Divination, the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means, is a recurring theme in the Bible, often associated with pagan practices and condemned by God. Despite its prohibition, there are instances in Scripture where individuals resorted to divination in times of difficulty, revealing the tension between human desperation and divine command.

King Saul and the Medium at Endor

One of the most notable instances of divination in the Bible is King Saul's consultation with the medium at Endor. As Saul faced the Philistine army and the Lord did not answer him through dreams, Urim, or prophets, he sought out a medium to summon the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel. This act of desperation is recorded in 1 Samuel 28:7-8 : "Then Saul said to his servants, 'Find me a woman who is a medium, so I can go and consult her.' 'There is a medium at Endor,' his servants replied. So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman by night, and Saul said, 'Consult a spirit for me. Bring up for me the one I name.'"

Saul's actions were in direct violation of God's commands, as he had previously expelled mediums and spiritists from the land (1 Samuel 28:3). This incident underscores the gravity of turning to forbidden practices in times of crisis and the spiritual peril it entails.

The Diviners of Babylon

In the Book of Daniel, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar sought the counsel of diviners, magicians, and astrologers to interpret his troubling dreams. Daniel 2:2 states, "So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came and stood before the king..." These practitioners of divination were unable to reveal the king's dream or its interpretation, highlighting the limitations of human wisdom and the futility of relying on such practices.

In contrast, Daniel, a servant of the Most High God, was granted divine insight to interpret the dream, demonstrating the superiority of God's wisdom over human attempts at divination.

The People of Israel

Throughout their history, the Israelites were warned against engaging in divination and consulting with those who practiced it. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 clearly states, "Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, practices divination or conjury, interprets omens, practices sorcery, casts spells, consults a medium or spiritist, or inquires of the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable things the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you."

Despite these warnings, there were times when the Israelites fell into the sin of divination, often during periods of spiritual decline and difficulty. This disobedience led to severe consequences, including divine judgment and exile.

Conclusion

The practice of divination in the Bible is consistently portrayed as contrary to God's will. Those who resorted to it in times of difficulty often faced dire consequences, serving as a cautionary tale for believers to seek God's guidance and wisdom rather than turning to forbidden practices.Daniel 2:2
Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Daniel 4:6,7
Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Sibylline Oracles.
... rabbinic practice, and the animal sacrifices referred to may be those offered by ...
We find also a seeming reference to the total immersion practised by the early ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... not the place to describe the difficulties of marriage ... Timothy, and shaved his own
head, practised going barefoot ... lest they should be compared to those who were ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

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