Law and Life

Rebellion and Occultism

Professor: Dr. R.J. Rushdoony

Subject: Law

Genre: Sermon Series

Lesson: 30 of 39

Track: 135

Year: 1960’s – 1970’s

Dictation Name: RR156Q30

[Rushdoony] Our scripture this morning is from the book I Samuel the fifteenth chapter verses 22 & 23. I Samuel 15:22 & 23, and our subject is “Rebellion and Occultism.” “And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”

We have been analyzing the laws of scripture with respect to occultism. We have seen that witchcraft in scripture, as is every form of occultism, is strongly condemned, that witchcraft in the Bible has reference to a dealer in drugs, specifically, and by implication means a poisoner. Witchcraft is one form of Occultism, every form is condemned.

Now in our text today we come to an important and central facet of occultism. Witchcraft in this verse can be translated also as soothe saying and divination. Keil and Delitzsch render this verse as “rebellion is the sin of soothe saying and opposition is heathenism and idolatry.” The comment further, and I quote “Opposition to God is compared by Samuel to soothe saying and oracles because idolatry was manifested in both of them. All conscious disobedience is actually idolatry because it makes self-well, the human “I” into a God, so that all manifest opposition to the word and commandment of God is, like idolatry, a rejection of the true God.”

Now what the text actually tells us that rebellion is the sin of witchcraft, divination, or soothe-saying. And stubbornness, intractableness, opposition, is heathenism and idolatry. In other words it doesn’t say it is “like this” it says it “is this” and this is an important fact. It does not allow us to say that it is comparable, it identifies it fully. Now central to all occultism is mans’ desire to be his own God. Practically this takes the form of trying to seize control over men and the universe by lawless and ungodly means. Occultism in its every form is rebellion against God and therefore it is rebellion against every Godly authority. Basic to all such rebellion is self-righteousness and Phariseeism. Satan, Adam, and Eve did not see, nor did they plan to be sinners. They saw themselves rather as freedom fighters, freedom fighters against the arbitrariness and tyranny of God. They were in their own eyes heroic champions of freedom. This sin in the picture, as they saw it, was on the part of God; it was the jealous guarding of His power. God had lied according to all three of them; “Yea hath God said?” ‘Ye shall not surely die” was the word to which all three of them gave ascent. “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.” All evil thus was projected unto God, they were freedom fighters and Satan was the leader of freedom fighters. This was Phariseeism, this was self-righteousness. Since then all rebellion has justified itself in terms of this principle of freedom, of self-realization. Man sees himself as seeking development, and God being the troublesome, evil, frustrator of man. Freedom from responsibility is of course the ideal.

It is significant that the most successful magazine in all history is Playboy and Playboy sees man not in the image of God, but in the image of a bunny. It is an aging child’s version of a rabbit, as a care-free, non-productive, totally non-working copulator. The image of man as Playboy has projected it and made it the popular image of the 60’s and 70’s is one of total irresponsibility. Men have rebelled against God, they have rebelled against work, against responsibility, against law. Women have rebelled against men and it is ironic that in a world wherein some cities rape, according to the most recently released statistics, has increased approximately 500%, women seek less protection and more exposure as the answer to all their problems. This is not all, children are encouraged to see themselves as equals of adults with equal bargaining powers and rights; and are encouraged to go on strikes in the schools, encouraged to make non-negotiable demands of teachers and administrations. The basic right of a child is to have Godly authorities to obey, and this right is being denied the child. The child has a right to Godly authority and our Lord said emphatically “who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Now the word for “offend” here that our Lord used in Matthew 18:6 is to put a snare or a stumbling block in their pathway, to frustrate their Godly growth in faith, obedience, and responsibility.

Why is rebellion comparable to occultism? Why is it in face occultism? It is witchcraft. The occultist route is simply this, whatever form it takes, that the future is determined apart from God, either by a sinister fate or else by man. The future is determined and man is capitalized by means other than God. Now for scripture the means by which man is capitalized, materially and spiritually, is by faith, obedience, and work. For occultism capitalization is by means of rebellion against all Godly authority. Now it is significant that revolutionary movements throughout history have had very close relationship with occultism, with Free Masonry, and with atheism. The very idea of revolution as we have seen over and over again is the belief that destruction, chaos, disobedience, and lawlessness, can capitalize a society, can rejuvenate it, can regenerate it, and of course this is the same belief which is basic to occultism, hence rebellion is witchcraft and opposition is the sin of heathenism and idolatry. Such attitudes de-capitalize men and societies and they foster anarchy in every area.

Now it is interesting that when our Lord said that anyone who so destroyed the life of a child it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea, went to punishment that was not Biblical, it was pagan; the Greeks and the Romans used it. Moreover the millstone that is used here, referred to, is the large kind that was used to grind grain with a donkey turning it. Now when these millstones were broken or worthless they were set aside and the Greeks and the Romans for the most infamous of crimes would take the man who had been condemned, tie a rope around his neck, attach it to a millstone, tie his hands and feet, and toss him into the ocean. This type of execution was associated with the most infamous of offenses and our Lord associates this, the most severe pagan penalty, as preferable to the judgment of God on those who become stumbling blocks to these little ones, to anyone who destroys Godly authority over a child. We see therefore how serious the breakdown of authority is. Rebellion is witchcraft and fostering rebellion among the children, bringing them up in rebellion, is comparable to the worst of offenses.

