Informing Your Worldview Series: P a g a n i s m Part 2 of 2

1. Informing Your Worldview Series: Paganism Part 2 of 2 Owning Your Worldview Presents

2. Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (HCSB) “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not imitate the detestable customs of those nations. No one among you is to make his son or daughter pass through the fire, practice divination, tell fortunes, interpret omens, practice sorcery, cast spells, consult a medium or a familiar spirit, or inquire of the dead. Everyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and the Lord your God is driving out the nations before you because of these detestable things. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Though these nations you are about to drive out listen to fortune-tellers and diviners, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do this. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Dt 18:9–14). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

3. Pharaoh’s Wise Men, Sorcerers, and Magicians • Exodus shows us several examples where wise men, sorcerers, and magicians are able to mimic God’s miracles. • They are unable to recreate the majority of God’s miracles/plagues. • This shows that there is legitimate occult power, but that it is inferior to God’s will.

4. Exodus 7:10-12 (HCSB) 10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord had commanded. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent. 11 But then Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers—the magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same thing by their occult practices. 12 Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ex 7:10–12). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

5. Exodus 7:20-22 (HCSB) 20 Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded; in the sight of Pharaoh and his officials, he raised the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile was turned to blood. 21 The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad the Egyptians could not drink water from it. There was blood throughout the land of Egypt. 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same thing by their occult practices. So Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ex 7:20–22). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

6. Exodus 8:6-7 (HCSB) 6 When Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 But the magicians did the same thing by their occult practices and brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ex 8:6–7). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

7. Exodus 8:6-7 (HCSB) 17 And they did this. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and when he struck the dust of the earth, gnats were on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats throughout the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried to produce gnats using their occult practices, but they could not. The gnats remained on man and beast. 19 “This is the finger of God,” the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ex 8:17–19). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

8. Pharaoh’s Wise Men, Sorcerers, and Magicians • The magician’s occult power is clearly effective and has legitimate power. • Once they failed to produce gnats they never again make a significant attempt to replicate Aaron’s miracles. • Their failure leads to an understanding that God is more powerful than they are.

9. 1 Samuel 28:5-19 • Exploring Necromancy in the Bible.

10. King Saul & The Medium of En-dor • Four scenarios: • Forgery & Fakery • The Medium Summoned Samuel • God Caused Samuel to Appear • A Demon Impersonated Samuel

11. Forgery & Fakery • In this scenario the medium found a person to act as Samuel. • Since Saul is prostrate he may not have clearly seen Samuel. • In Saul’s frantic state he may have overlooked minor things that didn’t make sense. • Having an accomplice ready to fake Samuel would have been very difficult. • The prophecy was very negative and came true.

12. The Medium Summoned Samuel • In this scenario the medium actually summoned Samuel. • The medium’s reaction appears to be sincere. • Samuel’s tone and message seem to be appropriate, in character, and sincere. • Samuel is still prophesying on behalf of God. • While the Necromancy is forbidden the Bible never specifically state that it is false.

13. God Caused Samuel to Appear • God has used the dead saints on special occasions: • After the Resurrection many saints rose from their tombs and seen in Jerusalem. Matthew 27:50–53 • Peter, James, and John witness Elijah and Moses speaking to Jesus during the Transfiguration. Matthew 17:1-9 • God would have been showing Saul grace by allowing him to hear Samuel’s true words one last time. • This interpretation doesn’t seem to flow with the general biblical narrative and feels contrived.

14. A Demon Impersonated Samuel • A demon would have been privy to previous conversations between Saul and Samuel. • A demon would have been able to impersonate Samuel and deceive the people involved. • The prophecy/prediction about Saul’s defeat and death may have been a forgone conclusion. • The original Hebrew language supports the idea that it was actually Samuel and not an imposter.

15. King Saul & The Medium of En-dor • The idea that this encounter was faked has little support. • Any of the other three scenarios support the idea that there is genuine power behind Necromancy. • Regardless of whether Necromancy is a hoax or is legitimate, we have been given clear instructions to avoid it. It upsets God’s order and command…so it is sin. We can trust that He is protecting us.

