Forbidden witchcraft spells mentioned in the Bible The Bible explicitly prohibits the practice of witchcraft and the use of spells. In numerous passages, both in the Old and New Testaments, the Bible warns against engaging in any form of witchcraft or divination. The word "witchcraft" refers to the practice of using supernatural means to control or manipulate events or people. This is considered to be a form of rebellion against God's authority and a usurpation of His power. One of the most well-known passages that condemns witchcraft is found in the book of Deuteronomy. In Deuteronomy 18:10-12, it states, "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, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.
In Deuteronomy 18:10-12, it states, "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, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord..
Forbidden Magic
In the Torah magic is forbidden–not because it is ineffective but because it does violence to the sovereignty of God. Exodus commands: “You shall not tolerate a sorceress” (22:17). Deuteronomy elaborates: Let no one be found among you . . . who is an augur, a soothsayer, a diviner, a sorcerer, one who casts spells, or one who consults ghosts or familiar spirits, or one who inquires of the dead” (18:10-11). The length of the list mirrors just how widespread the practice of magic was in the ancient Near East. Its underlying premise was the pagan idea that the gods, like humans, were subject to fate, a metadivine realm that predated and transcended them. Magic exploited divine weakness by activating metadivine forces to induce or compel the gods to heed the bidding of mortals. The Torah bristled at such contamination of its overarching monotheism. “You must be wholehearted with the Lord your God,” is the way Deuteronomy summed up its indictment of magic (18:13). Our faith is to be pure and undivided.
This view of magic informs a subplot of the fast moving narrative of the first seven plagues to strike Egypt in this week’s parashah. Beside the titanic confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh, there is also the secondary contest, between Aaron and the court magicians. Moses leads with Aaron. It is he who turns his staff into a serpent before Pharaoh and who then triggers the onset of the first three plagues by another wave of his staff. Pharaoh counters with his magicians. As long as they can match Aaron’s prowess deed for deed, Pharaoh betrays contempt. By the third plague, which turns dust into lice, the priests falter and confide in Pharaoh that “This is the finger of God” (8:15). Nevertheless, Pharaoh’s resolve continues unbroken.
But the point of the narrative is not only to register Aaron’s victory but to stress the difference in execution. In contrast to Aaron, who simply carries out God’s command without any hocus-pocus, the magicians employ a ritual wrapped in secrecy. Each time the Torah conspicuously adds the phrase “with their spells” to reveal the source of their power (7:11, 22; 8:3, 14). The efficacy of Aaron’s rod (or that of Moses) flows directly from God’s will, without benefit of occult techniques. Not so the vaunted and pervasive magic of ancient Egypt, which is derivative and limited.
Despite their failure to keep pace with Aaron, the magicians do not seem to have conceded fully. They reappear in the sixth plague, when the Torah mentions tellingly that, “The magicians were unable to confront Moses because of the inflammation, for the inflammation afflicted the magicians as all the other Egyptians” (9:11). By the fourth plague, Moses had taken charge. The plagues were now his doing. The verse suggests that Pharaoh’s magicians were still trying to compete. But by this time their impotence is total: they can neither reproduce the plague nor protect themselves against it.
For Martin Buber, in his still valuable quest for the historical Moses, the separation of magic from religion lies at the heart of the personal name which God reveals to Moses at the burning bush (3:14) and which is repeated at the beginning of our parashah (6:2). The force of God’s name (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh) is the assurance of an unmediated and unwavering presence, beyond magical incantation: “If the first part of the statement states: ‘I do not need to be conjured for I am always with you,’ the second adds: ‘but it is impossible to conjure me.'”
To make the repudiation unmistakable, Buber continues: “It is necessary to remember Egypt as the background of such a revelation: Egypt where the magician went so far as to threaten the gods that if they would not do his will he would not merely betray their names to the demons, but would also tear the hair from their heads as lotus blossoms are pulled out of the pond. Here religion was in practice little more than regulated magic. In the revelation at the burning bush, religion is “demagicized” (Moses, Harper Torchbooks, pp. 52-53).
