Thursday: Gloom of the Ungrateful Living Dead
Isa: 8:16-22
Read the above passage. What is it talking about? What has this to do with King Ahaz? Summarize the ideas.
Image © Ron Bell from GoodSalt.com
Ahaz was deeply involved in pagan religion ( 2 Kings 16.3-4, 2 Kings 16:10-15; 2 Chronicles 28.2-4, 2 Chronicles 28.23-25), which was heavily interconnected with the occult (compare Deut: 32:17, NRSV; “They sacrifice to demons”, 1 Cor: 10:20). Various aspects of modern witchcraft have striking parallels in ancient Near Eastern rituals, as witnessed by ancient writings outside the Bible. Indeed, even many of today’s New Age practices are simply contemporary manifestations of these ancient occult practices.
Isaiah’s description of despair resulting from reliance on spirits other than the Lord ( Isaiah 8.21-22) fits Ahaz well (compare 2 Chronicles 28.22-23). Isaiah refers to people becoming enraged and cursing their king (Isa: 8:21). This would warn Ahaz that because he led the people into the occult, they would curse him. In fact, when Ahaz died, an exception was made regarding his burial due to lack of respect for him: “they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel” (2 Chron: 28:27, NRSV).
What do these texts say about the occult? Lev: 20:27, Deut: 18:9-14.
Separation from the occult is a matter of loyalty to God. First Chronicles 10.13-14 applies this principle to the case of King Saul: “So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD; moreover, he had consulted a medium, seeking guidance, and did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse” (NRSV).
| Look around at your own life, at the influences around you. In what subtle ways are you exposed to the principles behind the occult and various manifestations of spiritualism? And even if you can’t totally avoid them, what can you do to minimize their influence upon you, or your family? |
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In our back yard, there are two kinds of spiders. (Actually, there are dozens of different kinds of spiders but we will talk about two this morning.) There are the Orb-web Spiders that make big webs overnight. In the morning, if there has been a dew, these webs are highly visible and Carmel walks outside and then races back inside to order me to "Get rid of the spiders before they kill me!"
The other kind of spider is the Redback Spider. This spider lives in crevices and is seldom seen. I know that they are there because I see the evidence -typically the discarded wings of beetles. I could probably find a dozen of these spiders in our garden with 15 minutes of looking this morning. The Redback does not build a conventional web but leaves a tangle of lines and tripwires almost at ground-level and you really have to look hard to see them.
In human terms, the showy Orb-web Spider is non-venomous, but the subtle Redback Spider (also known as the Black-Widow, and Katipo in other countries) is quite deadly. A bite would make you quite sick and is capable of killing a child.
In our modern world, overt evidence of Satan has largely been replaced by the less obvious and more deadly covert presence. Like the Redback Spider, we are often not aware of the trip-wires of Satan because often we are looking for the blatant and obvious.
Jesus made an interesting observation:
Perhaps the subtle influence of Satan is a lot closer home than many of us think. Yeast works quietly within, and it not an overt external influence.
From what you’ve told me Maurice, Australian spiders are much more poisonous than the American spiders. I would be terrified too.
My grandmother lived with us growing up. She had sailed to the USA from Gillingham, Kent, England with her family when she was age 2 in 1918. Her mother, whom I never met, and the Lane family had been active is spiritualism in England and continued it in Massachusetts. My grandmother had many stories of watching seances and of seeing scary apparitions. The one that really made our hair stand on end was the tale of when she returned home from school one day to an empty house and running upstairs, she saw people she'd never seen before with long fingernails and matted hair sitting around a table muttering. When she told her mother, her mother said, "Oh no, Dolly, not you too" meaning that she had seen them before also.
My grandmother was plagued by fears and bad dreams. If she dreamt of black swirling water or white horses it had consequences for us....in particular I recall not being able to go on a field trip to a Maine island with my elementary class once because Mimi had dreamt of swirling water the night before. I should note that my Mimi had converted to SDAism in her 20s and was a devoted Christian with daily personal prayer and Bible study. Also, there were other things in her childhood to contribute to her fears, but the early connections with the occult made a permanent impression on her.
As Christians, do we project a fear, perhaps a fear of end times tribulations or of judgement or of lawbreaking ..... ? Do people who don't yet know Jesus see His fearlessness in us? Our connection with Jesus is something 180 opposite of living in fear. My favorite example from His own earthly life was when He was sleeping in a boat in a storm that rivaled "The Perfect Storm" of movie proportions. Experienced fishermen feared for their lives. Jesus wasn't clutching the sides of the boat praying. Or valiantly helping them row. He was "sound" asleep! The only sound His ears were trained upon was His Father's voice. The storm around Him had no affect.
One of my go-to Bible texts is 1 John 4:4: "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." We see Satan's power in full force in this world. We feel Him trying to influence us. Yet the powers of evil trying to condemn us, beat us down, constrict our hearts, suggest that we build walls for protection (rather than live freely letting God's light shine brightly out of us)...those powers are nothing compared to the power of the Holy Spirit within us! Look at the story of Job....Satan HAS to do his dirty work within a boundary God sets (Job 1:12). God is the only spiritual power Who does as He pleases (Ps. 135:6; Rom 8:37-39), so it makes sense to rely on God alone. With God ALL things are possible (Matt 19:26; Jer 32:17; Job 42:2).
Your post really resonated with me. Growing up there were similar dream connections, birthday expectations, etc. They were never, however, associated with the occult.In fact, the sincere Christianity of the person who 'knew' was well established. It helps me to understand how Ahaz and his cohorts understood religion. It also helps me understand how some of God's people were able to worship both God and Baal.
