The Magician
The path connecting Binah (Understanding) with
Kether (Crown) is associated with the Magician tarot card. The image on the card
is of a young man wearing a white robe with a red outer garment representing one
of the followers of Christ who made his robe white through the blood of the lamb
(Revelations 7:14). Over the magician’s head is the symbol of eternity,
representing the Crown of Life obtained at Kether. The magician has obtained an
understanding of God (as well as his own purpose) at the sphere of Binah, and
utilizes his understanding to assist others and serve God.
Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of
his good pleasure.
One of the magician’s hands is pointing a wand towards Heaven, and his other
hand points towards the earth; he is a conduit of God, and does God’s will on
earth by utilizing the blessings/gifts that God has given him to help others.
The flowers above and below the magician represents life and abundance, and on
the table before him are the four suits of the tarot, which represent the four
elements of life (Earth, Air, Fire, and Water). The Fool tarot card also had
these elements, but the fool did not use them. The magician has advanced in his
spiritual journey, and now utilizes the gifts/blessings/resources that God has
provided him.
1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one
to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Romans 12:6-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given
to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with
simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with
cheerfulness.
Ephesians 6:6-7 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of
Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as
to the Lord, and not to men:
Deuteronomy 30:9-10 And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work
of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in
the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for
good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of
the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in
this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine
heart, and with all thy soul.
Everyone has a unique purpose in God’s plan, and God will work through you to
affect the lives and/or spiritual development of others. The card is titled,
‘Magician’, and the character holds a magic wand, but being a conduit or servant
of God does not require the performance of miracles. It is true that God has
permitted some people – such as Moses or the Apostles – to perform miracles as
part of their missions, but this in not true of everyone. The Magician has other
resources available to him besides the wand. In front of the magician are a
staff (fire), sword (air), pentacle (earth), and a cup (water), which are also
the four suits of a deck of tarot cards.
Psalm 23:3-4 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for
His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 89:31-33 If they violate My statutes and do not keep My commandments, Then
I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes.
"But I will not break off my lovingkindness from him, nor deal falsely in My
faithfulness.
Proverbs 13:23-24 Abundant food is in the fallow ground of the poor, but it is
swept away by injustice. He who withholds his rod hates his son, but he who
loves him disciplines him diligently.
Proverbs 22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of
discipline will remove it far from him.
Proverbs 23:13-15 Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you
strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod and
rescue his soul from Sheol. My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart also
will be glad.
The staff or the rod (of correction) is a resource the magician can use in his
personal walk with God (Psalm 23:3-4), and to assist others in their spiritual
journey. One way of serving God is to provide others with guidance, and/or
correct them when they stray off of the path (Matthew 18:15-19). Being a father
– and raising God fearing children – is a tremendous responsibility and means of
serving God. Christians are expected to run their households well (1 Timothy
3:4), and failing to do so would be a disgrace (1 Timothy 5:8).
In the tarot, the suit of wands/staffs/rods is associated with the element of
fire, because wood is used to create fire. In scripture, it is associated with
the shepherd’s staff or the rod of correction – both representing guidance. Even
the concept of being baptized with fire has to do with discipline and
correction. Though Moses used a staff to perform miracles, the majority of the
time (in scripture), staffs are associated with guidance and correction.
Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have
anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows
Psalm 75:7-8 But God is the Judge; He puts down one and exalts another. For a
cup is in the hand of the LORD…
Matthew 26:39 He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed,
saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I
will, but as You will.
Matthew 23:24-26 "You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the
cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that
the outside of it may become clean also.
Matthew 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a
blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this
is My body."And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them,
saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
1 Corinthians 10:21-22 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of
demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or
do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?
Cups are associated with peoples’ destinies. Those who God blesses have cups
that are overflowing (Psalm 23:5), but evildoers have cups of wrath awaiting
them (Revelations 16:19). Servants of God can assist others in selecting between
the Cup of Christ and the Cup of Demons, through evangelism or by providing
those who stray from the path with guidance. Jesus corrected the Pharisees by
pointing out that they are focusing on their outward appearance, while their
internal desires were filthy. Providing people with advice and assisting them in
selecting a more preferable destiny is another means of serving God (and others)
that does not require the performance of magic or miracles.
Genesis 3:24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He
stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to
guard the way to the tree of life.
Luke 22:36-37 And He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take
it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and
buy one.
Romans 13:3-4 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for
evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will
have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if
you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for
it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices
evil.
Deuteronomy 32:40-42 'Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven, and say, as I live
forever, If I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand takes hold on justice, I
will render vengeance on My adversaries, and I will repay those who hate Me. 'I
will make My arrows drunk with blood, and My sword will devour flesh, with the
blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired leaders of the enemy.'
