Visiting Family With Occult Practices Biblically
Biblical texts consistently condemn occult practices, viewing them as an abomination to God and a departure from proper worship [3, 4]. This prohibition extends to various forms of divination, sorcery, necromancy, and consulting familiar spirits [1, 3]. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 explicitly lists practices such as making one's child pass through fire, divination, soothsaying, enchanting, witchcraft, charming, consulting a medium or a spiritist, and inquiring of the dead, stating that "everyone who does these things is an abomination to the Lord" [3, 11].
The Hebrew term for a person with a "familiar spirit" is 'ob, which can refer to both the individual and the possessing spirit, akin to the Greek pytho [1]. These individuals were believed to call up the dead to answer questions [1]. Such practices were strictly forbidden in ancient Israel, and their presence often indicated periods of apostasy or heresy [4]. Malachi 3:5 indicates God's swift judgment against sorcerers, emphasizing divine omniscience even when humans believe their sins are unseen [10].
The Bible also addresses the issue of association with those who engage in forbidden practices. Deuteronomy 13:6 warns against even close family members—a brother, son, daughter, spouse, or dear friend—who secretly suggest worshipping other gods [2]. This highlights the potential for influence from those within one's intimate circle. Jacob, for instance, instructed his household to "put away the strange gods" that were among them, suggesting that even his Mesopotamian retainers had brought superstitious practices into his camp [6]. This indicates a need for spiritual purification within the household when such influences are present [6].
The concept of spiritual separation is also evident in Ezekiel 44:7, where the profaning of God's sanctuary is linked to bringing in "foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh," who break God's covenant by adding to abominations [5]. While this passage refers to physical presence in the sanctuary, it underscores the principle that those who are spiritually "uncircumcised" or engaged in abominable practices are not to be integrated into sacred spaces or practices.
From a theological perspective, John Calvin emphasizes that the union between believers and God is like a "holy wedlock," requiring "conjugal chastity" from believers. This means not "prostitut[ing] our souls to Satan" through "foul carnal lusts" [8]. He likens apostasy to spiritual adultery, indicating the seriousness of turning away from God through forbidden practices [8]. Calvin also stresses that God values obedience above all else, as stated in Jeremiah 7:22, where God declares that he did not command burnt offerings or sacrifices but rather the command to "obey my voice" [12]. This implies that engaging in occult practices is a direct act of disobedience to God's commands.
Early Christian writings also touch upon the need for believers to maintain spiritual purity. The Apostolic Constitutions encourage believers to "visit orphans and widows" and those "harassed by evil" [7], implying a compassionate engagement with those in need, but within a framework of walking "without offence" [7]. Lactantius, in discussing Jewish and Gentile observances, questions whether those who adhere to certain customs concerning ritual impurity refrain from prayer or touching the Bible, suggesting that such practices indicate a lack of the Holy Spirit, which "always continues with the faithful" [9]. This implies that engagement with practices deemed spiritually impure could hinder one's connection to the Holy Spirit.
While the Bible does not explicitly detail how to interact with family members who practice the occult, the overarching theme is one of separation from such practices and a commitment to God's commands. The emphasis is on maintaining spiritual purity and avoiding anything that would constitute an abomination to God or lead one away from Him [2, 3, 4].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Familiar spirit — Sorcerers or necormancers, who professed to call up the dead to answer questions, were said to have a "familiar spirit" (Deut. 18:11; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6; Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Isa. 8:19; 29:4). Such a person was called by the Hebrews an 'ob, which properly means a leathern bottle; for sorcerers were regarded as vessels containing the inspiring demon. This Hebrew word was equivalent to the pytho of the Greeks, and was used to denote both the person and the spirit which possessed him (Lev. 20:27; 1 Sam. 28:8; comp. Acts 16:16). The word "familiar" ”
- Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 13:6 (BBE) — If your brother, the son of your mother, or your son or your daughter or the wife of your heart, or the friend who is as dear to you as your life, working on you secretly says to you, Let us go and give worship to other gods, strange to you and to your fathers;”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Divination — An abominable practice -- 1Sa 15:23. All who practised it, abominable -- De 18:12. Practised by Diviners. -- De 18:14. Enchanters. -- De 18:10; Jer 27:9. Witches. -- Ex 22:18; De 18:10. Charmers. -- De 18:11. Wizards. -- De 18:11; 1Sa 28:3. Consulters of familiar spirits. -- De 18:11. Magicians. -- Ge 41:8; Da 4:7. Astrologers. -- Isa 47:13; Da 4:7. Sorcerers. -- Jer 27:9; Ac 13:6,8. Necromancers. -- De 18:11. Soothsayers. -- Isa 2:6; Da 2:27. False prophets. -- Jer 14:14; Eze 13:3,6. Effected through Enchantments. -- Ex 7:11; Nu 24:1. Sorcery. -- Isa 47”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Magic, Magicians — Magic is "the science or practice of evoking spirits, or educing the occult powers of nature to produce effects apparently supernatural." It formed an essential element in many ancient religions, especially among the Persians, Chaldeans and Egyptians. The Hebrews had no magic of their own. It was so strictly forbidden by the law that it could never afterward have had any: recognized existence, save in times of general heresy or apostasy and the same was doubtless the case in the patriarchal ages. The magical practices which obtained among the Hebrew”
- Ezekiel “in that you have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to profane it, even my house, when you offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant, to add to all your abominations. -- Ezekiel 44:7”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 35:2: Then Jacob said unto his household . . . Put away the strange gods that are among you--Hebrew, "gods of the stranger," of foreign nations. Jacob had brought, in his service, a number of Mesopotamian retainers, who were addicted to superstitious practices; and there is some reason to fear that the same high testimony as to the religious superintendence of his household could not have been borne of him as was done of Abraham (Gen 18:19). He might have been too negligent hitherto in winking at these evils in his servants; or, perhaps, it was not till his”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 8: Twelve Patriarchs, Excerpts, Epistles, Apocrypha, Decretals — CHAP. XII. -- RULES FOR VISITS, EXORCISMS, AND HOW PEOPLE ARE TO ASSIST THE SICK, AND TO WALK IN ALL THINGS WITHOUT OFFENCE. (part 1): Moreover, also, this is comely and useful, that a man "visit orphans and widows," [21] and especially those poor persons who have many children. These things are, without controversy, required of the servants of God, and comely and suitable for them. This also, again, is suitable and right and comely for those who are brethren in Christ, that they should visit those who are harassed by evi”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 44: . the union by which he connects us with himself, when he receives us into the bosom of the Church, having some resemblance to that of holy wedlock, because founded on mutual faith. As he performs all the offices of a true and faithful husband, so he stipulates for love and conjugal chastity from us; that is, that we do not prostitute our souls to Satan, to be defiled with foul carnal lusts. Hence, when he rebukes the Jews for their apostasy, he complains that they have cast off chastity, and polluted themselves with adultery. Ther”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 7: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius — OF SOME JEWISH AND GENTILE OBSERVANCES. (part 1): XXVII. Now if any persons keep to the Jewish customs and observances concerning the natural emission and nocturnal pollutions, and the lawful conjugal acts,(1) let them tell us whether in those hours or days, when they undergo any such thing, they observe not to pray, or to touch a Bible, or to partake of the Eucharist? And if they own it to be so, it is plain they are void of the Holy Spirit, which always continues with the faithful. For concerning holy persons Solomon says: "”
- Malachi (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Malachi 3:5: I . . . come near . . . to judgment--I whom ye challenged, saying, "Where is the God of judgment?" (Mal 2:17). I whom ye think far off, and to be slow in judgment, am "near," and will come as a "swift witness"; not only a judge, but also an eye-witness against sorcerers; for Mine eyes see every sin, though ye think I take no heed. Earthly judges need witnesses to enable them to decide aright: I alone need none (Psa 10:11; Psa 73:11; Psa 94:7, &c.). sorcerers--a sin into which the Jews were led in connection with their foreign idolatrous wives. The Je”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 56b.2: Rabbi Yosei says: With regard to every type of sorcery that is stated in the passage about sorcery, it is prohibited for a descendant of Noah to engage in it. This is derived from the verses: “When you come into the land that the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to do like the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you one who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, a diviner, a soothsayer, or an enchanter, or a warlock, or a charmer, or one who consults a necromancer and a sorcerer, or directs inquiries to the”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 92: properly belonging to the present subject, that whatever commendation works have, they have it in respect of obedience, which alone God regards, as he testifies by the prophet, “I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice ” ( Jer. 7:22 ). Of fictitious works he elsewhere speaks, “Wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread”? ( Isa. 55:2 ; 29:13). Again, “In”