Can Demons and Spirits Be Attached to Objects?

As mentioned in the Introduction, there is a wide range of beliefs among Christians when it comes to the idea of objects having evil supernatural influence. On one end of the spectrum are people who strongly hold to the opinion that the world is full of objects that are inhabited by demons and evil spirits. They believe these objects can be very dangerous. For them this belief can be a major part of their theology. At the other end of the spectrum are Christians that treat the idea as a mild superstition and only think about it when they encounter an object that makes them feel uncomfortable.

What is Believed

Closely related to the range of general views about the connection between objects and evil are teachings about the spiritual connections with the objects themselves. In some cases, people believe that an object is actually inhabited by an evil entity in much the same way that a human spirit or soul inhabits a body. Others have developed ideas that the object serves as a sort of doorway for evil to cross over from the spiritual world and interact with the physical world. But these are not the only explanations that are taught. Some believe that an evil entity is somehow associated or “bound” to an object and is unable to depart from it (either by some form of spiritual power or by the entity’s own will) and others think that it is a person’s belief (what they have faith in) that allows an evil spirit to be associated with the object (e.g., Because a person believes that an object is “evil” it allows evil entities to work through that object).

In addition to the differences in exactly how an object can be evil, there is also variety in objects that some believe can have evil spiritual influence. The most common are idols or objects used in occult practices. Others are objects that can be “haunted” or “cursed” like houses, dolls, or jewelry. What follows is a short list of items that some believe can have evil spiritual associations, but a full list would be almost endless:

• Idols worshiped by pagans (this can include decorative idols that people put in their homes)
• Objects used in occult practices or divination (ritual items, but can include Ouija boards and Tarot cards)
• Objects that have had “spells” cast on them
• Buildings or places (locations that have evil entities associated with them or where bad things happened ( i.e. haunted houses, graveyards, etc.)
• Cursed objects (jewelry, dolls, things that have a spiritual connection to a horrific incident)
• Objects associated with “bad luck” superstitions (broken mirrors, etc.)
• Objects owned by evil people or people associated with occult practices
• Objects associated with pagan or false religions (incense, books, etc.)
• Objects associated with “New Age” practices (crystals, certain herbs and oils, etc.)
• Albums, posters, etc. (things associated with bands or movie characters that glorify evil)*
• Games that reference magic (Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the Gathering, etc.)*
• DVDs or other media with movies that have occult references*

One of the things that is interesting from this list is that many people will often pick and choose which items they believe can have evil spiritual connections and which do not. For example they may strongly believe that a house can be “haunted”, but dismiss the idea of a cursed object. On the other hand, some will believe that all the items on this list (and anything else) can be connected to an evil spirit.

*Note: Before moving on we would like to make it clear that we think things that glorify evil (e.g., movies, albums, art, etc,) can affect people by the influence they have over a person’s mind and spirit. What is in question here is if the object itself can have any actual supernatural power.

Where This Teaching Came From and the Roots of Animism

While the idea that objects can contain or be associated with evil spirits is ancient, it isn’t difficult to determine where this teaching began among Christians. Some evidence can be found in writings from the 1600s- especially those dealing with witch trials and exorcisms. Superstitions about evil objects and places arose when the traditions of folklore began to be mixed with Christian doctrine, but the origins are much older.

The belief that objects can have a “spirit” is called animisim and it seems to be prevalent in many if not most early cultures. Primitive people believed that the things found in nature (e.g., trees, mountains, rivers, rocks, animals) possessed a form of consciousness much like humans. In their minds it was easy for them to imagine that since they themselves had an awareness, that an animal or other object must also have a similar awareness. The thought was that if humans had thoughts and feelings, why would trees or other objects not be similar? Anthropologists have speculated that almost all primitive cultures went through a period where animisim was the main belief system or the “world view” of indigenous people. Anthropologists that hold this view believe that as religions became more organized, the idea that all objects had spirits developed into the concept that idols could hold the spirits of more powerful beings. In other words, men could make images that received a supernatural connection to the spiritual beings they represented. It is obvious that this belief stemmed from the idea that men could use these idols to influence the spiritual world.

For Judaeo-Christian believers this was an idea that was strictly forbidden by God. The Bible has many prohibitions and warnings against idol worship. Unfortunately, in the early church some converted pagans often brought their old superstitions about idols with them. There are several references to this in the New Testament and many verses that address these kinds of beliefs. In the next section we will delve into what the Bible says about idols and the belief that these objects can have true spiritual connections.