Hebrews 4:11-12 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one
will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. For the word of
God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as
far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to
judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Swords represent justice and defense of self and others. The sword of the spirit
is also referred to as the word of God (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12), which is
able to separate the spirit and the soul. Ministers of God can aid their fellow
man by serving in the armed forces (to restrain evil) or within the criminal
justice system (Romans 13:3-4) in order to protect the innocent and punish the
guilty. If nothing else, they can protect their families and children.
Ezekiel 18:7-9 if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his
pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers
the naked with clothing, if he does not lend money on interest or take increase,
if he keeps his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between man and
man, if he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully-- he
is righteous and will surely live," declares the Lord GOD.
1 Timothy 6:9-11 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare
and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it
have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But
flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness,
faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.
Luke 10:34-36 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine
on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took
care of him. "On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the
innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I
return I will repay you.' "Which of these three do you think proved to be a
neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?"
James 2:15-17 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And
one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled;
notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body;
what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Colosians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of
perfectness.
The tarot suit of Pentacles is associated with Money and the Earth. Your ability
to use your money to serve God is vast. Of all gifts (including the spiritual
ones) Charity was of greater importance. Money is the root of all kinds of evil
to the selfish, but it is a resource and a blessing to those who desire to help
others. In the story of the Good Samaritan, the good neighbor aids a person who
had fallen victim to criminals, and uses his financial resources to pay the
innkeeper to look after the victim. Obviously, caring for victims of crime is a
means of serving others that does not necessarily require money, but financial
resources were used in the example of the Good Samaritan.
The point is to use your resources to help others. That might include
volunteering your time, donating your belongings, or making financial
contributions to charities. Using the resources that God has provided you
demonstrates good stewardship, which is an area of your life that God also pays
attention to (Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 12:42-43, Luke 16:1-12, Luke 19:12-26).
The Magician tarot card represents mastery over all elements in his life. It is
more than simply the human desire to imitate God by performing magical feats; it
involves using all of the resources and blessings that God has given you
effectively. The magician may play many roles in life. He may be a father, a
guardian, a Good Samaritan, a guide, an advisor, or a philanthropist. The
Magician card placed on this path of the Qabalah represents an understanding of
why he was created and his purpose in life (to work towards his own spiritual
growth while serving God and helping others). After achieving mastery over his
life, he is pressing on towards the Crown of Life in Kether.
While on this path, contemplate the meaning of your life; how are you serving
God, or using your blessings to serve others? After all, Jesus came not to be
served, but to serve others (Matthew 20:28), and taught that the greatest among
you would be the servant (Matthew 23:11). The magician tarot card represents a
servant of God; using all resources at his disposal to do the will of God on
earth. Though the person on the tarot card the person is portrayed as a
magician, performing miracles is not a requirement.
The desire to understand and/or perform magic is an innate characteristic of
mankind. Humans were created in the image of God, and therefore share many of
the same traits with Him. God spoke the world into existence, and naturally, we
would like to possess the same type of powers. Unfortunately, we don’t. The
great feats and miracles in the Bible – even if performed by a human – is not an
ability that resides in us. Those some by obtain a small amount of success while
studying the occult, what is achieve cannot compare to the power of God.
Some people desire to practice the magical arts, and others misunderstand the
teachings in the Bible regarding miracles, but I will make an effort to clarify
the teachings of such matters according to scripture. Of particular interest is
the passage in the Bible where Jesus states, “If ye have faith as a grain of
mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and
it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (Matthew 17:20).” This
passage of the Bible is not for everybody and it does not address a power that
is inherent in all humans. Jesus was speaking to certain disciples, who He had
previously given an authority to perform certain miracles (Matthew 10:1).
Incidentally, no one in the New Testament is documented as actually being able
to accomplish this feat (of moving mountains).
Matthew 10:1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over
unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every
kind of sickness.
Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons.
Freely you received, freely give.
Mark 3:14-15 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he
might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to
cast out devils:
Luke 9:1-2 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and
authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the
kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
Luke 10:17-21 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the
devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld
Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall
by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are
subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and
hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy
sight.
The miracles performed by Christ’s apostles were not due to an inherent power
they already possessed within them but learned to use. The apostles were giving
specific authority by Jesus in order to do the things they did.
Matthew 14:25-31 Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them,
walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were
troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. But immediately
Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” And
Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on
the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he
walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was
boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord,
save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said
to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power
to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I
received of my Father.
