Witches, Wizards, and Sorcerers of the Bible Quiz

Answer: Execute them

According to the Law, the ancient Jews were to execute those who practiced witchcraft, demon worship, etc., because of God's command against these practices. The Jews were commanded to worship God only, though of course, throughout most of the history recorded in the Bible, the Israelites practiced many other religions along with the worship of Jehovah Himself. (See Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 19:31;20:6, and Deuteronomy 18:10-11 for more information)

Answer: King Saul

King Saul aggressively dealt with sorcerers and witches early in his reign, but just before his death, he sought out a woman with a familiar spirit and pleaded with her to bring up Samuel for him. This woman was the famous witch of Endor, and the Bible says that when she saw Samuel, she was afraid and knew her customer was Saul himself. (I Samuel 28:7-21)

Answer: True

True! Simon the sorcerer was converted under the ministry of the apostles in Acts 8. The Ephesian church also had many members that had previously been involved in witchcraft and sorcery.

Answer: Burned them

The Bible says the books were worth a great deal of money, but the people of the church burned their books as public testimony to their decision to follow Christ completely and to forsake their old way of life. (See Acts 19:18-20)

Answer: Sceva

This was Sceva, who was also a Jewish priest. These guys appear to be having fun with the whole thing until they were attacked by a demon-controlled man and had to flee out "naked and wounded." That was the end of the whole demon freeing show for them! (See Acts 19:13-17)

Answer: Joseph

Joseph had a silver cup that was used for divining. It was this same cup that Joseph had his steward hide in Benjamin's sacks when the brothers decided to return home the second time. Bible scholars are somewhat disagreed on why exactly Joseph had such a cup (Genesis 44).

Answer: Ezekiel

This is found in Ezekiel 21:18-22. God speaks about the king of Babylon using divination to set up his battle plan against Jerusalem. Interestingly, the king looked "in the liver", according to the Bible, in order to find out how to go to war. As I understand it, this was an ancient custom that many different groups used in order to gain direction or guidance for important decisions.

Answer: Simon

Simon tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit from Peter and the other apostles, but of course, God's power was not for sale. Peter warned him about his sin in even having suggested such a thing. (Acts 8)

Answer: Rebellion

The Jews were strictly banned from practicing witchcraft, but Samuel told King Saul in I Samuel 15:23 that rebellion against God was just as bad as any witchcraft that Saul had so zealously tried to destroy.

Answer: King Manasseh

King Manasseh would be an Old Testament example of a sorcerer and astrologer turning to God. This king, who actually killed his own little children, later prayed to God, and by God's grace, was saved from the king of Babylon and brought again to his own kingdom. II Chronicles 33 gives the full story.