W is for Warlocks, Wizards, and Witches

Warlocks and wizards and witches are "W."
Stone them all to death, should they trouble you.
Portia: Exodus 22:18 says, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (KJV).  Also forbidden:  "any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.  Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer" (Deuteronomy 18:10-11 KJV).  Despite the Bible's prohibitions against warlocks, wizards, and witches, there are a number of stories about them: Simon Magus (Acts 8), the Witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28), and Elymas (Acts 13).

 Thomas: The illustration in Gruesome and Gorey Bible Stories is a collection of posters styled after posters seen in the Harry Potter films.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

E is for Eglon

Image
E is for Eglon, a massive man, he. Struck with a sword in his giant belly. Portia: This story is so full of detail, I am going to ask you to read it in its entirety. Here is Judges 3:12-25 from the New Revised Standard Version: The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD.   In alliance with the Ammonites and the Amalekites, he went and defeated Israel; and they took possession of the city of palms.   So the Israelites served King Eglon of Moab eighteen years. But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left- handed man. The Israelites sent tribute by him to King Eglon of Moab.   Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length; and he fastened it on his right thigh under his clothes.   Then he presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. No
Read more

U is for Uzzah

U's for Uzzah, who manhandled the Ark. When the Lord smote him, oh boy, did he spark! Portia: When the Ark of the Covenant was being transported, the unfortunate Uzzah "reached out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there because he reached out his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of God" (2 Samuel 6:3). In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and Sallah lift the Ark with long poles to avoid touching it, hoping to avoid the fate that Uzzah faced. Thomas: The painting in Gruesome and Gorey Bible Stories is a self-portrait. I photographed myself in costume with a model Ark of the Covenant found in the church basement. I used the photograph as reference for the painting. Uzzah's melting face is a nod to the aforementioned Raiders.
Read more

K is for Korah

K. The earth opened and swallowed Korah . His tragic story is found in Torah. Portia: Because they rebelled against God's servant Moses, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were punished. " The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households--everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they with all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly." The story is in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, in Numbers 16:31-33. Thomas: In this "Where's Waldo" tribute, can you find Moses, Korah, a vulture, a palm tree, a lost sheep, a rock, another rock, and rock, paper, scissors?
Read more