Magic And The Bible

I was approached on the subject of Curanderismo (and any kind of magical art) being “against the teaching of the Bible and against God’s word”.  The person that approached me attested that God said to stay away from this sort of divination (“card reading”) in the following verses…

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 New International Version (NIV)

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, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you.

Here is “my take” with interpretation and references in no particular order…

*** LET NO ONE BE FOUND AMONG YOU WHO SACRIFICES THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER IN THE FIRE…

(my take) I hope this isn’t going on in anyone’s household but there are numerous passages throughout the bible that mention God himself wanting blood sacrifices and offerings and commanding people to do them.

(KJV)Exodus 5:3

(KJV)Exodus 20:24

*** DIVINATION….

(my take) People were given the gift of divination and prophesy and tons of people throughout the bible divined.

Luke 1:9

Matthew 27:35

Joel 2:28

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Acts 2:17

Acts 21:9

Further references…

Genesis 44:5

Talks about divining in a container filled with water. Today it is call water scrying and is much like gazing in a crystal ball.

Here in Daniel 2:2 (KJV)

2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

Proverbs 16:33 (KJV)

33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

Look at Daniel the Prophet…

Daniel 5:11 (KJV)

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

Back to the original Deuteronomy 18:10-12

**** INTERPRETS OMENS …

(my take) people do this all the time but they don’t think badly when interpreting simple things like …it’s going to rain because you can smell wet dirt, it’s going to be cold because your knee hurts, your ears ringing so someone is talking about you, you’ll receive money because your hand itches. References are made throughout the bible of people interpreting omens.

**** ENGAGES IN SORCERY OR WITCHCRAFT OR CASTS SPELLS…

(my take) Children’s nursery rhymes are full of spell casting but we teach these stories to our children and make them think they are innocent or cute…. Star Light Star bright, The first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight… This is a form of spellcasting. A ritual form of spellcasting is the lighting of a birthday candle and asking a wish. God himself gave the gift of sorcery, magic, and wisdom to many people; King Solomon and Moses were two of them.

Further references…

Numbers 5:12-31

This describes a magical ritual that the priest would perform on a wife if her husband thought she committed adultery.

Kings 2:23-24.

Elisha was on his way to the city of Bethel. Some children came out of the city and made fun of his balding head. Elisha cursed the children in the name of God and two bears came out of the woods and tore 42 of the boys to shreds.

Acts 13:6-12

Here St. Paul performed a magical act against another and set a curse upon him

Acts 5:9

And here when St. Peter performed a magical act and set a curse on a woman who immediately fell to the floor and died.

And let’s not forget….

2 Chronicles 33:6 (KJV)

6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom. Also he observed times, and used enchantments, witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

MY INTERPRETATION AND BELIEF ON WITCHCRAFT, HEALING, ETC…

I believe in working with the energy. I believe in working with things that are already here and available to us. I don’t “create”… I manifest. I never claim to heal a person, I am only a channel for healing....Spirit is the healer. The gift of healing rests within each one of us. Those who have the gift of healing should not ignore it.

1st Timothy 4:14

Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given to you by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you.

We all can spiritually heal in Gods name......

Mark 16:15-18

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Is it taboo to know how to perform a magical art (the wisdom) when God himself gifted that wisdom to others? Who’s to say he didn’t gift it to you or I?

Kings 4:29-31

God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than anyone else, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, children of Mahol; his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations.

The Magical Staff…

God gave Moses a magical staff. When Moses intended to spread frogs over the land he pointed his staff and it happened. Same with turning water into blood, or the infestation of grasshoppers, snakes, and flies.

Exodus 7: 10 - 12

10 So Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and did as the Lord had commanded. And Aaron took the rod before Pharaoh, and his servants, and it was turned into a serpent. 11 And Pharaoh called the wise men and the magicians: and they also by Egyptian enchantments and certain secrets did in like manner. 12 And they every one cast down their rods, and they were turned into serpents: but Aaron's rod devoured their rods.

Is it taboo to know the future or to channel spirits?

1 Corinthians 13:1

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

The Book of Revelation Verse 3

"Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near."

1 Corinthians Chapter 14:1

Make love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men, but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, he who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues, unless some one interprets, so that the church may be edified. Therefore, he who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray wit the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

Joel 2:28

And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.

My interpretation on the Catholic Church’s Exorcists…

You also can't ignore that the Catholic Church is known for promoting and training exorcists. This in itself is a form of magical practice and ritual.

A conclusion…

As you can see, I have given numerous examples of the use of divination, healing, and all sorts of random “magical” occurrences in the Bible.

Even the Bible has a difficult time acknowledging the use of divination and “magic” on one hand while condemning the same on the other.  Contradictions abound in the word and you must seek your own path through these teachings.

On magic and wishes… 

I was once a little girl making a wish while blowing out the three candles on a birthday cake.  Was it magic that made this wish come true or was it the energy in my small but sturdy little body?  I tend to believe in energy and after many years of practice, still make a wish on my birthday.  I don’t think God minds.