Christ’s Victory: The Power of the Cross Over Darkness and Superstition

Answering Some Criticisms from a Recent Podcast Appearance

In a recent episode of The Confessionals podcast, some listeners expressed concern over my reading of a Canaanite funerary text, fearing that I might have accidentally—or even intentionally—"invoked" the Rephaim, the spirits of ancient giant kings. I have to admit, the reaction gave me a bit of a laugh. While I deeply appreciate the "weird" and “paranormal” community, it's clear that many hold onto superstitions and lack a solid theological foundation, especially regarding the nature of words and rituals. But I don’t entirely blame them; many have shaped their beliefs based on the teachings of ex-occultists and ex-new agers, who often promote odd, off-the-wall ideas. The fact that these figures are “ex” something seems to lend them credibility in the eyes of many, leading people to accept their claims without question.

However, I want to emphasize an important point: While insights from “ex” participants of the dark arts can be interesting, their words are not Scripture and should not be treated as such. Scripture alone provides us with the true metaphysical framework, and it’s crucial that we recognize this. When their insights align with Scripture, that’s valuable—but their experiences do not dictate truth. Scripture is our ultimate authority, and it’s through its lens that we should discern what is true.

This brings me to a broader discussion on the metaphysics of words and rituals, which will help clarify why I found the reaction to my reading so amusing. The major concern seems to be rooted in the belief that "words have power," and that by simply reading the funerary text—even without using it in a ritual context—I somehow invoked these spirits and cursed everyone.

The text I read, from KTU 1.161, is an ancient Canaanite ritual invocation that calls upon the Rephaim, a group of semi-divine ancestral giant spirits, and the council of the Didanu. It reads:

“You are summoned, O Rephaim of the earth, you are invoked O council of the Didanu!
Ulkn, the Raphi’, is summoned,
Trmn, the Raphi’, is summoned,
Sdn-w-rdn is summoned,
Tr’llmn is summoned,
The Rephaim of old are summoned!
You are summoned, O Rephaim of the earth,
You are invoked, O council of the Didanu!”

Very spooky. Given this context, it's understandable why some might be concerned. The KTU 1.161 funerary text is part of a broader Canaanite tradition in which the dead, particularly revered figures from the past, are summoned and invoked by necromantic priests for their perceived power and influence in the afterlife. This ritual underscores the significance placed in Canaanite culture on words and their power when uttered within the appropriate ceremonial context.

However, here’s the problem: Those words without that appropriate ceremonial context do not carry the same weight or intent, which is why the concerns about "invocation" are more rooted in superstition than in sound theology.

This is where biblical theology comes into play. Consider the words of institution for communion—apart from their ritual context, would they still be powerful? Would it still be communion? Or the Trinitarian baptismal formula—without the ritual of water, would it still be a baptism? The answer is no. Words by themselves, without the proper ritual context and authority, are merely words.

Some might argue that "words do have power" because we live in a world spoken into existence by God. That’s certainly true, but the power of words is not inherent; it derives from the authority behind them.

God's words have power because they are the words of the Trinitarian—Most High God. In ancient Canaan, rituals and words held power because they invoked spiritual entities within that specific religious context. However, it's crucial to understand that these rituals lost their context and authority, especially after Christ's triumph over all powers and principalities (Colossians 2:15). Their ability to harm or affect anything was stripped away. The rituals and their gods have been relegated to the dustbin of history. That's where I encountered them—in a history book, because like their gods, they are long dead.

That’s why I laugh at these superstitious claims and why you should too.

What the weird and paranormal community truly needs is the doctrine of Christus Victor—which emphasizes Christ’s triumph over the powers of sin, death, and darkness—to prevent them from slipping back into pagan-like superstitions.

When we derive our metaphysics of word and ritual from the Bible, we see that words gain their power from God's authority. This is evident in Christian sacraments like baptism, where the words are effective because they are commanded by Christ and tied to a physical act that God has ordained. Without this God-given context and authority, words alone—whether from a funeral rite or any other ritual—are like "a sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal" (1 Corinthians 13:1)—noise without substance.

Without ritualistic embodiment by humans, words are nothing more than abstract symbols on a page—fleeting, airy patterns floating as air and ether through the heavens. What gives them power is their mediation through human ritual and embodiment. Until then, they just remain as abstractions because heaven and earth aren’t joined together.

Now, if you had seen me conducting a necromantic Canaanite ritual while reading those words, you would have had reason to be concerned. But clearly, as a minister of the Lord Jesus Christ, that wasn’t the case.

If we want to speak of the power of words, let’s focus on the Word that truly has power: the Word of God, which "shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose" (Isaiah 55:11). In Christ, the ultimate Word, we see the full embodiment of divine power and authority.

So, to the weird and paranormal community, I offer this call: Reject the superstitions that echo the paganism of old and stop taking the words of ex-dabblers of the dark arts as gospel truth. Build your metaphysics upon the Word of Christ. Do not be ensnared by the shadows of forgotten gods or empty rituals that hold no true power. Instead, step into the full victory of Christ, who has triumphed over all darkness and shattered the chains of fear. Let His victory be your guide and leave behind the void of superstition for the fullness of truth and grace found only in Him.