History of Magical Arts in the Bible: Egypt & Mesopotamia

Pharaoh's magicians didn't fake it. Exodus 7 says they did the same thing Moses and Aaron did, "by their secret arts." So what does the Bible actually say is happening when magic works? ABOUT THE EPISODE: Nelly Van Sickle, pastor at Evergreen Calvary Chapel and creator of The Dancing Toaster Podcast joins Remnant Radio to walk through his "History of Magic" series, a biblical dig into where magic in the Bible actually comes from, starting in the ancient Near East with Egypt and Mesopotamia. Egypt called its force Heka, something built into the fabric of creation itself, not invoked so much as cooperated with. Mesopotamian mythology named its spirits and negotiated with them directly. If the power on display in Old Testament magic was real, where did it actually come from, and why does Deuteronomy 18 treat some of it as off-limits instead of harmless nonsense? Dr. Michael Heiser used to point out that God doesn't legislate against things that don't exist, and that idea sits underneath this whole conversation: a biblical worldview takes demonology seriously precisely because it takes the supernatural worldview of Scripture seriously. From there, the conversation turns to names, authority, and who actually gets to use the power of Jesus's name in spiritual warfare (think Sons of Sceva). Nelly also shares how researching the ancient occult reshaped his own theology of the supernatural, moving him from cautious and functionally cessationist toward a more continuationist conviction, wanting to see the gifts of the Spirit practiced rightly. The occult is surging back into Western culture, and most Christians don't have a framework for it beyond "that's not real" or "don't go near it." This episode is an attempt to give you one. Join us as we trace the history of magic and the authority we have in Christ to stand against it. 0:00 – Introduction 1:19 – Nelly Van Sickle 2:20 – Origins of History of Magic 3:45 – Egyptian Magic in Exodus 8:03 – Mesopotamian Spiritual Worldview 11:47 – Myth of White Magic 16:04 – Naming Spirits and Deities 21:07 – Egypt's Heka System 33:05 – Yahweh's Name and Authority 37:38 – Continuationist Cessationist Testimony 45:36 – Magical Practices and Divination 59:05 – Why Context Matters Today Subscribe to The Remnant Radio newsletter and receive our FREE introduction to spiritual gifts eBook. Plus, get access to: discounts, news about upcoming shows, courses and conferences - and more. Subscribe now at TheRemnantRadio.com. Support the show ABOUT THE REMNANT RADIO: The Remnant Radio exists to equip believers who are hungry for the radical middle of both Word and Spirit. Subscribe for twice-weekly content on theology, church history and the gifts of the Spirit. 📧 SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER 📚 COURSES & CONFERENCES 🛒 SHOP MERCH 💝 SUPPORT OUR MINISTRY: • Leave a Tip • Become a Patron • Make a Tax-Deductible Donation 🌐📧 Check Out Our Church Pages Josh's Church Miller's Church Rowntree's Church