Introduction
Halloween is a popular and growing celebration in our world today. A time where houses are decorated with spooky images, playing of pranks, dressing in costumes, children going door-to-door in their customs shouting “trick or treat” and asking for candy treats. What is the origin of Halloween? And should a true Bible believer participate in it?

Contents
1. What is the Historical background of Halloween?
2. How did Halloween get its name and its Church connection?
3. What are some of the Halloween’s traditions and practices?
4. What does the Scripture say about some of the Halloween practices?
5. What does the word of God say generally about pagan practices?
6. How is a believer supposed to worship God?
7. Will the Messiah and his apostles celebrate Halloween?
8. What does the word of God command regarding any pagan practices?
9. Why must a true believer separate Himself from Halloween?
10. What excuse do you have for taking part in Pagan traditions?
11. Conclusions

Study Questions
1. What is the Historical background of Halloween?
Halloween has been in practice for more than 2000 years before Christianity and its origin can be traced back to the festival of the ancient Celts. The Celts had a celebration that covers a geographical area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. It was the celebration of Samhain (pronounced sah -win). Samhain was the Celts’ “god of the dead.” This festival was usually held around November 1st to celebrate the beginning of winter, which also mark the beginning of the Celts New year. On the night before their new year, that is October 31st, Samhain would be celebrated. Celts believed that on this night the veil or boundary between life and death is thinner and is a good time with higher chances of getting in contact with the dead to get knowledge and power. The celebration involved meditation, sacrifices, fortune telling, divination, various forms of witchcraft, the lighting of bonfires and wearing of costumes to ward off ghosts. Samhain is a witch’s number one holiday, both then and now.

2. How did Halloween get its name and its Church connection?
The following historical events explain how Halloween got its name and its Church connection.
a) 43 A.D,
By 43 A.D, the Roman Empire had already conquered the major Celtic territory, and with time two of the Roman festivals (Feralia and Pomona) had been combined with the Celtic celebration of Samhain. Feralia is the Roman God of the dead and Pomona is the goddess of fruit trees and fertility.
b) 609 A.D,
On May 13, 609 AD, Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon (a temple dedicated to all gods) in Rome to all Christian martyrs, which lead to the establishment and celebration of “All Martyrs Day” on this date through the Western church.
c) 835 A.D,
In 835 AD, Pope Gregory IV expanded the festival of “All Martyrs Day” to include all saints and then moved the observance from May 13th to November 1st to coincide with the Celts new year on November 1st on which they also celebrate Samhain the “god of the dead”. With this change, “All Martyrs Day” became “All Saints Day”. Later “All Saints Day” was called “All Hallows Day” (hallow means to honor as holy or to make holy). Thus, the day before “All Hallows Day” was called “All Hallows Eve” or “All Hallows Evening” from which the name Halloween was coined.

d) 1000 A.D,
In 1000 AD, the church made November 2nd “All Souls’ Day, a day on which Roman Catholics honor and pray for the dead so that they can escape the purgatory. All souls Day was celebrated in a similar way to the Samhain, with bonfires, dressing up in costumes as saints and devils, and parade.

3. What are some of the Halloween traditions and practices?
The following are some of Halloween traditions and practices.
a) Trick or Treat:
On the Samhain celebration night, it was believed that the veil between the world of the living and the dead was so thin that ghosts from the spirit world could come to people home to hunt them. So, to avoid this, food and drinks are usually left on the grave of the dead on this night. Hoping the spirits would eat the food and not come to their home. Also, on this night, villagers will wear masks and costumes to represent the souls of the dead and parade the town in a ritual to lead the ghosts away. The wearing of the masks is to hide their identity so that the ghost(s) they are leading will not recognize them.
So, the wearing of masks and/or costumes on Halloween day and parading the street shouting “Trick or treat” is more of a re-enactment of this ancient ritual of appeasing to the dead for no harm. This means if you don’t want the spirit of the dead to haunt you, you must give it candy (treat). If they received none, they performed mischief on you (trick)

b) Jack-o-lantern
To the Celts, Jack-o-lanterns represent the damned souls who are condemned to walk the earth. It is popularly believed that the lantern contained the disembodied spirit of “Jack” who tricked the devil and was considered to be more wicked than the Devil. Hence, he unable to enter hell or heaven and his spirit now wandered the earth. A carved hollowed pumpkin with a face and candlelight placed inside is the popular representation of Jack-o-lantern, but what was used originally was a hollowed turnip. Jack-o-lantern is a symbol of condemned spirits and death, yet people put it in front of their houses on Halloween day.
c) Bonfires
Bonfire is a term that came from the word bone-fire. It involves the burning of animals, which sometimes involve the burning of human beings in a wicker cage. The bonfires were an important aspect of the Samhain celebration because they believe it wards off evil spirits. At the end of the burning, in the morning, the only things that can be seen are the bones and ashes, hence bone-fire. To the Celts, the bonfire represents their Sun god. The sacrifice is just to tell the sun to come back after winter and for a better yield of crops in the new year.

