Magical Bible Stories

Yesterday I opened a very controversial topic, especially in a culture filled with a fascination of what we call magic. In addition to that, magic is related to the occult and the so-called black arts. Like I said, it all depends on what you mean, because the term magic is very fluid and ill-defined. Consequently we have a familiar problem when discussing any topic: what are you talking about?

For starters, take a look at the Harry Potter books and movies. The adulation of J K Rowling is worldwide, but there is a growing concern among Christian writers. Do a little Googling and you'll discover a long list. The Harry Potter series is all about magic—with many Biblical allusions. Even such noteworthy magazines as Christianity Today feature positive reviews of Potter's writings. Where does that leave me and you?

Like I said, it's all about definitions. For one thing, I'm not going to comment on Harry, Dumbledore and that crowd of characters. I'll leave that up to the many others who have taken it on. I have a different concern, both in this Blog and in my novel writing. But first, let me clarify what I mean by magic. 


Magic is power, power to influence the normal course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces.

Look for instance at one familiar Bible story, a story that could be titled The Shepherd and His Magical Staff. I speak, as you may have guessed, about Moses and the Exodus. The whole story is about magic and magical power. Some samples:

• From within a magical, burning-but-not-consumed-bush the angel of the LORD tells Moses that he is to confront the ruler of greatest power on earth with a warning. Unless Pharaoh lets the chosen people go free he will suffer many terrifying plagues (Exodus 3). 

• To accomplish this impossible task Moses is given magical power. He puts his hand in his coat and out it comes totally leprous, white as snow. He puts it back in, pulls it back out and it is completely clean. He throws his shepherd's staff on the ground and it becomes a snake! Wow, talk about magic (Exodus 4)! 

• And so on goes the story. With his magical staff Moses parts the sea so the entire crowd can escape and later causes water to pour from a solid rock for God's thirsty people. Still later, as you may know, he forgets how to use his magical staff and is severely punished for his mistaken belief that this power can be used at his own discretion.  

I'm calling this magic, because it is power that changes the normal course of events. Who would normally predict that the Egyptians would even vaguely consider turning their slaves free? Impossible, yet it happened. And who can explain this power? It is mysterious and beyond us. It is not natural. It is super-natural.

So we have all kinds of stories in the Bible about such goings-on. Donkeys talk, flasks of oil and jars of flour never run empty, children are raised from the dead, mysterious flying chariots appear to whisk a man into the sky, men and women have visions, strange beings come and go, thousands of people are fed with a little boy's lunch, a couple men walk on water and on and on.

If I believe in the Bible—and I do—then I must believe in magic. It's stories are full of it. Now should I seek to obtain this magical power? I must be very cautious about that, for the Lord and Master of the Universe warns that he has allowed rebel forces to exercise certain kinds of magical power that we are absolutely forbidden to use. I hear from Moses himself that we are not to practice sorcery, cast spells or consult the dead. All this the LORD God detests, and for very good reasons (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).

More on the question of dark magic another time. For now I shall be quite content to use only that power that the LORD has chosen to grant me—the mysterious power of His WORD!