The Leap to Idols

Men have been creating idols and believing that they were somehow imbued with spiritual power since before recorded history. In ancient times, men invented rituals that they believed allowed the spirits to inhabit an idol. Their intent was to use these idols to influence the spiritual realm. These recorded rituals can be found in the literature of many ancient cultures. The idea is that while the idol begins as a physical object, men can somehow invoke a deity’s presence into or through the idol. Examples of these rituals can be found in ancient Egyptian and other ancient religions. To some extent this even takes place in modern day Hinduism, when it is believed that the deity’s presence is invoked, but does not actually inhabit a statue or idol.

To begin our examination in the belief that evil spirits can inhabit, posses, or be associated with objects, we will first look at pagan idols since the doctrine found in the Bible deals with them extensively. It is reasonable to apply anything the Bible says about idols (and the possibility of any spiritual power being associated with them) to other objects as well. Simply put, if a demon or evil spirit can be attached to something like a painting or a doll, it stands to reason that a pagan idol would be an even more likely target. By the same token, if an idol cannot hold the power of an evil spirit then how could a household object?

What Does Scripture Say?

The Bible has a great deal to say regarding idols. What it says leaves little doubt about these objects having connections to evil spirits. We will start our research with the first and most well known reference, which comes from the Ten Commandments.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20: 3-6 ESV)

Obviously, this commandment is against worshiping other gods. It does not yet address the nature of idols themselves or the possibility of any spiritual attachments they may have. The commandment is about worshiping God alone and forbidding the religious practices of other people.

To find other places in scripture where God gives us more information on the attachment of spirits to idols we must look to other sections.

One of the most clear is in Isaiah 44:

9 All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. 10 Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? 11 Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together.

12 The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. 13 The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. 14 He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. 15 Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” 17 And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”

18 They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. 19 No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” 20 He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (Isaiah 44:9-20 ESV)

This section of scripture points out the irony of making idols. The scraps from the wood the idol maker uses to form his “god” is also used to burn for heat and cooking. In essence, his idol is nothing. In this section of Isaiah, the verses also say that the people who believe that idols have some power know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand and a deluded heart has led him astray.

In Jeremiah 10 not only is the same point made, but we are specifically told not to fear them because they cannot do anything, especially evil.

2 “Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, 3 for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. 4 They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. 5 Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”(Jeremiah 10:2-5 ESV)

We are being told that idols themselves have no spiritual power. They cannot do evil or good. If idols cannot manifest the power of evil spirits, then how can other objects fashioned by humans?

By digging into Habakkuk 2, and with a little more study, we can find that the Scriptures give us very specific details on man-made objects and the idea that they can somehow be connected to spiritual beings.

18 “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! 19 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.( Habakkuk 2:18-19 ESV)

At first reading the verses from Habakkuk 2 seem to be telling us much the same as the verses we read in Isaiah and Jeremiah, but in verse 19 the word breath appears near the very end of the sentence. The word translated here as breath is ruach in the Hebrew text and it appears 205 times in the Old Testament. While that word is sometimes translated as “breath” or “breath of life”, it is by far more often translated in the Bible as “spirit”. In Hebrew, the word has a broad range of meanings (wind, mind, spirit, breath) but it mostly means something like the “vital force” in living creatures, which includes the “Spirit of God”. While the idea of an inanimate object not being able to inhale and exhale does hold true in this verse, the use of the word rauch carries with it a much more significant meaning. We are being told that there is no spirit attached to the object.

In addition to the three sections of scripture we have read so far, there are others that continue to make the point that there are no spirits associated with idols and that they have no power over us. These include Psalms 115:4-8, Acts 17:29, and Isaiah 46:5-7.

But Paul Said Idols Were Demons!

Those that have read and studied scripture may recall a passage where Paul says that the food sacrificed to idols by pagan worshipers is actually sacrificed to demons. This is found in 1 Corinthians 10:20-21.

20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. (1 Corinthians 10:20-21 ESV)

Taken out of context, these two verses may seem contradictory to the other verses we have just read. Here Paul seems to be saying that there is a spiritual connection between man-made idols and evil entities. But, if we read the a broader section of 1 Corinthians 10 we see that Paul is talking about the superstitions of other people and that we should avoid knowingly eating food sacrificed to idols because other people have these superstitions. By reading more than just these two verses in isolation we see that what Paul writes aligns with the rest of scripture.

