Joseph’s Myth, Spirit of Egypt

Joseph’s Myth, Spirit of Egypt
Hello, my name is Danny, and I was a Latter-day Saint for 60 years.
Have you heard of the scriptural phrase “spirit of Egypt?” I didn’t, until I came across it a few weeks ago in a Bible study. And immediately, I recognized a connection with it and my former religion – Mormonism.
I’m going to read to you the verse that is the primary reference to this “spirit of Egypt.” It’s found in Isaiah 19:3 “And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.”
Here’s the historical setting: Egypt was a dominant cultural and military power in the ancient world, often interacting with Israel at times – through both conflict and alliance. The nation of Egypt was known for its idolatry and reliance on a pantheon of gods, as well as its practices of consulting the dead and engaging in occultic practices. The prophet Isaiah here delivers a prophecy against Egypt – predicting a time of internal strife, economic collapse, and divine judgment.
Let me read the passage in full context. Isaiah 19:1-4 “The burden of Egypt. Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight everyone against his brother, and every one against his neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards. And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts.”
Recall when God instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh to release the children of Israel from the bondage of slavery that kept them in Egypt for 400 years. When Pharoah refused, God told Moses to have the children of Israel slay a lamb and paint the door entrance of each household with its blood. It states in Exodus 12:13 “Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”
In that first Passover, God used lamb’s blood to save His people from death and deliver them from the hand of Egypt. The through line of the Bible teaches that Egypt always symbolically, represents bondage and sin. Israel’s redemption from Egypt is a picture of our deliverance from sin and death through our faith in the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ, who shed His blood on the cross to pay for our sins. So, for believers – Egypt represents our old life of slavery to sin. And the Promised Land represents our freedom from the wages of sin that Christ paid for us. (Galatians 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” Galatians 4:5 “To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people.”)
Now, listen to God’s warning to the Israelites, who after being led out of Egypt by Moses were about to leave the desert wilderness and enter the promised land. Deuteronomy 18:9-12 “When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you 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. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.” This passage is a caution about the dangers of “enchanters” “divinations,” “charmers”, “familiar spirits”, “wizards” and “necromancers” all being “an abomination unto the Lord.”
Who and what are these? An “enchanter” communicates with spirits to manipulate events or to gain forbidden knowledge. A “necromancer” is a practitioner of magic that involves communing with the dead. The word “divination” means “to foresee” by supernatural means. It is associated with the occult and involves fortune-telling or soothsaying, by those who claim supernatural insight by reading palms, tea leaves, tarot cards, star charts, and more. A “charmer” claims to possess magical power over people. A “wizard” practices magic and sorcery. And “familiar spirits” have to do with evil spirits or any other spirits that are not of God. More on “familiar spirits” in a minute. All these descriptions fall under the umbrella of what is referred to as the “occult.”
And how does all of this relate to Mormonism? In so many ways! Mormonism was founded on these practices.
Joseph Smith, his family, and friends were all involved in rituals often labeled as folk magic or occult activities – using seer stones and divining rods or hazel sticks for treasure hunting and seeing visions – which were common in his time and intertwined with his religious claims. He was charged with “glass-looking” and convicted in an 1826 court case in New York. The Smith family held beliefs in astrology, enchantments, and used magical items. Oliver Cowdery used a divining rod, and early revelations referred to this as the “gift of Aaron.”
Though the LDS Church acknowledges these as cultural practices that prepared him for his mission – critics see them as foundational to potentially demonic or deceptive origins. Seer stones, including the Urim and Thummim, and other relics were used as translation methods for the Book of Mormon.
One of the brown stones he used for treasure hunting was later used to “translate” the Book of Mormon, which the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has acknowledged and has this exact stone in its possession today.
Smith’s family and associates believed in supernatural power – and that specific rituals, such as drawing magic circles or using a sacrificed animal like a dog, were necessary to appease guardian spirits of the treasure. The Smith family held beliefs in astrology, enchantments, and used magical items, including a “Jupiter Talisman” that Joseph Smith always carried on his person until the time of his death. Later in his life, Joseph Smith became heavily involved in Freemasonry, which some scholars argue has historical links to Hermetic and Kabbalistic traditions.
Another fascination Joseph Smith had in the “spirit of Egypt” was when he stated that the Book of Mormon was written in an unknown language called Reformed Egyptian. And then he was enticed by hieroglyphic Egyptian writing that resulted in the fabrication of the Book of Abraham from ancient funerary papyri scrolls called the Book of the Dead or Breathings of the Dead.
In Joseph Smith’s inspired translation, where was simply an editing of the King James Bible – he went so far as to add 12 more verses to the end of Genesis chapter 50. That’s because Smith wanted to write himself into scripture to make a connection with the Bible and his Book of Mormon. In these additional verses, he wrote that a “seer” will be raised up in the last days – who will be a direct descendant of Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. And he will be named after that Joseph of Egypt. That seer will bring forth the Book of Mormon. If that doesn’t tell you a lot about the lengths this man went to trick and deceive the followers of his new religion! Just more evidence of the “spirit of Egypt.”
