What modern practices might parallel the actions described in 2 Kings 21:6? 2 Kings 21:6—What Happened? “Manasseh also burned his son in the fire, practiced divination and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.” Modern Parallels to Child Sacrifice • Legalized abortion—terminating life in the womb for convenience, career, or perceived personal freedom • Selective embryo reduction or destruction in fertility treatments • Some forms of radical population-control policies that treat children as disposable obstacles instead of blessings (Psalm 127:3) • Cultural acceptance of violence or exploitation against children through pornography, trafficking, or entertainment that normalizes their harm Modern Expressions of Divination and Sorcery • Horoscopes, astrology apps, and zodiac-based decision making • Tarot cards, oracle decks, runes, pendulums • Ritual magic, spell-casting, and “manifesting” practices promoted on social media • Crystals charged for healing or guidance • Drug-induced “vision quests” or psychedelic “medicine” ceremonies (Galatians 5:20, Greek pharmakeia—sorcery) Consulting Mediums and Spiritists Today • Psychic hotlines, celebrity mediums, séance livestreams • Channeling “spirit guides,” automatic writing, or “light language” • Ghost-hunting shows that invite communication with the dead, ignoring Isaiah 8:19: “Should not a people consult their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?” Idolatry and Occult Symbols in Everyday Life • Wearing pentagrams, evil-eye charms, or sigils as fashion statements • Video games, music, and movies that glamorize witchcraft and demonology • Corporate or sports “idols” that receive devotion, time, and money once reserved for the Lord (1 John 5:21) • Obsession with influencers whose guidance replaces Scripture A Call to Discernment and Holiness • Deuteronomy 18:10-12 warns that divination, sorcery, and child sacrifice are “detestable to the LORD.” • 2 Corinthians 6:17: “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.” • Ephesians 5:11: “Have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” By recognizing these modern parallels, believers can reject every contemporary form of Manasseh’s sins and walk in the light of God’s unchanging Word. |
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