When Jesus was seen walking on the water, Peter was not automatically able to do
the same. It was only after Jesus instructed Peter to do so, that Peter was able
to walk on the water, but even then, it depended on Peter’s faith. Jesus did not
even do everything on His own, but He spoke according to what His father had
taught Him (John 8:28). Jesus receive the power to rise from the dead from His
father (John 10:18).
Mark 16:17-18 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.
Acts 28:3-5 But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the
fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. When
the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one
another, "Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from
the sea, justice has not allowed him to live." However he shook the creature off
into the fire and suffered no harm.
The verses from the Book of Mark (above) provide another example of a passage of
scripture that is often taken out of context by modern churches. The passage
seems to have been given as a way for the disciples to recognize Paul as one of
them (since he was previously traveling around the area and arresting them). The
averages Christian cannot speak in tongues, cast out devils, survive deadly
snake bites, or drink poison without harm. Though some contemporary churches may
claim to speak in tongues, what is passed off as spiritual gifts in modern times
is much different than what was found in the early church.
Acts 19:11 God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul.
Acts 20:8-10 There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered
together. And there was a young man named Eutychus sitting on the window sill,
sinking into a deep sleep; and as Paul kept on talking, he was overcome by sleep
and fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. But Paul went down
and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, "Do not be troubled, for
his life is in him."
Acts 13:6-12 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a
certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus: Which 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. But Elymas the sorcerer
(for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the
deputy from the faith. Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the
Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him. And said, O full of all subtilty and all
mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou
not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of
the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.
And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about
seeking some to lead him by the hand. Then the deputy, when he saw what was
done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
The Apostle Paul was able to survive snake bites (Acts 28:3-5), cast out demons
(Acts 16:15-20), and raise the dead (Acts 20:8-10). However, these
gifts/miracles were given to Paul by God for a specific reason, and are not
abilities that either the average Christian or person may possess.
Occultists/magicians may be able to affect the magnetic field or auras around a
human body, or perform some feat of mind over matter, but such actions are
nothing compared to raising the dead, walking on water, or instantly healing the
blind or lame. True magic (or the performance of miracles) is not available to
all humans. You cannot join a secret order that can teach you such things, and
you cannot learn it from books. Such powers/gifts can only come from God, and
only a very small amount of people have been given such gifts.
Moses served as a conduit of God’s power against Egypt, but Noah used his
physical skills to accomplish God’s purpose. Jesus performed miracles, but King
David used a sword. Miracles were part of Moses’ mission, but they were only a
part of it. Moses also led the people in the desert, obtained the Ten
Commandments, and wrote the Torah. There are many ways to serve God, and
although our human spirits may wish to imitate God by performing magic/miracles,
the vast majority of people will need to serve God by using the other resources
that God has provided them.
The witches and magicians in the Bible were real, but their abilities did not
even compare to God’s power. The witch of Endor did summon the spirit of Samuel
for King Saul (Isaiah 28:7), Balaam the magician was able to communicate with
God (Numbers 22:9), and three magi were the first gentiles to worship Jesus
(Matthew 2:11), but God makes it clear throughout the Bible that His followers
are not to play the harlot against Him by seeking out such people.
Differentiating between magic, miracles, and science takes some discernment.
What is the difference between alchemy and medicine, or between an occult
practice and what is done in modern Pentecostal churches? Is speaking in tongues
acceptable, but automatic writing evil?
Isaiah 47:10-14 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None
seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast
said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come
upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall
upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon
thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. Stand now with thine enchantments, and
with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth;
if so be thou shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail. Thou art
wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the
stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these
things that shall come upon thee. Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire
shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame:
there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.
The Bible clearly states what is wrong with divination, astrology, and other
forms of soothsaying. It is vanity, because in the psychic’s heart they say to
themselves, “I am.” I am that I am, is the name God used to reveal Himself to
Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). The statement here is that the psychics
say to themselves, ‘I am God and there is no other besides me.’ This egocentric
way of thinking is a basic component of sin and ignorance.
The Bible makes it clear that divination and witchcraft are not acceptable in
the eyes of God. These practices are objectionable because they cause a person
to play the harlot to God. Magicians can get puffed up in their own vanity, and
become stumbling blocks to others.
Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar
spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek
unto their God? For the living to the dead?
The above verse points out that it does you no good to consult the dead on
behalf of the living. Why consult anybody other than God? Daniel was appointed
as chief of all the magicians, astrologers, and soothsayers, but he did not
practice any magical arts. He only consulted God for the answers to His
problems, and He was considered wiser than all the magicians in the land.
Daniel 1:20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king
enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and
astrologers that were in all his realm.
