What practices in 2 Kings 21:6 are condemned by God throughout Scripture? Verse Snapshot: 2 Kings 21:6 “He sacrificed his son in the fire, practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.” Four Sinful Practices Mentioned • Child sacrifice • Sorcery • Divination • Consulting mediums and spiritists God’s Consistent Verdict on Each Practice Child sacrifice • Leviticus 18:21 — “You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech.” • Leviticus 20:2-5 — Penalty of death; the LORD’s face set against offenders. • Deuteronomy 12:31 — “They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire.” Detestable. • Deuteronomy 18:10 — Clear prohibition. • Psalm 106:37-38; Jeremiah 7:30-32; Ezekiel 16:20-21 — Condemned as bloodshed that defiles the land. Sorcery • Exodus 22:18 — “You must not allow a sorceress to live.” • Deuteronomy 18:10-12 — Those who practice sorcery are “detestable.” • Galatians 5:19-21 — Works of the flesh; those who practice them “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” • Acts 19:19 — New believers burn their magic books. • Revelation 21:8; 22:15 — Sorcerers consigned to the lake of fire and excluded from the Holy City. Divination • Deuteronomy 18:10 — Categorized with sorcery; “detestable to the LORD.” • Numbers 22-24 — Balaam rebuked for divination motives (cf. Joshua 13:22). • 1 Samuel 15:23 — “Rebellion is like the sin of divination.” • Ezekiel 13:6-9 — False prophets condemned for “lying divinations.” • Acts 16:16-18 — Paul casts out the spirit of divination. Consulting mediums and spiritists • Leviticus 19:31 — “Do not turn to mediums or spiritists.” • Leviticus 20:6 — God sets His face against those who do. • Leviticus 20:27 — Capital offense in Israel. • Isaiah 8:19 — “Should not a people consult their God?” • 1 Samuel 28:3-20 — Saul’s tragic visit to the medium at En-dor leads to his downfall. Why These Practices Are So Serious • They reject God’s exclusive right to life and death (Genesis 9:5-6; Deuteronomy 32:39). • They violate the first two commandments by seeking power or guidance outside the LORD (Exodus 20:3-5). • They open the door to demonic influence (1 Corinthians 10:20-21). • They deny the sufficiency of God’s Word and Spirit for guidance (Psalm 119:105; John 16:13). Key Takeaway Across both Old and New Testaments, God consistently condemns child sacrifice, sorcery, divination, and communication with the dead because they usurp His authority, devalue human life, and entangle people with spiritual darkness. The call is always the same: turn from these practices and seek the living God alone (Isaiah 55:6-7). |
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