© 9-2006 Dr. BRUCE KLEIN
Halloween has been celebrated every year since circa 1AD on October 31st/November 1st. Who celebrates Halloween? In the United States, both Christians and non-Christians celebrate Halloween. In some churches, it is called a harvest festival. How does Almighty God look at Halloween? Before we look at more of what His Holy Bible says, let’s learn more facts about Halloween.
The History of Halloween
The word ‘Halloween’ (hallowmass) comes from the Roman Catholic Church’s “All Saints Day”, “All Hollows Day”, “All Hallows Eve”(hallowed = holy = saint). In Celtic (Druid’s) Ireland the holiday was called “Samhain” or “La Samhna”. “Samhain” means “lord of the dead” or “god of the dead”. It is the greatest of the High Sabbath; it is known as the “the Great Sabbath”. One of the reasons that this is the Great Sabbath is their understanding that the walls between them and the evil spirits were down, so the evil spirits could pass freely over and back. They chose to communicate with and to appease them. This is the most magical night of the year. This is the day that god dies. A goddess causes god to be reborn. This celebration ends their calendar year. This is their New Year’s festival. This celebration was a “harvest festival” and “feast of the dead”. They believed that the life of a person came from the dead. Following the Most High God’s design for a day starting in the evening, they too started the first day of the new year at sunset. Samhain is a festival that causes one to honors and pray to the dead, with concern for their disembodied spirits. Celtics believed that throughout a year disembodied, evil spirits from the present year’s dead would hunt for a body to possess, after dark, on Halloween. The Celtic would not want to be possessed, so they would put out their fires in their homes, so the evil spirits would not want to live there. They would dress-up in devilish costumes to scare away these spirits and to disguise their identity. They were concerned that the evil spirits would hurt or indwell them. Why were they afraid of the evil spirits? They thought they might be living on the spirit’s land and in his house. Celtic priests would also burn a human at the stake, which they thought was already possessed, to further frighten away these spirits. They would also offer human sacrifices, adults and children in a big fire. Their fires were made of oak , which is their sacred tree. Lindow Man was a Druid voluntary sacrifice about 65AD. Plus, human sacrifices were found in peat bogs. Why the live sacrifices? To satisfy the demands of their gods, humans and animals were sacrificed to allow others further life on earth. These priests would also make charms and cast spells. The humans would be thrown into these big fires known as bone fires (today’s bonfires). One of the reasons for big fires was so the evil spirits could find their sacrifices. They believed fire was a symbol of divinity.
They believed they could receive knowledge of future events from these evil spirits. Some believed that on the eve of October 31/November 1st evil spirits and souls of the dead could enter the world of living humans. Their sole purpose was to do harm to crops, animals, and humans. Some would call on these evil spirits to foretell the future.
The Celtics would leave out food (treat) for the evil spirits to prevent an evil action (trick or curse). Some Celts over a period of years would dress up as evil spirits going house-to-house demanding food. They thought the evil spirits and Samhein would have great hunger. The occupants of the house would give food hoping the real evil spirits would leave them alone. They would dress-up to imitate what they thought an evil spirit looked like. Their purpose was to fellowship with the evil spirits, if they were alike then they would not be hurt (cursed).
The occupants would also carve-out demonic faces in hollowed-out turnips, potatoes, etc. Then lighting a candle in them, they would place these hollowed vegetables in windows and doors. The story of the “Jack-O-Lantern” starts out with Jack, an Irish drunkard. Jack makes a deal with the devil. The story is told in different ways. The basic facts are as follows. Because of this deal with the devil, Jack is neither allowed into heaven or hell. He ends up walking the earth hunting for a place to rest.
Jack is an ancient symbol of a damned soul. He must wander until he is sentenced to hell on judgment day! What is the Biblical truth? “Therefore [we are] always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:” II Corinthians 5:6. NOW is the time to decide who you will follow. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. TODAY will you follow Jesus? Will you make Him boss (Lord) of your life?
Another tradition is the “Final Harvest”. Some believe that any farmer’s crop still in the field after Oct. 31st, cannot be harvested or they will receive bad luck.
Druids worshipped Belenos, which is their word for Baal (Tammuz).
