As a kid, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays. Not only did we get free candy it also allowed me to hide behind a mask. That’s a whole different subject for my blog that I will go into at a later date, I would like to write about Halloween itself, Origins and biblical meaning.
(Warning: The history of Halloween info is from different websites, but this seems to be the general consensus on the beginnings of it)
The practices and rituals that surround Halloween are traced back to the “Druid Festival of the Dead” originating sometime around 100 A.D. It was commonly referred to as the “Samhain Festival” which was a Celtic celebration that focused on death.
The Celts in Western Europe believed that ghosts and other spirit-beings visited on Samhain Eve or October 31st. The also believed that the barrier between the physical world and spirit world was at its weakest on this date and so the ancient Druids, who were a priestly class of Celts, believed that Samhain "the Lord of Death" gathered souls of the evil dead who had been condemned to enter the bodies of animals and good people’s souls were reincarnated as humans.
The Druids would then offer sacrifices, prayers, and gifts to Samhain, attempting to lighten the punishment of the evil dead. The Druids would even pray for and to the dead in Roman temples trying to contact them through the spirit world. This is where we get séances from – and we also have religious organizations such as the Catholic church teaching about a place called Purgatory (where souls are said to go and wait for something …) which is not found anywhere in the Bible.
2 Corinthians 5:8 - To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord
Halloween came to America in the 1800’s and I assure you that the pilgrims did not go around and say “trick or treat”. A group of immigrants brought the celebration and practice of Halloween to America in the 1800s, and it was not until the 1950s that American’s began dressing up in costumes and giving candy to one another. This act was based on the Celtic offering of gifts to evil spirits, and when an offering was not made (treat) there would be an undesirable outcome (trick).
Ok, so that’s it in a nutshell but how did we come about some of the symbolisms?
• Costumes - Many take great pride in dressing up as scary creatures on Halloween and this originated from this same Celtic celebration where they hid themselves in ghoulish costumes or disguises so that wandering spirits would mistake them for one of their own and not harm them.
• Black cats - considered reincarnated evil souls that had the ability to divine or "see into" the future.
• Jack-O-Lanterns (or pumpkins) - carved out and a candle put in them to try and frighten away evil spirits.
• Bonfires - from the practice of "bone fires" which was a large fire containing bones of those that were being sacrificed to the God of Death – Samhain.
• Skeletons, Skulls, corpses - part of celebrating the ritual of the dead.
• Bats and owls - said to have power to communicate with the dead since they were reincarnated evil spirits.
• "TRICK OR TREAT" - giving treats to frustrated spirits of the dead so they would feel welcome and if they didn’t feel welcome, then came the so called "tricks" or havoc
There’s more but I think you get the point.
What should a Christian’s view be?
First we have to understand this one thing in:
Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against authorities, against the powers of darkness of this world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
Halloween seems so harmless and yet we don’t fully understand that there is a spiritual war that is taking place and men, women, and children’s souls are what is at stake. We as Christians should not be partakers of something that derives from and represents darkness.
Ephesians 5:11 tells us to have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness...
Romans 13:12 - "Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness…
Ephesians 5:11-12 - "Have not fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them. For it is shameful to even speak of those things which are done by them in secret."
Does it sound like I dislike Halloween? Yes, I do.
Am I going to keep my son from going out… No.
I am going to sit him down and explain what I have written here with him. I’m going to make sure he realizes the God’s truth.
Moms and Dads, you are held accountable for your kids in allowing them to participate. Realize, Satan knows your children are vulnerable and this is his greatest opportunity to rob them right out from under your nose.
You must choose for yourself and search it out for yourself.
Joshua 24:14-15, "Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped...and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose you this day whom you will serve...but as for me and my household; we will serve the Lord."
If you’re taking your kids out for Halloween, how about instead of asking Trick or treat you ask:
Saved or Searching?
