Leaving Babylon: Pharmakeia

In the Book of Revelation, we see a sharp warning given for those who participate in ‘sorcery’:

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues
Chizayon (Revelation) 18:4

In our quest for leaving Babylon (Or Egypt), we need to constantly test what’s been passed down as ‘given’s’ from our fathers:

…Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
YiremYahu (Jeremiah) 16:19

What is sorcery?  In Revelation, the Greek word used for sorcery is pharmakeia, or other variations of the same root word.  Many will make the instant phonetic connection to the word pharmacy and end their research, but is there more to this?  Is taking medicine obtained at a pharmacy sin? Can we find this commandment within the Torah? What does the Torah say about sorcery? Is this a new commandment altogether, or an old one?  These are some of the questions we will explore today.

A few weeks ago, I conducted a study within the Book of Revelation, and sorcery came up. I made haste and condemned all man-made medicines and gave a warning for anyone still participating in them. Perhaps this was correct, but something kept stirring within me to seek the matter out further; I brought it before Yahuah and thus this study was initiated. I want to start with the Greek word pharmakiea, so let us begin there:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strong’s Concordance is an amazing tool to use in these last days, truly a great resource! We can’t forget Acts 20:7 ‘Sabbaton’.  Let’s keep in mind, that it is not the authority on matters, only Torah is. This is something I’m really enjoying within this walk; no more gray areas, no more man-made teachings, either it’s in the Torah as a commandment, or it’s not.  So while Strong’s plainly states pharmakiea (or pharmakon) is a ‘drug’ or spell giving potion, we need to dig deeper than this.
Strong’s link

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let’s see what the Torah says about Sorcery:

There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or one that practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto YAHUAH: and because of these abominations YAHUAH ELOHAYKA drives them out from before you.
DEVARIYM (DEUTERONOMY) 18:10-12 את CEPHER

When the Canaanites (and others) would make human sacrifices like having the children pass through the fire or any other type of sacrifice, it would be for the purpose of sorcery, spell-casting, divination or similar.  We could study their ancient rituals all day long, but I’d prefer not to in this examination, as that is a dark hole we need not put the windows of our souls on, let’s however turn our attention to the Book of Yashar (Jasher) to get an idea of what’s really going on here:

And Rachel stole her father’s images, and she took them and she concealed them upon the camel upon which she sat, and she went on. And this is the manner of the images; in taking a man who is the firstborn and slaying him and taking the hair off his head, and taking salt and salting the head and anointing it in oil, then taking a small tablet of copper or a tablet of gold and writing the name upon it, and placing the tablet under his tongue, and taking the head with the tablet under the tongue and putting it in the house, and lighting up lights before it and bowing down to it. And at the time when they bow down to it, it speaks to them in all matters that they ask of it, through the power of the name which is written in it. And some make them in the figures of men, of gold and silver, and go to them in times known to them, and the figures receive the influence of the stars, and tell them future things, and in this manner were the images which Rachel stole from her father. And Rachel stole these images which were her father’s, in order that Lavan might not know through them where Ya`aqov had gone.
YASHAR (JASHER) 31:40-44 את CEPHER

Here I believe we may be getting to the core of what Deuteronomy 18:10-12 may have been commanding us not to participate in; and remember, the commandment against sorcery was listed alongside wizardry, enchanting, divination, necromancy and consulting with spirits. Let’s keep searching:

Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor practice sorcery.
VAYIQRA (LEVITICUS) 19:26 את CEPHER

Once again, we see sorcery used within the same context as enchanting, or spell casting.  Also, we see the use of blood within this verse, a mainstay for witchcraft, wizardry and other divination (we read this in Yashar).  As we have heard, the so called ‘elite’ of this world drink the stuff to maintain their bodies and other rituals. Let’s take a look at the account of the sins of Menashsheh (Manasseh):

MENASHSHEH was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Yerushalayim. And his mother’s name was Chephtsiy-Bahh. And he did that which was evil in the sight of YAHUAH, after the abominations of the heathen, whom YAHUAH cast out before the children of Yashar’el. For he built up again the high places which Yechizqiyahu his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Ba`al, and made an Asherah pole, as did Ach’av king of Yashar’el; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built altars in the house of YAHUAH, of which YAHUAH said, In Yerushalayim will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of YAHUAH. And he made his son pass through the fire, and practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of YAHUAH, to provoke him to anger.
MELEKIYM SHENIY (2 KINGS) 21:1-6 את CEPHER

