Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

There are only two sources of spiritual power: God and Satan. 
At the heart of witchcraft is the desire to know the future and control events that are not ours to control. Those abilities belong only to the Lord. This desire has its roots in Satan’s first temptation to Eve: “You can be like God” (Genesis 3:5).

Since the Garden of Eden, Satan’s major focus has been to divert human hearts away from worship of the true God (Genesis 3:1). He entices humans with the suggestions of power, self-realization, and spiritual enlightenment apart from submission to God. Witchcraft is merely another branch of that enticement. To become involved in witchcraft in any way is to enter Satan’s realm.

God does not forbid witchcraft out of a desire to deprive humans of spiritual enlightenment, but to protect them from demonic forces that can only work to their eternal harm, for which no temporal benefit can compensate them.

June 27 2021 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Daniel Donaldson Supporter Bible teacher, author of The Mystery of the Blood Covenants

The Bible warns against witchcraft for the same reason parents should be warned against letting their children watch recent movies made for children that feature witchcraft. Why spoil their fun? The answer is that the danger is real, and the long-lasting damage is serious, if we allow wolves in sheep garb into our children’s mind and hearts through the entertainment they read and see. 

The scripture most often used in this type of discussion is not to be ignored or misunderstood. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,” 1Sam 15:23. In the context the Prophet Samuel is explaining why Saul’s disobedience was enough to cost him his throne. The reverse must also be true, that the sin of witchcraft, divination, attempting to use supernatural power from a source other than Father God, is as the sin of rebellion. What it really means, and what matters in this message, is that when your story entices, encourages, and makes the work of witches, warlocks, and other seekers of power outside of God’s will appear appealing, it is promoting rebellion. It is elevating a dark power masquerading as light as a viable alternative to the true light, Jesus. 

A fundamental shift in the portrayal of demonically inspired witchcraft has emerged in recent years. The villain has become the central figure, and their power over others is encouraged as the solution to your problems. Their attempts at overcoming whatever is in their way with spells, potions, incantations, wands, divination, and sorcery are elevated to something to be emulated and desired. Those unskilled in witchcraft will appear helpless in comparison to the witch. Or another popular theme is for the good child to seek to learn and use a white version of the dark villain’s tactics for good. When bad parades as good, and good people are depicted as weak and foolish without the dark knowledge, rebellion against good and true is afoot. 

What about much older works, like one of the greatest Christian authors of all time, C. S. Lewis, entitled, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? The dramatic difference in these works I highly recommend, is that they teach exactly what is true. The evil of the treacherous witch is unmistakably depicted as evil. The power of the good lion Aslan, very much the representation of Jesus Christ, is the good character and spoiler alert, good triumphs over evil. This is a powerful yet entertaining cautionary tale, not an invitation to emulate evil. 

We should pay as much attention to what goes into our own minds then hearts, and our children’s, as we do to protect their physical bodies.

July 05 2021 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

Why does the Bible warn against witchcraft? 

Because of God's attitude of anger against a big city which He vows that He will destroy because of their involvement in the occult. Nah 3:4, esp., but see Nah 3:4-10. Na 3:4 says, "Because of the wanton lust of a harlot, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft." [I am against you, God says. And I will punish you.]

Yes, God promises vengeance on those who practice witchcraft--

Isaiah 57:3 says, "But come close, you sons of a sorceress [nursed in witchcraft and superstition], you offspring of an adulterer and a harlot." And then a little later in the context, Isa 57:6 says, "Because of these things I will seek vengeance."

Having practiced witchcraft, those in the future will continue to rebel, even though they witness God judging and taking the lives of untold millions. Revelation 9:21 says, "And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their immorality or their thefts." In context, Rev 9:18 says, "A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues, that is, by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths." Witchcraft must encourage rebellion against God. It is dangerous and evil.

Isaiah the prophet prays in Isa 2:6, "GOD, you've walked out on your family Jacob because their world is full of hokey religion, Philistine witchcraft, and pagan hocus-pocus." This could also be a warning to us; you don't want God to walk out on you, too, do you?

But above all else, to be forewarned is to be forearmed. The most powerful warning comes from Revelation 21:8, “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

August 02 2024 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

Why does the Bible warn against Witchcraft?

First Samuel 15:23 says, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." Witchcraft is Satan's realm, and he excels in counterfeiting what God does. When Moses performed miracles before Pharaoh, the magicians did the same things through demonic power (Exodus 8:7).

Witchcraft, exorcism, and astrology were also components of Babylon's religion. Petra Eisele claims that "It is quite possible that Western obsession with witches... is of Chaldean origin." And the Babylonians made remarkable progress in astronomy while seeking to read the future in the stars.

Prohibitions: Laws prohibiting various forms of Witchcraft and divination can be found in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. These include the following (as translated in the Revised JPS, 2023: Exodus 22:18 – "You shall not tolerate a sorceress [Biblical Hebrew: מְכַשֵּׁפָ֖ה, romanised: mək̲aššēp̄ā]."

Witchcraft also represents a distrust in God's sovereignty.

1 Samuel 15: 23 ESV: "For rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because thou hast rejected the word of Jehovah, he hath also rejected thee from being king."

Rev 9:21 ESV: "And they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts."

All who persist in their wicked ways will have to face adverse judgment from Jehovah in the great day of his vindication.

To be involved with sorcery is to shake hands with the Devil. According to the Bible, Christians are in a war against "world-rulers of this darkness," and "the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). 

God takes witchcraft very seriously. The penalty for practising witchcraft under the Mosaic Law was death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 20:27). First Chronicles 10:13 tells us that "Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance." In the New Testament, "sorcery" is translated from the Greek word pharmakeia, from which we get our word pharmacy (Galatians 5:20; Revelation 18:23). Witchcraft and spiritism often involve the ritualistic use of magic potions and mind-controlling drugs. Using illicit drugs can open us up to the invasion of demonic spirits. Engaging in a practice or taking a substance to achieve an altered state of consciousness is a form of witchcraft.

Exodus 22:18 (NKJV): "You shall not permit a sorceress to live."

Leviticus 19:31 (NKJV): "'Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God."

Leviticus 20:6–7 (NKJV): "And the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God."

Acts 19:19–20 (NKJV): "Also, many of those who had practised magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totalled fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed."

Ephesians 6:10–12 (NKJV): "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

1 Timothy 4:1 (NKJV): "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons."

Revelation 22:15: "Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood."

4 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report