Now this idea of course has deep Biblical roots. The Bible cites Jeroboam the son of Nebat as the great offender over and over again in the Old Testament and the Rabbi’s held that he was the greatest sinner because by his leadership all Israel was drawn into the sin of rebellion. We read this in I Kings 14:16, it was in the same Spirit that our Lord condemned all who teach the sin of rebellion, of a flouting of authority, of unbelief, to children.

Now we have been using the word “occultism”, a modern word, as the catch-all term for all the forms of illicit activity which scripture condemns. The word “occultism” comes from a Latin word which means “to hide”, it has reference to the hidden type of activity, to that which is concealed from knowledge, from observation, from light which is at war with law. The occult, therefore, because it is the hidden, the disguised, the secretive, that which works in hostility to law and order and light, is by its very nature the enthronement of man’s will against God’s will, it fosters opposition which is heathenism and idolatry. Saint Paul in citing the works of men who are not in the Spirit or God, in Galatians 5:19-21 declares, and I use the Berkley version only to get some of the more modern terms for some of these offense; “Now the works of the flesh are in evidence, such as adultery, unchasity, impurity, lewdness, idolatry, magic or witchcraft, animosities, hatred, jealousy, bad temper, dissensions, a factional spirit, heresies, envy, drunkenness, carousing’s, and everything of the kind of which I warn you as I did previously, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Thus rebellion is not an isolated fact, it is part of a much larger pattern. In the history of all revolutions and every cultural collapse the occult has played a significant part, it is in evidence of radical decay and a major influence for destruction. Thus when we see the rise of occultism around us, of magic and of witchcraft, we should recognize that it is a part of a larger picture. It is essentially exactly what scripture declares it to be, the forbidden, it is the sin of witchcraft, it is rebellion, primarily against God and therefore against all order. It has as its call the destruction of all order as the liberation of man. Therefore scripture makes it unequivocally clear that it is to be condemned, that it is a menace in its every manifestation and hence and unmitigated evil. The Godly therefore will work not merely to oppose it but to create that which alone can undercut it, the authority of God and His word. The sole trust in Jesus Christ as our only Savior through His atoning blood because the opposition to that is precisely the Phariseeism and the self-righteousness which all rebellion and occultism manifest; the law of God as against the will of man. Only by setting forth these things can the totally destructive forces of rebellion, of revolution, of magic, occultism, be undercut. Let us pray.

Almighty God our heavenly Father we give thanks unto Thee that Thy word is truth, and we know Oh Lord that rebellion, revolution, magic, witchcraft, flourish on all sides of us because Thy word is neglected, is despised, and is fought against. Make us strong in Thy word oh Lord and effectual in its teaching, that men, women, and nations may be brought to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Grant us this we beseech Thee in Jesus name, amen.

Are there any questions now, first of all with respect to our lesson? Yes?

[Audience member] {?}

[Rushdoony] What was that?

[Audience member] {?}

[Rushdoony] Is anarchy…?

[Audience member] Anarchical capitalism.

[Rushdoony] Oh, anarchical capitalism, yes. I think the phrase such as Rothbard and others use it is a contradiction in terms because the very premise of Capitalism is that there is a law order and too often the libertarians who take that position are hostile to any law-order, they want a free market for everything which means, ultimately, a free market for every form of crime.

Now ostensibly private police, private contracts are to take care of things. But granted their premise, that all things have an equally free market, on what basis are they going to condemn or control anything? In terms of the total freedom that they call for what right do we have to regulate or suppress crime? It is a form of equally valid capitalism granted their anarchistic premises. Thus the very things they profess they also destroy. Some of the things Rothbard has written really negate private property, so they negate capitalism.

Are there any other questions?

Well I’d like to share something with you in a very light and humorous vein which appeared in the current February 1st California Farmer. It is by the congressman A.J. Hinshaw {?} and was reprinted from the Congressional Record, it is a kind of re-writing of Genesis one. “In the beginning God created heaven and earth. He was then face with a class-action lawsuit for failing to file an environmental impact statement with HEPA, heavenly environmental protection agency, an angelically staffed agency dedicated to keeping the universe pollution free. God was granted a temporary permit for the heavenly portion of the project but was issued a cease and desist order on the earthly part pending further investigation by HEPA. Upon completion of his construction permit application and environmental impact statement God appeared before the HEPA council to answer questions. To ask why He began these projects in the first place He simply replied that He liked to be creative. This was not considered adequate reasoning and He would be required to substantiate this further. HEPA was unable to see any practical use for earth since the earth was void and empty and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Then God said ‘let there be light’, He should have never brought up this point since one member of the council was active in the Sierra Angel club and immediately protested asking ‘how was the light to be made? Would there be strip mining? What about thermal pollution? Air pollution?’ God explained the light would come from a huge ball of fire. Nobody in the council really understood this, but it was provisionally accepted assuming 1.) There would be no smog or smoke resulting from the ball of fire. 2.) A separate burning permit would be required, and 3.) Since continuous light would be a waste of energy it should be dark at least one half of the time. So God agreed to divide light and darkness and He would call the light “day” and the darkness “night.” The council expressed no interest with in-house semantics.

