For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he has also rejected you from being king. 1 Samuel:15:23. Teraphim is shown in the picture associated with this post.
There was a time I was sitting in church, angry and accusing toward God, when the Preacher looked directly at me and said, "God doesn't need you!" I was stung, and insulted, yet it was exactly what needed to be said to me. "For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews:4:12. Following the Divine rebuke, the Preacher went on to tell the congregation that God loves us, and that is why he sent us Jesus Christ - to heal the rift between God and man... the Gospel of Peace.
My rebellion toward God, and His Word, did lead me directly into Witchcraft. The stubbornness of my heart to resist dying to myself so I could be made alive in Christ Jesus was idolatry - setting myself, my importance and my will, above God. I was on the throne of my heart.
Man's first rebellion is found in the story of Genesis 2 and 3:
"Yahweh God commanded the man saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die." Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Yes, has God said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'" The woman said to the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You won't surely die, for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be as God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit of it, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. Both of their eyes were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden. Yahweh God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" The man said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." God said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate." Yahweh God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Yahweh God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all cattle, and above every animal of the field. On your belly shall you go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel." To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Genesis:2:16-17, and Genesis 3:1-19
That is the enemy, that serpent, Satan ... first casting doubt against God's Word, the accusation against God's Truth and Holiness. Then he appeals to the pride of man, that we can be as God by means of our great intelligence - 'knowledge'. Yet, this promised knowledge is that of good... and evil! Therein is contained the knowledge of both extremes of good and evil - heaven and hell. If we choose to participate in this tree, rather than Jesus Christ - the Tree of Life - we WILL know death and hell, and then often blame God for being mean and bad. We will become accusers as the father of all accusers - the devil. Believing a lie - even such as recreating God's Word to make it more palatable - one will become a liar like their father, the devil. We will become in the image of the one we choose to follow.
"Enter in by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter in by it. How narrow is the gate, and restricted is the way that leads to life! Few are those who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves."
Matthew:7:13-15
Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. He loves you. Will you let Him in?
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