In towns across the country, festivals like ‘WitchFest’ openly celebrate tarot cards, astrology, crystals, and spells as entertainment. Fortune-tellers set up booths, and crowds treat sorcery like a novelty, no different than a food fair. What God calls rebellion, our age shrugs off as harmless fun.
But His Word is clear.
“You shall not allow a sorceress to live.” (Exodus 22:18)
“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh.” (Deuteronomy 18:10–12)
Sorcery is not harmless. It is an abomination. In Acts 19, when the gospel pierced the city of Ephesus, the people didn’t shrug and make peace with magic. They burned their books in public repentance:
“And many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.” (Acts 19:19)
Here’s the real scandal. It isn’t that unbelievers act like unbelievers. The scandal is that the church has grown weak, divided, and silent. Failed leadership and inward bickering have given darkness room to parade without fear. Paul’s command could not be clearer:
“Do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead even expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11)
The church was never called to hide. Christ has already triumphed over every power and authority.
“When He had disarmed the rulers and the authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them in Him.” (Colossians 2:15)
He disarmed them at the cross. He shamed them before heaven and earth. If Christ has already crushed the powers of darkness, then why do witches feel safe while Christians stay quiet? Because the church has forgotten her duty. We were saved to shine, not to retreat. We were called to proclaim, not to accommodate. When the gospel is preached with courage and holiness, darkness trembles.
Semper Reformanda
Some excuse these festivals by saying, “It’s just harmless fun.” God says otherwise. “Whoever does these things is an abomination to Yahweh” (Deuteronomy 18:12). To laugh at rebellion is to join in it. Others say, “The church should stay out of culture.” Scripture disagrees: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Silence is not an option. The church is commanded to be salt and light in the midst of a crooked generation.
Truth That Withstands
Christ is Lord. Sorcery is rebellion. Witchcraft is not a game but open war against God. The church must not remain silent while darkness parades. Our King has already triumphed over every power, and His people are called to expose the works of darkness with holiness, courage, and public witness.
For the deeper dive, watch for my next War Journal post where I will trace this through Scripture, the Reformers, and our own fractured witness today.
Read here: WitchFest in Juneau: The Church’s Call in an Age of Open Paganism
Shortlink: reformlet.com/witches