Lets look at the history of the word first:
Magic comes from the word Magi, the name given to those astrologers and priests of Zoroaster, who many have felt was a precursor to Christ Himself. Now don't get bent out of shape about that yet; keep reading. The Persians, astrologers and other "watchers of the stars" followed the prophet Zoroaster in his teachings of the All Good One, Ahura Mazda. It seems according to legend - and supported by the language of the New Testament at any rate - that the Magi(1) that came to see Christ were some of these Persian priests. Even the Persians came to see the Christ who was the One. I can swallow that. If Christ is God (and He is) then I certainly expect that His Appearance would make ripples all throughout the world and would be mirrored (or prophesied) in many other religions as well. The Light that lights up the world is bound to be reflected at least in part by all who seek Truth. All truth, no matter how small, even in other religions must be a reflection of the One Truth, the Source.
I can see, as a side note, particularly because Israel rejected the Lord so often, that some of the, even main points, of Truth may have to be re-introduced when God Himself comes. For instance, "Paradise" is a specifically Persian term. Until Christ, resurrection and "life after death" was highly debated, particularly among the sects of Judaism. This is getting off the subject of magic, but the notion that Christianity was influenced by Zoroastrianism (reality: Zoroastrianism was influenced by God) is good reason to note why many Jews saw Jesus' healings as sorceries. More about that in Josephus in a moment.
The first written record of magic, according to Dr. Harlan Tarbell, a magician, teacher and historian, is in the Bible - Genesis actually. The Pharaoh's magicians that could turn their staffs into snakes as Moses did (remember Moses' ate theirs).
Egypt was famous for their magic in fact. The Egyptian god of magic was Thoth, who was to have brought fire and magic to Earth, as well as the Book of Dead - the modern version of which is the Tarot. Hermes, was the Greek version of Thoth and often the two are mixed together - named, Hermes Trismegistus, who instructed his followers on points of hidden wisdom. The hidden wisdom is the thing for which all sorcerers search and even was the basis for Gnostic heresy, as well as many modern heresies. In fact, Alchemists searched for the Stone that would turn everything into gold and give eternal life, the Philosopher's Stone - a sort of hidden knowledge. Most Alchemy and the "sciences" that follow (and do not be fooled, modern science - and medicine - was born of the study of magic) relied heavily upon the Emerald Tablet (right), legendarily written by Hermes Trismegistus.
The Hebrew have kept their own form of magic and lore alive in Kabbalah, which stems from a study of the Tree of Life which shows a diagram of the Tree and everything branching out from it.
Now, I'm not here to instruct about magic, nor should I - my point is that we should "know thine enemy." What is real, what is not. All of these sorceresses and sorcerers, shamans, mixers of potions and "poisoners" have one thing in common.
God has said in Leviticus and many times throughout the Bible to stay clear of magicians, sorcerers and fortune tellers. The word in the Old Testament refers to a "poisoner" when it says, "Though shall not suffer a sorceress." (Exodus 22:18) Don't deal with the lady who mixes potions. Love potions or otherwise. In the New Testament, Galatians 5:20 it is witchcraft, Pharmakeia. Potions and drugs. So stay away from drugs as well. A good argument for anyone who ever tells you that Jesus says its okay to smoke pot or whatever else (some people will say anything).
God says no.
In "The Magican's Nephew," C.S. Lewis says of Uncle Andrew, "...he was as vain as a peacock, which is why he became a magician in the first place." How true! Think of it. Magicians are attempting to call on God to do what they want as though He were at their control. If not Him, then another, a "life force" or demons or whatever. You are going to the wrong source and in the wrong way. God wants to prevent us calling on Zoroastrianism or some other religion. He wants to keep us from superstitions, hamsa, horseshoes, and garlic. To keep us from looking for an "Aleph" (a point at which one may see everything thorough-out time and space), to stay away from Kabbalah, or Shamanism. Robert Houdin, Harry Houdini and David Copperfield aside (that type of magician seeks to entertain and usually isn't in it for anything spiritual) magic and the history of it are deep and looking into it that abyss can lead to a long fall. Almost all false religions have touches of magic in their making, from Freemasonry to Mormons to Islam.
But magic is also a rich part of our literature, Biblical and otherwise. Does the presence of it make something bad? Are the Harry Potter books evil? No, I can't say they are, though they may not be of the same caliber as J.R.R. Tolkien, its the story that counts. Magic may be a literary engine in fantasy just as science is in SciFi, there is Gandalf with his staff in Lord of the Rings and Obi Wan with his light saber in StarWars; that doesn't make a story bad. A story telling kids to kill, steal or lie (like some rap music does) I would say is bad.
I mentioned Lewis previously. He states right out that magicians are evil, but throughout his Narnia stories, magic plays a huge part. The difference is that the Magicians and Witches try to use magic to their benefit but that everyone else in the story knows that "magic" belongs to Aslan, Himself. That He was the magic. And of course, that makes all the difference. One cannot order or cajole God to do something for oneself. That is the ultimate vanity and breaks the Law, "You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name." Don't try to use His Power for your good (or evil). Its His and His alone.
Wesley points out, on Exodus 22:18 "Witchcraft not only gives that honour to the devil which is due to God alone, but bids defiance to the divine providence, wages war with God's government, puts His work into the devil's hand expecting him to do good and evil. By our law, consulting, covenanting with, invocating or employing any evil spirit to any intent whatever, and exercising any enchantment, charm, or sorcery, whereby hurt shall be done to any person, is made felony, without benefit of clergy; also pretending to tell where goods lost or stolen may be found, is an iniquity punishable by the judge, and the second offence with death."
(Ouch. Bet his kids didn't talk back to him.)
It may be of interest that, though the excerpt is taken to be a forgery, Jesus was listed as a magician or sorcerer by the Jewish historian Josephus in AD 93.(2)
People are so used to the material world and take it for granted that even when they see a miracle that can be attributed to no One save God alone, they still say one of two things: its a sham, or its magic. How is it that people are so quick to believe in magic, but so slow to think that God would actually take a hand in His creation?
I will tell you what good magic is. Love. Faith in God. When you have those, when you rely on Him completely, you will see miracles. You will see the magic that only God can perform.
(1) The Magi in the NT were never actually numbered. Only the gifts. Legend tells of the men as Persian Priests and even proceeds to name them, Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar.
(2)"One of the earliest ecclesiastical authorities to condemn the Testimonium Flavianum as a forgery was Bishop Warburton of Gloucester (circa 1770). He described it as 'a rank forgery, and a very stupid one, too.'" But that is beside the point, whether Josephus said anything about Him or not, several people found it easy to label God Himself as a 'magician.'
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