Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?

Learning The Difference Between Truth And Error

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Old Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2020-09-20

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 18:9-14, warning believers not to learn the abominable practices of the heathen—such as child sacrifice, divination, witchcraft, and necromancy—which are a stench to God. He contrasts the forbidden pursuit of knowledge and power through demonic means with the commanded learning of God's Word and fear of the Lord. The New Testament parallel in Ephesians 4 shows that those who have learned Christ put off the old man and walk in righteousness. Applications emphasize gratitude for being taught truth, avoiding all occult practices, and escaping worldly corruption through the knowledge of God.

[John Weaver] All right, well, let's open our Bible's day to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18. Deuteronomy 18. And we're going to be reading verses nine through 14. Deuteronomy 18 verses nine through 14. The title of the message is Learning the Difference Between Truth and Error. Learning the Difference Between Truth and Error. So in Deuteronomy chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9, the Bible says, When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

[John Weaver] There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh this son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 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. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. For those nations which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times and unto diviners, but as for thee, the Lord hath not suffered thee so to do."

[John Weaver] Of course, we understand that knowledge is important. It's emphasized over and over in the Word of God, especially in what is known as the wisdom literature, which would be from Psalms all the way through, actually, the book of Ecclesiastes. The truth of the matter is there was a special tree that was in the Garden of Eden, and everyone knows about that. It was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And God told Adam in Genesis 2 and verse 17, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat thereof, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. We understand that learning is important. We teach our children. We teach other. And the truth of the matter is even preaching should be teaching. In fact, our Lord talked about feeding the sheep and feeding the sheep, according to our Lord, was when they grazed upon the word of God. One of the important aspects of the book of Proverbs is found in verse four.

[John Weaver] He said to give subtlety to the simple and to the young man, knowledge and discretion. And then when you get to verse seven, the word of God says this, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Most of us have observed the fact that children are eager learners and they should be. And the truth of the matter is oftentimes we really and truly neglect to teach our children.

[John Weaver] I remember reading some time ago that the foundation For all that a child will ever learn is laid from the ages of three to eleven. So if we begin to neglect them at an early age when they are so inquisitive and so wanting to learn, then we're actually harming them for their future as well. But as adults, we should continue to learn, especially if we are Christians and we are interested in learning the word of God and how to serve our Lord. The only problem we have with learning is this. Oftentimes we want to learn things that we have no business learning. Oftentimes we want to delve into things in which we do not know. Instead of learning truth, we end up learning error. Instead of learning industry, we end up learning laziness. Instead of learning righteousness, We end up learning wickedness. And instead of learning the ways of God, we end up learning the ways of the world. We learn humanistic knowledge rather than biblical knowledge.

[John Weaver] I saw a picture and I really liked it. It showed a young woman with a mask over her face, over her nose and her mouth. And it said, closing colleges. will not stop the spread of COVID. However, it may stop the spread of communism. I thought, well, that's probably pretty well on, but you know, that's exactly what we do. So many times we learn to defy God rather than to submit to him. We learn to take matters in our own hands rather than waiting upon the Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, when you look at Deuteronomy chapter 18 in our text, God isn't only warning his people, he's actually doing more than that. He is commanding his people. So I want you to look at verse 9 before we really get started. Look what he says. He tells them, When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

[John Weaver] Now, we should pay careful attention to these words. He did not say that Israel was not to learn about the abominations of those nations. He did not say that Israel was to be ignorant of their filthiness and their wickedness and their rebellion. What he commanded is that they were not to learn to do those things which the heathen were doing. So simply put then, they were not to act like, look like, live like, and worship like the heathen did.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is when you look at verse nine, you would almost think that this command would be unnecessary. These are the people now that have just come through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They have seen over and over the grace and the mercy of God, They've seen the mighty power of God. They have seen his miracles. They were the ones that had been spared from death when they saw all the others die in the wilderness. These were the ones to inhabit the promised land, and they were to receive all the promised blessings that those who died in the wilderness ended up forfeiting.

[John Weaver] And yet now they're given this warning. He said, When thou art coming to the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. We have an old adage, and everyone in this room can quote it, curiosity killed the cat. And the truth of the matter is, curiosity has killed a lot more than cats, that is for sure.

[John Weaver] There are some things we need to know about But we do not need to know about them in detail. Israel certainly needed to know about the wickedness of the Canaanites. They need to know about their violence and their filthiness in order to avoid those things. But they did not know, did not need in-depth knowledge or in-depth details. Let me give you a little good illustration.

[John Weaver] In 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 11, The Apostle Paul wrote and he said this, let Satan get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices. Now note what he said. We're not ignorant of his devices. It is one thing to know about the devices of Satan, the subtleties of Satan, the methodology of Satan. It's one thing to know those things. But it's quite another thing to delve into the depths of Satan. So let me show you, if you would hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 2 and verse 24. Revelation 2 verse 24.

[John Weaver] And our Lord is speaking to a church. Note what he says. Revelation 2 and verse 24. He said, but unto you I say, unto the rest in Tyre Tyre, as many as have not this doctrine, which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak, I will put none, put upon you none of the burden. But note he talked about the depths of Satan. So we are not to be occupied with the depths of Satan. It may be one thing to know about his methodology, His devices, but not His depths.

[John Weaver] So the truth of the matter is, our minds should be focused upon that which is right and holy and godly, and it should not be focused on those things that are wicked and wrong. And frankly, to be honest with you, I'm not interested in delving into the depths of Satan. I'm more interested in delving into the depths of the Word of God and His righteousness. I should want to know more about God in order that I might live more righteously and more obediently and more holy. So our emphasis should be upon truth. Now, I'm going to emphasize this before I close again. But what we must see in Deuteronomy 18 is that everything that the Canaanites did was absolutely contrary to God and his word.

[John Weaver] Now, let me explain something about this passage. When you look at this passage, you must understand that these Canaanites actually had two goals in mind in all of these things that are forbidden. Number one, they wanted to know that which they should not know. They wanted to know that which God had forbidden. And the second thing is, They wanted to know what God had forbidden in a way that defied God. In other words, their curiosity, their desire to know was wrong. And then the methods that they used to try to acquire that knowledge was wrong.

[John Weaver] And let me go further. It was not just knowledge they were seeking to acquire. It was also power that they were seeking to acquire. So let me just put something before you. There are some things that you and I do not need to know. I could say it very bluntly. There are some things it's just none of our business. In reference to God, Deuteronomy 29, 29, you can look at it. You're close there. Look in Deuteronomy 29, 29. Look at what the scripture says. Deuteronomy 29, verse 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God. But those things which are revealed belong to us and our children forever that we may do all the words of this law. Now note what God said. The secret things belong to the Lord. There are some things that God has not revealed. And those things we do not need to know about. What he said we do need to know are those things that have been revealed. They belong to us and to our children, that we may do them forever.

[John Weaver] So God has forbidden us to know some things. Now, I want you to go back, if you would, to Deuteronomy chapter 18. And let's begin looking at verse 10. And I'll go ahead and read through verse 14, because I want to try to summarize this for us. And Deuteronomy 18 and verse 10, God says there shall not be found among you anyone that make you this son or his daughter to pass through the fire or that uses divination or an observer of times or enchanter or a witch or a charmer or a consulter with familiar spirits or a wizard or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God 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 suffered thee so to do." Now, look if you would please at verse 10.

[John Weaver] He said, there shall not be found among you anyone that make this son or his daughter to pass through the fire. This has a reference to what you and I would know as Moloch worship. When you read through the Bible, you will find the word Moloch oftentimes listed as Milcom, Melech, Malcolm, and Moloch. It is all one and the same. Moloch was a power religion. And when he talked about passing your child through the fire, it is true that oftentimes children were actually sacrificed.

[John Weaver] That is, they were slaughtered. They were burned to death in sacrifice to Moloch. But sometimes the passing the children through the fire was not necessarily taking their lives. They would take an infant and very quickly pass him through the flames and bring him up the other side, and it would be called an act of purification. Thus they were dedicating that child to Moloch. So the child then would be given to Moloch for the rest of his life as well. Now, God said in Leviticus 18 in verse 21, listen carefully, and thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Moloch. Neither shall thou profane the name of the Lord thy God. I am the Lord. Now, God says you're not going to let any of your children pass through the fire to Moloch.

[John Weaver] So let me ask you a question. Do you know who introduced Moloch worship into Israel? It was Solomon. I want you to hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11, you know that the Bible tells us that King Solomon loved many strange women. He married a lot of these women that God had forbidden him to marry, but he married them anyhow. And if you look in verse four, The Bible says, For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. Now watch carefully.

[John Weaver] For Solomon went after Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build a 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. Now notice, if you would, in verse five, he's called Milcom. In verse seven, he's called Molech, one of the same, still the god of the Ammonites.

[John Weaver] Now, the interesting thing is this. Note, if you would please, verse four. The Bible says, for it came to pass when Solomon was what? Old. There are two main complaints of old people. Lack of ability and lack of power. Lack of ability and lack of power. And when Solomon got old, Instead of seeking power and ability from God, he is now seeking power and ability from below. He's seeking it from these false gods. He's actually basically betraying God and turning his back upon God and seeking that which he needs from below and not from above. And all of this is satanic and demonic And it has absolutely nothing to do with God. It is a quest for knowledge and or a quest for power, by the way, without me going into it in great detail. Moloch is Moloch. Worship is nothing more and nothing less than state worship. It is the worship of the state. It is the state is God. The king is God. Or as we would say today, government is God. And of course, here, Solomon then is just reaching for more and more power, et cetera.

[John Weaver] Now, So when you read about, you shall not have your son or your daughter to pass through the fire, he's saying you should have nothing to do with Moloch. Now, go back if you would, please, because in verse 10, he says, you should not have anyone that uses divination or an observer of times or an enchanter or a witch. Now, someone that used divination was a soothsayer. He is someone that used enchantments or divined. He was someone usually that planted a curse or a ban upon someone. And I suppose the prime example of being a soothsayer would be no more than Balaam himself. You remember it was Balak, the king of Moab, who summoned Balaam, the soothsayer, so that he might end up cursing Israel. And of course, God forbade him to curse. In fact, Balaam himself said, I cannot curse whom God has blessed. But when you get to Numbers 23 and verse 23, here's what Balaam says. Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel. According to this time, it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, what hath God wrought?

[John Weaver] So he said, I can't use enchantment. I can't use divination. I'm not going to be able to do this. So whenever you talk about an observer of times or enchanter or witch or enchantment, all of these things normally go together.

[John Weaver] Now, when you read of these things, it's nothing less than what you and I would call spiritism or magic. or witchcraft or divining or fortune-telling. It is looking for signs and omens and trying to read them in order to discern the future. So many people look at the stars. They try to determine the future by horoscopes or the signs in the heavens. Our Lord condemned some folks for knowing about the clouds and not knowing the Lord's word. But I mean, people look for signs all the time.

[John Weaver] And I remember years ago, I had a preacher come to me, and he was so excited. And I said, well, what's the excitement about? He said, well, on the way here, he said, I passed a field and three doves flew up. I said, really? Yes. I said, So, he said, well, don't you see three doves? One for God the Father, one for God the Son, one for God the Holy Spirit.

[John Weaver] I said, let me ask you a question. What if four doves had flown up? Who would the fourth one have been for? Or what about a dozen? I said, are you trying to tell me that you're reading into three doves flying up out of a field that somehow it relates to the Trinity? I mean, I certainly don't see the connection. I mean, I want to think about God. I want him to be in all my thoughts, but I mean, you know, when you talk about trying to read omens and signs, you're talking about things that are forbidden.

[John Weaver] Let me give you an illustration. Hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 21 and verse 21. Here's the king of Babylon. I want you to see what he did in trying to discern Which way to go? So here we are in the book of Ezekiel chapter 21 and verse 21. And the Bible says this. Watch for the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way.

[John Weaver] So he had two choices. He could go one place or he can go another place. So the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way at the head of two ways. He stopped there because he didn't know which way to go. How is he going to determine? To use divination, he made his arrows bright, so he tried to consult with his arrows. He consulted with the images, that is his false gods. He looked into the liver, that is he killed an animal or possibly a man, cut his liver out and tried to read which way he should go in the liver. I mean, this is enchantment, this is divination, this is wizardry, this is spiritism, this is magic, this is witchcraft, this is all kind of stuff like that. Fortune telling.

[John Weaver] You know, I never will forget, it was my father who told me years ago when I was a boy that he and my mother were holding hands at a county fair and they passed the fortune teller's tent. And the fortune teller saw this young couple and she said, come in. And I'll tell you when you're going to get married. Daddy looked at her and said, if you knew anything at all, you know, we already were and just kept walking. Well, I mean, you know, it's insane. I told our people this morning that I had an 11th grade teacher.

[John Weaver] She was a tall, beautiful woman. And every teenage boy in this in the class was in love with her. Didn't matter if she's already married. I mean, she's just a beautiful woman. And everybody was just infatuated with her. And, and she really disinfatuated me very quickly because I remembered what my dad had told me and her husband was a revenue agent. And he was off somewhere for school and had to be off for two or three weeks.

[John Weaver] And she was telling us how she was supposed to go spend the weekend with him. And she stopped on the way out of town at a fortune teller's building. And the fortune teller told her not to go, reading her palm and all this other stuff, that she'd be involved in a wreck. And she turned around and went back home, called her husband, said she wasn't coming. Oh, he was mad. He was upset. Of course, I would have been mad and upset, too.

[John Weaver] And I thought to myself, how can someone with a degree in education be so stupid, you know, but that was her. But this is what God is saying. God is saying, look, all of these things are an abomination. In Leviticus chapter 19, verse 26, God made it plain. He said this, you shall not eat anything with the blood, neither shall you use enchantment or observers of time. So witches, charmers, wizards, consultants of familiar spirits, all deal with that which is demonic and seek to know the future and direction apart from God. It is an attempt oftentimes to control people by the use of spells and bands and curses and potions.

[John Weaver] You remember that old song, those of us who were a little bit older, when I was a teenager, There was a song called Love Potion Number Nine. Love Potion Number Nine. In other words, you could get that potion and it would make your sweetheart love you. Well, that's a bunch of hooey. I mean, it's false, but this is what all this is about. And all such activity is not only a denial of God, it is also treason against God. Let me show you.

