The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

rod is considered the insignia of spiritual guardianship and managerial duties as stewards of the dispensations of God. The crooked rod is an ancient emblem of Near East nations’ officers of power, leadership, government, and ambassadorial duties. The crook on the bishop’s rod is furthermore emblematic of his apostolic authority as Christ’s under-shepherd. 201. Black—A color that refers to calamity, sin, darkness, and sorrow. Job 30:30; Jeremiah 4:28 and 8:21; Revelation 6:12. It also speaks to worldiness. 202. Black Art—A) Magical spells that harness the evil spirits that empower occult forces to manufacture unnatural events in the natural world. B) Black magic. C) Sorcery. The Bible condemns any sort of magic as intrusion into God’s sphere of domain to upset the course of history, destiny, and the events ordained by Him in the lives of those magicians disturb. To fulfill their ministries, skilled prophets must be as educated as Daniel and Samuel were in their opposers’ tactics. They must be able to answer with words of wisdom those who come to them about the works of darkness. See Proverbs 22:21; Acts 19:14 and 16:16. See Prophetic Skill and Competency. 203. Blackbird—A sign of temptation as inspired by definite demonic infiltration or invasion. 204. Black Cloud—The presence of evil spirits, a swarm of demonic forces, death, and sorrow. Revelation 6:12. See thick clouds in Isaiah 44:22. 205. Black Lamb—An animal sacrifice exclusively reserved for favors from the gods of the dead or the netherworld in ancient times. Specifically, Hades, the god of the abode of the dead, demanded them as required sacrifices. Hecate required a black lamb as an offering along with a dog. Offering black lambs is a typical witch’s sacrificial rite. 206. Black Magic—Magic practiced for strictly raw, evil purposes accomplished with the aid of evil spirits. Black magic is rendered successful due to the practitioner’s covenant with the evil forces that perform it at the word and works of the magician, sorcerer. See Sorcery. 207. Blood—Blood, in times past, was used as a ritualistic elixir because of its life force and life-giving properties in the human body. This revelation was clear to the people of ancient civilizations. Blood was believed to emit a portion of divine energy and was considered the individual spirit of a life. Sheep’s blood constituted the bonds of the marriage covenant among early civilizations. Consequently, for a marriage to become blessed and successfully consummated,