Is Halloween Biblical!?

Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening - whatever time you are reading this article. Welcome to the Owensboro Church of Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow, the greater majority of Americans will be observing and celebrating what is known as Halloween. Yet, is this holiday - or rather, this world's "holy day" - biblical!?

The short answer is - a resounding no.

Halloween (a contraction of Hallows' Even or Hallows' Evening), is not listed among the LORDs feasts in Leviticus 23.

Halloween, which comes from an old English word, meaning 'all hallows eve' is a holiday just before the Roman Catholic "holy day" known as All Saints Day - known as 'the Day of the Dead' in Mexico. A large portion of Catholic reasoning for the celebration of All Saints Day is because they have so many "saints" that they wish to honor that they lumped it together with 'the Day of the Dead.'

the Origins of Halloween

Research any reputable encyclopedia and discover that it does not shy away from the fact that Halloween is of the origin of Samhain.

"Halloween had its origins in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. On the day corresponding to November 1 on contemporary calendars, the new year was believed to begin. That date was considered the beginning of the winter period, the date on which the herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed. During the Samhain festival, the souls of those who had died were believed to journey to the otherworld. People set bonfires on hilltops for relighting their hearth fires for the winter and to frighten away evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts thought to be present. It was in those ways that beings such as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated with the day. The period was also thought to be favorable for divination on matters such as marriage, health, and death. When the Romans conquered the Celts in the 1st century A.D., they added their own festivals of Feralia, commemorating the passing of the dead, and of Pomona, the goddess of the harvest."

(Halloween - https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween). 

Also, in Asia, versions of Halloween - like what the Celts celebrated and the pre-Hispanic Mexicans - are celebrated.

"The Chinese celebrate the 'Hungry Ghost Festival' in mid-July when it is customary to float river lanterns to remember those who have died. ... Chinese Christian churches hold religious celebrations. ... Mainland China has been less influenced by Anglo traditions than Hong Kong and Halloween is generally considered "foreign." ...

Halloween arrived in Japan mainly as a result of American pop culture. As recently as 2009, it was not appreciated and only celebrated by expats. ...

            Philippines ...

The period from 31 October through 2 November is a time for remembering dead family members and friends. Many Filipinos travel back to their hometowns for family gatherings of festive remembrance. ...

            Singapore ...

Around mid-July, Singapore Chinese celebrate 'Zhong Yuan Jie / Yu Lan Jie' (Hungry Ghosts Festival), a time when it is believed that the spirits of the dead come back to visit their families."

(Geography of Halloween - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Halloween).

So, the modern Western version of Halloween has been spreading like wildfire around the globe. Yet, it is certainly not Christian.

The 'god of this world' (2 Corinthians 4:4) Satan the devil (who does indeed exist, despite many who falsely claim otherwise - such as a Melanie Cottam, a Dianic leader - See: History of Halloween traditions; lost symbolism, meaning) has been successfully spreading this holiday and getting it endorsed by many cultures and even religions around the world.

Bonfires

Just about everyone has had bonfires - especially connected to Halloween. This had its origins in this ancient Celtic festival. In North Wales, every family would build a bonfire into which each member would throw a stone which was marked with their own identification. Then, the family would recite prayers to their gods while gathered around the fire. Should a stone be missing when they returned to the site the following morning, it was believed that the owner of that particular stone would die within the coming year. Similar traditions were in the Scottish Highlands, and diverse forms of fortune-telling would accompany the festival. Also, on this particular night, all the people would congregate around a great community bonfire consecrated through sacred rites. And, in order to receive fire the following year, it was necessary to engage in pagan rituals, many of which included human and animal sacrifices to the gods.

History and Etymology for bonfire - Middle English bonefire a fire of bones, from bon bone + fire.

Jack-O-Lanterns

The origin of the jack-o-lanterns is rather amusing - also known as a will-o-the-wisp, or foxfire, or fairie fire, also a friar's lantern, or a corpse lantern - was believed to be a wandering soul which could not find any refuge because of a particularly evil deed that was committed in its lifetime. Others believed it was a malignant imp. The Finns believed that it was the soul of a child who was buried in the forest. Today's carving of a face on a pumpkin is symbolic of a mocking spirit - a spirit who chased terrified victims through mud and brambles until confused, and then leaving them stranded with the sound of laughter ringing through their ears. The corpse candle (a modern carved pumpkin) is said to be a small flame moving through the air in the dark and is believed by superstition to be an omen of the observer's imminent death - or the death of a loved one. Only the foolish would follow them.

Now, I could mention many more traditions with this pagan holiday - or rather "holy day" of ancient Samhain - but NONE come from the Holy Bible.

Turn with me if you will to Leviticus 23 - for God Almighty (the very One we now know of as Jesus Christ) had Moses, under the inspiration of God's Spirit list His feasts -

"And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2) 'Speak to the children of Israel [or also the New Covenant Church of God], and say to them: 'The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, THESE ARE MY FEASTS.'" - Leviticus 23:1-2; NKJV throughout.

Friends, Halloween - also known as 'all hallows eve' or even All Saints' Day, IS NOT LISTED! It is not a commanded feast of the LORD - it is a tradition of paganized man. And there is no hint whatsoever of it in the Bible.

GOD WARNS:

"Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, 16) lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure: the likeness of male or female, 17) the likeness of any animal that is on the earth or the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18) the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground or the likeness of any fish that is in the water beneath the earth. 19) And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven [outer space], and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. 20) But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day. ... 23) Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image IN THE FORM OF ANYTHING which the LORD your God has forbidden you. 24) For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God" - Deuteronomy 4:15-24.

We must not, friends, worship Almighty God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ the way the pagans did - Leviticus 18:3; Deuteronomy 12:31; Jeremiah 10:2-3.

God's living WORD repeatedly warns against the practices of witchcraft (Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:10). The Apostle Paul lists sorcery as the 'works of the flesh' (Galatians 5:19-21). And, we are not allowed by our Creator to 'conjure spells,' or be involved whatsoever with 'mediums,' or 'spiritist's' - one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD' - Deuteronomy 18:11. ■


Additional items of possible interest:

Is Your Belief Biblical? online pdf booklet - ... and can you prove it!
The Feasts of the LORD sermonette - Minister Leonard V. Johnson - in Owensboro, Kentucky - covers some of the basics (the FOUNDATION) of the feasts of the LORD, and asks, Why do you keep the Feast of Tabernacles!?
What's In A Name!? - Jesus Christ plainly states to us in the Bible - multiple times - 'you shall know them by their fruit.'