“For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads,
to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver.”
(Ezek 21:21, NKJV)
At the bronze altar, at the cross, there is much to be tallied up. Never forget that it is here that Jesus triumphed over Satan. In Gen 3:15 the promise that the seed of the woman would crush the head of Satan was already made. Earlier it was explained that this points to Jesus (Gal 3:16). There He “having disarmed principalities and powers … made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Col 2:15). Through the death on the cross “He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb 2:14). Please take some time to sela here. In later teachings we return to this in greater detail.
Satan is prototypically presented as the “king of Babel” (Isa 14:4). Babel or Babylon indicates confusion, the fruit of doubled-mindedness. It brings forth a self-righteous attempt to, through a religion of works, serve the god of this world, which we have conjured up in our imagination (Rom 1:21; Luke 24:38; 2 Cor 10:5). Despite their Christian veneer, Jesus states “‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’” (Luke 13:27). When you are not “of one mind” (2 Cor 13:11; Phil 2:2), you no longer walk the living Way, which is Christ (John 14:6; Isa 35:8; Heb 10:20). Your path of faith splits into a spiritual and a carnal path. Like the Galatians most believers start in the spirit (with no double-mindedness), but end in the flesh (Gal 3:1).
If this is the case, Satan stands waiting at the point where the paths diverge, and where a few principles come into play that influence your life in a dramatic manner. He firstly uses divination, and the believer is seduced into rebellion and waywardness (1 Sam 15:23). In this way confusion originates and the believer gets caught up in witchcraft, which in turn leads to “divination … and the deceit of their heart” (Jer 14:14). They think they hear the voice of God and then wait in vain for the fulfillment thereof (Ezek 13:6). Satan shakes the arrows, which means he influences and confuses your physical children, also your spiritual sons (Ps 127:4-5), through firing burning arrows down upon them (Ps 7:13; Eph 6:16). He also consults the household gods, also known as the family iniquities. Things that had long been dealt with in the Spirit suddenly again become an issue, causing great discouragement. Terafim (= household gods) point to false traditions derived from family or cultural history, which again gains a foothold in your life.
And then Satan inspects your liver. The liver is the symbol of discernment, your spiritual ability to discern the workings of the kingdom of darkness (Prov 7:23). A carnal consciousness cannot discern evil, which results in your being tricked by the sheen of godliness but ultimately becoming someone who has denounced its true power (2 Tim 3:5). Thus you fall prey to the stream of false teachings that Satan spews in your wake (Rev 12:15). Be afraid.
- Sela: Are you a carnal believer? Prayerfully test the characteristics listed above to your life.
- Read: Jos 21; Ezra 4; Isa 37
- Memorise: Isa 36:31-32
