The Narrow Path Ministries

I need some guidance on what "witchcraft" is. A friend of mine (a believer) is seeing witchcraft everywhere, and some guidance in an effort to find balance in this subject would be appreciated.

In what sense does your friend see witchcraft everywhere? Do you mean that there is a proliferation of practicing witches where they are, or that they are labeling as witchcraft some practices (in the community or church), that are not usually thought of as being such? If so, what particular things worry your friend?

These are some instances of witchcraft mentioned in the bible:

Exo 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter,(H5172) or a witch, (H3784)

Lev 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, (H5172) nor observe times.

2Ch 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.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft,(G5331) hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Strong's Hebrew & Greek dictionaries:

G5331
φαρμακεία
pharmakeia
far-mak-i'-ah
From G5332; medication (“pharmacy”), that is, (by extension) magic (literal or figurative): - sorcery, witchcraft.

H5172
נחשׁ
nâchash
naw-khash'
A primitive root; properly to hiss, that is, whisper a (magic) spell; generally to prognosticate: - X certainly, divine, enchanter, (use) X enchantment, learn by experience, X indeed, diligently observe.

H3784
כּשׁף
kâshaph
kaw-shaf'
A primitive root; properly to whisper a spell, that is, to inchant or practise magic: - sorcerer, (use) witch (-craft).

- A witch - מחשף mechashsheph, probably those who by means of drugs, herbs, perfumes, etc., pretended to bring certain celestial influences to their aid (Adam Clarke commentary)

thanks for all those definitions, suzana. very helpful- and interesting.

i personally dont see much witchcraft around, unless I am just incredibly naive. i am sure they are out there, but i dont notice them. i saw a young girl with a "wiccan" bumper sticker on her car the other day but she didnt scare me too much.

TK

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Jill wrote:(I've petitioned over and over and over again for permission to reenter the group and be able to participate on this main part of the forum, and have yet even recieved an answer. Not even one. But I still enjoy reading everybodies posts). I'm in the LDS section.

What horrible thing did you do to be rejected from the forum?

How many times have you petitioned and how long have you been waiting for an answer?

TK wrote:thanks for all those definitions, suzana. very helpful- and interesting.

Jill wrote:That is the best study on "witchcraft".

Thank you, but properly speaking, thanks need to go to the e-sword software & its' search function...I mainly did some copy/paste!

Although, while doing that & reading some of the commentaries available, I came across an unusual interpretation of the meaning of "serpent" in the garden of Eden; I'll try & post something in the Old Testament section when I have a chance.

Suzana wrote:Exo 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Deu 18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter,(H5172) or a witch, (H3784)

Lev 19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, (H5172) nor observe times.

2Ch 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.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft,(G5331) hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Excellent study, but my question was originally aimed at practical counsel on the topic.

For example, Dt 18:10/Lev 19:26 is a prohibition on witchcraft -
Within the church, where might witchcraft/enchantment be seen in today's society

2 Chron 33:6 is a historical account of one of the kings using enchantments and witchcraft.
Is witchcraft in our political arena, and if so, what is a proper response to it?

Gal 5:19-21 defines the work of the flesh, of which witchcraft is an outworking.
In what way could witchcraft be manifested through a believers life?
(I realize a believer is not to express witchcraft in their life, but envyings are works of the flesh also.....so please do not avoid the main question by attacking the christian/witchcraft issue)

Is there anybody out there?

Sure, there are some of us out here. It just may be that none of us considers him or herself knowledgeable enough on the topic to answer your question.

Jill wrote:suzana, That is such a great word study on "witchcraft", and also those who practice "priestcrafts" have a warning coming to them, if it could only be defined.

(I've petitioned over and over and over again for permission to reenter the group and be able to participate on this main part of the forum, and have yet even recieved an answer. Not even one. But I still enjoy reading everybodies posts). I'm in the LDS section.

are you not participating, even now?