INTRODUCTION

God expects His people to avoid the practices of the world. Part of His plan in bringing Israel into the land of promise was to remove the wicked nations who dwelt there before because of their blatant disregard for righteousness. As a stern warning, God said to Israel, "thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations" (Deuteronomy 18:9When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
See All...). Those abominations were divination, observing of times, enchanting, witchcraft, charming, consulting with familiar spirits, wizardry, and necromancing (Deuteronomy 18:10-11 [10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. [11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
See All...). As an additional warning, God told Israel that "all [including Israel] that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD" (Deuteronomy 18:12For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) God told His people what to observe and do (Deuteronomy 12:32What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
  See All...). Instead, they chose to do things that were detestable and disgusting to Him (2 Kings 17:14-17 [14] Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. [15] And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. [16] And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. [17] And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
  See All...). We would be wise to learn a lesson from them (2 Kings 17:18Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.
  See All...; 1 Corinthians 10:11Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
  See All...).
• Just as God did not want Israel to adopt the practices of the nations before them, the Lord does not want the saved to take part in such wickedness. How has the world influenced you to accept these abominable practices?
• Do you find entertainment in practices hated by God? Do you allow these things into your home?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to awaken you to the wickedness of such practices.
• Ask God for the boldness to repent and do right.

HYMN

Open My Eyes, That I May See

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