Hocus Pocus Theology

Part I

Where does the phrase “hocus pocus” come from?

• Latin translation from the Last Supper• “hoc est corpus meum” - “This is my body”

Christians Can get Caught up in Hocus Pocus

Theology

The Boooo Factor

Theology of FearDemons behind every treeConspiracies

Political – Communism, Dem., etcReligious – New Age, Islam, Cath.Philosophical – Atheism, Agnos.

Every sicknessEvery mental illnessEvery person that disagrees

Fear GodDeuteronomy 6:1–5 (ESV) 6 “Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2 that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Deuteronomy 10:12–14

12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.

2 Kings 17:35–39

35 The LORD made a covenant with them and commanded them, “You shall not fear other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, 36 but you shall fear the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm. You shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. 37 And the statutes and the rules and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to do. You shall not fear other gods, 38 and you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not fear other gods, 39 but you shall fear the LORD your God, and he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.”

Isaiah 8:11–13

11 For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: 12 “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. 13 But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Jeremiah 32:37–40

37 Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.

Revelation 14:7

7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Hebrews 12:28–29

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

Strictly Forbidden

Deuteronomy 18:9–15 9 “When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11 or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, 12 for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the LORD your God, 14 for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this. 15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—

Why?

(1) The future was “determined” by God and obedience to the covenant, not by magical manipulation.

(2) Using magic to manipulate one’s circumstances was in essence a futile attempt to flee from the Lord’s ethical laws which promoted life and blessing.

(3) The use of magic and divination (vv. 10, 14) was a refusal to acknowledge the sovereignty of the Lord.

(4) Reliance on these practices indicated a corresponding failure to trust the Lord with one’s life.

Saul had Fears Bigger than God1 Samuel 28:5–8

5 When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 6 And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. 7 Then Saul said to his servants, “Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold, there is a medium at En-dor.” 8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and

went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, “Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you.”

Your fears?

• Do you fear the future?• Do you fear the philistines of today?• What do you fear above God?

Miracles vs. Magic

• Supernatural – transcends natural law– Power – comes from God– Wonder – inspires wonder because they are

supernatural– Signs – tells us the purpose of the miracle.

Confirm the message and the messenger.• Supernormal – They are above the normal,

but not outside the realm of nature.

Miracles vs. MagicMiracles Paranormal MagicUnder God’s Control Under Human ControlNot Available on Command Available on CommandSupernatural SupernormalAssociated with good Associated with EvilAssociated only with truth Associated also with errorCan overpower evil Cannot overpower evilAffirm Jesus is God in the flesh Denies Jesus is God in the fleshProphecies always true Prophecies sometimes falseNever associated with occult practices

Often associated with occult practice

Miracles

• Genesis– Creation– Tower of Babel– Dreams and Prophecy

• Exodus– Burning Bush– Plagues– Crossing of the Red Sea

Two Generations of Miracles

• First Covenant– Moses– Joshua

• Prophets– Elijah– Elisha

• New Covenant– Jesus– Apostles

The Burning BushExodus 3:1–6 3 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

PlaguesExodus 7:8–12 (ESV) 8 Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’ ” 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. 12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.

Magicians defeatedExodus 8:16–19 The Third Plague: Gnats 16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’ ” 17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

Plague Warning Replication God Attacked

Water into Blood Pharoah was warned and allowed to watch Yes Hapi (the God of the Nile)

FrogsPharoah warned but was not with Moses when it

happenedYes

Heqt (interestingly many frogs was usually viewed

as a good thing)

Lice No Warning No. The magicians saw the lice as an act of God

Kheper (God of beetles and flies)

FliesPharoah warned but not

with Moses when it happened

No. In fact they didn't even try Kheper

Murrain Pharoah warned and told when it would happen Again they didn't try Apis (Sacred Bull)

BoilsPharoah not warned but

was there when Moses did it

Magicians could not even heal themselves

Imhotep (physician God) & Thoth (Magic and healing)

HailPharoah and servants warned. Those that heeded the warning

escaped.Didn't try. Nut (Sky Goddess)

LocustsPharoah warned and his

servants almost cause him to give in

Didn't try Seth (God of Crops)

Dark No Warning Didn't try Ra (Sun God)

First Born Yes No Pharoah

Message of Miracles

• Moses – Message to free God’s covenant people and bring them into relationship.

• Elijah and Elisha – Message for God’s covenant people to repent and return to the covenant.

• Jesus and Apostles – Jesus is the promised Messiah sent to deliver God’s people from Sin and bring them into covenant relationship.

Next Week

Damaging Hocus Pocus Theology

Fear God!

• He Created the Universe.• He controls the Universe (past, present,

future).• Because he created nature He is bigger than

nature and can perform acts outside the laws to nature.

• Christ created it. Christ has Control over it. Christ rules it. Christ will save it. Trust Christ.