[John Weaver] I want you to turn to 2 Kings 1. Second Kings chapter one. Watch this carefully because Ahaziah, the king of Israel has fallen down through a lattice. He's evidently hurt himself pretty badly and he has a lot of wounds and cuts and sores and he wants to know whether or not he's going to get well. So he sends some messengers. to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron. Well, they meet Elijah on the way. And Elijah essentially tells them to turn around and go back. And you tell Ahaziah, he's going to die. He's going to come off that bed on which he's going up. He's going to die.

[John Weaver] But look what he said. Second Kings, chapter one, watch verse 16. In fact, let's read verse, yeah, verse 16. And he said, And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no god in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but thou shalt surely die. Now, the god of Ekron, Beelzebub, the word Beelzebub literally means god of the filth or god of the flies. So evidently his sores had gotten infected and the flies were there, and so he's called to sin to Beelzebub. Elijah says, whoa, is it not because there's no God in Israel? In other words, you betrayed God. You have acted treasonous against the one true and the living God. You're not only denying him, you're betraying him by going to Beelzebub.

[John Weaver] So all of these things that are mentioned here in Deuteronomy 18, deal with witchcraft, spiritism, magic. Now, one other thing, let me point out. If you look down in verse 12, I think it is, let's see. No, verse 11. He said, or a charmer, that's using charms, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. Now, what in the world is a necromancer? Well, the Greek word necros means dead. Okay? Now, if you have a wound, oftentimes you might go to a doctor and he'll look at the wound and he says, well, I need to cut out the necrotic tissue, the dead tissue. That's all. A necromancer is someone who talked the dead. They were people who had a familiar spirit, supposedly, and could contact the dead on the other side.

[John Weaver] By the way, did you know that Abraham Lincoln held seances in the White House? He did. Anytime you have a seance, you're trying to contact the dead. You're trying to get information. You're trying to get knowledge apart from God. And God certainly condemns it. So all the necromancers, supposedly, have a familiar spirit as well.

[John Weaver] Now, God said in Leviticus 19 verse 11, regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them. I am the Lord thy God.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look at verse 12 in Deuteronomy chapter 18. After he tells you not to do all these things, look in verse 12. He says, 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.

[John Weaver] Now the word abomination literally means a stench in God's nostrils. God said, anyone who does these things is an abomination. It is a stench in my nostrils. It is not just prohibited. It is not just condemned. It is an act of denial and treason against God. I want to give you a quote from John Calvin in relationship to this. It's a rather lengthy quote, but I want you to listen to it because he's encapsulating in a couple of paragraphs everything that I just told you. So listen carefully.

[John Weaver] He says, note, this was the sole object of the Gentiles or the Canaanites. when they inquired of their magicians and sorcerers to seek from heaven that knowledge of which they perceived themselves to be destitute. Thus, they undoubtedly confessed themselves to be overwhelmed with darkness, and that the light of understanding was a special gift of God, whence also came the name divination. because they were persuaded that secret things were not within the corpus of human apprehension, but that this knowledge must come from divine inspiration.

[John Weaver] But since by his machinations the devil perverts what is right in itself, these principles implanted in us, as I've said, by nature, have been corrupted by two errors. Now listen to these two errors. For both an immoderate desire of knowing more than is lawful has crept into our minds. And then we've had recourse to illicit means of knowledge. So he says, first of all, you want to know that which you're not supposed to know. And secondly, you're trying to use wicked means to get that knowledge. He goes on. From these sources, foolish curiosity and unrestrained temerity and audacity all the superstitions and errors have flowed whereby the world has been assailed.

[John Weaver] Therefore does God, by forbidding magical arts, introduce a remedy for these two diseases, which arts are perversely invented that they might search out and bring to light things which he has chosen to conceal. For the best rule of knowledge is sobriety, that it may suffice us to know as much as is expedient for us. The lust of men has carried them deeper so that they've desired to penetrate into all the most profound secrets. But the second error on which I've touched is much worse, that they should have sought by improper means to discover hidden things. We shall soon see that God also has foretold things to come by service, but no further than he knew to be profitable, and only with this object to make it manifest that he exercises special care for his church.

[John Weaver] But since men's curiosity is insatiable, they do not consider what is useful for them, but like Adam, desire to be gods and to know all things without exceptions. When God indulges, not these improper desires, they address themselves to the devil, the father of lies. Still, however, I've stated under the false disguise of God's name, this is the origin of all the vanities whereby the world has ever been entangled. And if you stop and think about that, all the worlds know what God has forbidden, and they want to use the means that God has forbidden to acquire that knowledge. Or they want power that God has never ever given them.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you some questions. Since you know that all of these things are abomination because the Bible says so. Here's my question. Why are you not involved in such satanic and demonic activities? Why are you not seeking power and knowledge from below? By the way, in case you do not know, there is a hellish wisdom and there is a heavenly wisdom. There's a big distinction between those two.

[John Weaver] So that does not mean That a wicked man may not be a wise man. He may be wise, but he's wise in that which is wicked. So let me show you whole Deuteronomy 18, but turn in your Bibles to the book of James chapter three, James chapter three. And let's begin reading there with verse 14, just to show you the difference between a Hamish wisdom and a heavenly wisdom. So he says in James 3, beginning there with verse 14, but if you have bitter envy and strife in your hearts, glory not and lie not against the truth. This wisdom, that is the wisdom that produces all this bitter envy and strife and lying, this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

[John Weaver] In other words, it's hellish. Verse 16, for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. And then he says this, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy. So he makes a big distinction there between a hellish wisdom and a heavenly wisdom as well.

[John Weaver] Let me go back to my question. Why are you not engaged in these magical arts? Why are you not involved? Well, I want you to look at verse 14. Deuteronomy 18, verse 14. Look what God says. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times and unto diviners, but as for thee, The Lord thy God had not suffered thee, so to do. Isn't that amazing? Here's what God is saying. I allowed all of these other nations to do this. They hated me. They hated my word. They didn't want to obey me. They wanted their wickedness.

[John Weaver] I let them have it. But you, I restrained you. I held you back. Now that's grace. You remember that passage in Genesis chapter 20? You don't have to turn there. But Abraham had said that Sarah, his wife, was his sister. And she herself said that he was her brother. And Abimelech, the king, took her. And the Bible says that he had not touched her. Why? I don't know.

[John Weaver] She was a beautiful woman. Maybe the Lord gave him a case of 24-hour virus, I don't know. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said, if you touch her, you're dead, man, I'm gonna kill you because she's another man's wife. You know what Abimelech said? In the innocency of my hands and the integrity of my heart have I done this, said she not to me, he is my brother. And you know what God said?

[John Weaver] Back to a bent leg. Yea, I know that thou didst this in the innocency of thy hands and the integrity of thine heart. Therefore, I suffered thee not to touch her. I withheld you. I restrained you. The amazing thing is that God is often and marvelous grace oftentimes restrains us from getting involved in things and doing things that we would normally do. You know what the Bible says in Acts chapter 14 and verse 16? It talks about God who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. But God did not suffer Israel at that point to walk in their own ways. He did not suffer them to walk And the arts of magic and spiritism and all that wickedness. No, he restrained them.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you another passage. Look in first Corinthians chapter four. Here is a parallel passage that would actually reveal the same truth of Deuteronomy 18 in verse 14. If you look in first Corinthians chapter four and notice if you would please there, verse seven. First Corinthians chapter four and verse seven, the apostle asked these questions, for who make it need to differ from another? And what has thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why does thou glory is that thou hast not received it? So he asked, who make it need to differ from another?

[John Weaver] In other words, why are you saved and somebody else is not saved? Why do you know the truth and other people do not know the truth? Why do you love the Lord and other people do not love the Lord? Why do you want to live holy when other people do not want to live holy? Who made you to differ? And the answer has to be God. And then he asked, what hast thou that thou didst not receive? I've given you everything. I gave you repentance. I gave you faith. I gave you knowledge. I gave you wisdom. Everything that you have, I gave you.

[John Weaver] And then he says, why then would you glory as if you had not received it? It wasn't you. He said, it was me. I restrained you. I kept you back. I gave you grace and I gave you mercy. So in this particular passage now, God tells them, I did not suffer you to do this. Now, I want you to go back to verse nine. Look in Deuteronomy 18 verse nine, he said this, when thou come into the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abomination of those nations.

[John Weaver] So once again, it's not knowing about it's learning to do so. If Israel was not to learn to do after the abomination of those nations, What were they to learn to do? Well, let me show you. Let's go first to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Just show you several passages in Deuteronomy. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and notice if you would please verse 10. You're going to see this over and over. Deuteronomy 4 and verse 10. In fact, we can look at verse 9.

[John Weaver] God says only take heed to thyself and keep thy soul diligently. lest I forget the things which an eyes have seen and lest they depart from my heart at all, all the days of life, but teach them my sons and my sons, sons, especially the day that now studies before the Lord, my God, and horrible. When the Lord said it to me, gather me the people together and I will make them hear my words that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth. and that they may teach their Children.

[John Weaver] Now look at Deuteronomy chapter 14 Deuteronomy 14 and verse 23 Deuteronomy 14 verse 23. God says, and thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose to place his name, the tithe of the corn and of the wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and thy flocks, why, that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always. Now look in Deuteronomy 17, because here we're talking about the king, Deuteronomy 17 and verse 19. Look what God says about the king.

[John Weaver] And it shall be with him, that is a copy of the law, a copy of God's word. And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them. One of the passage in Deuteronomy, look in Deuteronomy 31, beginning there with verse 11. Deuteronomy 31 and verse 11. The Bible said, when all Israel has come to appear before the Lord by God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men and women and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear and they may learn and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law, and that their children, which have not known anything, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land, whether you go over Jordan to possess it."

[John Weaver] Now, It is through obedience to God and his law that we learn to fear him. And he said, this is what you must learn to do in order to please him.

[John Weaver] Now, let me say this. I cannot overemphasize the fact that we need to learn God's word and God's ways and God's will. How in the world can we please him if we do not know what pleases him? How can we obey Him if we do not know what His commands are? How can we abstain from that which displeases Him if we do not know what displeases Him?

[John Weaver] Now, I want to show you the New Testament application to this Old Testament truth. So I want you to turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. And you're going to see The same exact truth stated in different words, but it is still the same exact truth. So look in Ephesians chapter four, and I want us to read verses 17 through 24. Ephesians four, beginning there with verse 17, and we'll read through verse 24. Look what he says.

[John Weaver] This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord. that you henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart, who, being fast feeling, have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ.

[John Weaver] If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning the former conversation, the old conduct, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Now, it is true that God did not say in this passage, Pass your children in the fire. Don't go to wizards. Don't go to witches. Don't use charmers. Don't look at omens. Now, he didn't say that, but he did say it and a whole lot more because look at it again in verse 17. He says this.

[John Weaver] I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord that henceforth you walk not as other Gentiles walk. How do lost people walk? Watch it in the vanity of their mind. The word vanity means that which is useless, worthless. Note what the vain mind is, verse 18. It's a mind that has the understanding darkened. It is a mind that is alienated from the life of God. It is a mind of ignorance. It is a mind of blindness. And what does this blind, wicked mind cause them to do? Watch verse 19, who being past feeling have given themselves over into lasciviousness, that is greediness, nakedness, lustfulness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. Now watch verse 20.

[John Weaver] But you have not so learned Christ. Let me stop and emphasize something. You must learn Jesus Christ. You must learn Jesus Christ. This is why he was saying in Deuteronomy 18, you do not learn to do those things as the heathen do, but what you do is you learn to do what I tell you. You learn to do what I command you. So it's the same thing here in Ephesians chapter four. You're not learning to live like the heathen and to do like the heathen. You're learning to live the way God has commanded you in Jesus Christ. Now watch what he says, verse 20, but you have not so learned Christ, if so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus. So if you have heard God the Father, if you have been taught by God the Father, if you have come savingly to Jesus Christ, then according to verse 22, You're going to put off the former conversation or the former conduct of the old man, that is the dead man, which is corrupt according

[John Weaver] to Zeke for us. You will be renewed in the spirit of your mind and you will put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

[John Weaver] Now, here's an interesting thing. If you look back in verse 20, he said, but you have not so learned Christ. The word learned is the Greek word lanthano and it literally means to learn, to increase one's knowledge, to hear to be informed, now listen carefully, to learn by use and practice and to be in the habit of and be accustomed to. In other words, once you learn truth, once you learn biblical truth, once you learn Jesus Christ, you become accustomed, you get in the habit of living a holy, righteous, godly life. Yes, you're still a sinner, and yes, you still sin, but sinning is not your habit. It's not your custom. Righteousness is. Obedience is.

[John Weaver] One quick quote by John Calvin. Listen to what he said. He's drawing a contrast, and he's quoting from Ephesians 4. He says this. He, that is the Apostle Paul, now draws a contrast of the Christian life so as to make it evident how utterly inconsistent it is with the character of a godly man to defile himself regardlessly with the abominations of the Gentiles. Because the Gentiles walk in darkness, therefore they do not distinguish between right and wrong.

[John Weaver] But those on whom the truth of God shines ought to live in a different manner. that those to whom the vanity of the senses is a rule of life should yield themselves up to base lust, it's not surprising. But the doctrine of Christ teaches us to renounce our natural dispositions. He whose life differs not from that of unbelievers has learned nothing of Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh.

[John Weaver] Did you hear what he said? He whose life differs not from unbelievers has learned nothing of Jesus Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh. In other words, likewise reckon ye yourselves also to be dead indeed in the sin and alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So obviously, clearly, he's telling us here that we cannot walk the way the unsaved walk. We can't live the way they live.

[John Weaver] Now, let me try to tie these things together. Now, let me make some applications. The first one is this. I hope and I pray that you not only see the necessity, but also the blessings of being taught. I've often thought what a blessing it is just to hear and to know and to be taught the Word of God. I endeavor to thank my Heavenly Father every day for that which He's shown me, that which He's taught me. I don't know everything. There's a lot I don't know. I confess that. But I do know what the Bible says, and I do know that the Bible is truth, and I want to obey the Word of God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. How are we going to escape the world? How are we going to escape all the wickedness that is being plotted against us even to this point? I don't know if you've done any reading on this 5G technology, but I would encourage you to do so, because a lot of it is very scary. Everybody knows back 30, 40 years ago, you had MKUltra.

[John Weaver] mind control projects, let me tell you, that's kindergarten stuff to what's available today. It really is. So my question is, in light of all the problems that we're facing, and of all the technology that we're facing, how are we going to keep our minds pure and clean? Let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles, to second Peter chapter one, second Peter chapter one. And I want to point this out and emphasize it clearly. Second Peter chapter one, beginning there with verse two, Peter writes and he says, grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. according as his divine power have given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue.