19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? 23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:19-33 ESV)

In other words, what Paul is saying here is that idols do not have any spiritual power other than in the minds of other people. It is for that reason we should avoid eating food sacrificed to such idols when it is known. Paul makes this clear in verses 28 and 29: But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I do not mean your conscience, but his.

If this is not verification enough of the point Paul is making, we can look two chapters earlier in 1 Corinthians, where Paul is answering the direct question about eating food that has been sacrificed to idols. Here he is saying much the same.

1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11 And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12 Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (1 Corinthians 8:1-13 ESV)

In these verses Paul is saying “an idol has no real existence,”, but points out that others might be superstitious and we should not eat the food because it might make them stumble.

Other References in the Bible Used to Teach that Objects Can be Tied to Evil Spirits

There is another part of scripture that some point to as possible proof of spiritual evil being associated with objects. Because of this we will include Acts 19:19 as a part of our examination.

19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. (Acts 19:19 ESV)

While this is a definite example of occult objects being destroyed by recent converts that owned them, no evil spirits tied to the books are mentioned. Implying that the reason the books were burned is because of the evil spirits has been used to back up teachings about demonic presence being attached to objects.

Cursed Items

Our folklore is full of examples and tales about cursed items. They include the Hope Diamond, anything taken from Tutankhamen’s’ tomb, certain paintings, and many other items from cars to jewelry. In secular culture we often hear terms that suggest certain items “bring bad luck”, but among some Christian circles the causes are thought to be much more serious. Some of these ideas may come from the Bible itself, though how the scripture is interpreted to arrive at such a conclusion requires some leaps in logic.

One such section can be found in Deuteronomy 7:26.

26 And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction. (Deuteronomy 7:26 ESV)

In this chapter, God is telling the Israelites how they will behave as they enter the Promised Land. They will make no agreements with certain peoples, nor will they intermarry with them. This specific verse from Deuteronomy also forbids certain abominable objects. If we read this section in context we see that there is more to it than just “cursed” items.

25 The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the Lord your God. 26 And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction. (Deuteronomy 7:25-26 ESV)

When we read the entire section we see that idols are the subject here. This aligns with everything else we have read about idols. The reason God gives for detesting these things He calls abominable is not because they have evil spirits or curses, but because He understands that the Israelites will become ensnared and tempted to worship these false idols.

A very similar passage is found in Joshua 6:18-19.

18 But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19 But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” (Joshua 6:18-19 ESV)

These verses are important because later, in Joshua chapter 7, something happens due to a person’s defiance of God’s command. We are told that the Israelites are defeated at Ai because Achan of the tribe of Judah did not listen and kept some of the spoils from a previous battle. The defeat was not because of some evil power associated with the objects, but because Achan had transgressed the covenant of the Lord (Joshua 7:15 ESV).

But What If You Have Seen It Happen?

There is a lot of clarity in what Scripture says about the idea that evil spirits can be somehow associated with an object, especially through the example of idols. Yet many have witnessed convincing manifestations of what look like places or things that are tied to supernatural effects. It is possible that you may have seen or felt something like this yourself.

This is nothing new and was a subject dealt with by early Christian writers. Authors such as Clement, Justin Martyr, and others reject the view that demons materially inhabit or are physically bound to objects (or that the objects themselves have any power). They say it is all a form of spiritual deception. In other words, evil influences want us to believe they can manifest through objects and idols to trick us into thinking they have power over us. The danger lies in cooperating with the demons, not through accidental contact of an object.

All of this makes sense if we think about how such beliefs can steer people away from the truth revealed to us by God, through scripture. If we honestly think about these ideas , we can easily see how they are false teachings that can do harm. Just taking a moment to recognize that there is a huge amount of media that sensationalizes this very thing, shows us how it can put fear in the hearts of people. Books, movies, television series (both fiction and documentary style productions) are all dedicated to the idea that evil spirits can haunt, possess, or act through objects.

To explain the real danger, we will return to the list from the beginning of this article. If you recall, this was a list of objects many people think can actually have supernatural ties to spiritual evil. In this version of the list we will show which specific Christian teachings each of these beliefs deny.

