Astrology and the Christ-follower – Part 1
I’ve seen a series of ads on television lately featuring decisions that are “no-brainers,” basically the easiest decision in the history of decision-making! And that’s what it should be for Christ-followers when it comes to astrology—a no-brainer. This isn’t even a gray area with astrology and Christianity.
“When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-14, emphases added.)[1]
Okay, that’s my premise: don’t consult an astrologer, don’t check your horoscope. As a believer in and follower of Jesus, you do not need to do those things to find out what you should be doing or what you should expect in the future. You have a far better, more accurate, and “better-for-you” option available. More on that later.
First, why does God issue such a strong warning against astrology and other occult arts?
Astrology and Christianity: an occult practice
We begin by answering the question, “What is the occult?” In their The Facts on the Occult, Dr. John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon explain:
“The English word ‘occult’ comes from the Latin ‘occultus,’ meaning ‘to cover up, hide, or conceal.’…
“The Oxford American Dictionary defines the occult as: 1. secret, hidden except from those with more than ordinary knowledge; 2. involving the supernatural, occult powers. The occult [involves] the world of the supernatural, mystical or magical.[2]
“Encyclopedia Britannica defines and discusses occultism as follows: ‘a general designation for various theories, practices, and rituals based on esoteric knowledge, especially alleged knowledge about the world of spirits and unknown forces of the universe.’”[3]
“Dr. Ron Enroth, professor of sociology at Westmont College at Santa Barbara, California, and an authority on new religions and cults, offers the following definition:
“‘The term refers to “hidden” or “secret” wisdom; to that which is beyond the range of ordinary human knowledge; to mysterious or concealed phenomena; to inexplicable events. It is frequently used in reference to certain practices (occult “arts”) which include divination, fortune telling, spiritism (necromancy), and magic.
“‘Those phenomena collectively known as “the occult” may be said to have the following distinct characteristics: (1) the disclosure and communication of information unavailable to humans through normal means (beyond the five senses); (2) the placing of persons in contact with supernatural powers, paranormal energies or demonic forces; (3) the acquisition and mastery of power in order to manipulate or influence other people into certain actions.’”[4]
“What all these definitions have in common is that they accurately understand the occult as involving 1) things normally invisible or ‘hidden,’ and therefore normally unavailable to people and 2) contact with supernatural agencies and powers.”[5]
With that information in mind, here is what The Occult Encyclopedia says about astrology: “Astrology is the occult science of gaining information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the movements and relative positions of celestial objects, especially stars, planets, and the moon. It is one of the most widely used forms of divination. Astrology, in its broadest sense, is the search for meaning in the sky.”[6]
Billy Graham says the reason the Bible warns so strongly against getting involved in the occult is “because occult practices of any kind could involve you with spiritual forces that are opposed to God and are, in fact, in league with the devil. I know that is a strong statement—but I can’t emphasize strongly enough how spiritually dangerous it is to follow Satan’s way rather than God’s way.”[7]
I hope that’s enough to convince you that God has your best interests in mind when He tells you to stay away from practices such as astrology. And it’s not that He wants you to be ignorant of the future, far from it. In fact, in Part 3 we will talk about what God has provided for us to help us navigate our future. But next, many astrologers insist the Bible actually supports astrology. Is that true?
Part 2 – Astrology in the Bible?
Part 3 – Guidance for the Future – God’s Way
Go Deeper on Astrology and Christianity
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- I can already hear you saying, “But that’s the Old Testament. It doesn’t apply to me today in the 21st century!” Well, maybe you should read these verses: Acts 19:19; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8; 22:15. ↑
- The Oxford American Dictionary (New York: Avon, 1982), p. 617. ↑
- “Occult,” in Encyclopedia Britannica, Micropaedia, Volume 7, p. 469. ↑
- Ron Enroth, “The Occult,” in Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1984), p. 787. ↑
- John Ankerberg and John Weldon, The Facts on the Occult (ATRI Publishing, 1991). ↑
- The Occult Encyclopedia (https://www.occult.live/index.php/Astrology), emphasis added. ↑
- Billy Graham “Answers,” https://billygraham.org/answer/whats-wrong-with-getting-involved-in-things-that-are-usually-labeled-occult-practices/ ↑