As a young LDS missionary – I was trained to believe and teach that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon was prophesied in the Bible. I didn’t realize at that time that in, an effort to link the Book of Mormon to the Bible – Joseph Smith misinterpreted and misapplied certain biblical passages to make that connection. Later in life, as I carefully studied the Old Testament – I realized this teaching was completely wrong. And that this false teaching is still being perpetuated today, by those who call themselves LDS prophets and apostles and missionaries.
It reads here in Isaiah 29:4 “And thou be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.”
Latter-day Saints are taught to believe these words are descriptive of the Book of Mormon – which was translated from gold plates hidden in the ground by Moroni in 420 AD. That those gold plates would be uncovered by Joseph smith in 1827 and coming “out of the ground” with a “familiar spirit” to “whisper out of the dust” to people of our modern day. However, in its proper context this is a stern warning to the nation of Israel, and this passage is not talking about a book. It is not a good thing to associate “familiar spirits” to anything having to do with a Holy God.
This was a pronouncement of impeding judgment against Jerusalem in an, attempt to get the nation of Judah to repent and return to God. This judgment was fulfilled in 700 B.C. when the Babylonians captured Jerusalem and destroyed Solomon’s temple. Jerusalem had been humbled such – that their speech was as a “familiar spirit” coming “out of the ground” or “low out of the dust.” If you read the entire chapter of Isaiah 29, it is obvious that God is speaking of the spiritual blindness of the Jewish people. And being brought down to the ground, as if buried – Jerusalem would whisper from the dust.
There are at least 15 Old Testament references to the phrase “familiar spirits” – and all of them deal with witchcraft or necromancy which is sorcery and black magic (Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27; 1 Samuel 28:3-9; 2 Kings 21:6; 23:24; 1 Chronicles 10:13-14; Isaiah 8:19; 19:3; 29:4).
Therefore, when the Book of Mormon claims it has a “familiar spirit,” it is inadvertently claiming a relationship with the demonic. “Familiar spirits” are clearly rooted in occultism, and that’s why God condemns anything related to “familiar spirits.” Again, all this is part of the “spirit of Egypt.”
And, what about the “marvelous work and a wonder” spoken of when God says in, Isaiah 29:14 “Therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid”? Mormonism teaches that the Book of Mormon fits that description – as a “marvelous work and a wonder.”
BUT, when it is read in context, the “marvelous work and a wonder” refers to God’s work of vengeance on the ungodly – not his blessing upon the righteous. It will be a “wonder” because “the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be, hid.” In the Bible, “wonderful” and “marvelous work” are not positive descriptions. For example, Moses called God’s plagues in Deuteronomy 28:59 “wonderful” and “great” meaning “amazing” and “terrible.” Isaiah’s warning is not a prediction regarding a future book – especially the Book of Mormon.
Since we are still talking about the “spirit of Egypt,” let me finish by sharing a few references from the Bible about spirits. 1 John 4:1 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” In this verse, believers are commanded to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” This same command echoes in other parts of Scripture as well. For example, in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 we find Paul exhorting the Christians to not “despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” These passages are just a few of the many that warn Christians to test the message that people or spirits proclaim. This is true in all situations but most importantly when a person or spirit is claiming to speak for God. The reason for the admonition to “test the spirits” or “test all things” is that there are “many false prophets” or “wolves in sheep’s clothing” that try to lead us astray.
Sadly, there are many people who claim to speak for God who are presenting a false gospel that is powerless to save. Such errant teaching leaves people with a false hope of salvation and, in a way, inoculates them from the true message. People who are deceived into thinking everything is fine – will be more resistant to the truth. Paul warns us in Galatians 1:6-8 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
Paul also warns in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 that “such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” The reason for testing the spirits and for testing all religious teaching – is to see if it is truly from God or if it is a lie from Satan and his servants. The test is to compare what is being taught with the clear teaching of the Bible. The Bible alone is the Word of God; it alone is inspired. Therefore, the way to test the spirits is to see if what is being taught is in line with the clear teaching of Scripture. In Acts 17:10-11 the Berean Jews were commended because, after they heard the teachings of Paul and Silas, they “examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” The Bereans were called “noble” for doing so. Testing the spirits means that one must know how to “examine the Scriptures.” Rather than accept every teaching, discerning Christians diligently study the Scriptures. Then they know what the Bible says and therefore can “test all things and hold fast to what is true.” To do this, it states in 2 Timothy 2:15 that a Christian must “be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” The Bible alone is the standard by which all truth must be judged.
After claiming Mormonism is a restoration of the ancient church – it turns out to be more of a fusion of Christianity, freemasonry, the Kabbalah, and possibly the occult. Which resulted in reestablishing laws and practices that had already been fulfilled and abolished by Christ, Himself, 2000 years ago. Like – sabbath days, tithing, temple, priesthood, prophets, dietary laws, etc. Joseph Smith brought all that back and the present-day LDS Church now focuses on performing works for the dead – in their elaborate temples. Like – Baptism for the dead, marriage and sealing for the dead, washing/anointings and endowment for the dead. All these rituals are on the fringe of dabbling with “familiar spirits.”
It’s all combined to create a Joseph’s Myth, and the “spirit of Egypt”
Hope this was helpful!
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God Bless!