1. Hocus Pocus Theology Part II – Miracles or Magic By David Turner www.BibleStudies-Online.com

2. “I believe in miracles, because I believe in God.” But not every so called miracle is from God

3. Christians Can get Caught up in Hocus Pocus Theology

4. Magic n1. the art that, by use of spells, supposedly invokes supernatural powers to influence events; sorcery 2. the practice of this art 3. the practice of illusory tricks to entertain other people; conjuring 4. any mysterious or extraordinary quality or power the magic of springtime like magic very quickly

5. Miracle n1. (Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) an event that is contrary to the established laws of nature and attributed to a supernatural cause 2. any amazing or wonderful event 3. a person or thing that is a marvelous example of something the bridge was a miracle of engineering 4. (Performing Arts / Theatre) short for miracle playmiracle play 5. (modifier) being or seeming a miracle a miracle cure

6. Miracle (definition) “a unique and extraordinary event awakening wonder , wrought by divine power  accomplishing some practical and benevolent work , and authenticating a messenger and his message as from God .” Henry C. Thiessen, “An Outline of Lectures in Systematic Theology”

7. 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.

8. What is Your World View? Naturalism Materialism Mechanical view of the Universe

13. Miracles vs. Magic MiraclesParanormal Magic Under God’s ControlUnder Human Control Not Available on CommandAvailable on Command SupernaturalSupernormal Associated with goodAssociated with Evil Associated only with truthAssociated also with error Can overpower evilCannot overpower evil Affirm Jesus is God in the fleshDenies Jesus is God in the flesh Prophecies always trueProphecies sometimes false Never associated with occult practices Often associated with occult practice

14. Miracles in Genesis Creation Creating woman from man Enoch’s translation Tower of Babel Dreams and Prophecy Lot’s wife turned to salt Sarah’s Conception Hagar’s Well

15. Miracles in Exodus Burning Bush Moses rod Moses leprous hand Plagues Crossing of the Red Sea Manna from heaven Healing bitter waters Giving of Quail Bringing water from a rock Miriam’s leprosy Judgment of Korah Aaron’s budding rod The brazen serpent healing the people

16. Increased Frequency of Miracles “God does not shake miracles into Nature at random as if from a pepper-caster. They come on great occasions: they are found at the great ganglions of history-not of political or social history, but of spiritual history which cannot be fully known by men. C. S. Lewis, Miracles

17. Increased Frequency of Miracles First Covenant – Moses – Joshua Prophets – Elijah – Elisha New Covenant – Jesus – Apostles

18. The Burning Bush Exodus 3:2–6 3 2 And the angel of the L ORD 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 L ORD 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.

19. Serpent Exodus 7:8–12 8 Then the L ORD 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 L ORD 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.

20. Magicians Defeated Exodus 8:16–19 The Third Plague: Gnats 16 Then the L ORD 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 L ORD had said.

22. Message of Miracles Moses – Message to free God’s covenant people and bring them into a new covenant 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 a new covenant relationship.

23. Next Week Pseudo Miracles

24. Hocus Pocus Miracles The Magicians of Egypt Exodus 7:11 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. Exodus 7:22 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the L ORD had said.

25. Hocus Pocus Miracles Witch of Endor 1 Samuel 28:7–14 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.” 9 The woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?” 10 But Saul swore to her by the L ORD, “As the L ORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.” 11 Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up for you?” He said, “Bring up Samuel for me.” 12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul.” 13 The king said to her, “Do not be afraid. What do you see?” And the woman said to Saul, “I see a god coming up out of the earth.” 14 He said to her, “What is his appearance?” And she said, “An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe.” And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.

26. Hocus Pocus Miracles Simon the Sorcerer of Samaria Acts 8:9–11 9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.

27. Hocus Pocus Miracles Bar-Jesus or “Elymas the Sorcerer” Acts 13:6–8 6 When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

28. Hocus Pocus Miracles “Seven sons of Sceva” Acts 19:13–16 (ESV) 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

29. The Coming Hocus Pocus Matthew 24:22–24 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

30. The Coming Hocus Pocus 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 9-12 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, … 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

31. The Coming Hocus Pocus Revelation 13:11–15 11 Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.

32. The Coming Hocus Pocus Revelation 16:13–14 13 And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. 14 For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

33. The Coming Hocus Pocus Revelation 19:20 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

34. The Great Magician Will be Judged Revelation 19:20 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.

35. The Great Magician Will be Judged Rev 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

36. The Great Magician Will be Judged Rev 20:7-8 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea.

37. The Great Magician Will be Judged Rev 20:9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

38. Purpose of Signs and Wonders To authenticate a message To authenticate the messenger of the His message Don’t trust every Miracle Worker. God’s purpose is not to entertain. Sign and Wonders are not about signs and wonders, but about the message.

39. God’s Greatest Miracles Creation Incarnation Resurrection Creation of New Heaven and New Earth Redemption through Jesus Christ.