Magic in the Bible

Wed May 2 03:38:48 UTC 2001

No: HPFGUIDX 17993

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Caius Marcius" <coriolan at w...> wrote:

I thought this essay from 
> Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology does an 
admirably 
> balanced job of outlining how magic is viewed in Scripture 
(Surprise! 
> It's not totally negative)

Are you talking about supernatural power when you use the word 
magic?  Supernatural power/miracles come from either a divine or a 
demonic source. Obviously the demonic source would be the negative!

> 
> Magic [N] [E] 
> 
> The Old Testament. Magic—the attempt to exploit supernatural powers 
> by formulaic recitations to achieve goals that were otherwise 
> unrealizable—was seen in a negative light in the Old Testament 

(quite a bit of deleting)

Magic

The attempt or supposed ability to cause changes to result in 
conformity with one's will or desires by invoking or employing 
spirits or other extradimensional entities or beings, and/or 
utilizing mysterious, invisible, or relatively unknown or codified 
forces, powers, guidelines, rules, or laws, thereby influencing, 
controlling, or manipulating reality for one's own purposes.  Magic 
is synonymous with sorcery.  As used here, it is to be distinguished 
from mere prestidigitation or sleight of hand.  In some occultic 
circles it is spelled magick to distinguish it from prestidigitation.

However, many of the banned terms (primarily in Deut 
> 18:10-11) have defied easy explanation, including child sacrifice 
> (possibly used for divinatory purposes Deut 18:10; 2 Kings 21:6), 
> types of divination (Num 23:23; Deut 18:10-11; 1 Sam 15:23; 2 Kings 
> 17:17; Micah 3:6), sorceries (Exod 22:18; Deut 18:11; Jer 27:9; 
Micah 
> 5:12; Mal 3:5), and necromancy (1 Sam 28).

The Bible condemns all forms of the occult-divination, magic/sorcery, 
and spiritism-in numberous passages throughout both the Old and New 
Testaments.  For instance, in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 God's view of 
occultism is clearly expressed:  "let no one be found among you who 
sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination 
or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in withcraft, or casts spell, 
or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.  Anyone who 
does these things is detestable to the LORD.

Even if this were the only biblical passage on the occult, it would 
be clear that all forms of the occult are denounced by God.  Yet this 
is only one of many condemnatory references to occultist and 
occultism (see Lev. 19.26,31; 20:6; 2Kings 17:10-17; 21:1-6; 23:24-
25; 2 Chron. 33:6; Isa. 8:19-20; 47:12-15; Acts 13:6-12; 16:16-18; 
Gal. 5:19-20; Rev. 9:21; 21:8, 22:15).

In the Old Testament references, two Hebrew words are primarily used 
for divination: the verb nahash (or nahas) and the verb qasam.  The 
verb nahash is found in numerous passages (Deut. 18:10; Lev 19:26; 2 
Kings 17:17; 21:6; 2 Chron. 33:6)  While it is variously translated 
into English, the word literally means to practice divination, 
divine, practice fortune-telling, observe signs or omens, or learn by 
omens.

Deuteronomy 18:10 leaves no doubt about God's perspective.

The nominal form of habar is heber (or cheber).  It is found in many 
passages in the Old Testament.  There are several meanings for heber, 
depending on the context, but this will focus on heber as a spell or 
enchantment or a charmer or enchanter.  A variant of haber, heber 
reflects the sense of bind, cast a spell, except in a few places.  
The usual translation is 'enchantments' referring to the means the 
charmers employed to influence people or the result of their charming 
efforts (Deut 18:11).  All aspects were divinely forbidden to 
covenant people.  The occultic practices of charming, enchanting, or 
spell casting are condemned, and those who attempt such spells are 
held in contempt by God.

Deuteronomy 18:14 states:  "The nations you will dispossess listen to 
those who practice sorcery or divination.  But as for you, the LORD 
your God has not permitted you to do so."

Foreign magicians in Scripture did not 
> invoke help of their gods for magical formulas, but often called 
upon 
> self-operating forces that were independent of the gods (Isa 47:13; 
> the monotheistic Israelites did not accept the existence of the 
> foreign gods ). Moreover, the biblical writers seemed to attribute 
a 
> reality to magical power that it did not ascribe to the gods. Magic 
> was considered human rebellion that unlocked divine secrets, making 
> humanity equal with God.

The context of Isaiah 47 is a prediction of Bablyon's impending 
judgment for, among other things, magic/sorcery such as spell casting 
and practicing astrology.  The coming judgment upon Bablon is likened 
to a consuming fire.  God taunts them to see and then by their 
supposed magical powers deliver themselves from his righteous wrath.  
Ironically, they cannot predict through astrology their own coming 
catastrophe, let alone save themselves or anyone else from God's 
inevitable judgment for their many transgressions, including the 
practice of magic and divination.

These two were 
> looked upon by Paul as examples of those who opposed the truth. The 
> one who had a spirit of divination (Gk. pneuma python normally a 
> spirit connected with the Delphic oracle Acts 16:16) was forced to 
> acknowledge Jesus, but the apostles did not accept this testimony 
> because of the ungodly source.

The New Testament reiterates the teaching of the Old Testament on the 
occult and divination.  In the New Testament, Acts 16:16-18 is the 
only express case addressed of someone practicing divination.  Verse 
16 says, "And it happened that as we were going to the place of 
prayet, a certain slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, 
who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling.  the key 
phrase is that she had "a spirit of divination" (Greek pneuma 
pythona).  In the Greek text it literally reads she had "a spirit of 
a python."  By this spirit she practiced fortune-telling (Greek 
manteuomene).

Acts 16:16 tells us that the girl was a soothsayer-ventriloquist and 
that she thus stood in relation to the demonic.  While there are 
different understandings as to the exact meaning of the phrase pneuma 
pythona found in Acts 16:16, it is understood that the girl was 
possessed by a spirit through whom she practiced divination or 
fortune-telling.  The biblical perspective is that this spirit was a 
demonic spirit and that the girl was involved in a forbidden 
practice.  Thus, the apostle Paul, in the name of Jesus Christ, cast 
the demonic spirit (of divination) out of the girl (Acts 16:18).

The biblical perspective is that necromancy implies involvement with 
evil spirits-demonic spirits-who masquerade as departed individuals.  
However, the possession of the slave girl by a spirit of divination 
is not technically a form of necromancy.  The slave girl was involved 
in a form of mediumship/spiritism.  Necromancy is one form of 
spiritism that is attempted through contact witht he dead.  There is 
no evidence, however, that the slave girl was contacting the dead.  
Therefore, this was a form of mediumistic divination but not 
necromancy.  (If necromancy is practice by a medium or a person going 
into a trance state, then necromancy is also a form of mediumship.  
If necromancy is practiced to obtain information, then it is also a 
form of divination.  Whether referring to one who consults or 
inquires of the dead, or otherwise, the biblical teaching on 
mediumship and necromancy is the same:  They are roundly condemned 
(Deut. 18:10-11; 1 Chron. 10:13).  Indeed, necromancy (as with all 
other forms of mediumship) was so contrary to God's commands that its 
practitioners were under the death penalty (Deut.13)

Thought I would just share some info that I had!  I didn't have time 
to comment on all the verses.

Koinonia

The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.
W. Foerster. 
Craig S. Hawkins.