So was Manasseh taking pain relievers, or something much more deviant?  Let’s keep digging:

And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he practiced sorcery, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of YAHUAH, to provoke him to anger.
DIVREI HAYAMIYM SHENIY (2 CHRONICLES) 33:6 את CEPHER

Same context; now let’s looks at the Egyptians:

Then Phar`oh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Mitsrayim, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
SHEMOTH (EXODUS) 7:11 את CEPHER

We’re starting to see the same frame of reference every time.

And Bil`am the magician, when he saw that the city was taken, he opened the gate and he and his two sons and eight brothers fled and returned to Mitsrayim to Phar`oh king of Mitsrayim. They are the sorcerers and magicians who are mentioned in the Cepher of the Torah, standing against Mosheh when YAHUAH brought the plagues upon Mitsrayim.
YASHAR (JASHER) 73:28-29 את CEPHER

This is significant; Bil’am the magician was likened unto a sorcerer; he is the one who was tasked with cursing the Israelite’s; but was not able to, so instead, he put stumbling blocks before them so they could curse themselves and break Torah. More on sorcery:

And the sorcerers saw this and they cast each man his rod upon the ground and they became serpents. YASHAR (JASHER) 79:37 את CEPHER

Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babel: For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.
YIRMEYAHU (JEREMIAH) 27:9-10 את CEPHER

By now, you’re probably getting a good grasp as to the deeds of a sorcerer. What really attracts attention, they lead people away from the Truth, just like Balaam did with the incident at Peor. One last one and we’ll move on to what sorcery could mean for us in this late hour:

And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the breakers of wedlock, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says YAHUAH TSEVA’OTH. For I am YAHUAH, I change not; therefore ye sons of Ya`aqov are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from my ordinances, and have not guarded them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, says YAHUAH TSEVA’OTH. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
MAL`AKIY (MALACHI) 3:5-7 את CEPHER

I appreciate this passage in Malachi, as it equates the offenses listed in verse 5 as going away from his ordinances (commandments).  We must be able to reason with one another and confirm that this transgression of sorcery must be a breach of his Torah, nothing more, nor less, regardless of what a Greek word may sound similar to.  Let’s take a look at the most direct commandment about this again:

There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or one that practices sorcery, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto YAHUAH: and because of these abominations YAHUAH ELOHAYKA drives them out from before you.
DEVARIYM (DEUTERONOMY) 18:10-12 את CEPHER

Sorcery is defined in nearly every resource as pertaining to the magical arts, whether it used for good or bad. If you search modern day witchcraft (I don’t advise even peering into this dark world) you will see a consistent message; they actually believe they can do good in the earth through spells, incantations, divination – sorcery, whether it’s sorcery for the purpose of healing, obtaining riches or whatever it may be. It’s the Harry Potter stuff. So I ask, is sorcery referring to someone taking Advil, heart medicine or anything else for that matter that we can get at a pharmacy?  I used to unequivocally say yes, but I’m reconsidering all this and I think we need to expound on this question a bit further to get the full answer, as I don’t think it’s that simple.  Are pharmaceuticals made with divination, or spell casting (sorcery)?  We’ll get back to this in a bit. Let’s take a look at another passage from Yashar:

And when YAHUAH had inflicted the plague upon Phar`oh king of Mitsrayim, he asked his wise men and sorcerers to cure him. And his wise men and sorcerers said unto him, That if the blood of little children were put into the wounds he would be healed. And Phar`oh hearkened to them, and sent his ministers to Goshen to the children of Yashar’el to take their little children. And Phar`oh’s ministers went and took the infants of the children of Yashar’el from the bosoms of their mothers by force, and they brought them to Phar`oh daily, a child each day, and the physicians killed them and applied them to the plague; thus did they all the days. And the number of the children which Phar`oh slew was three hundred and seventy five. But YAHUAH hearkened not to the physicians of the king of Mitsrayim, and the plague went on increasing mightily.
YASHAR (JASHER) 76:28-33 את CEPHER

