Not all evil comes dressed in red and carrying a pitchfork. Sorcerers use subtlety to mask their true intentions. According to
Dictionary.com, “Sorcery is the art, practices, or spells of a person who uses supernatural powers through evil spirits.”1 According to Britannica.com “Sorcery is the practice of malevolent magic.”2 In simple terms, sorcery’s underlying objective is to turn the heart of man away from a right relationship with God. It is a counterfeit truth that can divert the seeker from the narrow path of truth to the wide highway that leads to destruction.
Sorcery through Seduction
The Book of Numbers gives us an account of an attempt by the king of Moab to destroy the Israelites during the final stages of their wilderness wanderings. In chapters 22 to 24, Balak hired the prophet Balaam. He requested,
“Therefore, please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
Numbers 22:6
Three times, Balaam attempted to curse Israel, and three times, God stopped him. Although Balaam was unable to directly cause Israel harm, he did give Balak a means by which Israel could fall. To the Church at Pergamos, John wrote,
“But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.”
Revelation 2:14
The story of the seduction of Israel
Now Israel remained in Acacia Grove, and the people began to commit harlotry with the women of Moab. They invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. So Israel was joined to Baal of Peor, and the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel.
Numbers 25:1-3
What Balaam could not achieve directly, he attained through the subtlety of seduction. Israel was drawn to follow their heart’s passions rather than heed God’s warnings to remain separate from the influences of their enemies. What, perhaps stated as a whim of passion, ended up as spiritual perversion.
In the New Testament, we see another example of people being captivated by the dark deeds of a sorcerer. When Philip went to Samaria to preach the Gospel, he was confronted by a man who had beguiled the people.
But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.
Acts 8:9-11
It is interesting to point out that this man Simon joined these new believers who were coming to Christ during the ministry of Philip.
Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
Act 8:13
Later, when Peter and John arrive, Peter confronts him when Simon asks, “Give me this power also.” Peter identifies that although Simon made a profession of faith, Peter pronounced,
“You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”
Act 8:21-22
The lesson that should be learned from this is simple. You cannot call Jesus Christ your Savior and Lord while you still stay connected with the sorcery. In the final message of Moses to the Children of Israel, he proclaimed,
“When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you [anyone] who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or]a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.”
Deu 18:9-14
Sorcery through Normalization
Normalization is the state of “making something normal or standard.” It took a twelve-year-old king to divert the nation of Israel into idolatry by rebuilding that which his father, Hezekiah, had destroyed.
Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. But he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel. For he rebuilt the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down; he raised up altars for the Baals, and made wooden images; and he worshiped all the host of heaven and served them. He also built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, “In Jerusalem shall My name be forever.” And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger. He even set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, “In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put My name forever; and I will not again remove the foot of Israel from the land which I have appointed for your fathers--only if they are careful to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses.” So Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.
2 Chronicles 33:1-9
When you examine, through the lens of history, these reports of downfalls into sorcery as a normal and acceptable aspect of their society, it is easy to vilify the culprits as having a deep and dark malevolent agenda. The truth is that they all followed the same age-old pathway of investigation that led to integration and, ultimately, enslavement. They entertained the thought until they were entertained by the thought. The Letter of James puts it this way,
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
James 1:14-15
Sorcery through Saturation
So much of our fantasy-based entertainment today is rooted deeply in themes that contain sorcery. From books, cartoons, games, and superhero action figures movies, the emphasis on supernatural powers is everywhere. Soft-core sorcery is all over the place. I could list many of the popular titles for you, but I believe you already know what I am referring to. Suffice it to say that of all the media tools that mesmerize young people today would be the vehicle of visual media.
Psychology Today reports: “According to the market research group Nielsen, adults spend over 11 hours per day interacting with media. That’s up from 9 hours and 32 minutes just four years ago. Of those 11 hours, 4 hours and 46 minutes are spent watching TV.” 3
Psychology Today reports: “For kids ages 8-12, the same Common Sense Media survey report found that they spent 6 hours per day interacting with media. Kids ages 2-5 spend around 4 hours 35 minutes per day in front of a screen (e.g., watching TV, videos, gaming).”4
Therefore, the average person devotes 20% of their 24-hour day to some form of video entertainment.
What starts as fascination becomes an obsession to the point of captivating minds. So, let me ask, what is the greatest source of input into people’s minds today? By now, I believe you can see that the answer is entertainment.
Combating Sorcery
The apostle Paul warned his young apprentice Timothy,
“You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
2 Timothy 2:3-4
What is the answer to this troubling trend? Is there a survival guide for the soul under siege? Please do not get me wrong here. I am not advocating that we run and hide in a cave somewhere. The Bible gives us all the answers we need to transit the minefield of the modern media onslaught safely. King Solomon warned,
The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know what makes them stumble. My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:19-27
The apostle Paul offers this encouragement,
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Ephesians 6:10-13
May God continue to shelter you as you remain under the shadow of His wings.
How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, And You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.
Psalm 36:7-9
