Halloween – All Hallow’s Eve

Autumn brings cooler weather, multi-colored leaves, and the harvest of corn, gourds, and pumpkins. In the midst of orange pumpkins and puffy blue clouds, excitement begins to arise for the upcoming celebration of Halloween. Every year, however, that excitement is intertwined with the fear and anxiety of child abductions, poisoned candy, and destruction of public property. Every year this celebration of darkness continues to grow in grandeur with more super Halloween costume stores and haunted houses while the righteous shake their heads and wonder what is happening to our world.

The celebration of “All Hallows Eve” is not in the Bible because God is explicit about the shameful activities done in darkness (Ephesians 5:12). Halloween celebrations take place mostly at night and center on spiritually dark things. Decorations glorify death and fear: spiders, witches, skeletons, and black cats. Children dress up in costumes that honor death and horror: ghosts, witches, devils, skeletons, vampires, and zombies. Of course, there are other costumes to soften or ‘mask’ the dark side: Cinderella, Little Bo Peep, Spiderman, Jack Sparrow and whatever is popular with Disney and the media. Teenagers, bored with masquerading, show their real character as mobsters by destroying public and private property.

“In the beginning, God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:1-2).

Before light, there was darkness and empty space. When God spoke, light came into this world and the Light of the World was God and was with God.

“In the beginning was the Word,  and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.  “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 1:15, 3:19).

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I AM the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life…. “While I am in the world, I AM the light of the world…. “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness” (John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46).

Jesus calls himself the Light of the world, and there is no darkness in him. He came into the world to destroy the darkness and the spiritual powers and principalities associated with it. Because people love darkness more than they love the light, they do not understand the light nor do they come near the light.

Unfortunately, the world’s view of darkness has contaminated the hearts and minds of Christians. Rather than being transformed by the renewing of their minds, they continue to play with the “fruitless deeds of darkness” rather than expose them for what they are. Christians should be praising God for calling them out of darkness into His glorious light , not paying tribute to the darkness (1 Peter 2:9, 2 Corinthians 6:17-7:1).

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15).

For several decades, Christ’s victory over death has been diluted with an infatuation of death, and Christians have blurred the line between the gift of eternal life and a celebration of death. They have traded their precious redemption through the blood of Jesus for a celebration that brings no profit to their present life or future heavenly rewards (Romans 6:4, Colossians 2:8-12).

“Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings (having to separate themselves?)” (1 Peter 5:7-9).

Scripture never indicates that Jesus honored any holiday with pagan roots and gods. He didn’t go out into the spiritual darkness of a pagan holiday to shine his light. He didn’t hand out gospel tracts nor did he tell his disciples to do so. His life of obedience to his Father was his testimony; ours must be too.

“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.  It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness.  Their end will be what their actions deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

As the Son of God, Jesus did not imitate evil nor should we. He didn’t pretend or masquerade to be something that he wasn’t. That is Satan’s method of operation and should not be ours. 

“Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.  Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD; because of these same detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.  You must be blameless before the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 10:10-14).

Many who claim to follow Christ have become lukewarm, mixing the holy and the profane, and without the spiritual maturity to discern good from evil. They cannot see that witchcraft with all its gnarly fingers has enslaved children and young adults in their homes, schools, and towns. They are blind to the demons and evil spirits presented in television programs and movies. Zombies are walking dead people who are given homage by those who claim to have eternal life.

“Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.  Anyone who does what is good is from God.  Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God” (3 John 1:11).

A recent popular mantra in Christendom has been “What Would Jesus Do?” This is the exact question everyone should ask regarding any unBiblical holiday, but especially Halloween. What WOULD Jesus Do? Would he try to redeem something rooted in the abominable ways of the nations back to his Father or would he call it for what it was and not participate in pagan ways? The institutional church has been more than willing to say that everything Jewish is ‘evil’ and ‘wrong,’ but legitimate evil practices at Halloween are not? Churches create ‘alternatives’ in order to keep their disobedience disguised, allowing them to keep one foot in the world and one foot … in the world.  

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The “god of this age,” the Adversary, has blinded the minds of unbelievers and will continue to do so until Christ’s return. The “god of this age” is also being allowed to deceive so-called believers who want to do what is ‘right in their own eyes‘ and live their life without any accountability to God. A great deception has happened to those who claim to have the ‘light,’ but still embrace the darkness in practicies that they deem as fun and harmless.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

For those who truly have made Jesus their Savior, it is imperative to allow Him to be Lord as well. Though it may be a challenge and even difficult to step out and stay out of the darkness, each of us has a responsibility to ourselves and our children. Each of us is accountable before God for our testimony to the world about Jesus’ deliverance from death and spiritual darkness into the ‘light.’

“You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

If you call Jesus your salvation and have repented from a sin-filled life, then you have to choose between being a friend of God or a friend of the world. When you choose to be God’s friend, He will give you spiritual eyes and set you free from pagan traditions rooted in darkness and demonic spiritual forces –– both part of Halloween.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.  For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is head over every power and authority” (Colossians 2: 8-10).

There will always be those who mock the idea of not taking part in Halloween. For doubters, research “All Hallows Eve” and “Samhain” using an encyclopedia or just browse the internet. This is the information age. If you want information, it’s readily available. Talk to a law enforcement official in your local town and find out about witchcraft activities during Halloween. Read the newspaper and note all of the crime and death that takes place during Halloween. Near Denver, Colorado, a shed was found with the bones of human remains along with articles of witchcraft following Halloween.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had trusted him, ‘If you obey what I say, then you are really my disciples, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’” (John 8:31-32).

When you know and embrace the truth, you will no longer shake your head in wonderment at the growing evil in the world, but you will know the truth and you will understand whose holiday this really is. You will walk in the ‘light’ of God’s Word and will not only know what Jesus did, but more importantly, you will know what Jesus did not do. He did not celebrate any pagan holidays; he suffered death on a cross and rose from the dead to destroy death, demonic powers, and authorities in high places.

That’s what Jesus did. What will you do?

©2009 Tentstake Ministries Publishing, all rights reserved.  No copying or reproducing of this article without crediting the author or Tentstake Ministries Publishing. For a hard copy of this article,  please purchase Journey with Jeremiah: Nourishment for the Wild Olive.  

For a children’s booklet explaining Halloween, “Take off your mask, Celebrate Life!”