Reference: Magic
American
In the Bible, all the superstitious ceremonies of magicians, sorcerers, enchanters, necromancers, spiritualists, exorcists, astrologers, soothsayers, interpreters of dreams, fortune-tellers, casters of nativities, etc., which are all forbidden by the law of God, whether practiced to hurt or to benefit mankind. It was also forbidden to consult magicians on pain of death, Le 19:31; 20:6. See ENCHANTMENTS and SORCERERS.
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Do not turn to psychics or mediums to get help. That will make you unclean. I am Jehovah your God.
If any of you go for advice to people who consult the spirits of the dead, I will turn against you and will no longer consider you one of my people.
Easton
The Jews seem early to have consulted the teraphim (q.v.) for oracular answers (Jg 18:5-6; Zec 10:2). There is a remarkable illustration of this divining by teraphim in Eze 21:19-22. We read also of the divining cup of Joseph (Ge 44:5). The magicians of Egypt are frequently referred to in the history of the Exodus. Magic was an inherent part of the ancient Egyptian religion, and entered largely into their daily life.
All magical arts were distinctly prohibited under penalty of death in the Mosaic law. The Jews were commanded not to learn the "abomination" of the people of the Promised Land (Le 19:31; De 18:9-14). The history of Saul's consulting the witch of Endor (1Sa 28:3-20) gives no warrant for attributing supernatural power to magicians. From the first the witch is here only a bystander. The practice of magic lingered among the people till after the Captivity, when they gradually abandoned it.
It is not much referred to in the New Testament. The Magi mentioned in Mt 2:1-12 were not magicians in the ordinary sense of the word. They belonged to a religious caste, the followers of Zoroaster, the astrologers of the East. Simon, a magician, was found by Philip at Samaria (Ac 8:9-24); and Paul and Barnabas encountered Elymas, a Jewish sorcerer, at Paphos (Ac 13:6-12). At Ephesus there was a great destruction of magical books (Ac 19:18-19).
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Is this the cup that my master drinks from and that he uses for telling the future? What you have done is evil!'
Do not turn to psychics or mediums to get help. That will make you unclean. I am Jehovah your God.
When you come into the land that Jehovah your God gives you, do not follow the disgusting practices of the nations that are there. Do not sacrifice your children in the fires on your altars. Do not let your people practice divination or look for omens or use spells or charms. read more. Do not allow them to consult the spirits of the dead. Jehovah your God hates people who do these disgusting things. That is why he is driving those nations out of the land as you advance. Be perfect (without blemish) with Jehovah your God. These nations whom you shall possess listened to observers of clouds and to diviners. As for you, Jehovah your God has not allowed you to do so.
They said to him: Please ask God if our journey will be successful. The priest answered: Do not worry. Jehovah is taking care of you on this trip.
After Samuel died all the Israelites mourned for him. They buried him in his hometown of Ramah. Saul forced all the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel. The Philistine troops assembled and camped near the town of Shunem. Saul gathered the Israelites and camped at Mount Gilboa. read more. Saul was terrified when he saw the Philistine army. So he asked Jehovah what to do. But Jehovah did not answer him. He did not answer by dreams or by the use of Urim and Thummim or by prophets. Saul ordered his officials: Find me a woman who is a medium. I will go and consult her. There is one in Endor, they answered. Saul disguised himself. He put on different clothes. After dark he went with two of his men to see the woman. Consult the spirits for me and tell me what is going to happen, he said to her: Call up the spirit of the man I name. The woman answered: You know what King Saul has done? He forced the fortunetellers and mediums to leave Israel. Are you trying to trap me and get me killed? Saul made a sacred vow. By the living God Jehovah I promise that you will not be punished for doing this, he told her. Whom shall I call up for you? The woman asked. Samuel, he answered. The woman saw Samuel. She screamed and said to Saul, Why have you tricked me? You are King Saul! Do not be afraid! The king said to her. What do you see? She answered: I see a spirit coming up from the earth. The spirit, what does it look like? He asked. It is an old man, she answered. He wears a cloak. Saul knew it was Samuel. So he bowed to the ground in respect. Samuel said to Saul: Why have you disturbed me? Why did you make me come back? Saul answered: I am in great trouble! The Philistines are at war with me. God has abandoned me. He does not answer me any more by prophets or by dreams. Please tell me what to do. Samuel said: Why do you call me when Jehovah has abandoned you and become your enemy? Jehovah did to you what he told you through me. He took the kingdom away from you and gave it to David instead. You disobeyed Jehovah's command and did not completely destroy the Amalekites. That is why Jehovah is doing this to you. He will give you and Israel over to the Philistines. Tomorrow you and your sons will join me. Jehovah will also give the army of Israel over to the Philistines. At once Saul fell down and lay stretched out on the ground. He was terrified by what Samuel said. He was weak because he had not eaten anything all day and all night.
