AUGUST 18, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:24 Asher is most blessed of sons; let him be favored by his brothers and let him dip his foot in oil. When Asher, whose name means “happy,” was born Leah said she was very fortunate to have been blessed with another son (Gen. 30:13). That is why she called him Asher; it was […]
AUGUST 17, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:23 O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full of the blessing of the Lord; possess the west and the south. The land that was allotted for the tribe of Naphtali was some of the richest and most fertile land in all of Israel. In fact, Naphtali’s territory encompassed much of what is called […]
AUGUST 16, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:22 Dan is a lion’s whelp; he shall leap from Bashan. The name Dan means “to judge,” and so very often, the tribe of Dan is represented on banners with a scale symbolizing justice. When Jacob blessed and prophesied of this tribe, he referred to Dan as a serpent: “Dan shall be a […]
AUGUST 15, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:20-21 Blessed is he who enlarges Gad; he dwells as a lion, and tears the arm and the crown of his head. He provided the first part for himself, because a lawgiver’s portion was reserved there. He came with the heads of the people; he administered the justice of the Lord, and His judgments with Israel. This is Moses’ […]
AUGUST 14, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:18-19 Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out, and Issachar in your tents! They shall call the peoples to the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness for they shall partake of the abundance of the seas and of treasures hidden in the sand. In these verses, Moses blessed two tribes who were, apparently, in somewhat of a partnership. […]
AUGUST 13, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:16 Let the blessing come on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers. With this statement, Moses actually quotes what Jacob had said of Joseph just before he died. If he repeats Jacob, as it were, it merits our attention. There is no doubt […]
It's normal to look to the spiritual world for answers. Uncertainty about the future, difficulty rendering an important decision, apprehension over an unpredictable circumstance, or even simple curiosity inspires people to seek information from the supernatural.
The Torah warns us not to seek spiritual direction from the occult. God forbids us to consult soothsayers, palm readers, fortune-tellers, mediums, psychics, and the like. Horoscopes, séances, Ouija boards, divination, spell-casting, and all other forms of occult arts are utterly forbidden. The Torah says that whoever practices occult arts is “detestable to the LORD” (Deuteronomy 18:12).
For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so. (Deuteronomy 18:14)
The Didache, a compendium of instructions to Gentile believers composed sometime in the late first century or early second century, states that occultism is a form of idolatry:
Thou shalt not practice magic, thou shalt not practice witchcraft. … My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leads the way to idolatry; neither an enchanter, nor an astrologer, nor a purifier, nor be willing to took at these things; for out of all these idolatry is engendered. (Didache 2:2; 3:4)
The occult is the realm of the demonic. Playing with the occult is an invitation to bring demonic activity into our lives. Rather than turn to the occult for contact with the supernatural, Israel is to turn to God's prophets.
Wouldn't it be nice if there were reliable prophets like Moses today? Imagine having the ability to seek counsel directly from God. Suppose you were trying to decide whether a certain person was right for you to marry. Few decisions in life are so momentous. If there was ever a time to seek spiritual direction, it would be at that moment. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to go to a reliable and true prophet of God and ask the question? The prophet could consult the LORD on your behalf, and you would receive a direct answer.
On rare occasions, the gift of prophecy did function like that, but the prophet of God was not a kosher fortune-teller. The true prophet could only speak what God gave him to speak. He could not force an answer from God. Ordinarily it was God who initiated a prophecy by sending a prophet out to deliver a message.
In today's world, true prophets are sparse. “Word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent” (1 Samuel 3:1). But we are not left without spiritual direction. We have the written Word of God, which was spoken and recorded by the prophets. Our Bible is the written transcript of God's conversations with the prophets. The books of the prophets preserve the living voice of God, offer concrete spiritual direction, and reveal the future. When we are in need of spiritual direction, the first place we should look is inside our Bibles.
We have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts (2 Peter 1:19).
Remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets (2 Peter 3:2)
Shoftim – שֹׁפְטִים : “Judges” Torah : Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 Haftarah : Isaiah 51:12-52:12 Gospel : Matthew 26:47-27:10
AUGUST 12, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:13-14 And of Joseph he said: “Blessed of the Lord is his land, with the precious things of heaven, with the dew, and the deep lying beneath, with the precious fruits of the sun, with the precious produce of the moon.” Following the blessing pronounced upon Benjamin is Moses’ blessing for the tribe of Joseph […]
AUGUST 11, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:12 Of Benjamin he said: “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; and he shall dwell between His shoulders.” Most everyone knows that the Temple of God was established on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem which was in the heart of the land allotment […]
AUGUST 10, 2023 Deuteronomy 33:8-9 And of Levi he said: “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim be with Your holy one, whom You tested at Massah, and with whom You contended at the waters of Meribah — who says of his father and mother, ‘I have not seen them’; nor did he acknowledge his brothers, or know his own children; for they […]