Sorcerers were tasked with healing, so perhaps we can make the connection with the modern-day medicines of Egypt (Babylon), but let’s keep digging.  The physicians of Egypt attempted to heal with blood (often used in divination and or witchcraft) this could be a good clue as to what the sin of sorcery is.  Let’s see what the Word of Yahuah says is good for healing the body. This is a passage where Noah prays to Yahuah, asking him to bind all unclean spirits and cast them below so that they may no longer oppress his children; Yahuah was ready to hearken unto Noah, until Satan (Mastema) presented his case:

8 And the chief of the ruachoth, Mastema, came and said: YAHUAH, Creator, let some of them remain before me, and let them hearken to my voice, and do all that I shall say unto them; for if some of them are not left to me, I shall not be able to execute the power of my will on the sons of men; for these are for corruption and leading astray before my judgment, for great is the wickedness of the sons of men.
9 And he said: Let the tenth part of them remain before him, and let nine parts descend into the place of condemnation.
10 And one of us he commanded that we should teach Noach all their medicines; for he knew that they would not walk in uprightness, nor strive in righteousness.
Yovheliym (Jubilees) 10:8-10

Very interesting passage, and here at the end we see that taking ‘medicine’ in general is not a sin.  What kind of medicine and/or how it is derived is the key:

11 And we did according to all his words: all the malignant evil ones we bound in the place of condemnation and a tenth part of them we left that they might be subject before Satan on the earth.
12 And we explained to Noach all the medicines of their diseases, together with their seductions, how he might heal them with herbs of the earth.
13 And Noach wrote down all things in a cepher as we instructed him concerning every kind of medicine. Thus the evil ruachoth were precluded from hurting the sons of Noach.
14 And he gave all that he had written to Shem, his eldest son; for he loved him exceedingly above all his sons.
Yovheliym (Jubilees) 10:11-14

First of all, where is this book?? I think most of us would appreciate the wisdom found within it’s pages! But the overarching point here is, sickness happens and healing from Yahuah can be instantly from above (which we have seen all over scripture from prayer and or fasting) and/or the herbs of the earth.  So while we have been taught to embrace pharmaceuticals and demonize herbal remedies (yes, even cannabis as alarming as that may be to some), I find it ironic that it is in fact herbage like this that is classified as ‘good’ per the Torah:

And ELOHIYM said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And ELOHIYM saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
BERE’SHIYTH (GENESIS) 1:29-31

Does the Torah lie? Is it every herb bearing seed or not?  Does the Torah call it good or no?  It is good (tov). If you search, nearly every plant can be used for the service of man, yes, even poison ivy.  Can something that is good be turned upside down by the enemy and used for evil? Let’s take this thought process and go back even further; when the Son’s of Elohim came down, mated with women and taught the secrets of heaven:

Then they took women, each choosing for himself; whom they began to approach, and with whom they cohabited; teaching them sorcery, incantations, and the dividing of roots and trees.
CHANOK (ENOCH) 7:10 את CEPHER

Many are aware that sorcery and or witchcraft involves using herbs of the earth, but we cannot condemn the plants themselves. Just as we cannot condemn wine because of the drunkard, or the axe because of the murderer.

You have seen what Aza’zel has done, how he has taught every species of iniquity upon earth, and has disclosed to the world all the secret things which are done in the heavens. Shemiy’aza also has taught sorcery, to whom you have given authority over those who are associated with him. They have gone together to the daughters of men; have lain with them; have become polluted;
CHANOK (ENOCH) 9:5-6 את CEPHER

Also:

MOREOVER Aza’zel taught men to make swords, knives, shields, breastplates, the fabrication of mirrors, and the workmanship of bracelets and ornaments, the use of paint, the beautifying of the eyebrows, stones of every valuable and select kind, and all sorts of dyes, so that the world became altered. Impiety increased; fornication multiplied; and they transgressed and corrupted all their ways. Amazarak taught all the sorcerers, and dividers of roots: Armers the solution of sorcery; Barkay’al the observers of the stars, Akiybe’el signs; Tamiy’el taught astronomy; And Asarad’el taught the motion of the moon,
CHANOK (ENOCH) 8:1-8 את CEPHER

While these fallen angels taught men many secrets, all the secrets revealed in and of themselves were not evil, let me explain. We see they taught how to make swords; nearly all the patriarchs had one, most notably Avraham, Levi, Simeon, Judah, Gideon, David, Yahusha (Joshua) and many others and were not in sin for doing so. What about dyes? The High Priest’s robe was dyed. Also Yahuah in Ezekiel 16 cast a good light on adorning his bride with ornaments, jewels, bracelets and other finery.

