How is it that America has a sweet hero who is a sorcerer? A fantasy hero, indeed!

 

The only wise God with real power to bless America, the Holy One of Scripture -- increasingly ignored and discounted -- is the One who says: "Do not practice divination or sorcery." (Leviticus 19:26b, NIV).

 

Towards the end of Israel's exodus, just before they entered the promised land, His prophet Moses said to them: "... do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations ... Let no one be found among you who ... who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD ...” (Deuteronomy 18:9-12, NIV).

 

"The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so." (Deuteronomy 18:14, NIV).

 

By the time they reached the last king of the house of Israel: "They forsook all the commands of the LORD their God", their detestable practices including "divination and sorcery" -- which was "evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger ... the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence" ... taken captive by Assyria and removed from their land, thus becoming the lost tribes of Israel. (2 Kings 17:16-18, NIV).

 

Manasseh, the most evil king of the house of Judah, is known as one who "practiced sorcery and divination, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the eyes of the LORD, provoking him to anger" (2 Kings 21:6, 2 Chronicles 33:6 NIV).

 

Repentance in the face of the teaching, deeds and renown of the apostle Paul resulted in this New Testament example: "A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas." (Acts 19:19, NIV). "A drachma was a silver coin worth about a day's wages." (NIV, marginal note).

 

Concerning the coming of the Messiah, the LORD Almighty says: "...I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers ... who ... do not fear me" (Malachi 3:5). Sorcerers head the list of those he will be quick to testify against!

 

"You have wearied the LORD with your words. "How have we wearied him?" you ask. "By saying, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the LORD, and he is pleased with them" or "Where is the God of justice?" (Malachi 2:17, NIV)

 

In a vacuum of spiritual guidance from their parents, it seems that a fictional sorcerer has become the most exciting hero for many American children. The good book says "he who chases fantasies lacks judgment" (Proverbs 12:11, NIV).