WEDNESDAY, MAY 2
Daniel 5:7-12
Proverbs 2:1-9

“…the LORD giveth wisdom …”

ASTROLOGERS, WISE MEN AND SOOTHSAYERS

Men in high places, faced with difficult decisions, commonly resort to the use of astrologers, wise men and soothsayers. It may be some very perplexing problem or the urge to know the future. In Bible times, these men were often engaged as advisers and counsellors in royal courts, i.e. largely a case of the blind leading the blind.

Pharaoh of Egypt had his wise men, sorcerers and magicians to help him in his confrontation with Moses and Aaron (Exod 7:11). They exercised certain occult powers, but against God they were powerless. They had no answer to the plagues sent by God.

Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey encountered a troublesome sorcerer at the court of the Roman governor Sergius Paulus, a certain Barjesus by name. For impeding the Gospel work, Paul pronounced a sentence on him, and he was struck blind (Acts 13:6-11). Barjesus’ magic was of no avail.

Belshazzar had his band of wise men and fortune tellers, but God’s writing on the wall defied their understanding. Not even the King’s extravagant offers of reward could extract from them what they did not have.

THOUGHT: How do I make decisions, small and big?
PRAYER: Father, unto Thee may I always go, for Thou art wisdom and truth.