Object or Manifestation	Christian teaching this denies
Idols worshiped by pagans (this can include decorative idols) Objects used in occult practices or divination (ritual items, but can include Ouija boards and Tarot cards) Objects owned by evil people or people associated with occult practices Objects associated with pagan or false religions (incense, books, etc.) Objects associated with “New Age” practices (crystals, certain herbs and oils, etc.)	Denies everything scripture says about false idols. Objects—no matter how they are used—remain lifeless creations. Occult objects are portrayed as psychologically intimidating but spiritually empty—they scare people, not because they have power, but because people believe they do. Scripture references: Isaiah 44:9-20, Isaiah 46:5-7, Jeremiah 10:2-5, Habakkuk 2:18-19, Psalms 115:4-8, Acts 17:29, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 , 1 Corinthians 10:19-33
Objects that have had “spells” cast on them Cursed objects (jewelry, dolls, things that have a spiritual connection to a horrific incident) Objects associated with “bad luck” superstitions (broken mirrors, etc.) Albums, posters, etc. (things associated with bands or movie characters that glorify evil)* Games that reference magic (Dungeons and Dragons, Magic the Gathering, etc.) DVDs or other media with movies that have occult references	Denies God’s sovereignty, promotes the idea that there is power outside the will of God. Spiritual corruption comes from human belief and behavior, not from matter itself. Fear attributed to objects reflects misplaced trust. Scripture calls believers to fear God alone. Scripture references: Proverbs 26:2,, Jeremiah 10:5, Mark 7:1, Colossians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (although this section of 1 Corinthians is about food and idols, it can be applied here since Paul refers to believers that are still tied to such superstitions after being saved as being spiritually “weak”).
Buildings or places (locations that have evil entities associated with them or where bad things happened ( i.e. haunted houses, graveyards, etc.)	This concept is included in its own row because some beliefs associated with it are not limited to demons, but also include deceased humans or “ghosts”. The idea of “hauntings” by spirits of the dead is directly contrary to what scripture teaches about the afterlife. Scripture references: 2 Samuel 12:23 , Ecclesiastes 12:7, Ecclesiastes 9:5–6, Job 7:9–10, Luke 16:22–31

Objects That Seem to Carry God’s Supernatural Power

From the scriptures presented in this article so far, it might seem that the question over spiritual connections with objects is an open and shut case. If we were to limit our examination of the Bible for verses which mention evil forces being manifested through objects, we might be ready to reach a conclusion. The conclusion would be that the Bible says that evil spirits and evil power cannot be associated with objects. But the intent of this article, as in all the other articles on this Website, is to do a complete investigation with all the evidence available. When we do further research into the Scriptures we find that there are instances of objects that do seem to carry spiritual power. The obvious difference in the verses of this type are all examples of when objects are involved in miracles and seem to be somehow connected to God’s supernatural power.

An incredibly obvious example is found in Acts 19:

11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. (Acts 19: 11-12 ESV)

Throughout the New Testament, we read about healing and the casting out of evil spirits by Jesus and His disciples, but in these two verses there is evidence of miracles occurring with Paul’s handkerchiefs. If this were the only incident where an object brought about healing, it might be easy to treat it as a unique miracle, but there are others.

In a similar example, the Gospels include three versions of an even more well-known account. In Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48 we find the story of a woman that had a disease. She determined that if she merely touched the hem of Jesus’s garment she would be healed. We will look at the version of the story from Mark to see if there are additional clues regarding spiritual power being associated with objects.

25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:25-34 ESV)

For Christians, it is easy for us to assume that the power of Jesus would heal even through the mere touch of His garment, but Jesus clearly explains how the healing occurred and it is recorded in all three gospels.

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5:34 ESV)

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” (Luke 8:48 ESV)

Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. (Matthew 9:22 ESV)

In all three version Jesus says it is her faith that brought about the miracle. In other words, since she believed that merely touching His garment would heal her, it did. In regard to Paul’s handkerchiefs, the Bible does not say specifically that it was by the faith of the person receiving the healing that the miracles occurred, but we can draw a probable conclusion based on the many other scriptures that say a person’s faith was a key factor in receiving healing.

There is another interesting fact that arises from the story of the woman with the issue of blood. According to verses found later in the Bible, word of her healing spread and people began asking the Lord if they could touch the fringe of His garment.