The aversion to magic may also be the factor that determined the blemish in Moses’ profile. He was not a silver-tongued orator. In resisting God’s call, he described himself as “slow of speech and slow of tongue” (4:10, 6:12). And indeed he did not convince Israel nor overwhelm Pharaoh by means of eloquence. According to Rabbi Nissim Gerondi of Barcelona, the spiritual leader of Spanish Jewry in the fourteenth century, that is among other reasons why God chose Moses. In a land where incantations were all powerful, God did not want a leader who appeared to best the Egyptians at their own game. No one should think that Moses prevailed because of his facility with language. This was not a contest between competing systems of magic. God alone initiated and generated the signs and wonders that effected Israel’s redemption from Egypt. The speech impediment of Moses underlined the new religious claim that the God of Israel could not be fettered by the occult (Abarbanel on Shemot).
Thus the subplot is actually the main plot. The repudiation of magic reflects a profound theological shift from a plethora of subordinate deities to a single supreme God, whose arena of action is history more than nature and whose favor is garnered by adherence to a lofty new standard of morality. Shabbat Shalom,
Most church leaders have convinced their parishioners that magic spells are the work of Satan and inherently evil. However, this is a centuries-long suppression of the fact that all churches practice magic rituals everyday as part of their services. The truth is that church leaders have kept these "Forbidden Bible Spells" from the general population to enrich and empower themselves with the magical forces intended for all of mankind.
." This passage makes it clear that the practice of witchcraft, including casting spells, is detestable to God. The use of spells to manipulate or control others is seen as a violation of God's sovereignty and an affront to His wisdom and power. It is considered an act of rebellion and idolatry, as it places trust and reliance in powers other than God. The book of Exodus also warns against the use of spells and witchcraft. In Exodus 22:18, it states, "Do not allow a sorceress to live." This verse emphasizes the seriousness of the offense and the severe consequences that accompany the practice of witchcraft. It is a clear command to avoid any involvement in witchcraft and to remove those who engage in it from the community. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul also addresses the issue of witchcraft and spells in his letter to the Galatians. In Galatians 5:19-21, he lists witchcraft as a work of the flesh, along with other sinful behaviors. He warns that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The main idea emphasized throughout the Bible is that the practice of witchcraft, including the use of spells, is strictly forbidden. It is seen as a rebellion against God's authority and a violation of His commandments. The Bible warns of the severe consequences that come with engaging in such practices and encourages believers to instead trust in God's power and guidance..
Reviews for "Forbidden Magic: Unearthing Witchcraft Spells in the Bible"
1. John - 1 star
I found "Forbidden Witchcraft Spells Mentioned in the Bible" to be highly misleading and inappropriate. The book claims to reveal forbidden witchcraft spells from the Bible, but all it does is misinterpret the scriptures and twist them to fit the author's own agenda. As someone who is familiar with the Bible, I was shocked to see how the author took verses out of context and used them to support their dubious claims. It is clear that the book is not grounded in any proper theological understanding or scholarship. I would not recommend "Forbidden Witchcraft Spells Mentioned in the Bible" to anyone looking for legitimate information or guidance on the topic.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
While I appreciate the idea behind "Forbidden Witchcraft Spells Mentioned in the Bible," I found the execution to be lacking. The book fails to provide any substantial evidence or historical context to support its claims. Instead, it presents a biased and one-sided interpretation of certain Bible verses that are related to witchcraft. I was hoping for a more balanced and comprehensive exploration of the topic, but unfortunately, this book did not deliver. Additionally, the writing style was convoluted and difficult to follow, making it hard to engage with the material. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it.
3. Robert - 2 stars
As a Christian, I was deeply troubled by the content of "Forbidden Witchcraft Spells Mentioned in the Bible." The book promotes a dangerous and unorthodox understanding of the Bible, falsely claiming that certain Bible verses condone witchcraft practices. It is important to approach the Bible with proper theological knowledge and respect for the original context. This book not only fails to do so but also seems to manipulate the scriptures to propagate its own questionable ideas. I would caution readers against taking the information presented in this book seriously and recommend seeking guidance from trusted and reputable sources instead.