SORCERY, A Vocabulary Word For 2015

A brief primer on this word, and its significance for 2015and the years following! Many of us will,
upon hearing it, think back to fairy tales, or superstitions from past centuries, or occult fantasy stories.
Christians may well remember its obscure and possibly figurative use in the Book of Revelation, and in
the times of ancient Israel when this was said to be practiced by surrounding pagan nations, and
forbidden under Mosesbut consider it not pertinent to our day. In fact, however, such thoughts
reflect dangerous ignorance of an important topic. Why important? And why dangerous? Because its
all around us and we dont recognize itits so commonplace we do not associate it with anything
really amissyet its silent affect upon our lives and culture is profound.
Its true that there is much superstition attached to the word sorcery, and to distance from that entire
realm of arcane and unreliable lore I would first like to focus on its definition and use as spoken of in
the Bible. When I have done this I hope it will be understood why this is a very significant word for
2015.
Sorcery, rightly understood, is the use of a certain class of drugs to access the spirit worldto bring the
awareness and power of it within our consciousness (and those around us whether they like it or not).
A respected theological dictionary1 defines it as a magical tradition of herbs gathered and prepared for
spells, and also for encouraging the presence of spirits at magical ceremonies, while in Simon
Kistemakers commentary on Revelation he says of sorceries in Rev 9:21 (translated from the Greek,
pharmakon farmakon), magic potion . . . [and refers] to the concept of drugs that induce magic
spells 2; Spiros Zodhiates in his Greek-English lexicon says it means the occult, sorcery, witchcraft,
illicit pharmaceuticals, trance, magical incantation with drugs 3. Note, in the Greek there are three
kinds of drugs included in the classification pharmakon: regular medicines, poisons, and magic
potions; only the last onemagic potionspertains to pharmakon and its cognates use in the Book of
Revelation.
What kind of drugs are these? In ancient times they had names peculiar to those days, but in ours they
are LSD (a synthetic compound created in the mid 20th century), mescaline, peyote, psilocybin
mushrooms, marijuana (and its derivative, hashish) and others that have similar psychoactive
properties. They were popularized in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, and marijuanaone of the staples of this
class of drugsis experiencing a wide popular revival now, such that it is slowly gaining legal status,
both for medicinal use and recreation. Its modern potency is estimated to be at least 50 times
stronger than back in the Woodstock and counterculture days. This class of drugs is termed
psychedelics.
Please note, these are not the legitimate pharmaceuticals, such as analgesics (pain killers) and other
standard medicines, including morphine and other opiates, which are acceptable when properly
administered and used. The psychedelic drugs are a class unto themselves.
What follows is a brief look at the emergence of this class of drugs and its relation to Biblical sorcery
through the eyes of Christian observer Os Guinness and his book, The Dust of Death: The Sixties
Counterculture and How It Changed America Forever.4 From chapter 7, The Counterfeit Infinity:
A third defining feature of the counterculture is its resort to drugs, particularly the psychedelics
to achieve a transcendental consciousness and a true infinity. Within the movement drugs

