the king's wicked counselor, Haman, decided to seek ______ by casting lots to determine the best day to destroy the Jewish people.
   
   
6. Wicked King Manasseh practiced _________, "bowing down to all the starry hosts."
   
   
7. When God performed miracles through Aaron and Moses, Pharaoh's wise men tried to use the secret arts of _______ to duplicate those miracles.
   
   
8. Joseph and Daniel both rose in favor before kings by interpreting ________.
   
   

1. Divination (Ezek. 21:21). Pagans sacrificed animals, then examined the entrails to try to see the future or learn their gods' wills. God strictly forbade divination, but promised to raise up prophets to proclaim his will to his people (Deut 18:14-15).
   
   
2. Sorcery (Acts 13:6-12). This Jewish man, whose name means "sorcerer," was an attendant to the Roman proconsul and tried to turn him from Christianity. Paul exposed Elymus' magic spells as "deceit and trickery," then demonstrated God's power by causing the "seer" to go blind. After Paul preached in Ephesus, practitioners of sorcery publicly destroyed their scrolls of magical formulas (Acts 19:19).
   
   
3. Witchcraft (1 Sam. 28:7-20). According to Leviticus 20:27, the Israelites were to put witches to death. They worshiped underworld deities and practiced necromancy (communication with the dead) to try to see the future or receive guidance.
   
   
4. Curses (Num. 22-24). Balaam's curse was supposed to call down the wrath of pagan gods upon Israel, but God turned his words into blessings.
   
   
5. Omens (Esther 3:6-7). Pagans misused the casting of lots, believing in "lucky" and "unlucky" days, and that certain omens portended good or evil. Casting lots was allowed under God's direction; Moses divided the promised land and the apostles selected Judas' replacement believing that "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord" (Num. 26:55; Acts 1:26; Prov. 16:33).
   
   
6. Astrology (2 Chron. 33:3). Heathens believed that the moon, stars, and planets influenced human affairs and that their movements ordained man's future. Scripture teaches that God created the heavenly bodies "to mark seasons and days and years" (Gen 1:14).
   
   
7. Magic (Exod. 7:10—8:18). Pharoah's magicians thought they could command their gods and control the forces of nature by rituals and incantations; Moses' and Aaron's miracles occurred by God's will and power.
   
   
8. Dreams (Gen. 41; Dan. 2). Both Pharaoh and King Nebuchadnezzar had dreams which their wise men could not interpret, but Joseph and Daniel each made it clear that their interpretations came from God. God spoke to numerous biblical people through dreams, including Jacob (Gen. 28:12), Solomon (1 Kings 3:5), Jesus' adoptive father Joseph (Matt. 1:20), and the wise men who came to Bethlehem (Matt 2:12).
   
   

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