Son of man, mark two roads that the king of Babylon and his sword can take. Both of these roads should start from the same country. Make a signpost and put it at the fork of the roads that go toward the cities. Mark the road that the king and his sword can take to the Ammonite city of Rabbah. Then mark the road that leads to Judah and the fortified city of Jerusalem. read more. The king of Babylon will stand where the roads branch off, at the fork in the road. Then he will look for omens. The king will stand at the branch of the roads where he will use divination. He will shake the arrows and ask the teraphim and look into the liver. The divination (omens) will indicate that he should go to the right, to Jerusalem. So he will set up his battering rams there, and give the order to kill. He will raise a battle cry and aim the battering rams against the city gates. He will put up ramps and set up blockades (siege walls).
For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie. They have told false dreams! They comfort in vain. They go their way like sheep. They are afflicted because there is no shepherd.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod. Astrologers arrived in Jerusalem from the east. They asked: Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and came to offer him praise. read more. King Herod was troubled when he heard this. Jerusalem was also troubled. He called together all the chief priests and teachers of the Law and asked where will the Messiah be born? Bethlehem in Judea, they answered. This is what the prophet wrote: Bethlehem in the land of Judah, you are not the least of the leading cities of Judah. A leader will come out of you. He will shepherd my people Israel. Then Herod secretly called the astrologers to find out exactly the time the star appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem. He said: Search diligently for the young child. When you find him, bring me word so I may come and bow down to him also. After they heard the king, they followed the star until it stopped over the place where the child was. They were overwhelmed with joy to see the star. They entered the house and saw the young child with his mother Mary. They bowed down and paid him homage. Then they opened their treasure chests and offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. God warned the astrologers in a dream not to go back to Herod. So they departed for their country by a different road.
A certain man called Simon was in the same city. He used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, telling everyone that he was great. They all listened to him, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man has great power from God. read more. They followed him because for a long time he astonished them with sorceries. When they believed what Philip preached about the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon also believed. When he was baptized he continued with Philip, amazed by the miracles and signs he saw. When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. Peter and John prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus but had not yet received the Spirit. So they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money. Simon said: Give me this power that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. Peter said to him: Your money will perish with you, because you think that the gift of God may be purchased with money. You have no part or share in this matter for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent of this wickedness, and pray to God, that the thought in your heart may be forgiven you. For I perceive that you are full of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Simon answered: Pray to God for me, that none of these things that you have spoken will happen to me.
They traveled the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they found Barjesus. He was a sorcerer, a false prophet and a Jew. He was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man, who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. read more. But Elymas the sorcerer opposed them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, set his eyes on him, And said: You child of the devil, full of all subtlety and mischief, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of Jehovah? Look Jehovah's hand is on you. You will be blind and not see the sun for a season. Immediately there fell on him a mist and darkness. He went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. When he saw what was done the deputy believed. He was astonished at the teaching of God.
Many of the believers confessed openly about the evil things they had done. Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books and burned them in the sight of everyone. When they totaled the value of them it came to about fifty thousand pieces of silver.