Study

Scripture References: Ephesians 5:10-11, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Exodus 20:3, & Matthew 22:37-38

The Origins of Halloween

Scripture says to “find out what it acceptable to the Lord and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” that, “There shall not be found among you any one who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD.”  The first of the Ten Commandments says, "You shall have no other gods before Me."  Jesus said, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart...soul...mind.  This is the first and great commandment."  He wants us to give Him all our heart.  Not just what's on the surface.

The Image of Halloween

Halloween is a festival which conjures up images of ghosts, goblins, witches, black cats, fairies, and devils. Trick or treaters engage in the fantasy of dressing up as their favorite character. Others brave haunted houses and horror movie marathons. The more daring visit cemeteries at midnight, some use ouija boards, others conduct saences and call up spirits of the dead.  Finally, Satanist's cults have their rituals which involve animal and human sacrifices.  This is still practiced today, just as often as not, in "out of the way" places like small towns, including Northern Alberta.

Pagan Origin & History of Halloween

All today's seemingly innocent Halloween customs and symbolisms have their origins of the ancient Celtic day of the dead.

• The practice of “trick or treating” is from the Celtic tradition where people gave food, in return for blessings from spirits of the dead. Failure to supply the treats would result in demonic retaliation.
• Jack-o-lanterns grew out of Celtic tradition of carvings of faces of demonic spirits on turnips and later on pumpkins. The Worlds Book of Encyclopedia says they are actually an ancient symbol of a damned soul. Candlelit pumpkins or skulls were believed to be souls sympathetic to satan. The occupants would receive mercy from trick or treaters on their Halloween run.
• Bobbing for apples originated from druidic new year divination fertility ceremonies.
• By far the most sickening of the pagan practices were Bonfires, set on high hills, where human sacrifices occurred at midnight. Adults and children alike were sacrifices to appease “Samhain” (pronounced SOW-wen) the lord of the dead, they were thrown into these huge fires. The celebrants, wearing animal skins and heads, danced around the fire in demonic fury. In the morning, only ashes and bones remained. These were called “Bone Fires” which is where we get the tradition of bonfires today.
• Black cats were believed to be reincarnations of the evil dead, possessing supernatural powers and knowledge.
• Spiders which have 8 legs represented the 8 festivals in a witches year.
• Broomsticks and witches hats were considered magic symbols. When used in fertility rituals of witchcraft, these were believed to be objects used to transform physical energy into psychic energies.
• Costumes originated from the rituals of druids and witches where they wore animal skins and animal heads – as masks, to confuse the spirits.

The Major Sabbats are:
 
Candlemas on February 2, honors Bridgit, the pagan goddess of healing.  In the US, Candlemas persists in Groundhog Day.
 
Beltane (Fire of Bel) or Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht) on April 30, and May Day on May 1.  A fertility festival, a time of planting.
 
Lammas or Lughnasadh on August 1, honors the sun god, the shining one Lugh.  The beginning / first fruits of harvest.
 
Halloween or Samhain on October 31.  The eve of the Celtic New Year, November 1.  One of the highest "holy days" on the Pagan / Occult Calendar of Druids, Witches, Pagans, and Satanists.
 
 
The Minor Sabbats are:
 
Vernal Equinox on March 21.  The daytime and nighttime hours are approximately the same - 12 hours.  The days getting longer.  The rebirth of the vegetation spirit.
 
Summer Solstice or Midsummer on June 21.  The longest day of the year.  Ancient pagans celebrated with the night of fire festivals and love magic & oracles and divination.
 
Autumnal Equinox on September 21.  The daytime and nighttime hours are approximately the same - 12 hours.  The days getting shorter.  The ancient Celts sacrificed a large wicker figure which represented the vegetation spirit.  It is believed that people were shut in compartments of this wicker figure, and then burned.
 
Winter Solstice or Yule on December 22.  The shortest day of the year.  Light was important in dispelling the growing darkness of the solstice, so a Yule log was lighted with the remaining of the previous year's log.  This came from German and Celtic rites.
 