[John Weaver] Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. So how do we escape the corruption of the world? How do we escape the pollutions of the world? It's not just the exceeding great and precious promises. Yes, it is that. But go back to verse two.

[John Weaver] He says, Grace and peace be multiplied in you. How? Through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. Then look in verse three. According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us unto glory and virtue. And though we know him, we also know his word. That word, that truth needs to be in our minds. It needs to be in our hearts. It needs to be underscored a thousand times. And it's only through the knowledge of God and his word that we're going to escape anything. And we need to learn to be thankful for everything that God teaches us and shows us.

[John Weaver] The second one is this. We need to also grasp the realization that all of the things that the heathen do in seeking knowledge and power is an abomination unto God. They're not only hateful unto God and repugnant unto God. He says that those who engage in those things are an abomination unto him. Why would anyone purposefully provoke God? To be honest, I want to give him all the benefit of the doubt.

[John Weaver] I'm not even going to look at a horoscope. My future is not in the stars. The stars do not determine what's going to happen to me or what does not happen to me. David said, my times are in thy hand. He holdeth our soul in life. God is in charge, not the stars, not a fortune teller, not anything like that. It's God. And whether you begin to try to seek knowledge, whether it be in fun or jest or seriousness, you're in trouble. I'm not going to look at those little crystal balls. I'm not going to ask some stupid little ball a question. I don't know. You said that's harmless fun. No, it's not harmless fun. You're just seeking something apart from God. I have a friend or had a friend, he's now dead, got into some very serious trouble with God and he was a preacher because he did something on him and it cursed his family.

[John Weaver] until it was really dealt with in a very strong biblical manner. I'm just saying you can't do things that God condemns and think you're going to escape the punishment. Listen, if you would, to Leviticus 18 verses 26 through 28. God says this. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments and shall not commit any of these abominations neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you.

[John Weaver] Now listen, for all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled, that the land spew not you out also, when you defile it, as it spewed out the nations that were before you. Now, God said these Canaanites were so wicked and so vile, the land vomited them out. The land spewed them out. And God said, if you do what they did, the land's going to spew you out as well.

[John Weaver] Now, it's not just people that get spewed out. It's not just nations that get spewed out. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation, chapter three. It is also churches that get spewed out. Notice Revelation 3, beginning there with verse 14. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness to the beginning of the creation of God.

[John Weaver] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then, because art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. God said, I can't stomach you. I'll spit you out. Churches get spewed out just like people, just like nations. Because we learn to do what the heathen do. We should learn to pray as David prayed. David gave us a very good prayer request in Psalm 119 and verse 66 when he said this, teach me good judgment and knowledge for I have believed thy commandments. So our knowledge and our judgment should come from God and his truth.

[John Weaver] If we say that we believe we need to do. So God says, do not learn to do what the heathen did. You learn to do what I say. And where we are today is our nation, our people, our churches have not learned to do that which God commands. As he spewed out Laodicea, he'll spew us out as well. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before thee.

[John Weaver] We thank you for your word. We thank you for your truth. We thank you for the warning. We thank you for your commands and help us, Lord, to discern between truth and error. Help us to learn to do that which is right and holy, and help us not to do that which is wicked and wrong. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

[John Weaver] In Thy name we pray, Amen.

[John Weaver] so

Learning The Difference Between Truth And Error

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	oMXbobzoJmw
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-09-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 082: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 2 — Chapter 27
Source Timed Segments	86

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Importance of Knowledge and the Command in Deuteronomy 18:9

Knowledge is emphasized in Scripture, but God commanded Israel not to learn to do the abominations of the Canaanites. The problem is learning error instead of truth.

All right, well, let's open our Bibles today to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18. Deuteronomy 18. And we're going to be reading verses nine through 14. Deuteronomy 18 verses nine through 14. The title of the message is "Learning the Difference Between Truth and Error." Learning the Difference Between Truth and Error. So in Deuteronomy chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 18:9-14

"When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations." "There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 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. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. For those nations which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times and unto diviners, but as for thee, the Lord hath not suffered thee so to do."

Of course, we understand that knowledge is important. It's emphasized over and over in the Word of God, especially in what is known as the wisdom literature, which would be from Psalms all the way through, actually, the book of Ecclesiastes. The truth of the matter is there was a special tree that was in the Garden of Eden, and everyone knows about that. It was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And God told Adam in Genesis 2 and verse 17,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:17

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat thereof, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die."

We understand that learning is important. We teach our children. We teach others. And the truth of the matter is even preaching should be teaching. In fact, our Lord talked about feeding the sheep, and feeding the sheep, according to our Lord, was when they grazed upon the Word of God. One of the important aspects of the book of Proverbs is found in verse four.

He said to give subtlety to the simple and to the young man, knowledge and discretion. And then when you get to verse seven, the Word of God says this, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Most of us have observed the fact that children are eager learners and they should be. And the truth of the matter is oftentimes we really and truly neglect to teach our children. I remember reading some time ago that the foundation for all that a child will ever learn is laid from the ages of three to eleven. So if we begin to neglect them at an early age when they are so inquisitive and so wanting to learn, then we're actually harming them for their future as well. But as adults, we should continue to learn, especially if we are Christians and we are interested in learning the Word of God and how to serve our Lord. The only problem we have with learning is this: oftentimes we want to learn things that we have no business learning. Oftentimes we want to delve into things in which we do not know. Instead of learning truth, we end up learning error. Instead of learning industry, we end up learning laziness. Instead of learning righteousness, we end up learning wickedness. And instead of learning the ways of God, we end up learning the ways of the world. We learn humanistic knowledge rather than biblical knowledge.

I saw a picture and I really liked it. It showed a young woman with a mask over her face, over her nose and her mouth. And it said, "Closing colleges will not stop the spread of COVID. However, it may stop the spread of communism." I thought, well, that's probably pretty well on, but you know, that's exactly what we do. So many times we learn to defy God rather than to submit to Him. We learn to take matters in our own hands rather than waiting upon the Lord.

The Command Explained: Not Learning to Do, Not Ignorance

God did not forbid knowing about the heathen's wickedness, but learning to practice it. Israel was to avoid acting, looking, living, and worshiping like the heathen.

Now, we should pay careful attention to these words. He did not say that Israel was not to learn about the abominations of those nations. He did not say that Israel was to be ignorant of their filthiness and their wickedness and their rebellion. What He commanded is that they were not to learn to do those things which the heathen were doing. So simply put then, they were not to act like, look like, live like, and worship like the heathen did.

Now, the interesting thing is when you look at verse nine, you would almost think that this command would be unnecessary. These are the people now that have just come through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They have seen over and over the grace and the mercy of God. They've seen the mighty power of God. They have seen His miracles. They were the ones that had been spared from death when they saw all the others die in the wilderness. These were the ones to inhabit the promised land, and they were to receive all the promised blessings that those who died in the wilderness ended up forfeiting.

The Danger of Curiosity and the Depths of Satan

Curiosity can lead to forbidden knowledge. Believers should know Satan's devices but not delve into his depths; focus should be on God's righteousness.

There are some things we need to know about, but we do not need to know about them in detail. Israel certainly needed to know about the wickedness of the Canaanites. They needed to know about their violence and their filthiness in order to avoid those things. But they did not need in-depth knowledge or in-depth details. Let me give you a little good illustration. In 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 11, the Apostle Paul wrote and he said this,

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 2:11

"Lest Satan get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices."

Now note what he said. We're not ignorant of his devices. It is one thing to know about the devices of Satan, the subtleties of Satan, the methodology of Satan. It's one thing to know those things. But it's quite another thing to delve into the depths of Satan. So let me show you, if you would hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 2 and verse 24. Revelation 2 verse 24.

And our Lord is speaking to a church. Note what He says. Revelation 2 and verse 24. He said,

Scripture Reading — Revelation 2:24

"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."

But note He talked about the depths of Satan. So we are not to be occupied with the depths of Satan. It may be one thing to know about his methodology, his devices, but not his depths.

So the truth of the matter is, our minds should be focused upon that which is right and holy and godly, and it should not be focused on those things that are wicked and wrong. And frankly, to be honest with you, I'm not interested in delving into the depths of Satan. I'm more interested in delving into the depths of the Word of God and His righteousness. I should want to know more about God in order that I might live more righteously and more obediently and more holy. So our emphasis should be upon truth. Now, I'm going to emphasize this before I close again. But what we must see in Deuteronomy 18 is that everything that the Canaanites did was absolutely contrary to God and His Word.

The Forbidden Practices: Moloch, Divination, Witchcraft, and Necromancy

God lists abominations including child sacrifice to Moloch, divination, observing times, enchantments, witchcraft, charming, consulting familiar spirits, wizardry, and necromancy—all seeking knowledge or power apart from God.

And let me go further. It was not just knowledge they were seeking to acquire. It was also power that they were seeking to acquire. So let me just put something before you. There are some things that you and I do not need to know. I could say it very bluntly. There are some things it's just none of our business. In reference to God, Deuteronomy 29:29, you can look at it. You're close there. Look in Deuteronomy 29:29. Look at what the Scripture says. Deuteronomy 29, verse 29. "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." Now note what God said. The secret things belong to the Lord. There are some things that God has not revealed. And those things we do not need to know about. What He said we do need to know are those things that have been revealed. They belong to us and to our children, that we may do them forever.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 29:29

So God has forbidden us to know some things. Now, I want you to go back, if you would, to Deuteronomy chapter 18. And let's begin looking at verse 10. And I'll go ahead and read through verse 14, because I want to try to summarize this for us. And Deuteronomy 18 and verse 10, God says, "There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. 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 suffered thee so to do." Now, look if you would please at verse 10.

He said,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 18:21

"There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire."

This has a reference to what you and I would know as Moloch worship. When you read through the Bible, you will find the word Moloch oftentimes listed as Milcom, Melech, Malcolm, and Moloch. It is all one and the same. Moloch was a power religion. And when he talked about passing your child through the fire, it is true that oftentimes children were actually sacrificed. That is, they were slaughtered. They were burned to death in sacrifice to Moloch. But sometimes the passing the children through the fire was not necessarily taking their lives. They would take an infant and very quickly pass him through the flames and bring him up the other side, and it would be called an act of purification. Thus they were dedicating that child to Moloch. So the child then would be given to Moloch for the rest of his life as well. Now, God said in Leviticus 18 in verse 21, listen carefully,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 18:21

"And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Moloch, neither shalt thou profane the name of the Lord thy God: I am the Lord."

Now, God says you're not going to let any of your children pass through the fire to Moloch.

So let me ask you a question. Do you know who introduced Moloch worship into Israel? It was Solomon. I want you to hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11, you know that the Bible tells us that King Solomon loved many strange women. He married a lot of these women that God had forbidden him to marry, but he married them anyhow. And if you look in verse four, the Bible says, "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father." Now watch carefully.

"For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build a 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." Now notice, if you would, in verse five, he's called Milcom. In verse seven, he's called Molech, one and the same, still the god of the Ammonites.

Now, the interesting thing is this. Note, if you would please, verse four. The Bible says, "For it came to pass when Solomon was what? Old." There are two main complaints of old people: lack of ability and lack of power. Lack of ability and lack of power. And when Solomon got old, instead of seeking power and ability from God, he is now seeking power and ability from below. He's seeking it from these false gods. He's actually basically betraying God and turning his back upon God and seeking that which he needs from below and not from above. And all of this is satanic and demonic, and it has absolutely nothing to do with God. It is a quest for knowledge and or a quest for power, by the way, without me going into it in great detail. Moloch worship is nothing more and nothing less than state worship. It is the worship of the state. It is the state is God. The king is God. Or as we would say today, government is God. And of course, here, Solomon then is just reaching for more and more power, et cetera.

Now, so when you read about, "You shall not have your son or your daughter to pass through the fire," he's saying you should have nothing to do with Moloch. Now, go back if you would, please, because in verse 10, he says, you should not have anyone that uses divination or an observer of times or an enchanter or a witch. Now, someone that used divination was a soothsayer. He is someone that used enchantments or divined. He was someone usually that planted a curse or a ban upon someone. And I suppose the prime example of being a soothsayer would be no more than Balaam himself. You remember it was Balak, the king of Moab, who summoned Balaam, the soothsayer, so that he might end up cursing Israel. And of course, God forbade him to curse. In fact, Balaam himself said, "I cannot curse whom God has blessed." But when you get to Numbers 23 and verse 23, here's what Balaam says: "Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!"

So he said, "I can't use enchantment. I can't use divination. I'm not going to be able to do this." So whenever you talk about an observer of times or enchanter or witch or enchantment, all of these things normally go together. Now, when you read of these things, it's nothing less than what you and I would call spiritism or magic or witchcraft or divining or fortune-telling. It is looking for signs and omens and trying to read them in order to discern the future. So many people look at the stars. They try to determine the future by horoscopes or the signs in the heavens. Our Lord condemned some folks for knowing about the clouds and not knowing the Lord's Word. But I mean, people look for signs all the time.

And I remember years ago, I had a preacher come to me, and he was so excited. And I said, "Well, what's the excitement about?" He said, "Well, on the way here," he said, "I passed a field and three doves flew up." I said, "Really?" "Yes." I said, "So?" He said, "Well, don't you see? Three doves: one for God the Father, one for God the Son, one for God the Holy Spirit." I said, "Let me ask you a question. What if four doves had flown up? Who would the fourth one have been for? Or what about a dozen?" I said, "Are you trying to tell me that you're reading into three doves flying up out of a field that somehow it relates to the Trinity?" I mean, I certainly don't see the connection. I mean, I want to think about God. I want Him to be in all my thoughts, but I mean, you know, when you talk about trying to read omens and signs, you're talking about things that are forbidden.

Let me give you an illustration. Hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 21 and verse 21. Here's the king of Babylon. I want you to see what he did in trying to discern which way to go. So here we are in the book of Ezekiel chapter 21 and verse 21. And the Bible says this:

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 21:21

"For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way."

So he had two choices. He could go one place or he can go another place. So the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of two ways. He stopped there because he didn't know which way to go. How is he going to determine? To use divination, he made his arrows bright, so he tried to consult with his arrows. He consulted with the images, that is his false gods. He looked into the liver, that is he killed an animal or possibly a man, cut his liver out and tried to read which way he should go in the liver. I mean, this is enchantment, this is divination, this is wizardry, this is spiritism, this is magic, this is witchcraft, this is all kind of stuff like that. Fortune telling.