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. (Matthew 14:34-36 ESV)

This same incident is also told in Mark 6:53-56.

As an aside, it may be important to note that the hem of a Hebrew garment had a significant difference from our modern hems. In both Numbers 15:37-41 and Deuteronomy 22:12, God prescribes that males must have a certain style of fringe or tassels around the corners or borders of their garments. This is called a tzitzit and the verses in Numbers says the tassels are to remind the Hebrews of the commandments and to be Holy to God. We should consider that those that sought healing from Jesus by touching his garment might actually be intent on touching these tassels rather than just the hem.

Elijah’s Mantle

There is another instance in the Bible where an article of clothing is used in performing a miracle. In 2 Kings 2 is found the story of the prophet Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind. Before Elijah is taken away, he and his servant Elisha approach the Jordan river to cross. Elijah rolls up his cloak (or mantle) and strikes the water. When he does this, the water of the river separates, exposing dry ground and both men walk across in front of fifty witnesses.

Later, as Elijah ascends into the sky, his mantle falls and Elisha retrieves it. What happens next is told in the following verses. Elisha uses Elijah’s mantle in the same way to cross back over the river again in front of the witnesses.

14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. (2 Kings 2:14-15 ESV).

In this instance, we can surmise the purpose and role of the object (the mantle) in the miracle. When Elisha returned to the river with Elijah’s mantle, the same witnesses that saw Elijah use the mantle to cross the river saw Elisha use it in the same way. They now knew that Elisha had replaced Elijah as the prophetic authority.

First Observation: The Role of the Object in the Miracle

In each of the first three examples given here, the use of an object in the performance of a miracle serves a specific function. In all three instances it clearly communicates important information to others.

In the case of Paul’s handkerchiefs, the message being communicated was that extraordinary miracles were being worked through Paul (e.g., even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them…). Remember that for a time, not only were other believers suspicious of Paul because of his earlier persecution of the church, but they were also highly skeptical about his authority since he was not one of the original disciples. Nor was everyone convinced about his calling to minister to the non-Jews. Paul had certainly been involved in healing other people, but that was common among believers. Miracles worked through objects he had touched were something that was significantly different. They were evidence that Paul’s authority came directly from God.

In the case of healing through the mere touching of Jesus’s garment, Jesus Himself makes the message clear: that the faith of the person receiving the healing is capable of manifesting a miracle. This is only one instance of many times when Jesus made similar statements to those that had just been healed.

And finally, in the case of Elijah’s mantle the use of the mantle by Elisha communicated to others that Elisha was now stepping into the role of his former master.

While the role of the object in these three instances can be identified (communicating something to others) there are other examples that are not so easily discerned.

The Bronze Serpent

One of the more curious instances of an object being involved in supernatural miracles can be found in Numbers 21. This part of the Exodus story often stands out to Christians when they first read it because it is very different from how miracles take place in the Gospels. In the New Testament miracles are common and usually involve prayer from believers or come directly from Jesus. In this story, the miracle seems to come from the object itself.

4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.(Numbers 21:4-9 ESV)

From what is recorded it is difficult to understand why God chose this way to save those that had been bitten. Why were the people required to look at a bronze serpent on a pole? God could have healed them many other ways, but this is the method He chose. To our 21^st century minds this looks too close to the worship of idols, and in fact the bronze serpent from this story did become used as an idol hundreds of years later, as seen in 2 Kings:

4 He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). ( 2 Kings 18:4 ESV)

Over the centuries, many people have speculated with all sorts of reasons for God’s choice of a bronze serpent figure. One example of such speculation is the claim that the “serpent” may have actually been an image of a supernatural being called a Seraphim. This comes from the idea that the original Hebrew word that is used for “fiery serpent” (sarap) is related to the word seraphim (a class of spiritual beings). While it is true that both words derive from the Hebrew word for “burning” (saraph) that does not mean the words are interchangeable in this instance. The evidence for this is that twice more in the next verse the bronze figure is referred to using only the ordinary word for serpent (nehas) without any tie to a supernatural being. Any connection between sarap and seraphim seems to be limited to “burning” as a description of the bronze serpent, rather than suggesting it is anything other than the image of a serpent.

