Today’s question is “What is sorcery in the Bible Part II.” Let’s talk about it. You can read part l by clicking on the article link at the bottom of this page.
Simon the Magician (Simon Magus)
“Philip…began proclaiming Christ (in Samaria). The crowds…heard and saw the signs (miracles) which he was performing. Many…who had unclean spirits (came) out of them shouting…and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.”
Acts 8:5-7
These verses give the backdrop for the story of Simon Magus.
The Great Power of God
“Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great, and they all (paid) attention to him, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God.”…He had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts (Acts 8:9-11).”
Sorcery in the Bible Part II
Simon was well-known in the area for his magic powers. The crowd called him the Great Power of God.”
Simon Believed and was Baptized
“But when they (the crowd) believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed (Acts 8:12-13).”
Philip’s Superior Powers
Simon believed and they baptized him in the Name of Jesus Christ. So, he converted to Christianity. He had magic powers, but he was constantly amazed after watching Philip perform miracles. He recognized Philip’s powers were beyond his abilities.
Phillip’s preaching to the Samaritans was shortly after Jesus had died on the cross, resurrected, and returned to heaven. At this time, the Apostles Peter and John had to be present to accept new people groups (non-Jews) into the Church. They came to place their hands on these believers so they would receive the Holy Spirit. God has more to say sorcery in the Bible Part II.
Purchase the Holy Spirit?
“Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money” to have their authority to give people the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:18).
But Peter rebuked Simon for thinking he could obtain the gift of God with money (Acts 8:19)! Peter added that Simon’s heart wasn’t right before God, and he needed to repent so God could forgive the intention of his heart.
“Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me (Acts 8:24).”
Simon repented of his evil request.
Note: Simon Magus has many legends and interesting stories recorded about him, but these other stories, though interesting, are outside of the Bible’s record. So, we don’t know which if any are true.
Moses, Egypt’s Magicians, and the Ten Plagues x
Early in the history of Israel, the Jews were enslaved in Egypt. Their main task was to make bricks. But while in Egypt for @four hundred years, the Jews had multiplied and now numbered in the millions. God determined to deliver them from Egypt to inherit their Promised Land and become their own nation. But Pharaoh refused God’s command through Moses to let “God’s people” go. Therefore, God worked through Moses to send ten plagues on Egypt before He convinced Pharaoh to let His people go.
Moses Appears Before Pharaoh with God’s Power
Serpents Battle
“Now the LORD spoke to Moses saying, “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Work a miracle…take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.” Then Pharaoh also called for…the magicians (and sorcerers) of Egypt (and) each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs (Exodus 7:8-13).”
The First Plague & the Egyptian Secret Arts
The swallowing up shows superiority. Moses appeared before Pharaoh with the first plague:
“So, Moses…lifted up the staff and struck the water that was in the Nile, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, and all the water that was in the Nile was turned to blood (Exodus 7:20). The fish died, its water was undrinkable, “And the blood was through all the land of Egypt (Exodus 7:21).””
This was an impressive miracle, however: “The magicians of Egypt did the same with their secret arts,” and Pharaoh did not let God’s people go (Exodus 7:22).”
Pharaoh’s magicians had an impressive source of power. They could imitate God’s first plague.
The Second Plague and the Egyptian Secret Arts
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make frogs come up on the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:5).” But once again, “The magicians did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:7).”
So, they could also imitate the second plague. But what about the third and the rest?
The Remaining Plagues and the Egyptian Secret Arts
“Then the LORD said to Moses…strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats through all the land of Egypt ….The magicians tried with their secret arts to bring forth gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God (Exodus 8:16).”
After the first two plagues, Pharaoh’s magicians couldn’t match the power required to produce God’s miracles. But even so, Pharaoh didn’t let God’s people go until after the tenth plague. In the New Testament, Paul tells us the names of Pharaoh’s magicians: “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth (2 Timothy 3:8).”
The Prophet Balaam
Background
The Bible book of Numbers, chapter 22, tells the story of Balaam. Balaam was a prophet, but an enemy nation to the Jews hired him to curse Israel. They wanted to stop Israel from getting to their Promised Land. But Balaam couldn’t prophesy without God’s permission.
Power by Permission
For reasons we don’t know, God sometimes allows the occult practices to produce something, but it’s always within His limitations. The Bible calls Satan the god of this world in the Bible, and he has some–and can give some–occult powers. But God can block those at any time He wants.
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Background
“As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17).”
Superior to the Chaldean Magicians
These four youths were Hebrew children taken to Babylon after the first Babylonian deportation of Jews from Israel (in 605BC). Their supervisors chose them because of their appearance and wisdom. They were trained like the native Babylonian magicians and conjurers, yet the Hebrews were superior to the native magicians.
“So they entered the king’s personal service. As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm (Daniel 1:19-20).”
This narrative in Daniel chapter one sets the backdrop for the next storyline and the entire book of Daniel.
King Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
“Now…Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams…. The king said to them…, “My spirit is anxious to understand the dream (Daniel 2:1-3).”
The Chaldean’s Testimony
The Chaldeans answered…, “No man “man on earth…no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean. (What) the king demands is difficult, and (no one) could declare it …except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh (Daniel 2:4-11).”
The King’s Threat
These highly trained “wise men” declared that what the king asked was impossible for any man on earth. If the king would tell them the dream, they could make up any interpretation they wanted. But they had no way to tell the king what his vision was. When the king heard this, he vowed to kill all his wise men, including Daniel and friends.
Daniel’s God Gives & Interprets Dreams
But Daniel prayed, sought God’s help, and God answered, declaring the dream and its meaning to Daniel to give to the king. So, again, the wise men and the powers behind them fell short of God’s power. Daniel credited God, successfully declared the king’s dream, and the king promoted all four Hebrew youths.
Sorcery in the Bible Part II
The Bible has stories and references about sorcery and other occult practices. He condemns them all! God seeks those who seek Him. If we want to know anything about the future, He encourages us to ask Him and trust Him. He will tell us what we need to know.
Seek God and find everything good. Begin by watching the Great News Video on this page.