You know, I never will forget, it was my father who told me years ago when I was a boy that he and my mother were holding hands at a county fair and they passed the fortune teller's tent. And the fortune teller saw this young couple and she said, "Come in, and I'll tell you when you're going to get married." Daddy looked at her and said, "If you knew anything at all, you'd know we already were," and just kept walking. Well, I mean, you know, it's insane. I told our people this morning that I had an 11th grade teacher. She was a tall, beautiful woman. And every teenage boy in the class was in love with her. Didn't matter if she was already married. I mean, she was just a beautiful woman. And everybody was just infatuated with her. And she really disinfatuated me very quickly because I remembered what my dad had told me. And her husband was a revenue agent. And he was off somewhere for school and had to be off for two or three weeks.

And she was telling us how she was supposed to go spend the weekend with him. And she stopped on the way out of town at a fortune teller's building. And the fortune teller told her not to go, reading her palm and all this other stuff, that she'd be involved in a wreck. And she turned around and went back home, called her husband, said she wasn't coming. Oh, he was mad. He was upset. Of course, I would have been mad and upset, too.

And I thought to myself, how can someone with a degree in education be so stupid, you know, but that was her. But this is what God is saying. God is saying, look, all of these things are an abomination. In Leviticus chapter 19, verse 26, God made it plain. He said this,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 19:26

"You shall not eat anything with the blood, neither shall you use enchantment or observers of time."

So witches, charmers, wizards, consultants of familiar spirits, all deal with that which is demonic and seek to know the future and direction apart from God. It is an attempt oftentimes to control people by the use of spells and bands and curses and potions. You remember that old song, those of us who were a little bit older, when I was a teenager, there was a song called "Love Potion Number Nine." "Love Potion Number Nine." In other words, you could get that potion and it would make your sweetheart love you. Well, that's a bunch of hooey. I mean, it's false, but this is what all this is about. And all such activity is not only a denial of God, it is also treason against God. Let me show you.

I want you to turn to 2 Kings 1. Second Kings chapter one. Watch this carefully because Ahaziah, the king of Israel, has fallen down through a lattice. He's evidently hurt himself pretty badly and he has a lot of wounds and cuts and sores and he wants to know whether or not he's going to get well. So he sends some messengers to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron. Well, they meet Elijah on the way. And Elijah essentially tells them to turn around and go back. And you tell Ahaziah, he's going to die. He's going to come off that bed on which he's going up. He's going to die.

But look what he said. Second Kings, chapter one, watch verse 16. In fact, let's read verse, yeah, verse 16. "And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but thou shalt surely die." Now, the god of Ekron, Baalzebub, the word Baalzebub literally means "god of the filth" or "god of the flies." So evidently his sores had gotten infected and the flies were there, and so he's called to sin to Baalzebub. Elijah says, "Whoa, is it not because there's no God in Israel?" In other words, you betrayed God. You have acted treasonous against the one true and the living God. You're not only denying Him, you're betraying Him by going to Baalzebub.

So all of these things that are mentioned here in Deuteronomy 18 deal with witchcraft, spiritism, magic. Now, one other thing, let me point out. If you look down in verse 12, I think it is, let's see. No, verse 11. He said, "or a charmer," that's using charms, "or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." Now, what in the world is a necromancer? Well, the Greek word necros means dead. Okay? Now, if you have a wound, oftentimes you might go to a doctor and he'll look at the wound and he says, "Well, I need to cut out the necrotic tissue, the dead tissue." That's all. A necromancer is someone who talked to the dead. They were people who had a familiar spirit, supposedly, and could contact the dead on the other side.

By the way, did you know that Abraham Lincoln held seances in the White House? He did. Anytime you have a seance, you're trying to contact the dead. You're trying to get information. You're trying to get knowledge apart from God. And God certainly condemns it. So all the necromancers, supposedly, have a familiar spirit as well.

Now, God said in Leviticus 19 verse 11,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 19:31

"Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them: I am the Lord thy God."

The Nature of the Abomination: Treason Against God

These practices are a stench in God's nostrils, an act of denial and treason. John Calvin's quote explains that they stem from an immoderate desire to know more than is lawful and using illicit means.

Now the word abomination literally means a stench in God's nostrils. God said, anyone who does these things is an abomination. It is a stench in my nostrils. It is not just prohibited. It is not just condemned. It is an act of denial and treason against God. I want to give you a quote from John Calvin in relationship to this. It's a rather lengthy quote, but I want you to listen to it because he's encapsulating in a couple of paragraphs everything that I just told you. So listen carefully.

He says, "Note, this was the sole object of the Gentiles or the Canaanites when they inquired of their magicians and sorcerers: to seek from heaven that knowledge of which they perceived themselves to be destitute. Thus, they undoubtedly confessed themselves to be overwhelmed with darkness, and that the light of understanding was a special gift of God, whence also came the name divination, because they were persuaded that secret things were not within the compass of human apprehension, but that this knowledge must come from divine inspiration." "But since by his machinations the devil perverts what is right in itself, these principles implanted in us, as I've said, by nature, have been corrupted by two errors." Now listen to these two errors. "For both an immoderate desire of knowing more than is lawful has crept into our minds. And then we've had recourse to illicit means of knowledge." So he says, first of all, you want to know that which you're not supposed to know. And secondly, you're trying to use wicked means to get that knowledge. He goes on. "From these sources, foolish curiosity and unrestrained temerity and audacity, all the superstitions and errors have flowed whereby the world has been assailed."

"Therefore does God, by forbidding magical arts, introduce a remedy for these two diseases, which arts are perversely invented that they might search out and bring to light things which He has chosen to conceal. For the best rule of knowledge is sobriety, that it may suffice us to know as much as is expedient for us. The lust of men has carried them deeper so that they've desired to penetrate into all the most profound secrets. But the second error on which I've touched is much worse, that they should have sought by improper means to discover hidden things. We shall soon see that God also has foretold things to come by service, but no further than He knew to be profitable, and only with this object to make it manifest that He exercises special care for His church."

"But since men's curiosity is insatiable, they do not consider what is useful for them, but like Adam, desire to be gods and to know all things without exceptions. When God indulges not these improper desires, they address themselves to the devil, the father of lies. Still, however, I've stated under the false disguise of God's name, this is the origin of all the vanities whereby the world has ever been entangled." And if you stop and think about that, all the world's know what God has forbidden, and they want to use the means that God has forbidden to acquire that knowledge. Or they want power that God has never ever given them.

Why Believers Are Restrained: God's Sovereign Grace

God did not suffer Israel to do these things; He restrained them by grace. Similarly, believers differ from the world only because God gave them repentance, faith, and knowledge.

So that does not mean that a wicked man may not be a wise man. He may be wise, but he's wise in that which is wicked. So let me show you, hold Deuteronomy 18, but turn in your Bibles to the book of James chapter three, James chapter three. And let's begin reading there with verse 14, just to show you the difference between a hellish wisdom and a heavenly wisdom. So he says in James 3, beginning there with verse 14,

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom,"

that is the wisdom that produces all this bitter envying and strife and lying,

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish."

In other words, it's hellish. Verse 16,

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."

And then he says this,

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."

So he makes a big distinction there between a hellish wisdom and a heavenly wisdom as well.

Let me go back to my question. Why are you not engaged in these magical arts? Why are you not involved? Well, I want you to look at verse 14. Deuteronomy 18, verse 14. Look what God says. "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 suffered thee so to do." Isn't that amazing? Here's what God is saying. I allowed all of these other nations to do this. They hated Me. They hated My Word. They didn't want to obey Me. They wanted their wickedness.

I let them have it. But you, I restrained you. I held you back. Now that's grace. You remember that passage in Genesis chapter 20? You don't have to turn there. But Abraham had said that Sarah, his wife, was his sister. And she herself said that he was her brother. And Abimelech, the king, took her. And the Bible says that he had not touched her. Why? I don't know.

She was a beautiful woman. Maybe the Lord gave him a case of 24-hour virus, I don't know. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said, "If you touch her, you're dead, man. I'm gonna kill you because she's another man's wife." You know what Abimelech said? "In the innocency of my hands and the integrity of my heart have I done this. Said she not to me, 'He is my brother'?" And you know what God said? Back to Abimelech. "Yea, I know that thou didst this in the innocency of thy hands and the integrity of thine heart. Therefore, I suffered thee not to touch her." I withheld you. I restrained you. The amazing thing is that God in His marvelous grace oftentimes restrains us from getting involved in things and doing things that we would normally do. You know what the Bible says in Acts chapter 14 and verse 16? It talks about God who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. But God did not suffer Israel at that point to walk in their own ways. He did not suffer them to walk in the arts of magic and spiritism and all that wickedness. No, He restrained them.

Now, let me show you another passage. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter four. Here is a parallel passage that would actually reveal the same truth of Deuteronomy 18 in verse 14. If you look in 1 Corinthians chapter four and notice if you would please there, verse seven. 1 Corinthians chapter four and verse seven, the apostle asked these questions, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" So he asked, "Who maketh thee to differ from another?"

In other words, why are you saved and somebody else is not saved? Why do you know the truth and other people do not know the truth? Why do you love the Lord and other people do not love the Lord? Why do you want to live holy when other people do not want to live holy? Who made you to differ? And the answer has to be God. And then he asked, "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?" I've given you everything. I gave you repentance. I gave you faith. I gave you knowledge. I gave you wisdom. Everything that you have, I gave you.

And then he says, "Why then would you glory as if you had not received it?" It wasn't you. He said, it was Me. I restrained you. I kept you back. I gave you grace and I gave you mercy. So in this particular passage now, God tells them, "I did not suffer you to do this." Now, I want you to go back to verse nine. Look in Deuteronomy 18 verse nine, He said this, "When thou come into the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations."

What Israel Was to Learn: The Fear of the Lord

Instead of learning heathen practices, Israel was commanded to learn to fear the Lord through hearing and obeying His Word (Deuteronomy 4:10; 14:23; 17:19; 31:11-13).

So once again, it's not knowing about, it's learning to do so. If Israel was not to learn to do after the abominations of those nations, what were they to learn to do? Well, let me show you. Let's go first to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Just show you several passages in Deuteronomy. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and notice if you would please verse 10. You're going to see this over and over. Deuteronomy 4 and verse 10. In fact, we can look at verse 9.

God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 14:23

"Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children."

Now look at Deuteronomy chapter 14. Deuteronomy 14 and verse 23. Deuteronomy 14 verse 23. God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 14:23

"And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always."

Now look in Deuteronomy 17, because here we're talking about the king. Deuteronomy 17 and verse 19. Look what God says about the king.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 17:19

"And it shall be with him,"

that is a copy of the law, a copy of God's Word.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 17:19

"And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them."

One more passage in Deuteronomy, look in Deuteronomy 31, beginning there with verse 11. Deuteronomy 31 and verse 11. The Bible said,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 17:19

"When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: and that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it."

Now, it is through obedience to God and His law that we learn to fear Him. And He said, this is what you must learn to do in order to please Him.

New Testament Application: Learning Christ vs. Walking as Gentiles

Ephesians 4:17-24 parallels Deuteronomy 18: believers have not so learned Christ; they put off the old man and put on the new man in righteousness and true holiness. Learning Christ means habitual holy living.

Now, I want to show you the New Testament application to this Old Testament truth. So I want you to turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. And you're going to see the same exact truth stated in different words, but it is still the same exact truth. So look in Ephesians chapter four, and I want us to read verses 17 through 24. Ephesians four, beginning there with verse 17, and we'll read through verse 24. Look what he says.

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ." "If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Now, it is true that God did not say in this passage, "Pass your children in the fire. Don't go to wizards. Don't go to witches. Don't use charmers. Don't look at omens." Now, He didn't say that, but He did say it and a whole lot more because look at it again in verse 17. He says this.

"I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk." How do lost people walk? Watch it: "in the vanity of their mind." The word vanity means that which is useless, worthless. Note what the vain mind is, verse 18. It's a mind that has the understanding darkened. It is a mind that is alienated from the life of God. It is a mind of ignorance. It is a mind of blindness. And what does this blind, wicked mind cause them to do? Watch verse 19, "who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness," that is greediness, nakedness, lustfulness, "to work all uncleanness with greediness." Now watch verse 20.

"But ye have not so learned Christ." Let me stop and emphasize something. You must learn Jesus Christ. You must learn Jesus Christ. This is why he was saying in Deuteronomy 18, you do not learn to do those things as the heathen do, but what you do is you learn to do what I tell you. You learn to do what I command you. So it's the same thing here in Ephesians chapter four. You're not learning to live like the heathen and to do like the heathen. You're learning to live the way God has commanded you in Jesus Christ. Now watch what he says, verse 20, "But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus." So if you have heard God the Father, if you have been taught by God the Father, if you have come savingly to Jesus Christ, then according to verse 22, you're going to put off the former conversation or the former conduct of the old man, that is the dead man, which is corrupt according

to deceitful lusts. You will be renewed in the spirit of your mind and you will put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Now, here's an interesting thing. If you look back in verse 20, he said, "But ye have not so learned Christ." The word learned is the Greek word manthano and it literally means to learn, to increase one's knowledge, to hear, to be informed, now listen carefully, to learn by use and practice and to be in the habit of and be accustomed to. In other words, once you learn truth, once you learn biblical truth, once you learn Jesus Christ, you become accustomed, you get in the habit of living a holy, righteous, godly life. Yes, you're still a sinner, and yes, you still sin, but sinning is not your habit. It's not your custom. Righteousness is. Obedience is.

One quick quote by John Calvin. Listen to what he said. He's drawing a contrast, and he's quoting from Ephesians 4. He says this. "He," that is the Apostle Paul, "now draws a contrast of the Christian life so as to make it evident how utterly inconsistent it is with the character of a godly man to defile himself regardlessly with the abominations of the Gentiles. Because the Gentiles walk in darkness, therefore they do not distinguish between right and wrong." "But those on whom the truth of God shines ought to live in a different manner. That those to whom the vanity of the senses is a rule of life should yield themselves up to base lusts, it's not surprising. But the doctrine of Christ teaches us to renounce our natural dispositions. He whose life differs not from that of unbelievers has learned nothing of Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh."

Did you hear what he said? He whose life differs not from unbelievers has learned nothing of Jesus Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh. In other words, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." So obviously, clearly, he's telling us here that we cannot walk the way the unsaved walk. We can't live the way they live.