attained an almost sacramental importance. They are virtually the bread and wine of the new
community. But for many outside the movement they are a spectral horror, a phobia almost on a
par with communism. . . .
Two preliminary qualifications must be made. First, we are concerned with the psychedelics
and not the depressants or stimulants. Many in the sixties generation have taken speed, heroin,
and opium; others have resorted to nutmeg or airplane glue. These drugs range from the trivial
to the terminal, but the [latter] are hardly worthy of attention, and the horror of the [former] are
well documented. The psychedelic movement, on the contrary, shows the resort to drugs at its
highest and is close to the nerve of the counterculture. . . . (Pp. 236, 238)
Guinness proceeds into a close examination and analysis of the claims, the drugs themselves, their
histories, and different aspects of their spiritual, philosophical, and cultural impact. The next chapter
appropriately follows this one: Encircling Eyes, on the occult:
But developing alongside the psychedelic movement and related to the logic of its failure is a
further trend. It is a real defining feature of the movement. It will probably outlast the
counterculture and go far beyond to be a profound influence in the closing years of the twentieth
century. I am speaking here of the resurgent trend toward the occult.
The Fire Burns Low
Early hunters on safari in Africa used to build their fires high at night in order to keep away the
wild animals. But when the fires burned low in the early hours of the morning, the hunters
would see all around them the approaching outlined shapes of animals and a ring of encircling
eyes in the darkness.
As we have witnessed the erosion and breakdown of the Christian culture of the West, so we
have seen the vacuum filled by an upsurge of ideas that would have been unthinkable when the
fires of the Christian culture were high. But this last trend is the most sinister of all. The occult
is not just another compulsive spiral down which many have plunged, caught by the current of
fascination with the weird and the wonderful. The trend is difficult to chart except the points
that are spectacular, silly, or sinister and thus basically irrelevant to its deeper reality. At this
deeper level the occult needs to be felt to be understood. So far as its future is concerned, only
the grey outlines have emerged. But these are enough to quicken an appreciation of the horror
of great darkness sweeping over the West, inexorably rolling inward like a swelling black tide or
approaching with its encircling eyes.
In many ways this trend is the most surprising of all. Only a short time back any belief in such a
world as the astral, the supernatural, the occult would have been relegated to the ridiculous.
Spine-tingling stories and horror films were the modern surrogates for the modern loss of belief
in Hell. They were anything but real. Perhaps stories of the occult were to be expected as part
of the Middle Ages or the missionary world, but certainly they had little to do with the
twentieth-century West and still less to do with the avant garde and the young. But the occult
can no longer be relegated in time or distance. Yesterdays skeptics are some of todays firmest
believers. (Pp. 276, 277)

After examining these developments in the culture of the times he was writing of, and of the reality of
occult signs and powers in the writings of Paul (2 Thess 2:8-12) and in the Apocalypse, which signs
and powersespecially at the very end of the ageare meant to deceive, Guinness says,
Reality is not to be mistaken for legitimacy. In a day of contentless religious experiences, the
appeal of powerful spiritual phenomena is far wider than their legitimacy.
Interestingly, the word used for sorcery predicted in this context in Revelation is the word
farmakeia, from which we get our word pharmacy or drugs. It is far from fanciful to interpret
this as a prediction of the prevalence of drug-inspired sorcery at the end times. The Apostle
John warns in his letter that we must test the spirits to see whether or not they are truly from
God. In our day. . . . there must be neither naivet nor total skepticism, but a critical
discernment made possible within the Christian framework. (Pp. 309, 310)
To bring forth another observer of our times before I continue my own remarks, I would like to note
the view of David H. Stern, author of the Jewish New Testament Commentary; on Revelation 9:21, he
translates the Greek pharmakeia in that verse as,
Misuse of drugs in connection with the occult, usually translated sorceries, witchcraft, or
magic arts, [and] here rendered by this longer phrase in order to focus on the fact that using
potions and drugs is an essential part of the words meaning as is clear from the derived
English words pharmaceuticals and pharmacy. The usual renderings suggest to many people
a setting so removed from the fabric of their lives that the text does not speak to them. The
reason I employ this lengthy expression is that the Jewish New Testament is a product of the
1980s, when the Western world has seen an explosion of drug abuse, and I want readers to
understand that this subject is dealt with in the Bible.
Spiritually speaking, there are four distinct categories of [psychedelic] drug misuse: (1) taking
drugs in order to explore spiritual realms, (2) taking drugs in order to engage in sorcery,
witchcraft and magic arts while under their influence, (3) giving drugs to other people in order
to gain control over them, which is another form of sorcery, witchcraft and magic arts, and (4)
taking drugs for pleasure. The last is a misuse because the drugs in question besides whatever
temporary enjoyment they provide, and apart from their adverse medical and psychological
effects open a person to supernatural or spiritual experiences; but these experiences are almost
always demonic and not from God, since the Holy One of Israel reveals Himself through his
Word (Ro 1:16-17, 10:8-17), not through drugs. (Pp. 816, 817)
To restate what Dr. Stern is asserting: even taking the drugsmarijuana being one of themfor mere
pleasure and kicks, completely apart from any intent or even thought of the occult or spiritual, is still
pharmakeia / sorcery activitybecause the pleasure is heightened by the forbidden enhancement of
these unusual drugs. The devil comes not only as a false teacher or seer, but as a giver-of-pleasure, and
able to amplify it through various means, sorcery being one of them.
In other words, does intended use make the drug work a certain way? Change its effect on the human
body and psyche? What kind of chemical is this whose properties and affect change with intent? No
other pharmaceutical has this characteristic. What we see is that there are different levels of
Biblically-defined sorcery: occultic, spiritual, psychic / mental high, and sensual pleasure. The
enhancement by means of psychedelic agents constitutes them all pharmakeia activities.

