I THESSALONIANS 5:21-22
Andres C. Guevara Jr. - October 31, 2004

Introduction:
        Across the western world there has been a marked increase in interest concerning Halloween. The American publication article revealed that in the United States the second most popular event for marketing activity behind Christmas was Halloween. Even in the United Kingdom Halloween has become big business and an increasingly popular holiday period. As Christians, we're told to PROVE all things. In other words, we are to find out if what we're participating in is really God's will. Is it scriptural? If it's not, then we're admonished by the Lord to ABSTAIN from it for it is evil. In this study we wish to investigate Halloween and see just what lies behind it.

I- THE ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN

        It was in A. D. 835 that Pope Gregory IV designated Nov 1st as "all Saints day," or "all Hallows day." (Hallow means saint). The night before Oct 31st was known as "all Hallows evening," the term Halloween is a condensed form of this.

        But long before the Catholic Church gave this name to the evening before what they called "all Saints day," the ancient Druid, the learned priestly class of the Celtic religion, had celebrated it.
        The halloween holiday had been celebrated by the DRUIDS who were members of the Celtic religious order of priests, soothsayers, judges, poets, etc. in ancient Britain, Ireland and France.
        The Celts were the first Aryan people who came to Europe from Asia. They brought with them a variation of Indian Hinduism, believing in the various nature gods, reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul, which is the belief that men may be reborn as animals. The Celts worshipped the sun god Belenus on Beltane, May 1st and Samhain lord of death on Oct 31st the summer and winter festivals. At these festivals human sacrifice would be offered to appease the gods. These Celts and their Druid priests began their New Year on Nov 1st the beginning of the winter. They believed that on the night before, Oct 31st the last day of their old year that the lord of death gathered the souls of the evil dead who were condemned to enter animal bodies and decided what animal body they should take. Then the souls of the virtuous dead would be reincarnated as humans. All of this of course is contrary to the scriptures of truth, which teach that; "it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment." - Hebrews 9:27

        The Druids taught that Samhain the lord of death would on Oct 31st allow for a short time the souls of the dead weather good or bad to return to their former habitation to associate with their families for a few hours before being assigned to their new bodies. Therefore the Celts believed that, ghosts, evil spirits, and the like roamed about on Oct 31st. So in order to frighten away these evil spirits, who it was believed feared fire, bonfires were lit on hill tops, and burning brands were carried around by people for their protection, in order to prevent the frustrated ghosts from playing tricks on humans which it was supposed they did.

        The Romans celebrated the first of November in honor of POMONA the goddess of fruit trees. When they become Catholics, the priests wisely let them keep the old feast, but gave it a new association by holding it in commemoration of all dead saints.
Clearly the Catholic Church did in A. D. 835 what it has done with many pagan festivals; it took it and tried to Christianize it.
Halloween is observed by taking the favorite food of a departed loved one to the cemetery on night of October 31 because it is believed that the departed spirits return to feast on the aroma of the food.
        The candles that are set up around the grave are meant to give the departed loved ones light for them to see what they're doing.
        This holiday is characterized by much revelry, eating and drunkenness.

        Gregory IV designated Nov 1st "all Saints day," and Nov 2nd "all Souls day," and made it a day for praying for the dead to help them escape the torments of purgatory. These are sacred days for Catholics during which like the ancient Druids they offer prayers, subject themselves to sufferings and make sacrifices to alleviate the torments of the dead. God's word the Bible though makes it abundantly clear that we cannot alter the eternal destiny of dead.- Psalm 49: 6-8. Their decision weather or not to accept Christ as Saviour made in time will effect where they will spend eternity, which can only be in one of two places heaven or hell.

