Magic, mediums, spiritists, and witchcraft, what does the Bible have to say about these things? And what about Christians and our participation in Halloween? How can well-meaning, God-loving Christians have so many varying views on that subject?
Welcome to “God’s Word Day by Day.” If you would like to join us regularly, you can sign up here. But even if you only stop by occasionally, each day’s devotion stands on its own.
Today’s Readings:
Jeremiah 15 & 16
Psalm 118.21-24
Proverbs 27.10
1 Thessalonians 2.1-20
Mediums, Witchcraft & Halloween, What Does the Bible Say?
Jeremiah 15 & 16:
Magic, Mediums, Witchcraft & Spiritists
Today’s reading in Jeremiah is pretty shocking in some ways as God declared judgment on His people. He said some would die “gruesome deaths,” that some would be “consumed by the sword” and others would be “meat for the birds of heaven and for the beasts of the earth” (v. 16.4). He said this would happen because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem” (v. 15.4) and He said, “… you have done worse than your fathers, for behold, each one follows the dictates of his own evil heart, so that no one listens to Me” (v. 16.12).
Not Just Manasseh
“Each one,” so while Manasseh was singled out because of his leadership in doing evil, they weren’t being judged just because of something he had done, but because they had done the same things and even worse. If you go back to 2 Kings 21 you can read about Manasseh’s sins. It says:
3 For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; he raised up altars for Baal, and made a wooden image, as Ahab king of Israel had done; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. 4 He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put My name.’ 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
It was bad enough that the people had returned again and again to their idolatry, but Manasseh brought the worship of false gods right into the house of the true and living God! This would be like a husband bringing his lover right into his wife’s bed and then setting up a permanent place in their house for him to go and commit adultery with her.
And It Didn’t End There
6 Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger.
11 ‘Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations (he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, and has also made Judah sin with his idols),
16 Moreover Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides his sin by which he made Judah sin, in doing evil in the sight of the LORD.’
He “also made his son pass through the fire.” He sacrificed his own son as a burned offering to one of these demonic gods.
If all that wasn’t bad enough, he “practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums.”
How Does All This Apply to Us
We read something like that and think, “Wow, those people were really messed up!” But how does a passage like this apply to me?
Ephesians 5 says:
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them (emphasis added).
Look at that list again in 2 Kings 21.6: soothsaying, witchcraft, spiritists, and mediums. Though they are not the only things covered by Ephesians 5.11, they surely are among works of darkness.
Soothsaying is the use of supernatural spirits to affect this world or predict the future. Witchcraft is the practice of magic, the use of spells, or the invocation of spirits. Spiritism is the belief that the dead communicate with us in some way. A medium is someone who claims to know the future or communicate in some of these ways. That would include palm reading, horoscopes, so-called white magic, crystals, new age religion, and spiritism.
In our part of the country, I have heard things like this many times, “Well, my mother says it’s OK to go to this woman who removes curses. She says she believes in Jesus.” She may believe in Jesus, but as James said, “… even the demons believe …” (Jas. 2.19). We’re to have no fellowship with those things.
Others say, “I read my horoscope for fun, but I don’t really believe it.” Why would we want to play around with something that might be displeasing to God?
Did God Really Say …?
Genesis 3 says that the serpent was more subtle than all the beasts of the field. His question to Eve was “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Gen. 3.1). In other words, “Did God really say …?” He’s still asking the same question in various ways today.
Did God really say … my relative who has died can’t speak to me in some way … I can’t have my palm read if it’s all in fun … I shouldn’t want to know if my spouse is cheating on me?
God is well able to show us anything we need to know, but sometimes, He asks us to trust Him.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law (Deut. 29.29).
We were created to worship the One True God, but if we don’t focus our worship on and trust in Him, we will worship something or someone else. Sometimes, it’s ourselves as we seek to have our own way and exercise rights we don’t have like knowing the future.
And that leads us to the subject of Halloween.
Christians & Halloween
Any discussion of the occult, especially this time of year, leads to questions about Halloween. Many Christians wonder whether it’s OK to dress up or take part in Halloween activities. Others may have already worked through that question and have strong opinions on one side or the other.
I, personally, think there is some gray area here. Each of us should consider it prayerfully for ourselves.
Some churches provide alternative events where children dress up, play games, and get candy and treats. Some families take part in Halloween but are careful about the costumes they wear. Other believers refuse to participate at all.
I believe costumes that are focused on the things of darkness (witches, death, etc.) would fall under “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.” But there is nothing inherently sinful about dressing up in another kind of costume.
A few years ago, some dear friends told us their pastor addressed the issue of Halloween with this question, “How often do people come right to your door giving you an opportunity to share your faith with them?” He challenged them to buy full-size candy bars, have water bottles for the parents, and use it as an evangelistic opportunity. That might be something to consider.
Conscience Issues
These are conscience issues. Romans 14.22-23 says:
22 The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.
In other words, if we are convinced in our hearts that it’s wrong to participate in something, it would be sinful to do so.
Biblically Informed Consciences
Sometimes our consciences become re-informed to a new way of thinking about things. Not one that is anti-biblical, of course, but in this case, by realizing that God can use for good something Satan may mean for evil (Gen. 50.20). Yet, in the end, we should not violate our consciences in these gray areas. Faithful Christians come down on both sides of this issue and where there is freedom in the Scriptures, we need to give grace to one another.
What does your family do and why? Has your view changed through the years?
Let’s all pray and seek God’s wisdom on this and every issue.
Today’s Other Readings:
Psalm 118.21-24:
This is the Day …
This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it (v. 24).
We are to rejoice, not just when the circumstances of life are to our liking, but all the time, every day, because of verse 21:
For You … have become my salvation!
Proverbs 27.10:
Friends, Neighbors, and Brothers
… better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
Many times our friends know us better than our relatives. As Christians, it is often better to seek counsel from our brothers and sisters in Christ instead of a parent or sibling, especially if our family member is not a believer.
1 Thessalonians 2.1-20:
Not Merely the Word of Men
For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe (v. 13).
Though we are to be like the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures to be sure what Paul taught them was the truth, once we know our spiritual leaders are speaking God’s truth, we are to take it to heart and act on it.
Coming Up:
In the next few days, we’ll talk about some people’s attitudes about hell, the rapture, and ways to live like we’re expecting Jesus to come back soon, among other things.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss any of them. You might also like to check out our YouTube channel.
If this post spoke to you, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite social media platform.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.