Therefore, all bush medicine dispensed through such “healers” is connected with magic, with worship of the sorcerer’s gods, even though some of it may also have a specific, natural effect on the disease.

It contains artifacts associated with black magic and evil forces.

Pharaoh’s magic-practicing priests and their associates picture the religious leaders and rulers throughout the world, who try to counteract the message that God’s servants bring.

Thirdly, there is nothing to indicate that Satan’s representatives are able to imitate any of the seven plagues of Revelation; but the magic-practicing priests of Egypt at least appeared to imitate the first two plagues, and the same would be true in the fulfillment of these.

Another question: “Has someone killed you by magic?”

Some people use wisi, or black magic, to bring evil upon their fellowman.

The Bible mentions sorcerers as well as magic-practicing priests in Egypt back in the sixteenth century B.C.E. (Ex. 7:11)

But what is the reason for its prominence and increasing acceptance in Western countries, such as the United States, where, according to one report, there are “tens of thousands . . . dabbling in Satanism, witchcraft, voodoo and other forms of black or white magic”?

It may be that a person has a hobby of performing tricks that have nothing to do with real magic or demonism.

So if one were merely showing how adroit a person may be with his hands, with no pretense of any magic, there may be no objection to such entertainment.

In contrast, people in some African countries employ magic in seeking to protect themselves from robbery.

True Christians have nothing to do with any kind of magic.

The account next says: “Nevertheless, the magic-practicing priests of Egypt proceeded to do the same thing with their secret arts.” (Ex. 7:22)

Hence, according to this line of reasoning, the magic-practicing priests could have performed their trickery on some water that had been taken from the Nile before the plague.

It differs from magic-working sorcery in that divination generally involves seeking only to know future events rather than attempting to alter and control them as is the case with magic.

Jehovah warns his people against these practices, as the Bible shows: “There should not be found in you . . . anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead.

What is called black magic is also the work of demons.

Since this is of pagan origin and, in effect, an invoking of magic, a performing of a rite in the hope of beneficial results, it should be avoided by Christians.

● What is the authority for the use of the expression “magic-practicing priests” in the New World Translation of the books of Genesis, Exodus and Daniel?

Thus by the methods of historical research we find a certain proof that this religion of a high god is not later than magic nor developed out of it, but in all probability has preceded it.”²

“We are able to show that mythology and magic did not attain to their full vigorous development until later periods of culture, and that the earlier they appear the weaker they are.”

When Moses appeared before Pharaoh with the demand that Pharaoh let the enslaved people of Jehovah God go free and backed up his demand by turning his shepherd rod into a big snake by God’s power, then, as we read Moses’ own account, “Pharʹaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and the magic-practicing priests of Egypt themselves also proceeded to do the same thing with their magic arts.”

God wisely commanded: “There should not be found in you . . . anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer . . .

As noted earlier, God commanded the Israelites that “anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell” was not to be found among them.

This may be particularly so in cultures where various forms of spiritism and magic are popular.

Do not the ones making such magic charms themselves fall victim to sickness and death?

JEHOVAH’S view of spiritism was well expressed to Israel in these words: “You must not look for omens, and you must not practice magic.” (Leviticus 19:26)

But how can one who is involved in magic and spiritism be liberated from the power of the demons?

Should you be afraid of such witchcraft or magic?

The Bible says: “There should not be found in you anyone . . . who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead.”​—Deuteronomy 18:10, 11.

Superstition is defined as “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance.”

Belief in Magic

And the magic-practicing priests were unable to stand before Moses as a result of the boils, because the boils had developed on the magic-practicing priests and on all the Egyptians.”—Ex. 9:7-11.

DEMONISM, MAGIC ROOTED IN BABYLON

Magic, sorcery and astrology were developed and indulged in by all, from the king down to his lowest subject.

Daniel gave credit to God for this dream: “The secret that the king himself is asking, the wise men, the conjurers, the magic-practicing priests and the astrologers themselves are unable to show to the king.

“There should not be found in you anyone . . . who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead.

Perplexed by this miracle, Pharaoh summoned his magic-practicing priests.a

a The Hebrew word rendered “magic-practicing priests” refers to a group of sorcerers who claimed to possess supernatural powers beyond those of the demons.

His miracles were free of emotional rituals, magic incantations, showy displays, trickery, and hypnotism.

According to the book Jewish Expressions on Jesus, they dismissed him as being one who “followed the practices of magic.”

It was with good reason that God prohibited the Israelites from practicing magic, divination, and fortune-telling.

His magic now exposed as worthless, he consented to a Bible study and eventually became a Witness himself.

For example, in a village in Suriname, opposers of Jehovah’s Witnesses contacted a spiritist who was well-known for being able to cause the sudden death of people simply by pointing his magic stick at them.

He uttered his magic formulas and pointed his stick at them.

God’s words to Israel give us some examples: “There should not be found in you . . . anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead.

Such belief in sorcery or magic is likewise a worship of demons.

When none of the king’s magic-practicing priests could unravel their meaning, the cupbearer told Pharaoh that Joseph could interpret dreams.

So I stated it to the magic-practicing priests, but there was none telling me.”​—Genesis 40:23–41:24.

Similarly, the Jews who later superstitiously refused to pronounce God’s name dishonored it, as did the Jewish mystics who viewed it as a magic symbol.

If we were to display it as the Tetragrammaton or in modern spelling in our house or on our vehicle in the hope that it would protect us or bring us “good luck,” how would we differ from those superstitious Jews who viewed it as a magic symbol?​—Exodus 20:7.

A man who cannot win the love of a maiden will turn to magic by giving her a charmed lei or other gifts to cause her to fall in love with him.

Some islanders say they have been physically disabled or have contracted incurable diseases from spells cast upon them by their enemies through black magic.