Applications: Gratitude for Teaching, Avoiding Occult, Escaping Corruption

Believers should be thankful for being taught God's Word, avoid all occult practices even in jest, and escape worldly corruption through the knowledge of God (2 Peter 1:2-4).

Now, let me try to tie these things together. Now, let me make some applications. The first one is this. I hope and I pray that you not only see the necessity, but also the blessings of being taught. I've often thought what a blessing it is just to hear and to know and to be taught the Word of God. I endeavor to thank my Heavenly Father every day for that which He's shown me, that which He's taught me. I don't know everything. There's a lot I don't know. I confess that. But I do know what the Bible says, and I do know that the Bible is truth, and I want to obey the Word of God.

Now, let me ask you a question. How are we going to escape the world? How are we going to escape all the wickedness that is being plotted against us even to this point? I don't know if you've done any reading on this 5G technology, but I would encourage you to do so, because a lot of it is very scary. Everybody knows back 30, 40 years ago, you had MKUltra. mind control projects, let me tell you, that's kindergarten stuff to what's available today. It really is. So my question is, in light of all the problems that we're facing, and of all the technology that we're facing, how are we going to keep our minds pure and clean? Let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter one, 2 Peter chapter one. And I want to point this out and emphasize it clearly. 2 Peter chapter one, beginning there with verse two, Peter writes and he says, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." So how do we escape the corruption of the world? How do we escape the pollutions of the world? It's not just the exceeding great and precious promises. Yes, it is that. But go back to verse two. He says, "Grace and peace be multiplied in you." How? "Through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." Then look in verse three. "According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us unto glory and virtue." And though we know Him, we also know His Word. That Word, that truth needs to be in our minds. It needs to be in our hearts. It needs to be underscored a thousand times. And it's only through the knowledge of God and His Word that we're going to escape anything. And we need to learn to be thankful for everything that God teaches us and shows us.

The second one is this. We need to also grasp the realization that all of the things that the heathen do in seeking knowledge and power is an abomination unto God. They're not only hateful unto God and repugnant unto God. He says that those who engage in those things are an abomination unto Him. Why would anyone purposefully provoke God? To be honest, I want to give Him all the benefit of the doubt. I'm not even going to look at a horoscope. My future is not in the stars. The stars do not determine what's going to happen to me or what does not happen to me. David said, "My times are in thy hand." He holdeth our soul in life. God is in charge, not the stars, not a fortune teller, not anything like that. It's God. And whether you begin to try to seek knowledge, whether it be in fun or jest or seriousness, you're in trouble. I'm not going to look at those little crystal balls. I'm not going to ask some stupid little ball a question. I don't know. You said that's harmless fun. No, it's not harmless fun. You're just seeking something apart from God. I have a friend, or had a friend, he's now dead, got into some very serious trouble with God and he was a preacher because he did something on him and it cursed his family.

until it was really dealt with in a very strong biblical manner. I'm just saying you can't do things that God condemns and think you're going to escape the punishment. Listen, if you would, to Leviticus 18 verses 26 through 28. God says this. "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you."

Now listen, "For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled; that the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you." Now, God said these Canaanites were so wicked and so vile, the land vomited them out. The land spewed them out. And God said, if you do what they did, the land's going to spew you out as well. Now, it's not just people that get spewed out. It's not just nations that get spewed out. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation, chapter three, it is also churches that get spewed out. Notice Revelation 3, beginning there with verse 14. "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God."

Conclusion: Learning to Do What God Commands

As God spewed out Laodicea for lukewarmness, He will spew out those who learn the heathen's ways. Believers must learn to do what God commands, praying for good judgment and knowledge from His truth.

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." God said, I can't stomach you. I'll spit you out. Churches get spewed out just like people, just like nations. Because we learn to do what the heathen do. We should learn to pray as David prayed. David gave us a very good prayer request in Psalm 119 and verse 66 when he said this, "Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments." So our knowledge and our judgment should come from God and His truth.

If we say that we believe, we need to do. So God says, do not learn to do what the heathen did. You learn to do what I say. And where we are today is our nation, our people, our churches have not learned to do that which God commands. As He spewed out Laodicea, He'll spew us out as well. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You for the warning. We thank You for Your commands and help us, Lord, to discern between truth and error. Help us to learn to do that which is right and holy, and help us not to do that which is wicked and wrong. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Forbidden Pursuit of Knowledge and Power Apart from God

Summary: God condemns seeking knowledge or power through occult practices like divination, witchcraft, and necromancy, which are treason against Him.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 18:10-12 lists abominations; the speaker explains these are attempts to know what God has concealed or gain power from below.

Learning to Do vs. Learning About

Summary: God commands not to learn to do the heathen's abominations, not to be ignorant of them. Believers must learn to fear the Lord and obey His Word.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 18:9 says 'thou shalt not learn to do'; the speaker contrasts this with learning to fear God in Deuteronomy 4:10, 14:23, etc.

The Depths of Satan vs. The Depths of God

Summary: Believers should know Satan's devices but not delve into his depths; focus should be on the depths of God's Word and righteousness.

Evidence: 2 Corinthians 2:11 and Revelation 2:24 are cited to show the distinction between knowing devices and knowing depths.

God's Restraining Grace

Summary: God sovereignly restrains His people from engaging in abominations, as seen in Abimelech (Genesis 20) and Israel (Deuteronomy 18:14).

Evidence: Deuteronomy 18:14 says 'the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do'; 1 Corinthians 4:7 asks 'who maketh thee to differ?'

Learning Christ Results in a Changed Life

Summary: Ephesians 4:17-24 teaches that those who have learned Christ put off the old man and walk in righteousness, not like the Gentiles.

Evidence: The speaker expounds Ephesians 4:20-24, emphasizing that learning Christ means habitual holy living.

The Abomination of Occult Practices

Summary: All occult activities are an abomination—a stench in God's nostrils—and those who do them are an abomination to Him.

Evidence: Deuteronomy 18:12 says 'all that do these things are an abomination'; the speaker defines abomination as a stench.

Key Arguments

Curiosity and illicit means corrupt the natural desire for knowledge

Summary: John Calvin's quote argues that the heathen's errors came from an immoderate desire to know more than is lawful and using wicked means to gain knowledge.

Evidence: The speaker reads Calvin's quote explaining the two errors: desiring forbidden knowledge and using illicit means.

Solomon's old age led him to seek power from false gods

Summary: Solomon introduced Moloch worship in his old age, seeking power from below instead of from God, illustrating the danger of turning from God.

Evidence: 1 Kings 11:4-7 shows Solomon's heart turned to Milcom/Molech; the speaker notes old age complaints of lack of ability and power.

Occult practices are treason against God

Summary: Inquiring of Baalzebub instead of God was an act of betrayal, as Elijah rebuked Ahaziah for acting as if there were no God in Israel.

Evidence: 2 Kings 1:16 records Elijah's rebuke; the speaker calls it treason and denial of God.

Hellish wisdom vs. heavenly wisdom

Summary: James 3:14-17 distinguishes between earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom that produces envy and strife, and heavenly wisdom that is pure and peaceable.

Evidence: The speaker reads James 3:14-17 to contrast the two wisdoms.

Learning Christ means mortification of the flesh

Summary: Calvin's quote states that the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh; a life no different from unbelievers shows nothing of Christ has been learned.

Evidence: The speaker quotes Calvin on Ephesians 4, linking learning Christ to putting off the old man.

Escape from worldly corruption comes through the knowledge of God

Summary: 2 Peter 1:2-4 teaches that grace, peace, and escape from corruption come through the knowledge of God and His precious promises.

Evidence: The speaker reads 2 Peter 1:2-4 and emphasizes knowledge of God as the means of escape.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 18:9-14

Context: The primary text: God commands Israel not to learn the abominations of the Canaanites, listing forbidden practices.

Genesis 2:17

Context: God's command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, illustrating the importance of knowledge and obedience.

Proverbs 1:4,7

Context: Wisdom gives subtlety to the simple; the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

2 Corinthians 2:11

Context: We are not ignorant of Satan's devices, but should not delve into his depths.

Revelation 2:24

Context: The Lord speaks of those who have not known the depths of Satan, implying believers should avoid such knowledge.

Deuteronomy 29:29

Context: Secret things belong to the Lord; revealed things belong to us and our children to obey.

Leviticus 18:21

Context: God forbids letting children pass through the fire to Moloch, profaning His name.

1 Kings 11:4-7

Context: Solomon's heart turned to Ashtoreth, Milcom/Molech, and Chemosh, introducing Moloch worship to Israel.

Numbers 23:23

Context: Balaam declares no enchantment or divination can work against Israel; God's blessing prevails.

Ezekiel 21:21

Context: The king of Babylon uses divination, arrows, images, and liver inspection to choose his path.

Leviticus 19:26

Context: God forbids eating blood and using enchantment or observing times.

2 Kings 1:16

Context: Elijah rebukes Ahaziah for inquiring of Baalzebub instead of God, calling it treason.

Leviticus 19:31

Context: God commands not to regard familiar spirits or seek wizards, lest they be defiled.

James 3:14-17

Context: Contrast between earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom and heavenly wisdom that is pure and peaceable.

Acts 14:16

Context: God in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, but He restrained Israel.

1 Corinthians 4:7

Context: Who makes you to differ? What do you have that you did not receive? God's grace makes the difference.

Deuteronomy 4:9-10

Context: Israel was to teach their children to fear the Lord and hear His words.

Deuteronomy 14:23

Context: Tithing was to teach Israel to fear the Lord always.

Deuteronomy 17:19

Context: The king was to read the law daily to learn to fear the Lord and keep His statutes.

Deuteronomy 31:11-13

Context: Public reading of the law was to teach all Israel and their children to fear the Lord and obey.

Historical References

John Calvin

Context: Quoted at length on the origin of magical arts: immoderate desire to know more than lawful and recourse to illicit means. Also quoted on Ephesians 4: learning Christ inseparable from mortification of the flesh.

Abraham Lincoln

Context: Mentioned as having held seances in the White House, illustrating necromancy and attempts to contact the dead.

MKUltra

Context: Referenced as a past mind control project, compared to modern technology like 5G, to illustrate the need for pure minds.

Moloch/Milcom/Molech worship

Context: Explained as a power religion involving child sacrifice or dedication; introduced to Israel by Solomon in his old age.

Balaam the soothsayer

Context: Mentioned as a prime example of a diviner who was hired to curse Israel but could not because God blessed them.

King Ahaziah and Baalzebub

Context: Ahaziah sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub (god of Ekron) about his recovery; Elijah rebuked him for treason against God.

Abimelech and Sarah

Context: God restrained Abimelech from touching Sarah because of his integrity, illustrating God's restraining grace.

Important Quotes

When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

Significance: The central command of the sermon: God forbids learning to practice heathen abominations, not merely knowing about them.

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.

Significance: Declares the severity of occult practices as a stench to God and the reason for the Canaanites' judgment.

But as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Significance: Highlights God's restraining grace that kept Israel from these abominations, a key theme of the message.

He whose life differs not from that of unbelievers has learned nothing of Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh.

Significance: Calvin's quote emphasizing that true learning of Christ necessarily produces a holy life distinct from the world.

Discussion Questions

What is the difference between learning about the world's wickedness and learning to do it? How can we guard against crossing that line?

Context: Based on Deuteronomy 18:9 and the speaker's emphasis that God forbids learning to do, not learning about.

Why is curiosity about forbidden spiritual practices so dangerous? How does Calvin's explanation of 'immoderate desire' and 'illicit means' apply today?

Context: The speaker warns about curiosity and quotes Calvin on the two errors behind magical arts.

In what ways might modern Christians be tempted to seek knowledge or power apart from God? How can we recognize and resist these temptations?

Context: The speaker mentions horoscopes, fortune-telling, and even seemingly harmless fun as potential gateways.

How does the concept of God's restraining grace (Deuteronomy 18:14; 1 Corinthians 4:7) affect your view of your own salvation and sanctification?

Context: The speaker emphasizes that God sovereignly keeps His people from many sins they would otherwise commit.

What does it practically mean to 'learn Christ' according to Ephesians 4:20-24? How does this learning change our habits and customs?

Context: The speaker explains that learning Christ means habitual holy living, not just intellectual knowledge.

How can we cultivate a greater fear of the Lord through His Word, as commanded in Deuteronomy? What practices help you learn to fear Him?

Context: The speaker contrasts learning heathen ways with learning to fear God through Scripture reading and obedience.

Why does God consider occult practices an 'abomination' and treason? How should this shape our attitude toward even casual involvement with horoscopes, Ouija boards, or psychic entertainment?

Context: The speaker calls these practices a stench in God's nostrils and an act of betrayal.

According to 2 Peter 1:2-4, how do we escape the corruption in the world? What role does the knowledge of God play in your daily battle against sin?

Context: The speaker points to knowledge of God and His promises as the means of escape from worldly pollution.

Applications

Be thankful for being taught God's Word

Summary: Recognize the blessing of being taught biblical truth and thank God daily for the knowledge He has given.

Evidence: The speaker says, 'I endeavor to thank my Heavenly Father every day for that which He's shown me, that which He's taught me.'

Avoid all occult practices, even in jest

Summary: Do not look at horoscopes, consult fortune-tellers, or engage in seemingly harmless occult fun; it is an abomination to God.

Evidence: The speaker states, 'I'm not even going to look at a horoscope... I'm not going to ask some stupid little ball a question... it's not harmless fun.'

Learn to fear the Lord through His Word

Summary: Instead of learning worldly ways, devote yourself to reading and obeying Scripture to cultivate the fear of the Lord.

Evidence: The speaker cites Deuteronomy passages commanding Israel to learn to fear God through hearing and doing the law.

Put off the old man and put on the new man

Summary: As one who has learned Christ, actively put off former sinful conduct and be renewed in the spirit of your mind to live in righteousness.

Evidence: Ephesians 4:22-24 is expounded as the practical outworking of learning Christ.

Escape worldly corruption through knowledge of God

Summary: Pursue the knowledge of God and His promises as the means to escape the pollution of the world and partake of the divine nature.

Evidence: 2 Peter 1:2-4 is cited to show that knowledge of God enables escape from corruption.

Pray for good judgment and knowledge from God

Summary: Follow David's example in Psalm 119:66, asking God to teach you good judgment and knowledge because you believe His commandments.