What I’m getting at is, we see these angels taught the use of plants and roots, but for the purpose of evil practices. Now, we must again address the question of pharmaceuticals; are they made from the plants of the earth? In some cases, yes.  Are they synthesized using sorcery or divination?  I have to honestly say this may be extremely hard to be certain and you might get 10 different answers when asking 10 different believers on this set-apart walk. What may seem very suspect are the mind altering pharmaceuticals; xanax, opioids and many more.  Many of us know people who have been consumed by them – there’s an obvious issue here. Even with the severity of these types of drugs, is the person who takes them guilty of committing sorcery? Or are they victims (even if willingly) of sorcerers? Even so, we saw the Israelites who partook in the sorcery schemes of Balaam at Peor were destroyed.

Let’s take a look at how penicillin is made:

Is this inherently evil?  I don’t know much about these matters to be honest, and more research may be necessary, but if this graphic is correct, then penicillin is no more evil than anything that is fermented ( ex: beer & wine). We also know that penicillin has adverse effects on the body; so does wine, but is consuming wine a transgression of the Torah? Hardly, in fact, Yahuah commands it to be offered as a drink offering to him.  Can someone abuse wine, become a drunkard, stumble and be a transgressor? Absolutely, I used to be one myself.  Can wine (something that can be used for evil) be used for good?

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
LUQAS (LUKE) 10:33-34 את CEPHER

Let’s shift now and take a look at how vaccines are made; here I will be directly quoting VeryWellHealth.com:

“Several common vaccines are made by growing the necessary viruses in fetal embryo fibroblast cells. These cells originally came from tissue obtained from two fetuses that were legally and electively aborted in the early 1960s.

The same cells have continued to grow in a laboratory and are still used to make vaccines today. No additional fetal cells have been harvested since then, but the topic is controversial because of the original source.

The vaccines that grow in these fetal cells include:

• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Shingles
• Hepatitis A
• Rubella (what the “R” stands for in the MMR vaccine)1

History

Fetal cells were originally used because viruses tend to grow better in cells from humans than from animals. Fetal cells do not divide as many times as other cell types, so they can be used for longer.

In addition, because of the ability to maintain these cells at very low temperatures, such as in liquid nitrogen, scientists are able to continue using the same fetal cell lines that were originally isolated in the 1960s.

Vaccine manufacturers obtain human cell lines from FDA-certified cell banks. After processing, very little, if any, of that tissue, remains in the vaccine.

Concerns and Considerations

Those concerned over the use of fetal cells for vaccine development may be so for a variety of reasons, some of which may relate to religious convictions and personal ethics.

The Vatican has taken a stand on the issue. In 2017, the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life said that lack of vaccinations represents a serious health risk.

They stated, “In the past, vaccines had been prepared using cells from aborted human fetuses, however currently used cell lines are very distant from the original abortions … today it is no longer necessary to obtain cells from new voluntary abortions, and that the cell lines on which the vaccines are based in are derived solely from two fetuses originally aborted in the 1960’s.”

It is interesting that the Vatican has it’s hands in this ordeal, although not surprising!  If you do even more research, some evidence points to laboratories using new aborted fetus cells; regardless; old or new, dead babies were used in this process. This seems to be at an opposite end of the spectrum than we saw with penicillin, and more inline with what was presented before us with the account of Pharaoh in the book of Yashar, where he killed, or used blood of children for the purpose of healing. Vaccines seem to be kin to sorcery, because of the death of the children used in making it.

We should be able to reason with one another and know that using plants, roots and herbs is good per the Torah:

Moreover YAHUAH spoke unto Mosheh, saying, Take also unto you principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred sheqels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty sheqels, and of sweet calamus (Hebrew word is Kaneh Bosom) two hundred and fifty sheqels, And of cassia five hundred sheqels, after the sheqel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive a hin: And you shall make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be a holy anointing oil.  SHEMOTH (EXODUS) 30:22-25 את CEPHER

While I won’t be coming to definite conclusions about all pharmacy drugs, I will retract my condemnation of those who use it; after all, some of you may be in life-threatening situations and I am not, nor am I in the seat of judgement, Yahuah is, so please forgive me. I’m also not a medical professional, I’m not here to give you medical advice, but scriptural.

