____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ October 1, 2000 ____________________________________________________ Astrology, Psychics, and The Bible by Paul Smithson Astrological and psychic predictions are occult practices, for occults are defined as ``various arts and practices pertaining to things beyond human understanding, mysterious, things not disclosed, secret.'' Astrologers profess to foretell the future and interpret the influence of the heavenly bodies upon the destinies of men. Psychics are those who profess to be sensitive to that which lies outside the sphere of physical science or knowledge, predicting through visions or by the cards. Such occult practices are condemned throughout the Scriptures. The fact that people in all walks of life are becoming more and more involved in such occult practices can be seen all around. Horoscopes are published in thousands of daily newspapers throughout our nation. Occult books (books that deal with astrology, psychics, mysticism, and witchcraft) are on the best sellers list. In newspapers and on television we see advertisements for psychic advice and fortune telling concerning such things as your job, romance, money, important decisions, anything about your life. Things that were laughed at several years ago are now being taken seriously by millions of people. Time magazine recently reported a secret program of the Pentagon that employed psychics in pursuit of the unknown. ``Ten years and $20 million later, the Pentagon discovered that psychics are unreliable spies'' (Time, Dec. 11, `95; p.48). Occult practices are idolatrous. When one goes to an astrologer or a psychic for guidance and insight they are looking in the wrong place. When one turns to men or the stars for the answers of life he is trusting in something other than God. Failing to acknowledge God as the ruling force in one's life is to be guilty of sinful idolatry (cf. Col. 3:5). Astrology and psychics attempt to foretell the future. Astrologers claim if you were born on a certain date, under a particular sign of the zodiac, certain event will happen. The term ``horoscope'' comes from two Greek words , hora- ``hour'' and skopos- ``watcher.'' The idea is that the stars and the planets are the watcher of time and the future, that which determines the fate of our lives. Some psychics claim that at the turn of the tarot cards one's future is explained. They claim the star card means your life is going to begin to shine or that the card of the three cups means there will soon be rejoicing in your life. People are curious about the future, but neither the stars nor a deck of cards can tell you anything about it. God says, ``You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow'' (Jas. 4:14). A danger of occult practices is they shun personal responsibility and place it upon the stars or the draw of the cards as that which determines one's fate. The Scriptures teach, however, that men are personally responsible for their actions and will give an account for them (2Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7). Such occult practices are not new. They were very common in ancient times, but were always condemned by God. ``Divination,'' the general term for occult practices in the Old Testament, included astrology and conjuring and was something God strictly prohibited His people from participating in (Deut. 18:9-14; 2Kgs. 23:5; Isa. 47:11-14; Jer. 10:1-2). God did not want His people to have anything to do with occult practices in ancient times and He does not want His people to have anything to do with such things today (cf. Ac. 19:19). To seek after such things and the so called knowledge that they provide is to be lead away from God and what He has revealed. The stars of heaven declare the glory and power of God (Ps. 19:1-4), but they do not tell the future nor give guidance. The apostle declared, ``See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority'' (Col. 2:8-10). Everything we need to know for this life and beyond is found in Christ and His word. It is sinful to look to or trust in anything else than Him ``in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge' (Col. 2:3). -- Via Examining the Scriptures, 2/21/97 ___________________________________________ Evidences: The Destruction of Jerusalem by Jim Robson The city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The siege and fall of Jerusalem is described in graphic detail by the first-century Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, in WARS OF THE JEWS, which was published around 75 AD. According to the Gospels, Jesus prophesied this event in approximately 30 AD. Let us look at Matthew's account of Jesus' prophecy, and compare it with Josephus' history. 1) Jesus: ``Therefore, when you see the `abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes'' (Matthew 24:15-18). Josephus: ``It is now a miserable case, and a sight that would justly bring tears into our eyes, how men stood as to their food...the famine was too hard for all other passions...insomuch that children pulled the very morsels that their fathers were eating, out of their very mouths, and what was still more to be pitied, so did the mothers do as to their infants...when they saw any house shut up, this was a signal to them that the people within had gotten some food; whereupon they broke open the doors, and ran in... the old men, who held their food fast, were beaten; and if the women hid what they had within their hands, their hair was torn for so doing...(WARS OF THE JEWS, book 5, chapter 10, section 3). 2) Jesus: ``But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!'' (Matthew 24:19). Josephus: ``She then attempted a most unnatural thing; and snatching up her son, who was a child sucking at her breast, she said, `O thou miserable infant! For whom shall I preserve thee in this war, this famine, and this sedition?...' As soon as she had said this, she slew her son; and then roasted him, and ate the one half of him, and kept the other half by her concealed'' (WARS, book 6, ch. 3, sec. 4). 