The Historical Origins of Halloween
The historical origins of Halloween are Celtic in tradition and have to do with observing the end of summer sacrifices to gods in the Druidic faith. It was believed that Samhain, the lord of death, sent evil spirits abroad to attack humans, who could escape only by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves. The waning of the sun and the approach of dark winter made the evil spirits rejoice and play nasty tricks.
In ancient Celtic stories, Samhain was a magical time of transition when important battles were fought and fairies cast spells. It was a time when the barriers between the natural world and the supernatural were broken. The Celts believed that the dead could walk among the living at this time. Most of our Halloween practices can be traced back to these old pagan rites and superstitions.
Many of the customs of the pagan Celts survived even after the people became “Christianized.” In the 800s A.D., the Catholic church established All Saints’ Day on November 1. About two hundred years later, it added All Souls’ Day on November 2. This day was set aside for people to pray for friends and family who had died. People made many of the old satanic pagan customs part of their holy days and beliefs.
In the United States, many early American settlers came from England, Ireland and Scotland and they brought various pagan beliefs about ghosts and witches with them. German immigrants brought a vivid witchcraft lore and Africans brought their native voodoo beliefs. All these have provided the historical background of Halloween.
What Does the Bible Teach About Death?
The traditions of Halloween have no Biblical support for the scriptures clearly teach that after death a person: returns to dust (Psalms 104:29), knows nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5), possesses no mental powers (Psalms 146:4), has nothing to do with anything on earth (Ecclesiastes 9:6), does not live (2 Kings 20:1), waits in the grave (Job 17:13), and continues not (Job 14:1, 2) till the resurrection (Thessalonians 4:16, 17).
“The dead know not any thing… Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10). Hence, the dead are sleeping awaiting to be raised at the Resurrection at the end of the world (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).
Today, the modern day version of Halloween is celebrated while many do not realize that engaging in this occult holiday is contrary to the clear teachings of scripture. For more on the state of the dead, check the following link: The Intermediate State
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
