The law forbidding witchcraft, as outlined in Exodus 22:18 and reiterated in Leviticus 19:31, reflects God’s unequivocal stance against practices that involve mediums, spiritists or sorcerers. In ancient Israel, witchcraft and sorcery were serious offenses punishable by death. While the cultural context of these prohibitions may seem distant and unfamiliar to some modern readers, the underlying spiritual principles remain relevant and applicable today.
The fact is that in contemporary society there is a growing fascination with supernatural phenomena, occult practices, witchcraft and unbiblical methods of seeking to contact other realms. The commandments prohibiting witchcraft warn us against the ever-present dangers of spiritual deception and idolatry. Many people are drawn to horoscopes, tarot card readings and channeling in search of spiritual guidance and enlightenment.
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Witchcraft in the Church: Prophecy Addiction
Additionally, some believers in Jesus become addicted to receiving words of personal prophecy, attending meeting after meeting in search of the next word for their lives. This can become a form of witchcraft or an unholy, pseudo-Christian version of fortune-telling.
Others from certain traditions pray to saints or hold on to superstitions. When I was in Peru, I visited a museum displaying various statues of Jesus that people prayed to based on their needs. If they needed a financial blessing, they prayed to one statue; for other needs, they prayed to another, mixing their Judeo-Christian beliefs with elements of folk religions. Many who identify as Christians but who are not grounded in the Word and sound doctrine inadvertently mix New Age beliefs into their worldview and perception of reality. Even occultic forms of Jewish mysticism are seeing a resurgence in popularity.
God’s Word explicitly prohibits His people from engaging in such activities. The reason is twofold. First, these practices are often rooted in demonic deception and manipulation; and second, they undermine the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word and Spirit. Believers are called to seek guidance and wisdom from Adonai alone, trusting in His provision to guide them.
In today’s pluralistic society people tend to blend elements of different religious traditions and spiritual practices to create their own personalized, eclectic spirituality. However, God’s Word sternly forbids mixing the holy with the profane. Paul asked rhetorically, “What fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial?” (2 Cor. 6:14–15). We are called to maintain a genuine and undefiled faith in Yeshua without entertaining compromise with worldly ideologies and practices.
To read more from Rabbi Schneider’s new book, Decoding the Torah, purchase your copy here.
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Rabbi Kirt Schneider hosts the impactful television program “Discovering The Jewish Jesus,” which is available in more than 100 million homes in the United States and nearly 200 nations worldwide. In 2021 he began broadcasting on radio and now airs across America. Rabbi Schneider imparts revelation of Jesus’ Jewish heritage and His fulfillment of Messianic prophecy. Questions of how the Old and New Testaments tie together and how Yeshua completes the unfolding plan of The Almighty Yahweh are answered with exceptional clarity. www.discoveringthejewishjesus.com/about-2/rabbi-schneider/. His new book “Decoding the Torah” is available at this link.