16. Pagan Symbolism • Symbols are used to communicate information to the initiated but not to the uninitiated. • Pagan’s believe symbols contain, control, and communicate power. • Being surrounded by similar symbols creates an atmosphere and environment. • We are better able to share our faith when we understand the environment around us.

17. The Triangle • Represents earth, wind, and fire. • A feminine symbol used in white magic. • Depicts feminine strength, since all points are supported by a stable base. • Three points of “the goddess” or a woman’s life: Maiden, Mother, and Crone. • Inverted to symbolize the female pubic area. Thus associated with sexuality and fertility.

18. The Pentagram • The four elements of matter (water, fire, earth, air) and spirit. With spirit being dominant. • A pentagram without a circle indicates an open and active approach to life. • The circle represents containment and protection of the elements. • The circle also connectedness, wholeness, infinity, and eternity. • In some paganism the pentagon in the center represents control, the will, or love. S A W L E F

19. The Adverse Pentagram • Unlike the pentagram the inverted pentagram places matter as dominant over spirit. • This is a left-handed pagan symbol.

20. The Sigil of Baphomet • The official logo of the Church of Satan. • The goat represents the OT scapegoat. Lucifer is seen as a scapegoat. • The script on the outside is “enochian keys” spelling Leviathan.

21. The Hexagram (The Star of David) • Acts 7:43. The star of the god Rephan, Ba’al, and Saturn. • Primarily used in the black magic and kabbalism. • Never actually associated with King David. Most likely introduced by King Solomon while dabbling with Paganism. • Associated with summoning and banishing supernatural beings.

22. The Valknut (The Slain Warriors Knot) • This symbol represents the Norse god Odin’s ability to bind or loosen a man’s battle-madness, intoxication and inspiration. • Used in Germanic Neopaganism (Heathenism). • Used in several European corporate logos.

23. The Triquetra • Originally a celtic knot. • It symbolized: three stages of life (triangle); three domains (earth, sea, sky); or the triune goddess. • The circle signifies that all things are unified and eternal.

24. The Trinity Knot • Christians adapted the triquetra to represent the Trinity. • Many Christians are uncomfortable with this symbol since it has strong ties to pre-Christian paganism.

25. The Ankh (The Kemetic Womb) • An ancient Egyptian symbol for life, fertility, and rebirth. • Represents the womb, fallopian tubes, and birth canal.

26. The Wheel of the Year (The Pagan Calendar) • The year is divided into eight sabbats. Each represents a part of the solar cycle. • The circle represents an eternal cycle of birth, life, and death. • Yule: The goddess gives birth to the god. The god grows older. He impregnates the goddess. He grows old and dies.

27. The Crescent Moon (The Goddess) • In paganism the Sun is masculine and the moon is feminine. • The crescent moon is a direct representation of the goddess. • Pagan women often wear recent moon’s as jewelry.

28. The Goddess and Child • The goddess is the crescent moon and her child (children) are the star(s). • In some covens the symbol us used to denote rank, the higher a witches rank the larger the number of starts, up to 13. • The moon is often at the bottom and holds all of the stars.

29. The Triskelion • Originally a pre-celtic symbol for Manannán mac Lir who is a god of the sea from Irish mythology. • A generic symbol now used by neo-paganism and heathenism to represent many any triple.

30. Yin and Yang • Exemplified duality and oneness. Light and dark unified. • Symbolizes the idea there is no good or bad, only different aides of the same coin. • Yin: a white dot on black field, represents the feminine, the moon, and passivity. • Yang: a black don't on black field, represents masculine, the sun, and action.

33. Pagan Symbolism By having a quick overview of pagan symbolism (primarily right-hand), do you feel as you get a better idea of the mindset and focus of the practitioners who use these symbols. If so, that is the power of symbolism. It shows us what is important to the user or bearer of the symbols.

34. Informing Your Worldview Series: Paganism Part 2 of 2