Dear Friends,
What’s the connection between a witch, a snowman and a rabbit?
Answer: sadly, these have all become the identifying icons of Hallowe’en, Christmas and Easter.
“Hallowe’en is the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows’ Day on 1st November and All Souls’ Day on 2nd November. It originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. On the night of October 31st, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.”
The New Testament doesn’t go in for a lot of special days, but even should believers celebrate ‘something’ at Hallowe’en – surely it should be ‘All Hallows Day’ or ‘All Souls Day’ and NOT Samhain. The idea of ghosts or spirits being called to return to earth is something Israel was specifically warned against in Old Testament times and King Saul was specifically condemned for.
Repeatedly in the New Testament we are warned to be on our guard against our enemy the Devil, who seeks to deceive and attack all believers. We need to be conscious that the dark spiritual powers of Satan are subtle, deceptive and destructive. Messing about with ideas of ghosts, witches, celebrating the dead returning and so on is something Christ’s followers should be very wary of and not something to feed our children. “But it’s only a party, a bit of fun!”
Is it really? How glorifying is it to the Lord Jesus? Why not get creative, go against the flow, have an alternative Halloween, celebrate light instead of darkness – it may even lead someone to ask why and then you could give them the reason for the hope you have in the Lord of Light.
Yours in His name,
Bobby Liddle
