Seed:
Exodus 34:12-16; 2 Kings 18:1-6; Mark 12:28-34; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Plant:
We are about to enter October, one of my favorite months of the year – and not just because it contains my birthday. It is the beginning of cooler weather, bonfires, and the beautiful autumn hues that grace the trees this time of year. At least trees in certain parts of the country. Here in the deep south, the trees stay green well into December when they simply turn brown then fall off their branches sometime in January.
In tribute to the season, many of us decorate our front porches with haybales, scarecrows, and mounds of mums echoing the colors of fall. Other homes incorporate into their landscape skeletons, jack-o-lanterns, and pretend graveyards ushering in another sign that October is here.
These signs of Halloween have been embraced by people of all different faiths, or even no faith at all. But for us who love God, it should not be so.
Most people say it’s OK to celebrate Halloween because they’re not worshiping the devil. They just like the decorations and candy and dressing up in costumes. There’s no harm in doing that as long as we aren’t doing it on honor of the darkness those things represent.
OK. That’s one argument. But what does God, the One we say we are worshiping, have to say about that?
First, we need to understand what Halloween is and how things like jack-o-lanterns, trick-or-treating, and dressing up in costumes came to be. I think we can all agree about the inherent evil in witches and ghosts, but what’s so bad about giving candy to a little girl who looks like a princess as she stands on our doorstep which is decorated with smiling pumpkins?
I’ll give you the short answer first. Then we’ll dive into the deep end of this pool. Anything that has to do with Satan should have no place in our lives. He is the master of tying evil up in pretty red bows and calling it good, and we fall for this trick more often than anyone would want to admit.
“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.“
– 2 Corinthians 11:14-15
Halloween began some 2000 years ago in parts of France, Ireland, and England. It was a druid celebration commemorating the change of seasons. It was believed that on the night of October 31st, the portal to the dead was opened, and lost souls were able to come back to earth. These lost souls were thought to wreak havoc – think destruction of crops and terrorizing humans. Druid priests would seek to communicate with these spirits in hopes of procuring a milder winter.
As the years went on and Halloween was spread across Europe and into America, other rituals were developed, and more pagan customs were incorporated. Costumes were worn so people could hide their identity from the wandering spirits, or to blend in as one of them in hopes of avoiding the torment they wrought. Pumpkins were carved with scary faces hoping to scare off the evil spirits all together.
The trick-or-treating so many kids look forward to isn’t bad because it threatens to overload our children with high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors, leaving in its wake weeks of crying over how much candy they can eat in a day until it is finally finished or thrown away – although that would be enough for me to shun the practice. It is a watered-down version of a long observed pagan ritual. Just in case the costumes and pumpkins didn’t do the trick (pun intended), people would often give offerings with the hopes that it would appease those pesky mayhem makers. You can imagine how some people took advantage of this practice by showing up at people’s homes dressed as an evil spirit demanding treats to avoid getting tricked.
Today, Halloween is the Satanic high holy day, when more sinister acts are carried out in the name of darkness than on any other night of the year. Animal and human (yes, human) sacrifices. Brutal acts of rape and sexual abuse against men, women, and children, many who were prepared by their own parents for such an egregious act. Worship of the Devil is at an all-time high. It glorifies all that is evil. So why do so many God-fearing Christians take part in this day?
We don’t celebrate those things.
We just do it for the fun stuff.
We don’t dress up in scary costumes.
Everyone else does it and has been doing it for years.
That’s what Halloween used to be, but it’s not that way anymore.
We’re redeeming this day for God and use it as an opportunity to minister to our neighbors who come to our door.
The reasons are almost endless. And some of them even sound reasonable. But is our fallible human reasoning reason enough to take part in something that clearly has dark and nefarious roots? Can we truly redeem and take part in a day that glorifies Satan and still glorify God?
God never instructed His people to take part in or try to redeem evil things. He told us to destroy them. In Deuteronomy 12, God instructs His people to refrain from pagan practices, that we are NOT to worship Him as they worship their Gods. (Deut. 12:2-4) Adopting pagan worship practices was the very thing that led Israel (and will lead us) into captivity over and over again.
Even when Israel turned back to the LORD, many of those times were noted with an “except.” They worshiped the LORD… except they continued to make offerings at the high places. They worshiped the LORD… except they did not tear down the Ashera poles. (See 1 Kings 3:3, 22:43; 2 Kings 12:3, 14:4, among others.)
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be remembered as someone who loved the LORD… except. I want to be someone who truly loves Him with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. No exceptions. I don’t want to leave pagan high places or Ashera poles in my life – whether demonic celebrations tied up in pretty red bows or any other thing that opposes His glory – just because they were “fun,” “cute,” or because “everyone else does it.”
I’m including some links here, some of which contain graphic content. So, proceed prayerfully. I highly recommend doing some research, both searching the scriptures, the history of Halloween, and your heart. Ask God what He really thinks about this day, and how you can really celebrate Him in a way that will honor Him. Believe me, God’s got some really great holy days that we get to take part in that are so much fun! Way more fun than a bag full of cavities and rotten pumpkins!
Harvest:
- In what ways have I accepted the influence of this world to distract from my worship of God?
- What things have I accepted as harmless fun that are really evil tied up in a pretty red bow?
- Where are there Ashera poles or high places that need to be torn down in my life?
Heavenly Father, may Your name be kept holy. Keep me from anything that detracts from Your glory. Let Your kingdom come, and your will be done in my life both in thought and deed. May all I do be proof that you are my LORD and King. Give me today, the strength I need to follow You with my whole heart, even when the world tries to tempt me to compromise in the name of harmless fun. Forgive me for any way that I have strayed from a pure devotion to You, and to show grace to others who have done the same, that I might be a light testifying of Your mercy and grace for all who call on Your name. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I might be able to discern the schemes of the enemy and not fall into the seemingly harmless temptations of this world. You truly are the King above all kings, the Light in this dark world, powerful, merciful, and good. Amen
https://lifehopeandtruth.com/life/plan-of-salvation/holy-days-vs-holidays/halloween
https://www.foxnews.com/faith-values/halloween-celebrate-christian-satanist-evangelist
https://wordmissionchurchinternational.org/should-christians-celebrate-halloween
A Scarlet Cord 