The Bible’s historical account of Abraham being called out of Ur of the Chaldees gives us a contextual framework for viewing the roots of modern witchcraft and Wicca, which are both growing in popularity especially among women.

Unfortunately, the polytheism of Abraham’s time never disappeared. Abraham walked away from the polytheistic Ur culture, yet today it’s tragically embraced by new generations. Although the gods and goddesses of Mesopotamia may no longer be carved into stone temples, the rituals that worship them is gaining popularity today in the modern explosion of Wicca and witchcraft.

Wicca has become one of the fastest-growing religions in the West, especially among women. Wicca’s appeal is that it promises empowerment, a connection to nature, spiritual experiences, and freedom from “patriarchal” religion. Many of the women who are drawn to Wicca have a history of being abused by a man in their life, so they reject anything having to do with “patriarchy” including Christianity.

Wicca is a modern form of pagan witchcraft that emerged in the mid-20th century but draws heavily from ancient polytheistic and occult traditions. At its core, Wicca centers on the worship of deities tied to the cycles of nature, the moon, and fertility alongside rituals, spells, and divination practices designed to access spiritual power. Wicca promotes the idea that practitioners can harness energy or call on deities for love, protection, prosperity, or guidance, which mirrors the idolatry and sorcery of ancient Mesopotamia that Abraham left behind.

Abraham’s family lived in Ur, a city of Mesopotamia that was a stronghold of idol worship. Archaeologists have uncovered the ziggurat of Ur, a massive temple dedicated to the moon god Nanna. In addition to the moon god, Mesopotamians worshiped dozens of deities, including Inanna (the goddess of love and war), Enlil (the god of air), and Enki (the god of wisdom and water). Each city had its patron god or goddess, and rituals often included divination, astrology, and sorcery.

In Scripture, the words “sorcery” and “witchcraft” are often interchangeable, both describing the use of occult practices such as spells, charms, divination, astrology, and calling on spirits to manipulate outcomes or gain hidden knowledge. The Old Testament condemns witchcraft and sorcery together (2 Kings 9:22; Micah 5:12), while the New Testament uses the Greek word pharmakeia which is translated as sorcery or witchcraft to describe occult practices that enslave people (Galatians 5:20; Revelation 21:8).

• Protective Spells and Incantations. Mesopotamians believed that demons and spirits caused sickness, accidents, or bad luck. To fight these, priests and magicians (called āšipu) recited long spells to drive away the spirits. Clay tablets contain thousands of these spells, such as the Maqlû series (“burning”), which included rituals where figurines of “witches” were destroyed to release the victim from curses.
• Divination. Reading the stars, examining animal livers, and interpreting dreams were used to divine the will of the gods.
• Amulets and Charms. People wore or buried charms invoking gods or spirits to ward off evil.

Today’s booming growth of witchcraft and Wicca isn’t a revival of something new; it’s the old polytheism of Abraham’s day resurfacing. Behind it is the same spiritual reality: the exchange of the worship of the one true God for the worship of created beings and false gods (Romans 1:25).

Wicca and modern witchcraft follow the same pattern as the people of Ur. Spells, charms, and rituals are common practices, often directed toward summoning spiritual assistance, changing circumstances, or seeking hidden knowledge. What the ancients did with incantations and carved idols, modern witches do with candles, crystals, and spell books. Though the tools have changed, the spiritual reality has not.

The hope is found in Abraham’s story. God called him out of polytheism and witchcraft into a covenant relationship with Himself. He left behind the idols of Ur and followed the one true God, who promised to bless all nations through his offspring, Christ (Galatians 3:16). That same call comes to women today. We can’t try to mix Jesus with goddess worship or prayer to multiple deities. God won’t share His glory. He calls you to forsake every rival and worship Him alone.

Wicca and witchcraft may seem new, but they’re the ancient polytheism and sorcery of Abraham’s time repackaged for the modern world. They appeal to women with promises of empowerment, connection, and freedom, yet they enslave them to the same spiritual darkness that formerly gripped Abraham’s family in Ur.

The rapid rise of Wicca is a sign of how deep the hunger for spirituality runs, yet it also highlights how urgently women need to hear the truth. There’s one God and one way of salvation. Just as He called Abraham out of Ur, He calls women today out of the deception of polytheism and into the truth of Christ.

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