In the book of Numbers, the Bible does not give us much more to go on as to why God chose to work a healing miracle this way, but a clue can be found in the New Testament. John 3:14 contains a quote from Jesus where He explicitly compares Himself to the figure of the bronze serpent. Before reading the quote it should be noted that the word John records Jesus using is the simple word for “serpent” here as well. Jesus makes no reference to an angelic being.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ( John 3:14 ESV)

In our 2st century interpretation of this quote it is easy to make the assumption that “lifted up” is symbolic of His coming crucifixion. Many teachers make this connection. But the Greek word used for “lifted up” in John 3:14 is hypsōsen, which means “exalted”, rather than physically placed in the air. In the twenty or so places this same word is used in the New Testament, it always means “exalted”.

In addition to Jesus’s quote in John, there is some support of the association with Jesus and the fiery serpent elsewhere in scripture.

Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you,
that the rod that struck you is broken,
for from the serpent’s root will come forth an adder,
and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent. (Isaiah 14:29 ESV)

In this section of Isaiah, the prophet is making predictions about the downfall of various peoples around Judah. Specifically in Isaiah 14:28-32 he is pronouncing the outcome for the Philistines. Commentaries and interpretations over the years have maintained that this verse is referring to three kings of Judea that will punish the Philistines. The first being the rod and “serpent’s root” (many supposing that refers to King Uzziah). The second, the adder (a venomous serpent which is thought to represent the future king Hezekiah). And finally the flying fiery serpent, which is thought to represent Jesus. Associating the Messiah with the final fiery serpent in this verse is supported by writings attributed to first century B.C.E. Jewish author Jonathan ben Uzziel, who makes this comment and interpretation on the Isaiah verse:

“for out of the children’s children of Jesse shall come forth the Messiah, and his works shall be among you as a flying serpent.”(Targum Jonathon on Isaiah)

While it hard to deny the association with Jesus and the Bronze Serpent due to His direct quote in John and the supporting scripture in Isaiah, there is something about this story from the Bible that makes Christians uncomfortable. If we are familiar with the story of the serpent in the Garden of Eden (found in Genesis 3) we may try to impose some symbolism that is contrary to what we are reading in the story of the Bronze Serpent.

Just as disconcerting is the fact that a snake entwined with a rod is the known symbol representing the Greek pagan god Asclepius, a deity associated with the healing arts. This symbol is known as the Rod of Acslepius and is commonly used in medical insignia throughout the world.

Keep in mind that these associations would not have been made by the Israelites at the time. They would have had no knowledge of Asclepius, nor would they likely know the details of the serpent in the Garden since it would have been very unlikely that a copy of Genesis 3 (freshly written by Moses) was being passed around the camp as they were traipsing through the wilderness (though they may have heard it through oral tradition). Most importantly they would not know yet to interpret the serpent with a symbolic connection to the Messiah thousands of years in the future.

Given what we know at this time, what we can take away from the miracle of healing that took place by looking at the Bronze Serpent seems to be the future reference to Jesus. If there was any direct lesson being taught the Israelites by the use of an object as the instrument of a miracle, it is difficult for us to determine. But it does serve as a lesson and an example that Jesus teaches much later.

Other Objects That Were Involved In Miracles

If those were the only instances of an object used in a miracle, we might be able to come to a conclusion that these objects were used to communicate lessons on faith. In each example there is an element where faith is a part of the miracle. Yet there are other instances where not only was faith absent, but where the miracle was completely unexpected. A strong example of this is the case of Elisha’s bones.

20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet. ( 2 Kings 13:20-21 ESV)

In the story from 2 Kings those burying the man were not exercising faith. They did not believe that the bones of Elisha would revive the man and did not expect that to happen. They were more worried about being attacked by the Moabite marauders. It is assumed that they were completely surprised when the dead man stood up.

Second Observation: Miraculous Objects Compared to Objects that Bring About Miracles

There are many objects that have miracles associated with them in Bible. We are not covering all of them in this examination because our focus is on objects that seem to have supernatural powers unto themselves in an effort to explore the idea that objects can have evil entities tied to them. The other objects we are not including here are those that were the target of the supernatural event itself (e.g. the budding of Aaron’s staff in Numbers 17:1-13, the dead fig tree in Matthew 21:18-22 and Mark 11:12-25, etc. ). Since the larger discussion here is about objects that appear to have supernatural abilities to affect others on their own (for both good or evil), we consider objects that are the focus of the miracle in a separate category outside of this examination.