Evidence: The speaker references David's prayer as a model for seeking knowledge from God.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:47:35Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:37:12Z

Clean Transcript

Learning The Difference Between Truth And Error

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, well, let's open our Bibles today to the book of Deuteronomy chapter 18. Deuteronomy 18. And we're going to be reading verses nine through 14. Deuteronomy 18 verses nine through 14. The title of the message is "Learning the Difference Between Truth and Error." Learning the Difference Between Truth and Error. So in Deuteronomy chapter 18, beginning there with verse 9, the Bible says, "When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations."
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"There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 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. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. For those nations which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times and unto diviners, but as for thee, the Lord hath not suffered thee so to do."
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Of course, we understand that knowledge is important. It's emphasized over and over in the Word of God, especially in what is known as the wisdom literature, which would be from Psalms all the way through, actually, the book of Ecclesiastes. The truth of the matter is there was a special tree that was in the Garden of Eden, and everyone knows about that. It was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And God told Adam in Genesis 2 and verse 17, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat thereof, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." We understand that learning is important. We teach our children. We teach others. And the truth of the matter is even preaching should be teaching. In fact, our Lord talked about feeding the sheep, and feeding the sheep, according to our Lord, was when they grazed upon the Word of God. One of the important aspects of the book of Proverbs is found in verse four.
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He said to give subtlety to the simple and to the young man, knowledge and discretion. And then when you get to verse seven, the Word of God says this, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Most of us have observed the fact that children are eager learners and they should be. And the truth of the matter is oftentimes we really and truly neglect to teach our children.
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I remember reading some time ago that the foundation for all that a child will ever learn is laid from the ages of three to eleven. So if we begin to neglect them at an early age when they are so inquisitive and so wanting to learn, then we're actually harming them for their future as well. But as adults, we should continue to learn, especially if we are Christians and we are interested in learning the Word of God and how to serve our Lord. The only problem we have with learning is this: oftentimes we want to learn things that we have no business learning. Oftentimes we want to delve into things in which we do not know. Instead of learning truth, we end up learning error. Instead of learning industry, we end up learning laziness. Instead of learning righteousness, we end up learning wickedness. And instead of learning the ways of God, we end up learning the ways of the world. We learn humanistic knowledge rather than biblical knowledge.
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I saw a picture and I really liked it. It showed a young woman with a mask over her face, over her nose and her mouth. And it said, "Closing colleges will not stop the spread of COVID. However, it may stop the spread of communism." I thought, well, that's probably pretty well on, but you know, that's exactly what we do. So many times we learn to defy God rather than to submit to Him. We learn to take matters in our own hands rather than waiting upon the Lord.
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Now, when you look at Deuteronomy chapter 18 in our text, God isn't only warning His people, He's actually doing more than that. He is commanding His people. So I want you to look at verse 9 before we really get started. Look what He says. He tells them, "When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations."
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Now, we should pay careful attention to these words. He did not say that Israel was not to learn about the abominations of those nations. He did not say that Israel was to be ignorant of their filthiness and their wickedness and their rebellion. What He commanded is that they were not to learn to do those things which the heathen were doing. So simply put then, they were not to act like, look like, live like, and worship like the heathen did.
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Now, the interesting thing is when you look at verse nine, you would almost think that this command would be unnecessary. These are the people now that have just come through 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. They have seen over and over the grace and the mercy of God. They've seen the mighty power of God. They have seen His miracles. They were the ones that had been spared from death when they saw all the others die in the wilderness. These were the ones to inhabit the promised land, and they were to receive all the promised blessings that those who died in the wilderness ended up forfeiting.
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And yet now they're given this warning. He said, "When thou art coming to the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations." We have an old adage, and everyone in this room can quote it: curiosity killed the cat. And the truth of the matter is, curiosity has killed a lot more than cats, that is for sure.
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There are some things we need to know about, but we do not need to know about them in detail. Israel certainly needed to know about the wickedness of the Canaanites. They needed to know about their violence and their filthiness in order to avoid those things. But they did not need in-depth knowledge or in-depth details. Let me give you a little good illustration.
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In 2 Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 11, the Apostle Paul wrote and he said this, "Lest Satan get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices." Now note what he said. We're not ignorant of his devices. It is one thing to know about the devices of Satan, the subtleties of Satan, the methodology of Satan. It's one thing to know those things. But it's quite another thing to delve into the depths of Satan. So let me show you, if you would hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation chapter 2 and verse 24. Revelation 2 verse 24.
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And our Lord is speaking to a church. Note what He says. Revelation 2 and verse 24. He said, "But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden." But note He talked about the depths of Satan. So we are not to be occupied with the depths of Satan. It may be one thing to know about his methodology, his devices, but not his depths.
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So the truth of the matter is, our minds should be focused upon that which is right and holy and godly, and it should not be focused on those things that are wicked and wrong. And frankly, to be honest with you, I'm not interested in delving into the depths of Satan. I'm more interested in delving into the depths of the Word of God and His righteousness. I should want to know more about God in order that I might live more righteously and more obediently and more holy. So our emphasis should be upon truth. Now, I'm going to emphasize this before I close again. But what we must see in Deuteronomy 18 is that everything that the Canaanites did was absolutely contrary to God and His Word.
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Now, let me explain something about this passage. When you look at this passage, you must understand that these Canaanites actually had two goals in mind in all of these things that are forbidden. Number one, they wanted to know that which they should not know. They wanted to know that which God had forbidden. And the second thing is, they wanted to know what God had forbidden in a way that defied God. In other words, their curiosity, their desire to know was wrong. And then the methods that they used to try to acquire that knowledge was wrong.
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And let me go further. It was not just knowledge they were seeking to acquire. It was also power that they were seeking to acquire. So let me just put something before you. There are some things that you and I do not need to know. I could say it very bluntly. There are some things it's just none of our business. In reference to God, Deuteronomy 29:29, you can look at it. You're close there. Look in Deuteronomy 29:29. Look at what the Scripture says. Deuteronomy 29, verse 29. "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law." Now note what God said. The secret things belong to the Lord. There are some things that God has not revealed. And those things we do not need to know about. What He said we do need to know are those things that have been revealed. They belong to us and to our children, that we may do them forever.
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So God has forbidden us to know some things. Now, I want you to go back, if you would, to Deuteronomy chapter 18. And let's begin looking at verse 10. And I'll go ahead and read through verse 14, because I want to try to summarize this for us. And Deuteronomy 18 and verse 10, God says, "There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. 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 suffered thee so to do." Now, look if you would please at verse 10.
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He said, "There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire." This has a reference to what you and I would know as Moloch worship. When you read through the Bible, you will find the word Moloch oftentimes listed as Milcom, Melech, Malcolm, and Moloch. It is all one and the same. Moloch was a power religion. And when he talked about passing your child through the fire, it is true that oftentimes children were actually sacrificed.
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That is, they were slaughtered. They were burned to death in sacrifice to Moloch. But sometimes the passing the children through the fire was not necessarily taking their lives. They would take an infant and very quickly pass him through the flames and bring him up the other side, and it would be called an act of purification. Thus they were dedicating that child to Moloch. So the child then would be given to Moloch for the rest of his life as well. Now, God said in Leviticus 18 in verse 21, listen carefully, "And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Moloch, neither shalt thou profane the name of the Lord thy God: I am the Lord." Now, God says you're not going to let any of your children pass through the fire to Moloch.
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So let me ask you a question. Do you know who introduced Moloch worship into Israel? It was Solomon. I want you to hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11, you know that the Bible tells us that King Solomon loved many strange women. He married a lot of these women that God had forbidden him to marry, but he married them anyhow. And if you look in verse four, the Bible says, "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father." Now watch carefully.
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"For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and went not fully after the Lord, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build a 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." Now notice, if you would, in verse five, he's called Milcom. In verse seven, he's called Molech, one and the same, still the god of the Ammonites.
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Now, the interesting thing is this. Note, if you would please, verse four. The Bible says, "For it came to pass when Solomon was what? Old." There are two main complaints of old people: lack of ability and lack of power. Lack of ability and lack of power. And when Solomon got old, instead of seeking power and ability from God, he is now seeking power and ability from below. He's seeking it from these false gods. He's actually basically betraying God and turning his back upon God and seeking that which he needs from below and not from above. And all of this is satanic and demonic, and it has absolutely nothing to do with God. It is a quest for knowledge and or a quest for power, by the way, without me going into it in great detail. Moloch worship is nothing more and nothing less than state worship. It is the worship of the state. It is the state is God. The king is God. Or as we would say today, government is God. And of course, here, Solomon then is just reaching for more and more power, et cetera.
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Now, so when you read about, "You shall not have your son or your daughter to pass through the fire," he's saying you should have nothing to do with Moloch. Now, go back if you would, please, because in verse 10, he says, you should not have anyone that uses divination or an observer of times or an enchanter or a witch. Now, someone that used divination was a soothsayer. He is someone that used enchantments or divined. He was someone usually that planted a curse or a ban upon someone. And I suppose the prime example of being a soothsayer would be no more than Balaam himself. You remember it was Balak, the king of Moab, who summoned Balaam, the soothsayer, so that he might end up cursing Israel. And of course, God forbade him to curse. In fact, Balaam himself said, "I cannot curse whom God has blessed." But when you get to Numbers 23 and verse 23, here's what Balaam says: "Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!"
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So he said, "I can't use enchantment. I can't use divination. I'm not going to be able to do this." So whenever you talk about an observer of times or enchanter or witch or enchantment, all of these things normally go together.
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Now, when you read of these things, it's nothing less than what you and I would call spiritism or magic or witchcraft or divining or fortune-telling. It is looking for signs and omens and trying to read them in order to discern the future. So many people look at the stars. They try to determine the future by horoscopes or the signs in the heavens. Our Lord condemned some folks for knowing about the clouds and not knowing the Lord's Word. But I mean, people look for signs all the time.
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And I remember years ago, I had a preacher come to me, and he was so excited. And I said, "Well, what's the excitement about?" He said, "Well, on the way here," he said, "I passed a field and three doves flew up." I said, "Really?" "Yes." I said, "So?" He said, "Well, don't you see? Three doves: one for God the Father, one for God the Son, one for God the Holy Spirit."
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I said, "Let me ask you a question. What if four doves had flown up? Who would the fourth one have been for? Or what about a dozen?" I said, "Are you trying to tell me that you're reading into three doves flying up out of a field that somehow it relates to the Trinity?" I mean, I certainly don't see the connection. I mean, I want to think about God. I want Him to be in all my thoughts, but I mean, you know, when you talk about trying to read omens and signs, you're talking about things that are forbidden.
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Let me give you an illustration. Hold Deuteronomy 18, but look in your Bibles to the book of Ezekiel, chapter 21 and verse 21. Here's the king of Babylon. I want you to see what he did in trying to discern which way to go. So here we are in the book of Ezekiel chapter 21 and verse 21. And the Bible says this: "For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way."
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So he had two choices. He could go one place or he can go another place. So the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of two ways. He stopped there because he didn't know which way to go. How is he going to determine? To use divination, he made his arrows bright, so he tried to consult with his arrows. He consulted with the images, that is his false gods. He looked into the liver, that is he killed an animal or possibly a man, cut his liver out and tried to read which way he should go in the liver. I mean, this is enchantment, this is divination, this is wizardry, this is spiritism, this is magic, this is witchcraft, this is all kind of stuff like that. Fortune telling.
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You know, I never will forget, it was my father who told me years ago when I was a boy that he and my mother were holding hands at a county fair and they passed the fortune teller's tent. And the fortune teller saw this young couple and she said, "Come in, and I'll tell you when you're going to get married." Daddy looked at her and said, "If you knew anything at all, you'd know we already were," and just kept walking. Well, I mean, you know, it's insane. I told our people this morning that I had an 11th grade teacher.
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She was a tall, beautiful woman. And every teenage boy in the class was in love with her. Didn't matter if she was already married. I mean, she was just a beautiful woman. And everybody was just infatuated with her. And she really disinfatuated me very quickly because I remembered what my dad had told me. And her husband was a revenue agent. And he was off somewhere for school and had to be off for two or three weeks.
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And she was telling us how she was supposed to go spend the weekend with him. And she stopped on the way out of town at a fortune teller's building. And the fortune teller told her not to go, reading her palm and all this other stuff, that she'd be involved in a wreck. And she turned around and went back home, called her husband, said she wasn't coming. Oh, he was mad. He was upset. Of course, I would have been mad and upset, too.
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And I thought to myself, how can someone with a degree in education be so stupid, you know, but that was her. But this is what God is saying. God is saying, look, all of these things are an abomination. In Leviticus chapter 19, verse 26, God made it plain. He said this, "You shall not eat anything with the blood, neither shall you use enchantment or observers of time." So witches, charmers, wizards, consultants of familiar spirits, all deal with that which is demonic and seek to know the future and direction apart from God. It is an attempt oftentimes to control people by the use of spells and bands and curses and potions.
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You remember that old song, those of us who were a little bit older, when I was a teenager, there was a song called "Love Potion Number Nine." "Love Potion Number Nine." In other words, you could get that potion and it would make your sweetheart love you. Well, that's a bunch of hooey. I mean, it's false, but this is what all this is about. And all such activity is not only a denial of God, it is also treason against God. Let me show you.
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I want you to turn to 2 Kings 1. Second Kings chapter one. Watch this carefully because Ahaziah, the king of Israel, has fallen down through a lattice. He's evidently hurt himself pretty badly and he has a lot of wounds and cuts and sores and he wants to know whether or not he's going to get well. So he sends some messengers to inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron. Well, they meet Elijah on the way. And Elijah essentially tells them to turn around and go back. And you tell Ahaziah, he's going to die. He's going to come off that bed on which he's going up. He's going to die.
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But look what he said. Second Kings, chapter one, watch verse 16. In fact, let's read verse, yeah, verse 16. "And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but thou shalt surely die." Now, the god of Ekron, Baalzebub, the word Baalzebub literally means "god of the filth" or "god of the flies." So evidently his sores had gotten infected and the flies were there, and so he's called to sin to Baalzebub. Elijah says, "Whoa, is it not because there's no God in Israel?" In other words, you betrayed God. You have acted treasonous against the one true and the living God. You're not only denying Him, you're betraying Him by going to Baalzebub.
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So all of these things that are mentioned here in Deuteronomy 18 deal with witchcraft, spiritism, magic. Now, one other thing, let me point out. If you look down in verse 12, I think it is, let's see. No, verse 11. He said, "or a charmer," that's using charms, "or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer." Now, what in the world is a necromancer? Well, the Greek word necros means dead. Okay? Now, if you have a wound, oftentimes you might go to a doctor and he'll look at the wound and he says, "Well, I need to cut out the necrotic tissue, the dead tissue." That's all. A necromancer is someone who talked to the dead. They were people who had a familiar spirit, supposedly, and could contact the dead on the other side.
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By the way, did you know that Abraham Lincoln held seances in the White House? He did. Anytime you have a seance, you're trying to contact the dead. You're trying to get information. You're trying to get knowledge apart from God. And God certainly condemns it. So all the necromancers, supposedly, have a familiar spirit as well.
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Now, God said in Leviticus 19 verse 11, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them: I am the Lord thy God."