If we go with the age-old teaching that pharmakeia is all medicines and or drugs, where do we draw the line?  Did you know that caffeine is classified as a drug and may have more adverse effects on your body than many prescription medications?  Aside from this, many within this walk have found quite the blessing turning from all pharmaceuticals, yes even advil/tylenol, as Yahuah has made everything for our use within nature, derived his way (like the skill of the apothecary we just read in Exodus; oils & tinctures). We need not condemn our brethren for these matters, but encourage them to step away from these means, as we are all on different stages of our walk towards Abba. Yahuah works miracles every day brothers and sisters and if you’re currently on medication and want to stop, I know he can make a way:

Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
YeshaYahu (Isaiah) 58:6

What needs to be said; in many cases a lifestyle change would be more prudent and scripturally sound, as opposed to taking medication.  For instance, someone that has type 2 diabetes and is dependent on medication can easily reverse this (regardless of what the doctors say, I’ve seen people accomplish this) by a healthier lifestyle. The same goes for many other ‘diseases’ and I believe it’s our duty to respect the body Yahuah has wonderfully and fearfully created for us to dwell in during our sojourning here.

Many have have made the argument that we should flee man-altered medicine altogether, and I agree; ultimately, where does our faith lie? With man, or Yahuah? The work of men’s hands or our creator? Here is a perfect example set before us with the account of King Asa; let it be known the scriptures stated he was a righteous king:

And Aca in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to YAHUAH, but to the physicians. And Aca slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.  DIVREI HAYAMIYM SHENIY (2 CHRONICLES) 16:12-13 את CEPHER

Where is your relief and deliverance coming from? I think before anyone takes any medication, a thorough investigation should be done as to exactly how it’s made, what the ingredient are, and take it directly to Yahuah in prayer, as it is possible that not every medicine is evil, but many may in fact be.  Nevertheless, back to the original question, does taking pharmaceuticals prevent one from entering New Jerusalem? That’s still up for discussion, and ultimately not my call, but I would highly recommend taking these matters to prayer before starting or continuing with man-made medication, especially mind-controlling ones like xanax, paxil, lexapro, opioids, adderall and many others.

Something that needs to be established; is the process in which pharmaceuticals are made likened to sorcery, or witchcraft? It seems as though vaccines (use of aborted fetal cells) could easily be classified as this, but what about the others?  If we want to go really deep into this question; what about food?  GMO’s (Genetically modified organisms) are they sorcery?  What about wheat with the added gluten? Artificial colors, what about processed vitamins? What about evolution, globe earth? We could toss this around for hours.

What I do feel comfortable positioning this study with is this: I do not believe Revelation was giving a new commandment respecting sorcery, but an old one – the dark ‘magical’ arts of the Ba’alim. Personally, I think the filth coming out of a television and the music industry could be just as easily classified as sorcery – they manipulate the masses to walk contrary to Yahuah.

(Mystery Babylon)
And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in you; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in you: for your merchants were the great men of the earth; for by your sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of the qodeshiym, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
CHIZAYON (REVELATION) 18:23-24 את CEPHER

Her sin was to turn away from Torah, the true worship of Yahuah and the whole world has followed her filthy ways rank and file. Many admit that pharmaceuticals (especially mind-altering ones) can keep your mind away from seeking Yahuah, and this may in fact be sorcery. The true root of sorcery being manipulation into the will of those that ‘cast’ it forth. Think MK-ultra, Disney and the machine that is Hollywood and the music industry – The adversary’s modern-day weaponry to keep you from hearkening to the voice of The Most High and to curse yourself into condemnation (Ba’laam).

But there was a certain man, called Shim`on, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Shomeron, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of ELOHIYM. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.  MA’ASIYM (ACTS) 8:9-11 את CEPHER

Don’t get bewitched by the world and her ways. Cling to Yahuah brothers and sisters, he is everything we have. May Yahuah be blessed forever and his Anointed, Yahusha our Messiah.

May Yahuah bless you and keep you;
Yahuah make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
Yahuah lift up his countenance upon you and give you shalom.
Numbers 6:24-26