It began over 2000 yrs ago with the Celtics who lived in what is today England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This day was the start of the Celtic new year. It was a time to give thanks to the sun god for the harvest.
What is Halloween all about?
Many sacrifices were offered to this lord of death Samhain, and bonfires were built to keep away the evil spirits. The powers of darkness were consulted to foretell the future.
To exorcise these spirits, that is to expel or cast a demonic/evil presence out from a person, you would have to put food outside and provide shelter for these spirits during the night. If these spirits were satisfied with your offerings and sacrifices, they would leave you in peace. If they were not satisfied with your offerings and sacrifices, they were believed to cast an evil spell on you.
In modern day Satanism and Witchcraft covens, this is the day when Satan himself comes to "fellowship" with his followers. This false fellowship totally twists the truth and example of Christ coming to the earth to die for mankind and establish "fellowship" with his followers, or known as followers of Jesus. Many changes have occurred over the centuries since Halloween was first started, but one thing has stayed the same, the practice of giving an "offering" has stayed the same. In America, we do it under the name of fun, but what is the real meaning? Is the meaning still the same as it was in the old days? I say the answer is a resounding YES.
The Christian Connection
The celebration in the Catholic church (which I believe to be the predominate heretical church of that time), was known as All Saints' Day. All Saint's Day later merged with Samhain. All Saints' Day originated in the 7th century when the Pantheon at Rome was wrested from the barbarians, made into a cathedral, and renamed the Church of the Blessed Virgin and All Martyrs. Thus, from honoring "all gods" (which is the meaning of the Greek word "pantheon") the Pantheon became the center for glorifying all saints.
All Saint's Day which honored all the "hallowed" saints was first observed on the evening of May 13, and was known as the All hallows festival. The day was officially authorized in 835 by Pope Gregory IV after it was moved to November 1 to coincide with Samhain. It began on the evening of October 31, which was called All Hallows Eve.
Thus, without forcing the pagans to drop their pagan practices and accept Christianity, the Catholic church of that time merely made room to accommodate the barbarians. This is not the right way to try to reach the world for Christ. We can't just accommodate people and make room for them to live just like they have alway lived. In its essence, the Gospel compels people to repent of their sins, which is to turn from your sins, and follow Jesus Christ, believing in him and trusting in him as we would trust in a parachute to save us.
The two celebrations made strange connections: one in respect of evil spirits, the other honoring "saints." Nevertheless, the joining of the two celebrations produced a hybrid of beliefs about what was supposed to happen in the spirit world. Souls in purgatory appeared as witches and toads to persons who had wronged them. Halloween fires and rites took on a new meaning and now were used to comfort souls in purgatory as people prayed while holding burning straw in the air.
Even the idea of trick-or-treating by evil spirits took on an acceptable church flavor: costumed children went around on All Souls Day offering to fast for the departed souls in return for money or an offering. As the Celts converted to the new religion, they did not forget their stories of the dead traveling to the afterworld on Halloween. Rather, exhibitions of this night became more evil and the observance adopted even more malicious overtones.
Unlike many other holidays such as Easter and Christmas (which may have other questionable reasons to not participate in as American Church has done for the past century), Halloween has no origins in True Christianity. Halloween is unmistakably pagan in its origin, its symbols, and the ways people celebrate it.
Is Halloween a TRICK or TREAT?
Most absolutely it is a TRICK. As you can see from the extended narrative above the meaning of Halloween has been watered down in today’s world. It is Satan's objective to get all to worship him. God's Word tells us to not have anything to do with this.
- 1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour.
- 1 Timothy 4:1 (NASB) - But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.
The worship of false gods is condemned numerous times in both the OT and NT and is emphasized in the very first of the 10 commandments.
In Exodus 20:2-3 the Lord writes with his own hand:
- “I am the LORD your God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods (practicing of false worship) before me.”
- “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. Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.”
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 says, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:22 says “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
- John 3:19-21 says, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."
- Romans 13:12 says, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light."
- Ephesians 5:8-11 says, "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
- Galatians 5:19-21 says, "Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
The Lord says in Proverbs 3:7, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil,” and 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” Will we seek to push the boundaries of our faith to see just how far we can go? Or will we seek to serve the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength? Isaiah 5:20 says, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”
There is still yet another aspect to think about: The example you are to those around you.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31-32 - “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”
Here are a few profitable things that I would suggest that we can do on Halloween instead of participating in the evil that encompasses this Satanic day.
- Do not make light of evil. As I have tried to point out in this blogpost, Halloween originated in evil practices and has remained a holiday that uses children to promote a fascination with darkness and superstitious fear. At the same time, it diminishes authority in the bible as the inspired word of God and makes light of evil. We need a holy and righteous fear of the Lord in these times. "The fear of the Lord makes men turn from evil" (Proverbs 16:6).
- Share the Gospel on this evil day. The bible clearly gives each and every believer a commission in his final words: "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:18-20). Also, look at Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." So I would suggest that we turn the tables this Halloween from participation to active aggression against it. Let's do battle with the enemy in sharing the Gospel with those who are entrapped in this false worship.
- Pray, Pray, Pray. Pray for children who will shun the glorification of witchcraft, the bondage of ungodly fear, and the “cuteification” of evil that is promoted through holidays like Halloween. Pray for those entrapped in the falsehood of demonic worship. Pray against the powers of darkness and pray in agreement with the power of God (the light).
Caleb L. Jenkins
Resources for further reading:
- Answers in Genesis ~ Halloween History and the Bible
- Christian Light Publications ~ Halloween - What You Should Know About It
- Milestone Books ~ The Truth About Halloween
- Pennie Renewed ~ An Open Halloween Letter from an Ex-Pagan
- Last Trumpet Ministries ~ Halloween and the Forces of Darkness
- Grace to You ~ Christians and Halloween
- Prophezine ~ 10 Reasons I Kissed Halloween Goodbye
- Open Bible ~ 57 Bible Verses about Celebrating Halloween
- Set Apart Girl ~ Celebrating Light Instead of Darkness
- Daniel Deidrich Personal Blog ~ The Christians Response to Halloween
- Your Spiritual Quest ~ Ex Satanist, Gina Marisa’s views on Halloween
- *WARNING - Not for Children* Liberty to the Captives ~ How To Pray Against Halloween
- *WARNING - Not for Children* FaceBook Page ~ I Hate Halloween
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