Reference: Magic, Divination, And Sorcery
Hastings
Magic, divination, sorcery, and witchcraft are all connected with belief in superhuman powers, and are methods whereby men endeavour to obtain from these powers knowledge of the future, or assistance in the affairs of life. Belief in magic and divination is most prevalent in the lower stages of civilization and religion. The arts of the magician and the diviner were founded upon the same logical processes as have issued in the development of modern science; but the limits within which deduction would be valid were disregarded, and the data were frequently imperfect. Accidental coincidence was often confused with causal sequence. (See Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, art. 'Divination'). Magic and divination were derived from attempts at reasoning which were very often erroneous; but from such crude beginnings science has slowly grown.
In their beginning these arts were associated with religion; and diviners and magicians were those thought to be most intimately connected with the Deity, and, owing to their superior knowledge of Him and His ways, best able to learn His secrets or secure His aid. Among the Arabs the priest was originally also the soothsayer; the Heb. k
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But while he was thinking on these things, behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take to thee Mary thy wife; for that which is begotten in her, is of the Holy Ghost.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold wise men came from the East to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews?
And being warned of God in a dream, not to return to Herod, they went back into their own country another way.
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathens; for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking.
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges.
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Then the Parisees and Saducees came and tempting, desired him to shew them a sign from heaven.
But all their works they do, to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and inlarge the fringes of their garments.
While he sat on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things to-day in a dream because of him.
And others tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
So he came again to Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
But a certain man, named Simon, had been before in the city, using magic, and astonishing the Samaritans, saying, that he was some great one.
But Elymas, the magician (so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith.
And as we were going to prayer, a certain damsel, possest by a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by prophesying.
And some of the vagabond Jews, who were exorcists, undertook to name the name of the Lord Jesus, over those who had evil spirits, saying, We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.
Many also of those who had practised curious arts, bringing their books together, burnt them before all men, and they computed the value of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, contentions,
he hath now reconciled, By the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy, and spotless, and unreproveable in his sight:
But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Neither repented of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornications, nor of their thefts.
And I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God with men, and he will dwell with them; and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God.