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Now, I want you to look at verse 12 in Deuteronomy chapter 18. After he tells you not to do all these things, look in verse 12. He says, "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."
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Now the word abomination literally means a stench in God's nostrils. God said, anyone who does these things is an abomination. It is a stench in my nostrils. It is not just prohibited. It is not just condemned. It is an act of denial and treason against God. I want to give you a quote from John Calvin in relationship to this. It's a rather lengthy quote, but I want you to listen to it because he's encapsulating in a couple of paragraphs everything that I just told you. So listen carefully.
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He says, "Note, this was the sole object of the Gentiles or the Canaanites when they inquired of their magicians and sorcerers: to seek from heaven that knowledge of which they perceived themselves to be destitute. Thus, they undoubtedly confessed themselves to be overwhelmed with darkness, and that the light of understanding was a special gift of God, whence also came the name divination, because they were persuaded that secret things were not within the compass of human apprehension, but that this knowledge must come from divine inspiration."
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"But since by his machinations the devil perverts what is right in itself, these principles implanted in us, as I've said, by nature, have been corrupted by two errors." Now listen to these two errors. "For both an immoderate desire of knowing more than is lawful has crept into our minds. And then we've had recourse to illicit means of knowledge." So he says, first of all, you want to know that which you're not supposed to know. And secondly, you're trying to use wicked means to get that knowledge. He goes on. "From these sources, foolish curiosity and unrestrained temerity and audacity, all the superstitions and errors have flowed whereby the world has been assailed."
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"Therefore does God, by forbidding magical arts, introduce a remedy for these two diseases, which arts are perversely invented that they might search out and bring to light things which He has chosen to conceal. For the best rule of knowledge is sobriety, that it may suffice us to know as much as is expedient for us. The lust of men has carried them deeper so that they've desired to penetrate into all the most profound secrets. But the second error on which I've touched is much worse, that they should have sought by improper means to discover hidden things. We shall soon see that God also has foretold things to come by service, but no further than He knew to be profitable, and only with this object to make it manifest that He exercises special care for His church."
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"But since men's curiosity is insatiable, they do not consider what is useful for them, but like Adam, desire to be gods and to know all things without exceptions. When God indulges not these improper desires, they address themselves to the devil, the father of lies. Still, however, I've stated under the false disguise of God's name, this is the origin of all the vanities whereby the world has ever been entangled." And if you stop and think about that, all the world's know what God has forbidden, and they want to use the means that God has forbidden to acquire that knowledge. Or they want power that God has never ever given them.
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Now, let me ask you some questions. Since you know that all of these things are abomination because the Bible says so, here's my question. Why are you not involved in such satanic and demonic activities? Why are you not seeking power and knowledge from below? By the way, in case you do not know, there is a hellish wisdom and there is a heavenly wisdom. There's a big distinction between those two.
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So that does not mean that a wicked man may not be a wise man. He may be wise, but he's wise in that which is wicked. So let me show you, hold Deuteronomy 18, but turn in your Bibles to the book of James chapter three, James chapter three. And let's begin reading there with verse 14, just to show you the difference between a hellish wisdom and a heavenly wisdom. So he says in James 3, beginning there with verse 14, "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom," that is the wisdom that produces all this bitter envying and strife and lying, "this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish."
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In other words, it's hellish. Verse 16, "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." And then he says this, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." So he makes a big distinction there between a hellish wisdom and a heavenly wisdom as well.
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Let me go back to my question. Why are you not engaged in these magical arts? Why are you not involved? Well, I want you to look at verse 14. Deuteronomy 18, verse 14. Look what God says. "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 suffered thee so to do." Isn't that amazing? Here's what God is saying. I allowed all of these other nations to do this. They hated Me. They hated My Word. They didn't want to obey Me. They wanted their wickedness.
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I let them have it. But you, I restrained you. I held you back. Now that's grace. You remember that passage in Genesis chapter 20? You don't have to turn there. But Abraham had said that Sarah, his wife, was his sister. And she herself said that he was her brother. And Abimelech, the king, took her. And the Bible says that he had not touched her. Why? I don't know.
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She was a beautiful woman. Maybe the Lord gave him a case of 24-hour virus, I don't know. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said, "If you touch her, you're dead, man. I'm gonna kill you because she's another man's wife." You know what Abimelech said? "In the innocency of my hands and the integrity of my heart have I done this. Said she not to me, 'He is my brother'?" And you know what God said?
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Back to Abimelech. "Yea, I know that thou didst this in the innocency of thy hands and the integrity of thine heart. Therefore, I suffered thee not to touch her." I withheld you. I restrained you. The amazing thing is that God in His marvelous grace oftentimes restrains us from getting involved in things and doing things that we would normally do. You know what the Bible says in Acts chapter 14 and verse 16? It talks about God who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. But God did not suffer Israel at that point to walk in their own ways. He did not suffer them to walk in the arts of magic and spiritism and all that wickedness. No, He restrained them.
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Now, let me show you another passage. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter four. Here is a parallel passage that would actually reveal the same truth of Deuteronomy 18 in verse 14. If you look in 1 Corinthians chapter four and notice if you would please there, verse seven. 1 Corinthians chapter four and verse seven, the apostle asked these questions, "For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" So he asked, "Who maketh thee to differ from another?"
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In other words, why are you saved and somebody else is not saved? Why do you know the truth and other people do not know the truth? Why do you love the Lord and other people do not love the Lord? Why do you want to live holy when other people do not want to live holy? Who made you to differ? And the answer has to be God. And then he asked, "What hast thou that thou didst not receive?" I've given you everything. I gave you repentance. I gave you faith. I gave you knowledge. I gave you wisdom. Everything that you have, I gave you.
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And then he says, "Why then would you glory as if you had not received it?" It wasn't you. He said, it was Me. I restrained you. I kept you back. I gave you grace and I gave you mercy. So in this particular passage now, God tells them, "I did not suffer you to do this." Now, I want you to go back to verse nine. Look in Deuteronomy 18 verse nine, He said this, "When thou come into the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations."
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So once again, it's not knowing about, it's learning to do so. If Israel was not to learn to do after the abominations of those nations, what were they to learn to do? Well, let me show you. Let's go first to Deuteronomy chapter 4. Just show you several passages in Deuteronomy. Look in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and notice if you would please verse 10. You're going to see this over and over. Deuteronomy 4 and verse 10. In fact, we can look at verse 9.
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God says, "Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children."
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Now look at Deuteronomy chapter 14. Deuteronomy 14 and verse 23. Deuteronomy 14 verse 23. God says, "And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always." Now look in Deuteronomy 17, because here we're talking about the king. Deuteronomy 17 and verse 19. Look what God says about the king.
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"And it shall be with him," that is a copy of the law, a copy of God's Word. "And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them." One more passage in Deuteronomy, look in Deuteronomy 31, beginning there with verse 11. Deuteronomy 31 and verse 11. The Bible said, "When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: and that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it."
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Now, it is through obedience to God and His law that we learn to fear Him. And He said, this is what you must learn to do in order to please Him.
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Now, let me say this. I cannot overemphasize the fact that we need to learn God's Word and God's ways and God's will. How in the world can we please Him if we do not know what pleases Him? How can we obey Him if we do not know what His commands are? How can we abstain from that which displeases Him if we do not know what displeases Him?
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Now, I want to show you the New Testament application to this Old Testament truth. So I want you to turn to the book of Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. And you're going to see the same exact truth stated in different words, but it is still the same exact truth. So look in Ephesians chapter four, and I want us to read verses 17 through 24. Ephesians four, beginning there with verse 17, and we'll read through verse 24. Look what he says.
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"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ."
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"If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Now, it is true that God did not say in this passage, "Pass your children in the fire. Don't go to wizards. Don't go to witches. Don't use charmers. Don't look at omens." Now, He didn't say that, but He did say it and a whole lot more because look at it again in verse 17. He says this.
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"I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk." How do lost people walk? Watch it: "in the vanity of their mind." The word vanity means that which is useless, worthless. Note what the vain mind is, verse 18. It's a mind that has the understanding darkened. It is a mind that is alienated from the life of God. It is a mind of ignorance. It is a mind of blindness. And what does this blind, wicked mind cause them to do? Watch verse 19, "who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness," that is greediness, nakedness, lustfulness, "to work all uncleanness with greediness." Now watch verse 20.
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"But ye have not so learned Christ." Let me stop and emphasize something. You must learn Jesus Christ. You must learn Jesus Christ. This is why he was saying in Deuteronomy 18, you do not learn to do those things as the heathen do, but what you do is you learn to do what I tell you. You learn to do what I command you. So it's the same thing here in Ephesians chapter four. You're not learning to live like the heathen and to do like the heathen. You're learning to live the way God has commanded you in Jesus Christ. Now watch what he says, verse 20, "But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus." So if you have heard God the Father, if you have been taught by God the Father, if you have come savingly to Jesus Christ, then according to verse 22, you're going to put off the former conversation or the former conduct of the old man, that is the dead man, which is corrupt according
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to deceitful lusts. You will be renewed in the spirit of your mind and you will put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
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Now, here's an interesting thing. If you look back in verse 20, he said, "But ye have not so learned Christ." The word learned is the Greek word manthano and it literally means to learn, to increase one's knowledge, to hear, to be informed, now listen carefully, to learn by use and practice and to be in the habit of and be accustomed to. In other words, once you learn truth, once you learn biblical truth, once you learn Jesus Christ, you become accustomed, you get in the habit of living a holy, righteous, godly life. Yes, you're still a sinner, and yes, you still sin, but sinning is not your habit. It's not your custom. Righteousness is. Obedience is.
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One quick quote by John Calvin. Listen to what he said. He's drawing a contrast, and he's quoting from Ephesians 4. He says this. "He," that is the Apostle Paul, "now draws a contrast of the Christian life so as to make it evident how utterly inconsistent it is with the character of a godly man to defile himself regardlessly with the abominations of the Gentiles. Because the Gentiles walk in darkness, therefore they do not distinguish between right and wrong."
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"But those on whom the truth of God shines ought to live in a different manner. That those to whom the vanity of the senses is a rule of life should yield themselves up to base lusts, it's not surprising. But the doctrine of Christ teaches us to renounce our natural dispositions. He whose life differs not from that of unbelievers has learned nothing of Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh."
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Did you hear what he said? He whose life differs not from unbelievers has learned nothing of Jesus Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh. In other words, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." So obviously, clearly, he's telling us here that we cannot walk the way the unsaved walk. We can't live the way they live.
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Now, let me try to tie these things together. Now, let me make some applications. The first one is this. I hope and I pray that you not only see the necessity, but also the blessings of being taught. I've often thought what a blessing it is just to hear and to know and to be taught the Word of God. I endeavor to thank my Heavenly Father every day for that which He's shown me, that which He's taught me. I don't know everything. There's a lot I don't know. I confess that. But I do know what the Bible says, and I do know that the Bible is truth, and I want to obey the Word of God.
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Now, let me ask you a question. How are we going to escape the world? How are we going to escape all the wickedness that is being plotted against us even to this point? I don't know if you've done any reading on this 5G technology, but I would encourage you to do so, because a lot of it is very scary. Everybody knows back 30, 40 years ago, you had MKUltra.
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mind control projects, let me tell you, that's kindergarten stuff to what's available today. It really is. So my question is, in light of all the problems that we're facing, and of all the technology that we're facing, how are we going to keep our minds pure and clean? Let me show you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 Peter chapter one, 2 Peter chapter one. And I want to point this out and emphasize it clearly. 2 Peter chapter one, beginning there with verse two, Peter writes and he says, "Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."
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"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." So how do we escape the corruption of the world? How do we escape the pollutions of the world? It's not just the exceeding great and precious promises. Yes, it is that. But go back to verse two.
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He says, "Grace and peace be multiplied in you." How? "Through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord." Then look in verse three. "According as his divine power hath given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us unto glory and virtue." And though we know Him, we also know His Word. That Word, that truth needs to be in our minds. It needs to be in our hearts. It needs to be underscored a thousand times. And it's only through the knowledge of God and His Word that we're going to escape anything. And we need to learn to be thankful for everything that God teaches us and shows us.
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The second one is this. We need to also grasp the realization that all of the things that the heathen do in seeking knowledge and power is an abomination unto God. They're not only hateful unto God and repugnant unto God. He says that those who engage in those things are an abomination unto Him. Why would anyone purposefully provoke God? To be honest, I want to give Him all the benefit of the doubt.
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I'm not even going to look at a horoscope. My future is not in the stars. The stars do not determine what's going to happen to me or what does not happen to me. David said, "My times are in thy hand." He holdeth our soul in life. God is in charge, not the stars, not a fortune teller, not anything like that. It's God. And whether you begin to try to seek knowledge, whether it be in fun or jest or seriousness, you're in trouble. I'm not going to look at those little crystal balls. I'm not going to ask some stupid little ball a question. I don't know. You said that's harmless fun. No, it's not harmless fun. You're just seeking something apart from God. I have a friend, or had a friend, he's now dead, got into some very serious trouble with God and he was a preacher because he did something on him and it cursed his family.
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until it was really dealt with in a very strong biblical manner. I'm just saying you can't do things that God condemns and think you're going to escape the punishment. Listen, if you would, to Leviticus 18 verses 26 through 28. God says this. "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you."
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Now listen, "For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled; that the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you." Now, God said these Canaanites were so wicked and so vile, the land vomited them out. The land spewed them out. And God said, if you do what they did, the land's going to spew you out as well.
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Now, it's not just people that get spewed out. It's not just nations that get spewed out. If you look in your Bibles to the book of Revelation, chapter three, it is also churches that get spewed out. Notice Revelation 3, beginning there with verse 14. "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God."
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"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." God said, I can't stomach you. I'll spit you out. Churches get spewed out just like people, just like nations. Because we learn to do what the heathen do. We should learn to pray as David prayed. David gave us a very good prayer request in Psalm 119 and verse 66 when he said this, "Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments." So our knowledge and our judgment should come from God and His truth.
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If we say that we believe, we need to do. So God says, do not learn to do what the heathen did. You learn to do what I say. And where we are today is our nation, our people, our churches have not learned to do that which God commands. As He spewed out Laodicea, He'll spew us out as well. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow before Thee.
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We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You for the warning. We thank You for Your commands and help us, Lord, to discern between truth and error. Help us to learn to do that which is right and holy, and help us not to do that which is wicked and wrong. Give us grace that we may serve Thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
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In Thy name we pray, Amen.
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so
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T23:47:35Z

Learning The Difference Between Truth And Error

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver expounds Deuteronomy 18:9-14, warning believers not to learn the abominable practices of the heathen—such as child sacrifice, divination, witchcraft, and necromancy—which are a stench to God. He contrasts the forbidden pursuit of knowledge and power through demonic means with the commanded learning of God's Word and fear of the Lord. The New Testament parallel in Ephesians 4 shows that those who have learned Christ put off the old man and walk in righteousness. Applications emphasize gratitude for being taught truth, avoiding all occult practices, and escaping worldly corruption through the knowledge of God.

