Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, Chapter 18 verses 10 and 12, “No one shall be found among you who practices divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer. Whoever does these things is abhorrent to the Lord,” (NRSVB).
The history behind these instructions that God gave Moses can be traced in the religious environment around Israel. The Egyptians had many different gods, and the Pharaoh had wise men, soothsayers, diviners, sorcerers and the like, who helped to rule the people by interpreting the dreams of the kings and telling the future. Even the kings were fearful of the powers of these people, as it seemed as if they had some outer worldly powers bestowed on them that could harm people. Many times these intermediaries were seen as gods. The Lord, God of Israel, wanted his chosen people not to appropriate the religious ceremonies and practices of those nations around them. God wanted to raise them to be a unified nation, who believed in the One God, who acted benevolently on and in their behalf. Israel was unique in that she worshipped One God, the God of Israel, this God, who promised Israel that he would journey with them and protect them. When God called Israel to come to the Mountain Horeb to receive his laws and see his awesome presence, they were afraid. They said to Moses that he must go and meet God, for the fire and the voice coming from the glittering cloud, made them afraid to death. God then promised to raise up a prophet whom God would gave visions and words to lead and direct Israel. Their hope had to be in their God, He would lead them. They need not know the future: they only needed to know that God is with them in their future. God promised Israel that she will always have a prophet in her midst who would speak the Word of the Lord, a true and not a false prophet. We have scripture to testify to the prophets who taught Israel the Word of the Lord through the centuries. Wanting to know the future, predict the outcomes of war, knowing the outcomes of sickness and disease do not bring comfort, but can be a fearful burden. God wants to be trusted that he will bring about good outcomes and plan for a future filled with hope and joy. Many people have gone through life plagued by dreams, visions and so-called prophecies of doom, living in fear, waiting for these predictions to come true. God does not want us to live in fear; he has given us a spirit of courage. God promises that his intentions are good, therefore we need not fear these dreams. We can see them for what they are, merely dreams and imagination. God’s Spirit within us is the Spirit of Truth. Our hope is in the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The words and the predictions of false prophets do not have any power. When God is for us, what can humans do to us? Every generation has its own soothsayers and diviners. Their predictions are usually far off the mark and it is the children of the light’s duty and responsibility to bring the light of the Word of God to disarm the false prophets. Whatever the future, we need not fear. God is in this future.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “The fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them,” Ephesians Chapter 5, verses 9-11 (NRSVB). In his ministry throughout the gentile world Paul experienced many false prophets displaying great powers to keep people under bondage and slavery of fear. God gave him courage and wisdom to break the power of these strangle-holds over people and make them free to enjoy the glad tidings of Good News. God broke the bonds of darkness and despair for The Light of the World to shine in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.
Father, we thank you that you have sent your Son to proclaim truth and hope, Amen.