On this day occult groups practice “calling down the moon”. They believe they can channel the moon goddess. The moon goddess would speak through one of them giving before unknown information in the areas of marriage, weather, money, death, etc. The moon goddess is waiting for the rebirth of the god (reincarnation). She would give fortunes (divination) through ducking for apples ( the first person to catch an apple would be the first to marry), apple peeling (the longer the peel the longer your life), etc. Everyone in the house would put a stone in the fire place. If a stone was moved during the night, that person would die during the coming year.
The Roman Catholic Church wanted all of Ireland’s people to convert to Catholicism, they moved “All Saints Day” to Halloween and called it “All Souls Day”. Many accepted this new name for their same old halloween-samhain. Both groups honor and worship the dead. The Roman Catholics added the unscriptural teaching of purgatory. No where in the Holy Bible is a Christian told to pray for the dead. At a person’s death their deeds in the body are over. They will go to heaven or hell!
Irish immigrants brought Halloween to America in the mid 1800’s. They taught that the evil deeds of the teenagers and younger were caused by evil spirits.
Present Day Halloween
Is samhain practiced today? Yes, to many religions this is a very special high Sabbath. Most do the same rituals from 2,000 years ago.
Satanist, voodoo groups, etc. sacrifice on this eve. Have you ever noticed that a lot of children are missing the week of Halloween?
As a teenager in Ohio, the TV news had a report of finding many animals that had been ritually sacrificed on Halloween eve. Were humans sacrificed during the original samhain (Halloween), yes, according to Julius Caesar of Rome.
Children now take the place of demons walking from house to house, symbolically looking for a treat (candy), so that they don’t trick (hurt) or indwell the occupants.
Many pagan cultures celebrate evil. Many are afraid of evil spirits (demons). Today in South America, Africa, etc. tribes attempt to pacify evil spirits with food, dances to their honor, burial rites, etc. Americans have simply adopted the rites of the Celts and others because of the Roman Catholic Church and ignorance.
Biblical Reality
The great cover-up! These demonic doctrines are called “folk practices”, “fairy tales”, “innocent ways”, etc. They say “no harm is done”. But what does Almighty God say, “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,” Deuteronomy 18:10 No one should be contacting the dead!
Some say they are simply contacting the “spirits of nature”. They may not realize that they are in direct contact with evil spirits (demons).
Who really is the originator of Halloween? SATAN! So there is no place in the life of a Christian for Halloween! Trying to make a pagan practice godly will not work. Cain tried to worship Almighty God his way (Genesis 4), what happened? Why do some allow their child to dress-up as something evil?
“The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death.” I Corinthians 15:26
The devil and his demons are not your friends. They are your mortal enemies, who want you in hell!
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” I Peter 5:8
“The thief (a devil directed shepard (pastor)) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have [it] more abundantly.” John 10:10
Does hell exist? The Holy Bible uses the word “hell” 54xs.
A true story about a man in hell!
“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Luke 16:23-24
“..I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” I Corinthians 10:20
‘Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed [them] all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Luke 17:28-30
No one knows when judgment will come!
Why should a Christian hate Halloween?
“Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” Psalms 119:104
Why shouldn’t anyone wear a devilish costume?
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:” Exodus 20:4
“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, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” II Corinthians 6:14-18
Why are some Christians involved in Halloween?
In many churches truth is no longer known (Hosea 4:6) or taught. Fun and innocence are not acceptable reasons to openly rebel against almighty God! Bringing demonic worship practices into the church is open rebellion, which is as the sin of witchcraft!
“For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.” I Samuel 15:23
“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.” Galatians 5:19-21
“And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.” II Chronicles 33:6
“For rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from [being] king.” I Samuel 15:23
How do non-Christians respond when they see Christians dressed-up as witches, etc.? They obviously think Christianity isn’t real. Christians are trying to be like us! Christians are supposed to be like Jesus not the devil or demons!
If you are tired of demons in your life, and would like to be set free?
Jesus is the answer! “If the Son (Jesus) therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36 True believers will cast out demons. Who are the true believers? They are the ones who speak in tongues, lay hands on the sick and they recover, and cast out demons!!!
“And these signs shall follow them that believe(True Christians - many say they are Christians, but where are their signs? They have all kinds of excuses, but they just don’t believe!!!); In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; ... they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:17-18
“And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord (Jesus) working with [them], and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:20
If a person doesn’t speak in the Holy Spirit’s tongue, don’t let them lay hands on you, and don’t let them attempt to cast out demons!!! You don’t need more demons!!!
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Acts 10:38
“And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” II Timothy 2:26
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
In Jesus,
Bruce Klein, ThD