Introduction: The Importance of Knowledge and the Command in Deuteronomy 18:9

Knowledge is emphasized in Scripture, but God commanded Israel not to learn to do the abominations of the Canaanites. The problem is learning error instead of truth.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 18:9-14

"When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations." "There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 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. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. For those nations which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times and unto diviners, but as for thee, the Lord hath not suffered thee so to do."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:17

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat thereof, for in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die."

The Command Explained: Not Learning to Do, Not Ignorance

God did not forbid knowing about the heathen's wickedness, but learning to practice it. Israel was to avoid acting, looking, living, and worshiping like the heathen.

The Danger of Curiosity and the Depths of Satan

Curiosity can lead to forbidden knowledge. Believers should know Satan's devices but not delve into his depths; focus should be on God's righteousness.

Scripture Reading — 2 Corinthians 2:11

"Lest Satan get an advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices."

And our Lord is speaking to a church. Note what He says. Revelation 2 and verse 24. He said,

Scripture Reading — Revelation 2:24

"But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden."

But note He talked about the depths of Satan. So we are not to be occupied with the depths of Satan. It may be one thing to know about his methodology, his devices, but not his depths.

The Forbidden Practices: Moloch, Divination, Witchcraft, and Necromancy

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 29:29

So God has forbidden us to know some things. Now, I want you to go back, if you would, to Deuteronomy chapter 18. And let's begin looking at verse 10. And I'll go ahead and read through verse 14, because I want to try to summarize this for us. And Deuteronomy 18 and verse 10, God says, "There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations, the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. 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 suffered thee so to do." Now, look if you would please at verse 10.

He said,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 18:21

"There shall not be found among you anyone that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire."

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 18:21

"And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Moloch, neither shalt thou profane the name of the Lord thy God: I am the Lord."

Now, God says you're not going to let any of your children pass through the fire to Moloch.

Scripture Reading — Ezekiel 21:21

"For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way."

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 19:26

"You shall not eat anything with the blood, neither shall you use enchantment or observers of time."

Now, God said in Leviticus 19 verse 11,

Scripture Reading — Leviticus 19:31

"Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards to be defiled by them: I am the Lord thy God."

The Nature of the Abomination: Treason Against God

Why Believers Are Restrained: God's Sovereign Grace

God did not suffer Israel to do these things; He restrained them by grace. Similarly, believers differ from the world only because God gave them repentance, faith, and knowledge.

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom,"

that is the wisdom that produces all this bitter envying and strife and lying,

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"this wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish."

In other words, it's hellish. Verse 16,

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."

And then he says this,

Scripture Reading — James 3:14-17

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy."

So he makes a big distinction there between a hellish wisdom and a heavenly wisdom as well.

What Israel Was to Learn: The Fear of the Lord

Instead of learning heathen practices, Israel was commanded to learn to fear the Lord through hearing and obeying His Word (Deuteronomy 4:10; 14:23; 17:19; 31:11-13).

God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 14:23

"Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; especially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children."

Now look at Deuteronomy chapter 14. Deuteronomy 14 and verse 23. Deuteronomy 14 verse 23. God says,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 14:23

"And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always."

Now look in Deuteronomy 17, because here we're talking about the king. Deuteronomy 17 and verse 19. Look what God says about the king.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 17:19

"And it shall be with him,"

that is a copy of the law, a copy of God's Word.

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 17:19

"And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them."

One more passage in Deuteronomy, look in Deuteronomy 31, beginning there with verse 11. Deuteronomy 31 and verse 11. The Bible said,

Scripture Reading — Deuteronomy 17:19

"When all Israel is come to appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing. Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the Lord your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: and that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it."

Now, it is through obedience to God and His law that we learn to fear Him. And He said, this is what you must learn to do in order to please Him.

New Testament Application: Learning Christ vs. Walking as Gentiles

Applications: Gratitude for Teaching, Avoiding Occult, Escaping Corruption

Believers should be thankful for being taught God's Word, avoid all occult practices even in jest, and escape worldly corruption through the knowledge of God (2 Peter 1:2-4).

Conclusion: Learning to Do What God Commands

As God spewed out Laodicea for lukewarmness, He will spew out those who learn the heathen's ways. Believers must learn to do what God commands, praying for good judgment and knowledge from His truth.

In Thy name we pray, Amen.

Learning The Difference Between Truth And Error

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	oMXbobzoJmw
Subject	Old Testament Studies
Course	Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom: Can We All Just Get Along?
Genre	Sermon
Date	2020-09-20
Dictation Name
Book	Book 082: Proverbs: The Fear of the Lord and Wisdom - Volume 2 — Chapter 27
Source Timed Segments	86

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Importance of Knowledge and the Command in Deuteronomy 18:9: Knowledge is emphasized in Scripture, but God commanded Israel not to learn to do the abominations of the Canaanites. The problem is learning error instead of truth.
The Command Explained: Not Learning to Do, Not Ignorance: God did not forbid knowing about the heathen's wickedness, but learning to practice it. Israel was to avoid acting, looking, living, and worshiping like the heathen.
The Danger of Curiosity and the Depths of Satan: Curiosity can lead to forbidden knowledge. Believers should know Satan's devices but not delve into his depths; focus should be on God's righteousness.
The Forbidden Practices: Moloch, Divination, Witchcraft, and Necromancy: God lists abominations including child sacrifice to Moloch, divination, observing times, enchantments, witchcraft, charming, consulting familiar spirits, wizardry, and necromancy—all seeking knowledge or power apart from God.
The Nature of the Abomination: Treason Against God: These practices are a stench in God's nostrils, an act of denial and treason. John Calvin's quote explains that they stem from an immoderate desire to know more than is lawful and using illicit means.
Why Believers Are Restrained: God's Sovereign Grace: God did not suffer Israel to do these things; He restrained them by grace. Similarly, believers differ from the world only because God gave them repentance, faith, and knowledge.
What Israel Was to Learn: The Fear of the Lord: Instead of learning heathen practices, Israel was commanded to learn to fear the Lord through hearing and obeying His Word (Deuteronomy 4:10; 14:23; 17:19; 31:11-13).
New Testament Application: Learning Christ vs. Walking as Gentiles: Ephesians 4:17-24 parallels Deuteronomy 18: believers have not so learned Christ; they put off the old man and put on the new man in righteousness and true holiness. Learning Christ means habitual holy living.
Applications: Gratitude for Teaching, Avoiding Occult, Escaping Corruption: Believers should be thankful for being taught God's Word, avoid all occult practices even in jest, and escape worldly corruption through the knowledge of God (2 Peter 1:2-4).
Conclusion: Learning to Do What God Commands: As God spewed out Laodicea for lukewarmness, He will spew out those who learn the heathen's ways. Believers must learn to do what God commands, praying for good judgment and knowledge from His truth.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Curiosity and illicit means corrupt the natural desire for knowledge

John Calvin's quote argues that the heathen's errors came from an immoderate desire to know more than is lawful and using wicked means to gain knowledge.

The speaker reads Calvin's quote explaining the two errors: desiring forbidden knowledge and using illicit means.

Solomon's old age led him to seek power from false gods

Solomon introduced Moloch worship in his old age, seeking power from below instead of from God, illustrating the danger of turning from God.

1 Kings 11:4-7 shows Solomon's heart turned to Milcom/Molech; the speaker notes old age complaints of lack of ability and power.

Occult practices are treason against God

Inquiring of Baalzebub instead of God was an act of betrayal, as Elijah rebuked Ahaziah for acting as if there were no God in Israel.

2 Kings 1:16 records Elijah's rebuke; the speaker calls it treason and denial of God.

Hellish wisdom vs. heavenly wisdom

James 3:14-17 distinguishes between earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom that produces envy and strife, and heavenly wisdom that is pure and peaceable.

The speaker reads James 3:14-17 to contrast the two wisdoms.

Learning Christ means mortification of the flesh

Calvin's quote states that the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh; a life no different from unbelievers shows nothing of Christ has been learned.

The speaker quotes Calvin on Ephesians 4, linking learning Christ to putting off the old man.

Escape from worldly corruption comes through the knowledge of God

2 Peter 1:2-4 teaches that grace, peace, and escape from corruption come through the knowledge of God and His precious promises.

The speaker reads 2 Peter 1:2-4 and emphasizes knowledge of God as the means of escape.

Scripture References

Deuteronomy 18:9-14: The primary text: God commands Israel not to learn the abominations of the Canaanites, listing forbidden practices.
Genesis 2:17: God's command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, illustrating the importance of knowledge and obedience.
Proverbs 1:4,7: Wisdom gives subtlety to the simple; the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.
2 Corinthians 2:11: We are not ignorant of Satan's devices, but should not delve into his depths.
Revelation 2:24: The Lord speaks of those who have not known the depths of Satan, implying believers should avoid such knowledge.
Deuteronomy 29:29: Secret things belong to the Lord; revealed things belong to us and our children to obey.
Leviticus 18:21: God forbids letting children pass through the fire to Moloch, profaning His name.
1 Kings 11:4-7: Solomon's heart turned to Ashtoreth, Milcom/Molech, and Chemosh, introducing Moloch worship to Israel.
Numbers 23:23: Balaam declares no enchantment or divination can work against Israel; God's blessing prevails.
Ezekiel 21:21: The king of Babylon uses divination, arrows, images, and liver inspection to choose his path.
Leviticus 19:26: God forbids eating blood and using enchantment or observing times.
2 Kings 1:16: Elijah rebukes Ahaziah for inquiring of Baalzebub instead of God, calling it treason.
Leviticus 19:31: God commands not to regard familiar spirits or seek wizards, lest they be defiled.
James 3:14-17: Contrast between earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom and heavenly wisdom that is pure and peaceable.
Acts 14:16: God in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, but He restrained Israel.
1 Corinthians 4:7: Who makes you to differ? What do you have that you did not receive? God's grace makes the difference.
Deuteronomy 4:9-10: Israel was to teach their children to fear the Lord and hear His words.
Deuteronomy 14:23: Tithing was to teach Israel to fear the Lord always.
Deuteronomy 17:19: The king was to read the law daily to learn to fear the Lord and keep His statutes.
Deuteronomy 31:11-13: Public reading of the law was to teach all Israel and their children to fear the Lord and obey.

Historical References

John Calvin: Quoted at length on the origin of magical arts: immoderate desire to know more than lawful and recourse to illicit means. Also quoted on Ephesians 4: learning Christ inseparable from mortification of the flesh.
Abraham Lincoln: Mentioned as having held seances in the White House, illustrating necromancy and attempts to contact the dead.
MKUltra: Referenced as a past mind control project, compared to modern technology like 5G, to illustrate the need for pure minds.
Moloch/Milcom/Molech worship: Explained as a power religion involving child sacrifice or dedication; introduced to Israel by Solomon in his old age.
Balaam the soothsayer: Mentioned as a prime example of a diviner who was hired to curse Israel but could not because God blessed them.
King Ahaziah and Baalzebub: Ahaziah sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub (god of Ekron) about his recovery; Elijah rebuked him for treason against God.
Abimelech and Sarah: God restrained Abimelech from touching Sarah because of his integrity, illustrating God's restraining grace.

Important Quotes

When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

The central command of the sermon: God forbids learning to practice heathen abominations, not merely knowing about them.

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.

Declares the severity of occult practices as a stench to God and the reason for the Canaanites' judgment.

But as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Highlights God's restraining grace that kept Israel from these abominations, a key theme of the message.

He whose life differs not from that of unbelievers has learned nothing of Christ. For the knowledge of Christ cannot be separated from the mortification of the flesh.

Calvin's quote emphasizing that true learning of Christ necessarily produces a holy life distinct from the world.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

What is the difference between learning about the world's wickedness and learning to do it? How can we guard against crossing that line?

[Context]

Based on Deuteronomy 18:9 and the speaker's emphasis that God forbids learning to do, not learning about.

[Question]

Why is curiosity about forbidden spiritual practices so dangerous? How does Calvin's explanation of 'immoderate desire' and 'illicit means' apply today?

[Context]

The speaker warns about curiosity and quotes Calvin on the two errors behind magical arts.

[Question]

In what ways might modern Christians be tempted to seek knowledge or power apart from God? How can we recognize and resist these temptations?

[Context]

The speaker mentions horoscopes, fortune-telling, and even seemingly harmless fun as potential gateways.

[Question]

How does the concept of God's restraining grace (Deuteronomy 18:14; 1 Corinthians 4:7) affect your view of your own salvation and sanctification?

[Context]

The speaker emphasizes that God sovereignly keeps His people from many sins they would otherwise commit.

[Question]

What does it practically mean to 'learn Christ' according to Ephesians 4:20-24? How does this learning change our habits and customs?

[Context]

The speaker explains that learning Christ means habitual holy living, not just intellectual knowledge.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a greater fear of the Lord through His Word, as commanded in Deuteronomy? What practices help you learn to fear Him?

[Context]

The speaker contrasts learning heathen ways with learning to fear God through Scripture reading and obedience.

[Question]

Why does God consider occult practices an 'abomination' and treason? How should this shape our attitude toward even casual involvement with horoscopes, Ouija boards, or psychic entertainment?

[Context]

The speaker calls these practices a stench in God's nostrils and an act of betrayal.

[Question]

According to 2 Peter 1:2-4, how do we escape the corruption in the world? What role does the knowledge of God play in your daily battle against sin?

[Context]

The speaker points to knowledge of God and His promises as the means of escape from worldly pollution.

Applications

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