Witchcraft (Steak Night)
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Definition
Definition
The attempted manipulation of events through charms, amulets, incantations, and the like. In the ancient world, magic was not sharply distinguished from religion. In polytheistic religion no power is thought of as having final control over all things; magic is the attempt to affect events within this situation of multiplicity. Inded, in Mesopotamian and Canaanite religious texts, as also in Homer, the gods themselves are portrayed as using magic and wearing amulets.
The Old Testament is quite definite in its prohibition of a wide range of magical practices, sometimes linking them with human sacrifice
Among the practices specifically mentioned are the wearing of amulets (Isa. 3:20; KJV “earrings”) and of “magic bands,” charms associated with witchcraft (Ezek. 13:18, 20).
The alleged exercise of magical powers through the gift of supernatural beings other than God and His angels. The narrative of the witch of Endor (1 Sam. 28:7–25) and the condemnation of witchcraft in the OT (Exod. 22:18, Deut. 18:10) and NT (Gal. 5:20) have sometimes been adduced as scriptural proof of its existence. In the patristic age *Tertullian (Apol. 22) and St *Augustine (De Civ. Dei, 21. 6) believed in it. On the other hand, the belief was opposed by many of the Fathers, e.g. St *Hippolytus, St *Chrysostom, and St *Caesarius of Arles.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary Witchcraft
(1 Sam. 15:23; 2 Kings 9:22; 2 Chr. 33:6; Micah 5:12; Nahum 3:4; Gal. 5:20). In the popular sense of the word no mention is made either of witches or of witchcraft in Scripture.
Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Thesaurus witchcraft
witchcraft noun
1
synonyms MAGIC 1, bewitchment, conjuring, enchantment, incantation, necromancy, sorcery, thaumaturgy, witchery, wizardry
2
Scripture
Scripture
12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
The New International Version (Chapter 22)
Exodus 22:1818 “Do not allow a sorceress to live.Deuteronomy 18:10–1110 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.Isaiah 8:19–20The Darkness Turns to Light19 When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? 20 Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.Micah 5:1212 I will destroy your witchcraftand you will no longer cast spells.
2 Kings 9:22 (NIV)
22 When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” Jehu replied, “as long as all the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”
12 I will destroy your witchcraft and you will no longer cast spells.
4 all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft.
10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft,
2 Chronicles 33:6 (NIV)
6 He sacrificed his children in the fire in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, practiced divination and witchcraft, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.
Galatians 5:20 (NIV)
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
Isaiah 47:9 (NIV)
9 Both of these will overtake you in a moment, on a single day: loss of children and widowhood. They will come upon you in full measure, in spite of your many sorceries and all your potent spells.
4 all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft.
Revelation 21:8
8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
Revelation 18:23
23 The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world’s important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
Ezekiel 13:18
18 and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the women who sew magic charms on all their wrists and make veils of various lengths for their heads in order to ensnare people. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own?
Ezekiel 13:20-21
20 “ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds.
21 I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Daniel 2:2
2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king,
2 Kings 21:6
6 He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, arousing his anger.
Leviticus 19:26
26 “ ‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it. “ ‘Do not practice divination or seek omens.
Isaiah 2:6
6 You, LORD, have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob. They are full of superstitions from the East; they practice divination like the Philistines and embrace pagan customs.
Isaiah 8:19
19 When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?
1 John 4:1 ESV / 228 helpful votes
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Colossians 2:8 ESV / 135 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Acts 19:19 ESV / 134 helpful votes
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver.
Zechariah 10:2 ESV / 66 helpful votes
For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd.
2 Chronicles 33:6 ESV / 66 helpful votes
And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune-telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
1 Chronicles 10:13-14 ESV / 66 helpful votes
So Saul died for his breach of faith. He broke faith with the Lord in that he did not keep the command of the Lord, and also consulted a medium, seeking guidance. He did not seek guidance from the Lord. Therefore the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.
Deuteronomy 18:14 ESV / 53 helpful votes
For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this.
Acts 16:16 ESV / 40 helpful votes
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
Nahum 3:4 ESV / 40 helpful votes
And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms, who betrays nations with her whorings, and peoples with her charms.
1 John 4:1-3 ESV / 39 helpful votes
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.
Matthew 24:24 ESV / 37 helpful votes
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
Acts 8:18
Verse Concepts
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
2 Kings 17:17
Verse Concepts
Then they made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire, and practiced divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him.
Notes
Notes
Those who practice white magic, also often called Wicca, worship the creation rather than the Creator, and, while they may not call on the devil or evil spirits, they often appeal to “mother earth,” angels, and/or the elements. The central Wiccan theme is, “if it does no harm, do your own will.” Many who dabble in white magic call themselves Wiccans, whether they actually are or not. Although Wicca is fairly open-ended and there are various “denominations” and theological positions within the belief, there are certain beliefs, practices, and traditions that connect adherents of white magic to Wicca.
Throughout Scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments, all forms of witchcraft are in violation of God’s law and are condemned. (Deuteronomy 18:10–16; Leviticus 19:26, 31; 20:27; Acts 13:8–10). Pharaoh’s magicians used their “secret arts” to try to duplicate the miracles done by Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7:11; 8:7)—secret arts are the ceremonies or rituals sorcerers use to accomplish their magic, involving incantations, spells, magic words, charms, amulets, etc. The apostle Paul condemned Elymas the sorcerer, proclaiming him a “child of the devil” who was full of “all kinds of deceit and trickery” and was “perverting the right ways of the Lord” (Acts 13:10). The apostle Peter likewise condemned Simon the magician in Acts 8:20–23.
“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). Real spiritual power only comes from God, from a right relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ, and from the Holy Spirit who lives in the hearts of believers.
The word "magic" is actually used six times in the Bible, three times in the Old Testament and three times in the New Testament. However, the word, "magician(s)" is used 15 times. We know that the Egyptians worshiped many gods and that magic played an important part in the rituals of their high priests. It was through the deception of magic that the Egyptians were made to believe their gods actually had power. Genesis speaks of magicians in pharaoh’s service. But it is interesting to note that they were powerless to interpret pharaoh’s dream (Genesis 41:8), prompting pharaoh to send for Joseph, who interpreted it correctly because he spoke the words God gave him.
These men were also self-styled “wise men” and “sorcerers”—the learned men of the day and the religious as well. Two of these men, named Jannes and Jambres, are mentioned in 2 Timothy 3:8. Any supernatural power they may have had came from Satan (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). If not supernaturally inspired, they simply practiced their trade by optical illusion, sleight of hand, or the learned physical manipulation of things such as snakes. Whatever the case, deceit was their aim, and they were sufficiently skillful to completely fool pharaoh and his servants.
Is it witchcraft (Made like God seeking to be like God)
Is it witchcraft (Made like God seeking to be like God)
Name it and claim it
Your words have power
Certain words have evil power (Voldemort)
power of prayer
Don’t say that it’ll happen
Ibuprofen
MRI
Energy (Spiritual and physical electricity)
Light switches
Seeking advice from a practicing Muslim
A lucky jersey
balance band
dieting earrings
Putting a plant in the window to keep away evil spirits
Superstitions (Friday the 13th)
Seeking signs
Reading tea leaves
Rolling dice, flipping a coin
Rolling dice in a board game
Meditation
Dungeons and dragons
Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia
Dressing up for Halloween