3) Jesus: ``And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be'' (Matthew 24:21,22). Josephus: ``I shall therefore speak my mind here at once briefly:-That neither did any other city ever suffer such miseries, nor did any age ever breed a generation more fruitful in wickedness than this was, from the beginning of the world'' (WARS, book 5, ch. 10, sec. 5). 4) Jesus: ``And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened'' (Matthew 24:22). Josephus: ``Now the number of those that were carried captive during this whole war was collected to be ninety-seven thousand; as was the number of those that perished during the whole siege, eleven hundred thousand, the greater part of whom were indeed of the same nation, but not belonging to the city itself; for they were come up from all the country to the feast of unleavened bread, and were on a sudden shut up by an army...'' (WARS, book 6, ch. 9, sec. 3). 5) Jesus: Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, ``Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down'' (Matthew 24:1,2). Josephus: ``And now, since Caesar was no way able to restrain the enthusiastic fury of the soldiers, and the fire proceeded on more and more...thus was the holy house burned down, without Caesar's approbation'' (WARS, book 6, ch. 4, sec. 7). ``Now, as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder...Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple...``(book 7, ch. 1, sec. 1). In last month's edition of Evidences, we looked at some of the manuscript evidence for the New Testament, and saw that it all points to the conclusion that its contents were written when and by whom they claim to have been written. In fact, in the case of the Gospel of Matthew, there is a recently discovered fragment that dates to sometime before 68 AD. As noted above, Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. -- Via Preach the Word, November 1996 ___________________________________________ How Does God Speak to Us Today? by Leon Mauldin "Comment on the claim that Jesus speaks to some people today, either audibly, or by making a 'mental impression on them.''' Answer: The question really becomes one of whether the Bible is sufficient, or must we look for later revelations. In 1 Cor. 2:10ff. we learn that the Holy Spirit searched the ``things of God'' and revealed them to the apostles. That which the Spirit revealed unto them was preached orally and also put in written form, under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Paul ``wrote'' what had been revealed to him so that others could ``read'' (Eph. 3:3). God has granted unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). In Eph. 3:3-5 we are taught that God made known the truth of Christ by his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This fulfilled the promise Jesus had previously made to the apostles in John 16:13 that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth. The Spirit did this. But the point is, that this inspired revelation is complete. We are furnished completely unto every good work (2 Tim. 3:16,17). The faith has been once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). This does not leave room for additional revelations. Consider the principle of Gal. 1:9. cf. 2 John 9. This word is God's power unto salvation (Rom. 1:16), and is the standard by which all will be judged (Jas. 2:12; John 12:48). Jesus calls by the Gospel (2 Thess. 2:14). Jesus speaks to us through the word (Heb. 1:1,2). Consider how Jesus speaks to the churches (Rev. 2:1f): ``Likewise, the Spirit speaks expressly (1 Tim.4:1f), and, ``He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches'' (Rev. 2:7). Regarding having a mental impression that Jesus is speaking to one today: Remember that our feelings are not infallible. They are not our standard (Prov. 14:12; Jer. 10:23). Paul looked back at that time when he had been in error and still was able to say, ``I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day'' (Acts 23:1; 26:9). ``The heart is deceitful above all things...'' (Jer. 17:9). This is why we have the Bible. The evidence whereby we may know if we stand approved before God is not our feelings, even in good conscience, but rather whether our conduct is in harmony with God's word (Phil. 1:27; Jas. 1:21; 1 Pet. 1:22-23). There is no indication that Jesus speaks directly to anyone today, with either an audible voice, or through making mental impressions. If we want to hear Him speak, we must listen to His word, the Bible, and specifically the New Testament. Jesus knew that this is how faith in Him would come about: ``I do not pray for these [apostles] alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word'' (John 17:20). ___________________________________________ NEWS & NOTES I'll be preaching this Saturday in Bethlehem, PA, for their gospel meeting, which begins Friday (October 6) and continues through Sunday. Bill Echols and Brad Hopkins will also be preaching. My lesson will be on Christian Evidences: Why I Believe in God. The gospel meeting in Gettysburg with Melvin Curry will be October 8-13. On October 28 (Saturday), I'll be preaching in Exton, PA, as one of the speakers for their gospel meeting. My assigned topic is ``the role of Christian children.'' Free Bible courses are available upon request. We appreciate all of you who are visiting with us this Lord's day. Please come again. ________________________________________ Avondale CHURCH OF CHRIST P.O. Box 421 1606 Glen Willow Rd., Avondale, PA 19311 (610) 268-2088 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 11:00 A.M. Worship 6:00 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:00 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (610) 925-3567 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://www.mypage.onemain.com/tedwards/avondale ________________________________________