But how can someone be convincednamely those skepticalthat what I have been saying of these
drugs is true? How could they possibly knowor even believeif they had no personal experience of
them? It should be sufficient that the Lord has raised up witnesses through the exposition of His word,
and the accompanying testimony of those He has rescued from participation in these activities.
Which brings me to the matter of witnesses, and legal testimony. In this matter of the pharmakeia
drugs there are three witnesses:
1) The testimony of Scripture: these drugs exist, are used in sorcerous activities, and are condemned
by God on pain of death.
2) The testimony of exegetes, linguists, and commentators: who define what sorcery and witchcraft
are by indicating the use of drugs to enter demonic realms, and the practicing of their crafts there by
said users.
3) The testimony of those who have experienced these peculiar drugs, and they are of two classes: a)
godly men and women who have been delivered from the use and effects of them; and b) ungodly men
and women who continue in use of them and clearly tell of their properties, their affect within their
beings, and their efficacy in entering the spirit world.
The quality of this legal testimony (Deut 19:15; Matt 18:16; 2 Cor 13:1; etc) ought to be sufficient for
skeptics to at least take notice, and ponder, weighing it.
___________
Returning to 2015. Although LSD5 and psilocybin mushrooms6 (magic mushrooms) are being touted
again as having therapeutic value in the venerable NYTimes, the currently popularand increasingly
legalpsychedelic is marijuana, which the NYTimes strongly pushes for legalization of. Not
surprisingly not a few Christians do not consider pot anything to be wary ofexcept when not used in
moderationand resist the idea of its being sinful, or (heaven forbid!) sorcerous. It matters not to
them that testimony abounds in the literature of the worldand especially among occultists of various
sortsof the efficacy of marijuana in allowing users to attain heightened states of consciousness in the
spirit world. Eventually the LORD will bring this home to thesealbeit some professing strict
orthodoxy, as in the Presbyterian and Reformed churchesemerging-church-type believers the danger
of their activities. Especially serious is when leaders indicate to younger Christians its acceptable.
The reason we can identify the present-day drugs with those spoken of in Scripture is that while the
names may differ or be unknown, the properties are exactly the same: encouraging the presence of
spirits and inducing magic spells and trance states. The world is very familiar with this, as the online
article, The Spiritual Use of Cannabis 7 shows. When questioned regarding marijuana, a spiritual
teacher discusses with the enquirer the spiritual potentials of marijuana . . . [and how that] This plant
has the potential for use as a psychoactive booster of consciousness. It is a kind of psychic vitamin
that can expand ones abilities mentally, psychically and spiritually. 8 Even if many treat it as a
vehicle for enhanced recreation this does not diminish its power as a sorcerous drug opening the
heart and spirit to influence from the spirit world. What some think of only as a powerful high is in
reality far more, and many Christians, alas, are oblivious to this, some perhaps willfully, trusting in
their own ideas more than the testimony of Scripture, and other reliable witnesses.