If you have ever seen the image of Samhain, the lord of the dead, you would see a horned god with two horns on it's head.  It is an image strikingly similar to the Baphomet.  The Baphomet is an upside down pentagram with a goat's head superimposed on it.  The two upward points symbolized the devil's horns.  The three downward points denies the trinity, also the center downward point is supposed to be the way Satan invokes his spirits.  There are slight variations around this symbol:

One variation includes Hebraic figures around the outer circle that spell out "Leviathan", meaning the serpent of the watery abyss or dragon, identified with Satan.  This is in the bible, "In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; and He will slay the reptile that is in the sea." 

Another variation is surrounded by four other symbols: an inverted crucifix, "666", an anarchy symbol, and a symbol labeled "symbol of a sexual ritual".  And two names - Natas (Satan spelled backwards) and Beelzebub.  The Pharisees called "Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons".  A couple verses later, Jesus referred to Satan as Beelzebub.  Coincidence?

The real identity of Samhain, the lord of the dead, is Satan.

All Saints Day

Halloween has often been confused as a Christian holiday, because of it's association with the Christian All Saints Day, or the eve of St. Hallows, All Souls Day. The original Christian dedication was in May to honor those Christians who died for their faith. In the ninth century, the influential Roman Catholic Church changed the holiday to November 1st, and the Protestant Church soon followed. Christian rules were applied to the pagan rituals. Pagan “deities” slipped into the characters of the Christian “saints”. For example, the character of the virgin Mary was brought into the remote functions of the pagan mother goddesses. Today, a thin Christian veil attempts to disguise the ancient pagan festival of the dead. Halloween not only became a secular observant, but notorious as the most “holy day” of witches, sorcerers and demon worshipers.

Not only are we to find out and expose works of darkness, scripture also says that “friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” To “beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principals of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Jesus says to “come to Him” and “learn from Him” and “you will find rest for your souls”. If we come to Him and follow Him, we rest under His protection. We can step out of His protection if we don't listen to His directions or warnings and things can go wrong. There are various entry points or gateways to strongholds where satan has legal access, including witchcraft, occult and fraternal orders, cursing and vows, and rituals and festivals. It is also written, “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” His commands are for our own good, if we ignore them we leave ourselves vulnerable to the evil that is out there.

Jesus talks about "healing the broken hearted..." He needs us to "love the LORD our God with all our heart..." so that He can make us whole.  We have been give the freedom of choice, will we "Therefore submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from us"?  Will we "Draw near to God and He will draw near to us"?

In this study it is clear that the Lord is warning us not to subject ourselves to the practices and traditions of the Halloween festival

THE CALL to Action

... “but rather expose them”....

There are documented unholy days, including Halloween when certain rituals and sacrifices are performed. Christians should be aware that hideous abuse of children, defamation of Christ, and human sacrifices do occur on these days. Some of us can sense or feel the added pressure and power of evil in the atmosphere. We should watch for an increase in depression, discouragement, and disturbance of sleep. This should be a time for the church to pray for God to intervene on these children's lives, and to wage spiritual warfare against evil forces. And to enter into strong praise, worship, and celebration of the Lordship of Christ.

This could be considered as a challenge, but also an opportunity, even a responsibility given to us, as followers of Christ, to take action and to stand against Halloween. When I was a new Christian, I didn't know Halloween was wrong. Others taught me, I studied it, and most importantly I continually trust in the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, “to guide me into all truth.” Now that I have found out the truth about Halloween, I am choosing to expose what I know, and to stand against Halloween

How about you?

Quoted Scripture references: Ephesians 5:10-11, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Exodus 20:3, Isaiah 27:1, Matthew 12:24, & 26 - 27, James 4:4, Colossians 2:8, Matthew 11:28-29, 1 Samuel 15:23, James 4:7 - 8a, John 16:13. See also: Psalm 32 & 91 and Ephesians 6.