Deuteronomy Chapter 18
How Christians can avoid the trap of the New Age movement
If you’ve noticed the rising popularity of tarot cards and astrology, you’ve spotted an increasingly thriving phenomenon: the New Age movement.
Although many do not think of the New Age movement as a religion, it is religiously syncretic, meaning that it combines parts of various religions, including Buddhism, Taoism and Hinduism, as well as psychology and other mystical beliefs.
Wondering what New Age beliefs you may have heard of? Here’s a list:
- The presence of spiritual energy within material objects such as trees
- God as an impersonal life force or energy, referred to as “the universe”
- Manifesting, or the spiritual practice of turning thoughts into reality
- Achieving something by chanting angel numbers (number sequences of three to four digits long that either contain repetition or patterns, e.g. 1111, 555 or 8787)
- Calling upon spirit guides or angels through channelling (often with a medium)
- Telling your future with tarot cards or astrology
- Using and “activating” crystals to receive cleansing
Given the powerful influence of New Age ideas now creeping through popular culture, Christians may mistakenly adopt such beliefs. In fact, 60% of Christians surveyed in 2017 held on to at least one New Age belief!
The lure of these mystical ideas is not new. Centuries ago, God warns His chosen people of the abominations that they ought not to follow—many of which are mystical and of the occult. We read this stark warning in Deuteronomy 18.
“When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)
The New Age movement obviously did not exist when Moses was alive. But this chapter foregrounds unholy forms of spiritualism, whether witchcraft, fortune telling, or mediums, as objects of God’s severe warnings.
Why might the Israelites – and us today – be seduced by such mystical practices, and what can we do about it?
- In uncertainty and anxiety, trust God’s promises
God does not reveal the details of our future to us, such as where we will live or even fall gravely ill. When we lack trust in God’s goodness and plan for our lives, we may feel compelled to take matters into our own hands and use unholy practices to divine our future or even influence it.
However, God has promised us that He will give us rest when we come to Him (Mt 11:28). He will supply our every need (Phil 4:19). He has already written all the days of our lives in His book (Ps 139:16)! We can entrust our fears to Him.
- In peer pressure, stand firm in your identity
The Israelites lived in regions whose cultures held on to spiritual and occult traditions, such as the nations they displaced. Additionally, magicians, astrologers and sorcerers worked in places of power, including Pharaoh’s palace (Ex 7:11) and Nebuchadnezzar’s (Dan 2:2).
Despite being chosen as a special people to God, many times in her history, Israel succumbed to the cultural influence of non-believers and defiled themselves before God (Eze 20:32). They forgot the preciousness of their worth to God.
When New Age beliefs creep into our social media feeds, it may be tempting to dangle those ideas on our lips for the likes, appear in touch with the latest trends, or simply fit in. (Or maybe we naively fall prey: see the next point).
But God wants us to remain holy, because this is who we are to God: a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people (1 Pet 2:9).
- In doubt, seek God’s word
The Bible warns, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Col 2:8)
How do we keep ourselves from being deceived? By checking whatever we hear with the principles according to Christ—what He tells us in the Bible. When we grow in God’s word, we are refining our sword of the Spirit, protecting ourselves from false teachings.
- Remember your hope, the Lord Jesus
Moses’ conclusion about these unholy abominations in Deuteronomy 18 points to our time today. To his congregation, Moses prophesied that though the Lord our God had not appointed for us soothsayers or diviners, He had chosen someone whom we can rely on. A Prophet like Moses—Jesus (v14-15).
We are blessed to know the One who will help us triumph over all things, for He has triumphed over death itself. We do not need the basic principles of the world and the tradition of men to be perfected, for in Christ, we are complete (Col 2:8-10).
In the world’s swift, rushing tides of influence, we can stand firm in our faiths by turning our eyes to Jesus. Cling on to His holy principles and promises. Don’t be swept away.