There is even a new name for this and the other psychedelics:
Entheogen: An entheogen (God inside us, en - in, within, theo - god, divine, -gen
creates, generates), in the strict sense, is a psychoactive substance used in a religious,
psychotherapeutic, recreational, shamanic, or spiritual context. 9
My focus here is broader than the church, even though it is primarily for the church I write. This is
why I look closely at the surrounding culture, its practices and testimonies. It is in the midst of this
culture we live!
Some people are into God or Christ consciousness, and others are into lusts of various sortsfood,
sex, entertainment, etcand others into the arts, or reading, or nature, whatever your poison is: one
high fits all!
The social discourse gets filled with conversations and their content, that being the heart of the
speakers, and if their hearts are into marijuana or the other entheogens then the very airpsychically
speakingwill be thick with influence from the demonic realm. Can you not see or sense it? How
easy it is nowadays to curse God and Christ, revile their followers, cast aspersion on their Book as
hate-filled, hate all authority, lift up and magnify all sorts of perverse and indecent things, and relish
violence toward those you dont like.
Its the air of our culture I am talking about, and so many are like the proverbial frog in the slowlyheating pot, not noticing the change about you till youre almost cooked, and at that point too late.
To speak of Christ then, in this cultures psychically charged air, is to enter what has become the open
occult warfare, as what was formerly hidden in the recesses of Hell and wicked mens hearts is now out
in the open, the brave new zeitgeist of the little season of Satans full and final loosing upon the earth
(Revelation 20:3,7), just now opening in a neighborhood near you, even in the civilized West.
And speak of Christ we must, to all Americans (in other nations the same) regardless of sexual
orientation, gender, religion, creed, or ethnicity, for the great floodgates of eternal salvation, mercy,
and unmerited favor in Gods eyes are flung wide, that all who desire forgiveness of sin, eternal life,
and intimate communion with God through Christ, may drink the living waters that give eternal youth
and joy.
Not all will receive it, but there it is.
This is the meaningthe realityof sorcery, when John the apostle in Revelation 9:21 says that men
refused to repent of their sorceries, murders, thefts, and immorality, after the pounding calamities of
warning and judgment upon their lives and landsthis is that.
Ignorance is not bliss, neither is rebellion, and few there are like the children of Issachar, which were
men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do (1 Chronicles 12:32).
Whoso has understanding, and ears, let him hear. The time is short (1 Corinthians 7:29-31). When
sorcery is as commonplace in our national conversation and behavior as grass in the fields, know that
certain times are upon us, and prophecies being fulfilled.
_______

A special section: what about the so-called medicinal use of marijuana? Why is that considered
illegitimate for the Christian? This is a more nuanced topic than the world realizes, as it does not have
spiritual discernment. But we who are Christs should have it.
It is understood that a person psychically elevated by marijuana may experience a sense of
detachment from the bodily source of pain, and thus a decrease in the sensation of its intensity; still, the
very action that detaches from the pain will open one to other aspects of the high such as
consciousness in a dimension not usually entered in the normal state of mind, the dimension spirits
inhabit. Even were I (speaking personally) in extreme pain I would not opt for marijuana relief, as the
cure would be far worse for me as a Christian than the ailment: making myself vulnerable to
demonic activitydeception, depression, oppression, delusion, attack, etc. The web page noted earlier
in this article (with link provided below), Spiritual Use of Cannabis, showing its use for shamanistic
and psychic activity in a number of pagan spiritual paths, and the accompanying discussion, clearly
demonstrate its effectiveness and power as a means of enhancing contact with the spirit world and its
occupants. Does one think that by force of willor good intentions one can hold off demons one
has opened ones consciousness and heart to? One can surely hold them off by the word and Spirit of
Christ, but if in disobedienceeven if done unwittinglyopening wide the door to their entrance
through sorcerous drugs, they will take advantage of that and either enter or exercise their influence
under cover of deception. The folks who say, Im only using it for simple enjoyment; but for
sorcerybe it far from me!, deceive themselves thinking they can avoid the consequences of
entering the dimension of satanic presence, even if they do not believe it.
Let me posit a possible situation in an area where grass is legal for medicinal use. What would one
think of a pastor, say in New Jersey, New York, or California where medicinal grass is legal under
prescription for pain (or Colorado, Washington state, or the country Holland where it is simply legal),
who, having smoked before the service, ministers while high? Or where a number in the church are
(legally) high in the service? Would you assert that, if theyve done it in moderation (or for pain
relief), this is fully in accord with the word of God? Does using a Biblically forbidden substance for
pain relief exempt one from obedience to Gods law? Did God have a good reason for forbidding
pharmakeia drugs? (Note again: this is not forbidding standard analgesics, even medicinal opiates, or
other legitimate medicines. Psychedelicspharmakeia substancesare a class unto themselves.)
Or if the assistant pastorwho teaches the teenage Bible studyhas pain from a sports injury, and
smokes (with a prescription) beforehand, is that okay? Though surely there will be teenagersas well
as adultswho, knowing their pastors are smoking marijuana (under medical license) for pain relief,
will say, Well, if they can do it for painand are okay mentally, and also accepted by the church
why cant I do it as well for fun, or spiritual depth? We can see its not harmful if used reasonably.
Besides the corruption of morals of others, children included, let me say what the Scripture view of this
would be. A pastor has smoked his grass (ostensibly for pain) and expanded his consciousness by
opening himself to the spiritual realmmuch as the Hindus do to contact their spirit entitiesand he is
now open to energies and influences or thoughts that come to him from he-knows-not-where. But they
seem to be godly and in accord with the Bible, and he has a new depth of feeling for the subject he is
speaking on, and sharp insight, and he powerfully feels what he believes to be the presence and love of
God. Has this man increased his godliness and anointing through the drug? Scripture says he has
taken a drug (pharmakon) . . . known to induce magic spells, and to encourage the presence of spirits
at magical ceremonies. Well, one wouldnt call a church service a magical ceremony someone