When asked how the earth would be covered God said “Let there be firmament made amidst the waters, and let it be divided the waters from the waters.” One ecologically radically council member accused of double talk, but the council tabled action since God would be required first to file for a permit from ABLM, Angelic Bureau of Land Management, and further would be required to obtain water permits from appropriate agencies involved. The council asked if there would be only water and firmament and God said “let the earth bring forth the green herb and such as may seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after its kind which may have seed {?} itself upon the earth. The council agreed as long as native seeds would be used.

About further development God said also “let the waters bring forth the creeping creatures having life, and the fowl that may fly over the earth.” Here again the council took no formal action as this would require approval of the game and fish commission coordinated with the heavenly wildlife federation and autobahn angelic society. It appeared everything was in order until God stated He wanted to complete the project in six days. At this time he was advised by the council that His timing was completely out of the question. HEPA would require a minimum of 180 days to review the application and environmental impact statement, then there would be the public hearings. It would take 10-12 months before a permit would be granted. God said ‘to hell with it.’”

Unfortunately that is, while humorous, all too true with regard to what goes on today, and something of an understatement.

Now I have a very happy announcement to report. There has been a new church established in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. The pastor of this new church and some of the officers are men who are on our Chalcedon report mailing list and as a result they have titled their church the Chalcedon Presbyterian Church and for their service of February the second in their bulletin they not only announced their church name but had a bulletin plus a leaflet on Chalcedon, the council, the significance of the name and a statement “this discussion has largely been a summary of a chapter, the Council of Chalcedon Foundation of Western liturgy in a marvelous book by R.J. Rushdoony entitled The Foundations of Social Order, Studies in the Creeds and Councils of the Early Church. I would also encourage you to subscribe to the monthly newsletter, the Chalcedon Report which looks at modern life and culture in the light of Chalcedon’s perspective, write Chalcedon 23365 {?} in California.”

I think this is a cause for rejoicing that our influence has led to the choice of this name. The Chalcedon Presbyterian church is a member of the new Presbyterian church in America.

Are there any further questions or comments?

Yes?

[Audience member] {?}

[Rushdoony] How did our talk go in Sacramento? We had a small group of about 30-40 going and coming, it did not fall below thirty and it was for a while up to forty, senators and legislative aides and staff and one assemblyman. The thing that interested me was that there wasn’t a one of them there, hardly, who did not recognize the issues. I talked with several of them after the meeting, who in fact was a step or two ahead in their thinking in that they got the implications, even as you were talking, and knew exactly what the economy was headed for and the kind of radical disaster it faced. Every one of them had received a copy of the esquire article which Gary North referred to in his Remnant Review and telephone report, none of them who mentioned it disagreed with it, none of them have changed their voting, they’re still voting in terms of what the people want, which is more socialism. And one man who was unable to attend and wanted to, he was tied up in a committee meeting, could not appear even on the floor of the senate, has directed his personal life in terms of Harry Brown’s books and his voting is still in terms of his old standards. I think without faith men will lack the courage to make a break with what goes on today.

Now along those lines let me say something further because when I came back I began reading a book of documents written in the 50-100 years before Luther, in Germany. These documents made it very obvious that there was nothing original about Luther. The protest, the indictment of the church by prominent churchmen, the extensive documentation of the corruption, of the departure from the faith was really amazing, but the significant fact was that when some of these churchmen reached a position of power they immediately switched sides. After all they were now on the power end, and if there was a chance of them becoming a pope at the next election they certainly were not going to rock the boat by criticizing the Vatican. In fact one of the easiest ways to silence a critic was to make him a cardinal, and then he would switch sides.

Now it wasn’t that anyone was ignorant of the issues, they knew. In fact some of these people who later became hostile to Luther, knew the issues better than Luther did, but they didn’t have the faith to stand up to them when the chips were down, and as a result all their protests were essentially futile.

Now I submit we have no lack of people today who know what the problem is, they don’t want to admit it, because if they did they’d have to do something about it. There problem is essentially they do not have the faith to act on their fears and on their knowledge. In fact one prominent thinker of the day preached a whole series of sermons prior to Luther by about 30 years on the lust for power, how this lust for power was destroying every possibility of reform, because everyone, no matter how bad they knew things were, would protest it when they were not high up on the power ladder and the minute they arose, their protest turned to a defense; because power was being concentrated by these evils and the closer they came to it the less they wanted to change it because they wanted the power. I think we have the same picture today, what’s going to turn it around? Faith, nothing else. Do you have anything to add to that Gary?

[Gary] No.

[Rushdoony] Let’s bow our heads now for the benediction. And now go in peace God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost bless you and keep guide and protect you, this day and always, amen.