If you have any doubt as to the acceptability of magic, the following verses
contain further warnings regarding such practices.
Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Leviticus 19:31 ‘Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to
be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 20:6 As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritists, to play
the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut
him off from among his people.
Leviticus 20:27 'Now a man or a woman who is a medium or a spiritist shall
surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones, their bloodguiltiness
is upon them.'"
Deuteronomy 18:11 or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one
who calls up the dead.
2 Kings 21:6 He made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and
used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the
sight of the LORD provoking Him to anger.
1 Samuel 28:7 Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek for me a woman who is a
medium that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him,
"Behold, there is a woman who is a medium at Endor."
1 Chronicles 10:13 So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the
LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he
asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it.
Leviticus 19:26 'You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor practice
divination or soothsaying.
Nahum 3:4-5 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the wellfavoured
harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations through her whoredoms,
and families through her witchcrafts. Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD
of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the
nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.
2 Chronicles 33:6 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, and
used 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.
Hosea 4:12 They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A
spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God.
Deuteronomy 18:10-14 "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his
son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who
practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who
casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. "For
whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD; and because of these
detestable things the LORD your God will drive them out before you. "You shall
be blameless before the LORD your God.” For those nations, which you shall
dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for
you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do so.
As you can see by the above verses, all magical practices are detestable to God.
You need to put God first in your life. If you have a problem, look to God for
the answers. If you need help, call on God, and He will provide for your needs.
If you trust in God you will have no need to ever practice magic. Magic cannot
compare to the power of God.
Exodus 7:11-12 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the
magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For
they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod
swallowed up their rods.
Exodus 8:18-19 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth
lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the
magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was
hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
The magicians of Egypt tried to compete with God, but they could not. Is magic
real? The Bible portrays magic as being real (to a certain extent), but the
abilities of man cannot compare to the power of God. The magicians of Egypt were
able to turn their staffs into snakes (or at least produce the illusion of it),
but God is much more powerful, and Aaron’s staff swallowed the staves of the
magicians.
Many churches today still practice the laying on of hands. The Old Testament
prophets received insight by using the Urim and Thummim, and the Bible is full
of miracles. The disciples cast lots to determine who would replace Judas as one
of the twelve, and Daniel was a dream interpreter. So how do you know which
magic is okay and which magic is not okay? The answer to this question is also
the answer to what is wrong with magic.
The magic that the prophets and the disciples performed were done to bring glory
to God, and were done at the direction of God. The magic that magicians perform
is done to bring glory to the magician. Christians no longer perform miracles,
because there is no longer a need for miracles. In the early church, miracles
were performed to help people believe, but now that the world has so many
believers in it, Christians no longer need to go to such extremes to convince
people of the truth of the gospel.
Magic is vanity. If you are a magician, examine your motives. What were the
reasons that you chose to study magic in the first place? If you are seeking
power, look to God; He is the highest power there is. There are also hundreds of
magic books on the shelves of bookstores full of little tidbits of information
that make the reader feel like they have a deeper understanding of the universe
than everybody else.
It is basic human nature to want to feel smarter or have more knowledge than
other people. The reason there are so many different Christian denominations –
and religions in the world – is because everyone wants to feel that their
denomination/religion is the right one. Magic is just another way to exalt
yourself. The real power is with God. If you truly want to be exalted, then you
must humble yourself (Matthew 23:12, 1 Peter 5:6).
In the Old Testament the Urim and Thummim were used to gain information and
guidance from God. Joseph Smith also claims to have translated the Book of
Mormon with these stones. How was it okay to gain information by these stones,
but wrong for the pagans to use divination? What is the difference? One
difference is that only Priests used the Urim and Thummim, and all credit and
glory was given to God. The pagans were consulting other gods and doing it for
their own vanity and/or profit.
Another thing that is important to remember is that once Jesus came, He became
the mediator between God and man. We live in a time where we have easy access to
the Bible (printed in the language of your choice). We are able to read the
Bible to get answers directly from the precepts of God, so we don't need to use
tarot cards or dowsing rods in order to obtain this information. We also have
the Holy Spirit to guide us. The time when God communicated to us through
divination is over.
If you are performing magic it must be for the glory of God, and not your own.
The same thing applies to all Christians. If your church practices faith
healing, is it done for the glory of God, or for the glory of your church or its
members? Did God actually appear to you and inform you that He was giving you
this special power that He wants you to use, or are you misinterpreting
scripture to justify a practice that you want to perform?
If you are someone who currently practices magic, or claims to have spiritual
gifts, I ask you to contemplate the scripture in this chapter very carefully.