Oh, Maurice you don't have to be that dramatic ok! Your wife fears of spiders is normal. After all she would run and scream at the sight of a mare (small) spider, however she will stand tall to challenge you any day.
The point you made with the illustration and the comparison you presented in relation to Satan is striking. Often he has left the trip-wires in our path and it's just a pity that we blindly fall prey. Thank God for His goodness and grace
No matter what we faced in life we should not rely on pagan .We should always rely ourself to GOD.
There is very good consolation in this world of gloom and doom, temptation and entrapment. It is found in the lyrics by Don Moen and Paul Overstreet.
God is good (all the time)
And all the time (God is good)
God is good all the time
He put a song of praise in this heart of mine
God is good, yes He is, all the time
Through the darkest night, His light will shine
God is good, yes he is, God is good
All the time, here we go!
That's right, listen
If you're walking through the valley
And there are shadows all around
Do not fear, He will guide you
He will keep you safe and sound
He has promised to never leave you
Or forsake you, and His word is true...
I can testify, Don and Paul are right. God is good all the time. Romans 3:3. ...Great is His faithfulness, all we have need His hand has provided. Great is His faithfulness, Lord unto us...
So have no fear of the black widow with the red hour glass on his belly. God is good all the time. As the birds are ready to catch up the seed from the wayside, so Satan is ready to catch away the seeds of divine truth from the soul. However He is our everlasting intercessor, if we turn to Him. Hebrews 7:25, and yes and have no fear, He will come and save us. Isaiah 35:4. In deed He has. John 3:17-18.
I just had a further thought that that, sometimes its had to tell who influences us as we, generally are the influence to those around us, unfortunately as agents of the wicked one, the man of sin.
Ellen White writes, "We are all woven together in the great web of humanity, and with every influence we exert on others God shall hold us responsible."
May God bless you all.
Thank you, Innocence - you selected a text of Ellen White's writings which puts the overarching call for righteous living by the confessed Christian believer in a nutshell!
It is so profound that I want to restate it here again: "We are all woven together in the great web of humanity, and with every influence we exert on others God shall hold us responsible."
The safeguard I have found is the fact that the Word of the LORD tells me that, now, only the LORD is immortal - thus no one has an immortal soul that lives on after the unity of body & spirit (breathe or spark of life from the LORD) has died.
Those that have died are sleeping in the grave awaiting the resurrection of the righteous or the wicked, so there are no spirits of the dead whether saints or sinners that can be consulted. There are only the messengers/angels of the LORD or Satan. The LORD's angels will only give messages that are in harmony with the Holy Spirit inspired Word.
In our world today it’s hard to avoid satanic influences. When I’m exposed to tv, it’s amazing how much of the entertainment includes occult messages. Many times these things are wrapped in a joke or made to appear harmless.
Popular music is riddled with evil suggestions and messages, especially targeting the young (and old for that matter). Books, magazines movies all seem to be infested with evil.
The very atmosphere seems to scream, self seeking is normal and necessary for happiness. Making our calling and election sure these days is vital (2 Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:). There is no ‘purgatory’ or middle of the road that is safe spiritually.
Our daily choice to submit to God and resist the devil comes with a promise that satan will flee from us (James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you).
The choice is ours. Our characters are strengthened by daily choices. Ahaz died as unbelieving as he lived. His experience is the rule not an exception.
As my wife and I read today's lesson study,"Gloom of the ungrateful living dead, we are reminded of "Halloween" and "Dia de Los Muertos", day of the dead celebrations that are practiced by those who have no awareness of what practices they are participating in.
The deceptions of Satan remain a constant challenge that we need to be on our guard of, and always walk in God's light,
There is a way which seemeth right to a man......
Satan is a master of deception and if he deceived Adam and Eve who were righteous, holy and perfect. What about us, sinners.
We have to realized Ahaz did not started out going and practicing in the practices of the occult. This was a slow, steady downward path. Nancy came a little close to his path off action.
I migrated from a country where Witchcraft in all of its forms are legalized. People speak about black witches. Now I reside in a country where people speak about black and white witches. But is there any country in this world where the occult is not practiced? Paul warns us in Eph 6:10-18. We wrestle against ....principalities and powers, ...against spiritual wickedness. These start subtle, eg the ring and a glass, the bible and a key, yep, the bible. Reading our horoscope to see what lies in the future. Palm reading, looking at those movies where things appears and disappears, wishing in a mantra, the songs, etc etc, then it moves on to a little more to excite our minds and our life to make us appear secure. Celebrating all souls day on Oct 31/Halloween and buying and placing up all those scary things in our yards/house, buying and offering chocolate to the innocent children in the neighborhood. All saints day, Nov 1st. The guard ring, and the things we place on the baby forehead and the thing we pin on their clothing or the string around the baby/anyone waist to keep bad eye away and bad spirits. The pen to write the exam to be successful. I can go on and on about the occult world and how Satan has trapped even Christians in his world that many of us don't even know that we are trapped in the occult.
Take a look at Saul, his downward path finally he was visiting the witch of Endor. A steady but downward path. We also saw Balaam, once a prophet of God, then a downward path to become a sorcerer.
We should always be studying the word and not be allow ourselves to become trap in the evil that surrounds us.
Lyn lew, Thank you,so much to learn,wasn't looking on how you see things. I ENJOY READING THIS SECTION.