II- THE OCCULT AND HALLOWEEN

        Halloween is a very serious observance for many witches, neo-pagans and other occultists in spite that many young people enjoyed and practiced it today in a joyful celebration with their occasion in their schools, communities and churches.
        A former witch Doreen Irvine explains that Halloween, "are not to be taken lightly." Witchcraft, Satanism, ghosts, and poltergeist activity are on the increase at this time of the year, and these things are dangerous and not to be played around with. Witches are not the harmless people they are made out to be as Doreen Irvine says, "witchcraft is not far removed from Satanism." The evil spirits are real and they are not the spirits of dead people who people believed might come back to haunt either a place or a person.
        They are demons who may assume the form of someone's dead relative that observes more of the background know much of the personality since from the childhood of every human existence. It is foolish to think of them as harmless.
        Satan in his tricky tactics hiding the true face of occultism and Halloween uses the movie industry when they have the idea of Casper as the friendly ghost and we should not be deceived but must be aware of the relevance of evil. Even the play so called "spirit of the glass" that many think they reached outer destinies of the dead people whom they communicate where in fact it is the evil spirits or demons whom they play with.

III- THE ORDINANCES AND HALLOWEEN

        Here are some Biblical prohibitions against all kinds of demonic practices.
ASTROLOGY, (prognosticator) the observance of the stars for the purpose of foretelling the future, condemned in Scripture in Isaiah 47:12-14.
· CHARMING, the casting of spells condemned in Deuteronomy 18:10-12.
· MEDIUMS, consulting with familiar spirits, condemned in Deuteronomy 18:10-14.
· DIVINATION, the practice of fortune telling, condemned in Deuteronomy 18:10-14.
· NACROMANCY, which is communicating with dead, is condemned in Scripture in Deuteronomy 18:10-12.
· WITCHCRAFT, which is the worship of Satan, and the manifestation of supernatural powers, roundly condemned in Scripture, Exodus 22:18.
· WIZARDARY, a dealer in magic and sorcery, condemned in Leviticus 19:31.

        Evidently, God's attitude towards the occult is one of total opposition and condemnation; therefore as Halloween is so mixed up with the occult people should not associate themselves from it.
        As far as children are concerned some of the trappings of Halloween may seem innocent enough, but they could easily be doorways to danger and parents should be discerning. Halloween is far from harmless though, as it is so openly associated with witchcraft.
Therefore great discernment should be used as to what aspects of this holiday season we get involved with and what is safe for our children to indulge in.
        Apple pies and fireworks present no danger at all but some of the more sinister traditions and the emphasis on witchcraft, however attractively packaged, present real danger to our children.

        Illustrations:
        The symbols that are used during this feast have the witchcraft touch.
        Jack-O-Lantern--- The lighted pumpkin face symbolizes a damned soul.
        Trick or Treat--- This custom began in Catholic Ireland. Youngsters, masquerading as ghosts and demons go from house to house asking     for some cookies or candies. The ancient druids asked a house for a young virgin woman to be sacrifices on the eve of Oct. 31.

        Thank God, the Devil is a defeated foe. Our Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary defeated him and his legion of demons, Colossians 2:15. By His death and resurrection He broke Satan's power and released mankind from fear and bondage,- Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57.

        Those who are His through faith in His atoning work on the cross have the power and authority from above to thwart the attacks of the enemy. -Ephesians 6:10-13.
        There is no doubt that the devil is busy these days, he is a powerful adversary, but he has already been defeated and the time of his demise and damnation is near.
        First he will be bound in the bottomless pit,-Rev 20:2-3, before finally being burned in the lake of fire, Rev 20:10.

        In the meantime we ought not to be "ignorant of his devices," including the subtle ways in which he seeks to entice the innocent into serving him. He is going down into damnation but we don't want him to take our children with him, we can best protect them by making them aware of the dangers of Halloween and a host of other satanic strategies and direct them to other things.

        Conclusion:
        Halloween is not biblical. We are therefore told by God in Ephesians 5:11 to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather REPROVE them" (or rebuke them and teach them the truth). What's wrong with Halloween? Everything about it is wrong! It does not have even one single redeeming virtue. It is a demon inspired, devil glorifying occult festival! Those who love the Lord Jesus Christ should have nothing to do with it!

      The Scriptures tells us to "Learn not the way of the heathen...for the customs of the people are vain." (Jer. 10:2-3). It also says, "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." (Deut.18:9). Paul exhorts us Christians to "beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8)                                   

       There's nothing wrong with visiting the grave of you loved ones who already passed away because you want to remember them. But why wait till ALL SAINTS DAY?

       It's about time that we should decide whom to follow. The Bible or the tradition?, The teachings of the Lord or the teachings of religion?,  God or the Devil?, The choice is entirely yours