Certain Christian denominations claim to speak in tongues, and say that doing so
is proof of the gift of the Holy Spirit (and therefore acceptance by God). Such
churches destroy the faith of would be Christians who are told by the church
that God must not have chosen him/her, or else they want mutter incoherent
sounds also.
Such churches are deceiving themselves and leading others astray. In the New
Testament, when people spoke in tongues, everyone in the crowd heard the person
speaking in their own language (Acts 2:6). Now that would be impressive.
Mumbling some gibberish and making up stupid words that no one understands is
not the gift of tongues, and certainly isn’t proof of the Holy Spirit. If such
people did have the gift of the Holy Spirit, then they would be able to discern
that their actions are ridiculous.
If you belong to a church that engages in such practices, or if you have been
practicing magic for a long time, the information in this chapter might be hard
to accept at first, but it is the truth. You may have wasted many years studying
and/or engaging in practices that the Bible says is worthless or unacceptable.
You probably have your own ideas and philosophies that make perfect sense to
you, and they have likely become apart of your belief system.
I have been there. It was very hard for me to accept the truth. At the start of
my spiritual journey I studied the occult, magic, and divination. I spent so
much time, money, energy, and effort to learn a forbidden practice that I now
recognize as foolishness. I assure you that if you trust in God, and study the
Bible, magical practices will seem useless and unnecessary to you. You will come
to know what you may now consider wisdom as foolishness.
I searched the scriptures for a long time trying to find a verse that says that
magic is okay, but it is not anywhere to be found. I realized that what I was
truly seeking was to imitate God, and to understand the mysteries of the world.
You don’t need magic for that. I have searched through many philosophies, and
the only one that I haven’t found fault with are the mysteries contained in the
Bible. The Bible does not contradict itself, in spite of being written by many
people over hundreds of years.
Other philosophies are flawed even when written by a single author. There are
many people that put together giant lists of supposed contradictions or flaws in
the Bible, but those lists are incorrect. Most of the time when people find an
apparent contradiction in the Bible, it stems from them not understanding the
broader concept, which they could do by researching the topic in a little more
detail. Of course, the mysteries in the Bible are not made available to
everyone. Some people have the truth intentionally hidden from them so that they
are unable to understand (Matthew 13:13-14, Mark 4:12, Acts 28:26-27). The
mysteries of God are only available to those who diligently seek Him (Matthew
7:7-8, Hebrews 11:6).
Revelation 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his
God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and
all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.
The New Testament does not deal as harshly with witchcraft as the Old Testament
did, but it still makes it clear that sorcerers will suffer the same fate as
murderers. The Old Testament put to death witches, homosexuals, adulterers, and
so on, at their first offense. The New Testament concept is that such practice
may still warrant punishment by God (in the afterlife), but they are no longer
punished through the criminal justice systems of most modern societies.
This path of the Qabalah connects understanding with the crown of life. If you
are to press on and obtain the Crown of Life, then you must first gain and
understanding of God and your place/purpose in His plan. Following His
commandments is a very basic lesson, so if you choose to engage in practices
that God opposes, then you are not demonstrating a very profound ability to
understand the precepts of the Bible.
The Magician tarot card is associated with this path, but practicing the magical
arts is not part of being a servant of God. There are many ways that you can
serve God and others that do not require you to possess magical powers. If you
claim to possess such powers or some spiritual gift, you should closely examine
yourself to ensure that you are actually using it to serve God, and not your own
vanity. If you choose to engage in any practice that was listed in this chapter
as being unacceptable, you should do so with discretion, and carefully evaluate
who is receiving the glory – and if the practice is something that you even need
to do.
Not all of man’s wisdom is bad, but it must be used with discretion to ensure
you are not playing the harlot to God. There is nothing wrong with taking your
child to the hospital when he/she is sick, but you would be amiss if you didn’t
also include prayer in your effort to heal your child.
The lesson of this path of the Qabalah is mastery over every aspect of your
life, and the ability to recognize your strengths and use your gifts to assist
others. Of course, complete mastery of every aspect of your life is something
that you must continually work at, and is not something that you can expect to
be 100% successful at. You are only asked to fight the good fight of the faith,
and work towards your crown of righteousness. Ultimately, you are saved by grace
and through faith, but faith without works is dead.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have
kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in
nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also
Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
Bibliography
Brenton, L. C. L., The Septuagint with Apocrypha: Greek and English.
(Hendrickson Publishers, 1986)
Holy Bible, King James Version, (Public Domain, 1611)
Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible, (Lockman Foundation, 1960)
Holy Bible, New International Version, (International Bible Society, 1973)
The Koran, (Penguin Classics, 2004)