A clear example of the separation we are trying to distinguish here would be the jars of water turned to wine by Jesus at the wedding in Cana. The jars themselves had no supernatural ability attributed to them. The miracle was performed by Jesus not by the jars or the water.

What About the Staff of Moses?

One object that may blur this distinction is the staff of Moses and we mention it here because it might be an exception.

During one miracle Moses used his staff to strike a rock and produce water during the Exodus. Again, It might be easy to assume that it was not the staff itself that worked the miracle, but that the miracle happened because Moses was following God’s instructions. But, there is a later incident when Moses struck another rock with his staff to produce water and the water flowed. In this instance, Moses was not following the instructions God gave him that time and Gd was not pleased.

6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8 “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.” 9 And Moses took the staff from before the Lord, as he commanded him.

10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. (Numbers 20:6-11 ESV)

Even though the water flowed, striking the rock as he had done before was not what God and told Moses to do. Moses had been instructed to tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Later, God tells Moses that for this reason he will not enter into the promised Land.

51 because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, and because you did not treat me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. 52 For you shall see the land before you, but you shall not go there, into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:51–52 ESV)

Here we have two cases; one where Moses follows God’s instructions and a miracle occurs, and a second where Moses does NOT follow God’s instructions, yet the miracles occurs anyway. It is difficult to determine what we should make of this in regard to the any supernatural power the staff might have.

What makes Moses’s staff possibly different from other objects is that before God tells him to perform any miracles, He say this:

17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs. (Exodus 4:17 ESV)

Three verses later we have this:

20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand. (Exodus 4:20 ESV)

In this verse the staff is referred to as the “staff of God”, while in all of the other mentions it is referred to as Moses’s staff. This has caused some speculation among some teachers about who the staff really belonged to. Is it God’s staff that He gives to Moses or is it Moses’s staff that God imbues with power? There are several Jewish legends about the staff (e.g., That God created it at the end of the first Sabbath, that it was passed down through the generations from Adam to the father-in-law of Moses (Midian), or that it wasn’t made of wood, but was a mineral like sapphire), but these legends seem to have been developed many centuries later.

In the Book of Exodus, there are also several miracles that are performed with the with Aaron’s staff. Because of this, some have also interpreted all of the mentions of Aaron’s staff as really referring to Moses’s staff. In other words it is the staff of Moses that Aaron uses when facing the Egyptian magicians and when bringing about the first three plagues. What follows is a list of the miracles where a staff was used:

• When Moses faced Pharaoh and the Egyptian magicians, it was Aaron’s staff that turned into a snake. When the Egyptian magicians did the same with their own staffs, Aaron’s staff devoured theirs.
• It was also Aaron’s staff that was used for the first three plagues, but Moses stretched out his own staff for plagues seven and eight.
• Moses also used his staff when parting the Red Sea (Exodus 17:5-7)
• Moses used his staff in the battle at Rephidim (Exodus 17:8-16). During that battle against the Amalekites, when Moses holds his arms up holding the staff, the Israelites begin to win the confrontation, but when Moses lowers his hands, the enemy begins to win.
• Water from the rock in Horeb
• Water from the rock in Kadesh

There has been a great deal of speculation as to why God chose for Moses and Aaron to use a staff to perform miracles. Some say that the staff represented a symbol of divine power or authority. Others have said that the staff was a shepherd’s tool and was symbolic for “shepherding” the people of Israel. Some have even taught that the purpose of the staff was to trick Pharaoh into thinking that Moses was performing mere magic like his magicians. Unfortunately, at this time we do not really know.

The Pool at Bethesda

We will now look to another instances of an object associated with a miracle found in the Gospel of John. In this part of our examination we will use verses from the King James Version of scripture because the ESV omits verse 4. This is because the ESV relies on earlier Greek texts that generally do not include verse 4 and some think it was added later as a comment to explain what the man was telling Jesus about the water being stirred. We include it here because it is important to the discussion.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? 7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. 8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. (John 5:2-7 KJV)

Here we see an example where it is believed the water in the pool has the ability to heal because a spiritual being is associated with it. For the discussion here, this part is important.

The man that is healed by Jesus believes that the pool of water heals because an angel does something to the water that gives it the ability to work miracles (even if the miracle works for only one person each time the water moves during at a certain season). The evidence for the presence of the angel is the moving of the water (verse 3) and the “troubling” of the water (verse 4). “Troubling” in this case simply means “disturbing” it in a way that makes it move.

