Biblical Rituals We’d Call “Witchcraft” Today

New Age hysteria runs rampant in the church today. Everything is called witchcraft — from sage to yoga to crystal healing. But here’s the thing: the Bible itself is full of practices that, if we wrapped them in kente cloth and burned some copal, would get side-eyed on Sunday morning.

Think about it: sprinkling blood on the congregation (Exodus 24:8), animal sacrifice as atonement (Leviticus 4), burning incense to mediate between life and death (Numbers 16:46–48), and scapegoating sins onto an actual goat (Leviticus 16:10). These are rituals, sacrifices, offerings — and yes, dare I say, “magic” (for lack of a better word… sorry Christians).

Crystals, Music, and “Magic” in the Bible

We’re quick to demonize crystals and call energy work “New Age,” but the people of God were no strangers to sacred objects. The High Priest wore a breastplate embedded with twelve precious stones representing the tribes of Israel (Exodus 28:17–21). King David used music to drive away tormenting spirits from Saul (1 Samuel 16:23). And sacrifice wasn’t just metaphorical — it was literal, bloody, and commanded.

But the most fascinating of these “spiritual tools” may be the Uriym and Puuryim — two objects that sound eerily like casting lots or, as I like to call them, the “holy version of a Ouija board.”

Uriym & Puuryim: God’s Divine Decision-Making Tools

The Hebrew words אוּרִים (Uriym) and פּוּרִים (Puuryim) are often translated as “lights” and “lots.” Together, they formed a priestly tool used to discern God’s will.

In 1 Samuel 30:7–8, David asks Abiathar the priest to bring him the ephod (the priestly garment containing the Uriym and Puuryim). David inquires of God:

This was not a vague inner “leading.” This was an interactive ritual. The priest literally used these stones as a sacred way of receiving yes/no answers from God. Some scholars argue it was a form of cleromancy — a method of casting lots, similar to flipping coins or rolling dice — but sanctified by God for His chosen people.

Where We Find Them in Scripture

You’ll see references to the Uriym and Puuryim throughout the Torah and the early prophets:

• Exodus 28:30 – God commands Moses to put the Uriym and Puuryim into the breastplate of judgment, so Aaron can bear the judgment of the children of Israel over his heart.

• Leviticus 8:8 – Moses actually places the stones into the breastplate as part of Aaron’s consecration.

• Numbers 27:21 – Joshua is instructed to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will ask counsel for him after the judgment of the Uriym before the LORD.

• 1 Samuel 28:6 – When Saul seeks guidance, it says God did not answer him by dreams, by Urim, or by prophets — which shows how central this tool was.

God’s Presence Wasn’t Always “Automatic”

We often talk like God was constantly talking to Israel, but His presence wasn’t always on tap. Yes, He dwelt in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:22), but communion with Him was still a sacred occasion. The priests were given specific instructions, rituals, and tools so they could seek His will even when His voice wasn’t booming from a cloud.

The Uriym and Puuryim were a divine code of communication — a way for humans to operate in God’s order without needing Him to show up visibly every single time.

What This Means for Our Understanding of God

Here’s where this gets real: when we call every spiritual practice outside of our tradition “witchcraft,” we erase the deeply mystical, ritualistic nature of the faith we inherited. The difference between Scripture and propaganda is that Scripture invites us to engage with the spiritual realm — carefully, reverently, and under divine authority — whereas propaganda tells us to fear it entirely.

Understanding tools like the Uriym and Puuryim should expand our view of God. He isn’t anti-ritual. He isn’t anti-symbol. He is the Creator of energy, of the seen and unseen. He gave His priests spiritual technology to use, not to shun.

A Final Word: Seek for Yourself

This isn’t a call to go make a crystal grid in your living room and call it “Urim and Thummim 2.0.” It’s a call to stop fearing everything labeled “spiritual” and start reading the Bible for what it actually says.

You don’t need a priest, pastor, or prophet as a middleman. In fact, you never truly did.

Seek the Most High and you will find Him/Her. Have respect unto his commandments, and you shall live and find salvation, not in heaven, but here on earth:

Dueteronomy 30:11-20

11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?

14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;

16 In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

— It is your divine privilege to seek God for yourself. And it is your birthright to practice spirituality.

If you’re afraid to touch the mystical, you might be missing half of what your own faith has to offer.

ABOUT ZHATEYAH

Zhateyah YisraEl is a multi-venture entrepreneur, writer, and creative strategist passionate about reshaping narratives for Black women and amplifying underrepresented voices. As the founder of Z Branding & Business Solutions and visionary behind SISTAH Magazine, she has built an ecosystem that celebrates Black womanhood, cultural pride, and generational wealth.

Zhateyah’s writing focuses on identity, spirituality, empowerment, and economic freedom — weaving together storytelling, history, and practical wisdom to inspire action. 

Connect with me on LinkedIN | Instagram | Tiktok | Website

Buy my latest book: From Hot to Wholesome