Contemplative Bible Reading

Micah 5:10-15 (New Living Translation)

10 “In that day,” says the Lord,
“I will slaughter your horses
and destroy your chariots.
11 I will tear down your walls
and demolish your defenses.
12 I will put an end to all witchcraft,
and there will be no more fortune-tellers.
13 I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars,
so you will never again worship the work of your own hands.
14 I will abolish your idol shrines with their Asherah poles
and destroy your pagan cities.
15 I will pour out my vengeance
on all the nations that refuse to obey me.”

Bad news, bad news, and more bad news. The LORD is going to destroy everything. Why? Idolatry, idolatry, and more idolatry. You can’t have your people worshiping sculptured rocks.

But then witchcraft and fortune-tellers are tossed in there. Why is that? That’s just silly stuff—fortune tellers and palm readers. Right? But here it is stated right next to idolatry.

I can find dozens of fortune tellers on the Internet in any city in America. We still have them. Most of us laugh and giggle when we see them. The LORD, however, was ready to tear down walls and destroy cities because of them

Perhaps we should reconsider the silliness of these things.