Later commentary from scholars and more recent archaeology shows that this pool was filled by a channel that came from an upper pool. This in turn was filled by a spring fed reservoir. The spring itself was intermittent and would gush water at different times depending on rainfall and pressure in the aquifer. This change in water flow would definitely create movement in the pool’s water. Some have also made the case that this pool was not a part of Hebrew culture and was not considered a Jewish holy place at all. Originally it had been a Jewish site for ritual bathing, but the Romans later built a pagan temple for healing that was dedicated to the Greek god of the healing arts, Asclepius (see the earlier section on the Bronze Serpent) . All of this is included not to explain away verse 4 or to refute anything, but instead to present all of the evidence.

Unfortunately for our examination of this instance, Jesus does not say anything that would confirm that the water had healing properties nor its cause. Neither does Jesus refute what the man says as superstition. He simply heals him.

While this passage does seem to indicate that there could be a spiritual entity associated with the pool, Jesus does not say either way and we are left to our own interpretation.

The Arc of the Covenant

Of all the objects that seem to posses some supernatural ability, the Arc of the Covenant may be the one that people think of most. This is due in part to Hollywood’s fictional portrayals and sensational television shows that have capitalized on the mystery around this object.

What follows is a partial list of the miracles attributed to the Ark of the Covenant.

Miracles Associated with the Ark of the Covenant:

• Joshua 3:14-17 states that the waters of the Jordan River parted, allowing the Israelites to cross on dry land as the ark entered the river.
• The walls of Jericho fell, enabling the Israelites to conquer the city when the ark was carried around the city (Joshua 6:1-20).
• The Ark’s presence in Philistine territory caused the statue of Dagon to fall and be destroyed, and the Philistines suffered from tumors and a plague of mice (1 Samuel 5:3-6).
• The Philistines returned the Ark to Israel, and the journey back was miraculous as the cows, against their natural instincts, followed the prescribed path (1 Samuel 6:7-19).
• Death of Uzzah when touching the Ark when it was not carried as prescribed by God in the books of Exodus and Numbers (2 Samuel 6:6-7 and 1 Chronicles 13:7-11)

This is another instance of miracles and supernatural effects that seem to be associated with God.

The Relics of Saints

Given what we have read about miracles being involved with objects or even the bones of men of God, we can see where people came up with the idea that the relics of saints could also perform miracles.

According to writings from the early church, this belief seems to have begun with the veneration of martyrs’ bodies and their bones.

It is easy to see how this story would be viewed as supporting the veneration of relics from saints (including different body parts) and the miracles associated with them.

Of all of the ideas that have crept into Christianity, the belief that evil spirits can associate themselves with or become attached to objects is very troubling.

What is concerning about this idea is that the Bible is very clear in regard to the error of this belief, yet some Christians still insist that evil entities will inhabit or connect themselves to inanimate objects. It is easy to find teachings online, in books, and in many other forms of media that will argue that not only is this possible, but that spiritual “possession” of objects represents a serious danger to believers. According to these teachings an unwitting Christian can bring an item that is “haunted” into their home and then be subjected to all sorts of spiritual (and even physical) attacks.

For some reason this belief can be very difficult for some believers to consider objectively. They will play word games in attempt to justify their beliefs. They will say things like, “Well, it isn’t really that the doll is possessed. There is just an evil spirit attached to it.”, or “The demon uses the statue as a gateway to come through.”, or any number of other excuses that all mean the same thing. Regardless of how the person envisions the spiritual connection or which preposition they use (e.g., in, on, around, etc.) they still believe that an object is tied to a presence of evil. Some will even argue that while it is true that there is no scriptural evidence to support their belief, the Bible simply doesn’t cover everything and this is one of those spiritual facts not addressed by it. To this kind of talk it is logical to ask the question why God, in all of His efforts to warn us against spiritual dangers through scripture, left out any warnings about this?

Arguments used by teachers that insist that evil entities attach themselves to inanimate objects usually come from one of several ideas. One of the most popular is that if a person owns or has control over an object they can allow for it to have some form of evil spiritual association. The teachings on this seem to span from an object being the opposite of “blessed” (thus making it “cursed”) all the way to the extreme that the “curse” is actually a demon supernaturally attached to the object that has been sent to do harm.