might respond! Unfortunately, using a sorcerous drug of the pharmakeia-class would turn that church
service into a magic ceremony, replete with demonic agency operating through the minister intoxicated
by it.
A few years ago (May 16, 2012) in the NYTimes online OP/ED section, an article appeared by a sitting
New York State Supreme Court Justice, Gustin L. Reichbach, titled, A Judges Plea for Medical
Marijuana, and is one of the most compelling, heartwrenching cries for the allowing of medical
marijuana I have heard (and Im sure those reading can come up with like cases they know of).10 Read
it and see. Justice Reichbach is a for-real candidate for this medical use. Which better allows me to
make my point: As far as the world is concerned, allowing this man medical marijuanaand as he
puts it, the inhaled kind, not the syntheticis simply a human right, a humane medical treatment.
But spiritually, what is the cost? Now Justice Reichbach is notto my knowledgea disciple of
Christ, but for a disciple what would the issues be? It would be opening the heart and mind to demonic
activity. Let me put myself in his place: without some grassinhaledI cannot eat (my appetite has
failed), and cannot sleep, both of which I need to sustain my life. But with it, I could do both. Would
it be worth it to me? To the world this dilemma is false, delusional, and cruel! To the spiritual man or
woman it is vital and actual: would I allow my communion with Christ and communion with other
disciples in spirit to be open to influence or infiltration by demonic beings? Just for the ability to eat
something, or sleep, or to relieve pain? Put another way, would I, under torturebeing starved,
subjected to sleep deprivation, and inflicted with painbetray my Lord and my friends? With Gods
help I would not. Why, given the same conditions of affliction, would I voluntarily sin, if I would
refuse to in the other case? No, God giving me strength I will retain my integrity of being before Him
and my friends. I would refuse to smoke the medicinal marijuana for the sake of keeping my
spiritual health and integrity. Especially if I were in terrible pain with advanced, terminal cancer, I
would not use marijuana for relief. Would anyone in their right mind, when on the very brink of death,
open their hearts and minds to demonic influence? That would be sheer destructive madness!
[There is a scenario, however, where a derivative from marijuana may be used; a chemical termed
CBD has shown itself useful in some cases in preventing seizures in children; but this has been
extracted from the plant without the THC which is the psychoactive agent producing the high, and so
in this form the extracted chemical is not in the pharmakeia class. There is an article on it linked to
below.11]
More on the topic: New Insights in Amillennial Eschatology 12

___________
1

The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol 2, p. 558 [emphasis added]
Simon J. Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary: Revelation, p. 302 [emphasis in original]
3
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament, (pp. 1437, 1438)
4
The updated 1994 edition, ISBN: 089107788X.
5
Hallucinogens Have Doctors Tuning In Again <http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/science/12psychedelics.html?_r=1>. LSD
is once again being used (under special license) by the therapeutic community, there being a resurgence now of this supposed
therapeutic use, per (among other sources) the NY Times of Apr 11, 2010.
6
The NYTimes again: Can Mushrooms Treat Depression? <http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/30/opinion/sunday/canmushrooms-treat-depression.html?src=xps>
7
<http://www.sparcsf.org/learning-center/spiritual-use-canabis>
8
<https://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_spirit6.shtml>
9
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entheogen>
10
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/opinion/a-judges-plea-for-medical-marijuana.html>
11
<http://news.yahoo.com/colo-pot-aids-kids-seizures-worries-doctors-053424609.html>
12
<https://www.dropbox.com/s/5i9vfoum9zpw2bm/New%20Insights%20in%20Amillennial%20Eschatology.pdf?dl=0>
2