d) Black cats
Cats irrespective of their colour are God’s creation and in themselves are not evil. But when we consider black cats, historical, they are usually used as symbols of evil. Some cultures even believe that black cats are witches familiars and that witches do transform into them. For the Celtic people, they believed black cats are humans transformed into an animal by evil powers. The black cat is one of the animals they sacrifice in fire.

e) Witches
One of the symbols of Halloween is that of a witch, usually depicted as wearing a black gown and hat. They are also depicted as evil and ugly, flying on their broomstick, stirring their cauldron, or waving their magic wand. During the Halloween celebration, some like to dress up like a witch holding a broom or a magic wand. Not many see witches as evil and ugly, some see them as a healer or medium to know the future and sometimes painted to be beautiful and good.

f) Bobbing for Apples
Bobbing for apples is another common practice during Halloween. The practice involves trying to bite an apple floating in the water or hanging from a string. It is a form of divination used in predicting the future by the Celts, where unmarried young people try to bite into a floating apple in a tub or large bowl. The first person to bite into the apple is predicted to get married than the others. Today, many have turned the practice into a harmless game. It should be noted that apples are used because it represents Pomona, Roman’s goddess of fruit trees and fertility.

g) Celebration of fear and horror
Other practices associated with Halloween today include the celebration of fear, horror, and darkness. It is during this period that many movie theatres and television stations hire horror and scary movies. It is during this time that many carry out pranks to scare one another. This day also involves people visiting haunted attractions and telling scary stories.

4) What does the Scripture say about some of the Halloween practices?
a) Witchcraft
Deuteronomy 18:10, There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
1 Samuel 15:23, For rebellion, is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.”
b) Divination
Leviticus 19:26, ‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying.
Acts 16:16, Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
c) Human sacrifice
Deuteronomy 18:10, There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,
2 Kings 16:3, But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed, he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel.
2 Kings 21:6, Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
2 Kings 17:17, And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
Ezekiel 23:37, For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols and even sacrificed their sons whom they bore to Me, passing them through the fire, to devour them.
d) Invoking the spirit of the death, 1 Samuel 28 (Saul consulted a medium, the result was horrible)
e) It celebrates fear
The day is associated with horror, fear, and darkness. The Creator of all things is love and light. There is no fear or darkness in Him at all.
I John 1:5, “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declares to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”
f) It does not honor God, but Samhain, Pomona, Feralia
Exodus 20: 1-3, And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

5) What does the word of God say generally about pagan practices?
Read: Deuteronomy 12:29-32, Deuteronomy 18:9-14, Jeremiah 10:2-3
Comment: They are an abomination to the Lord and believers are not to learn their ways and practices. Their customs are worthless.
Scriptural references
Deuteronomy 12:29-32, “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

Deuteronomy 18: 9-14, “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.

Jeremiah 10:2-3, Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;

6) How is a believer supposed to worship God?
Read: Deuteronomy 12:29-32
Comment: We are to worship God exactly the way he has commanded, not adding or subtracting from it and not the way pagans worship their god. Worshipping God, the way He commanded is the best way to honour and reverence Him.
Scriptural references
Deuteronomy 12:29-32, 29, “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

7) Will the Messiah and his apostles celebrate Halloween?
Read: Ephesian 5:1,8; 1 Corinthians 11:1, 3 John 11
Comments: Halloween was never part of the Messiah’s institution and neither did the apostles celebrated it. The early church never wears masks and put on costumes in honour of the dead. Will the apostles involve in practices involving witchcraft, divination, and if they did not celebrate Halloween, why should we? We are supposed to follow their examples and walk as children of light.
Scriptural references
Ephesian 5:1, Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
1 Corinthians 11:1, Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
3 John 11, Do not imitate what is evil but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.
Ephesians 5:8-13, For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

8) What does the word of God command regarding any pagan practices?

a) Come out of them, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”
b) Be separate, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
c) Do not touch the unclean thing, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
d) Do not be unequally yoked, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
e) Do not participate in it, Ephesians 5:5-7, For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.
f) Do not learn the practice or teach your little ones, Jeremiah 10:2, Thus says the Lord: “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
Matthew 18:6, “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
g) Expose it, Ephesians 5:11, And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

9) Why must a true believer separate Himself from Halloween?
a) You cannot serve two masters
1 Corinthians 10:19-22, What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? It is not possible to want to please God and the devil at the same time, Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13

b) Taking part in pagan practices make you God’s enemy and hinders answer to prayers
James 4:3-5, You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

c) You defile yourself when you partake in evil practices
2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 18 “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.”

d) All idolaters will enter God’s Kingdom
Ephesians 5:5-7, For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

e) It ensnares
Deuteronomy 12:29-32, “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.

f) It brings God’s anger and swift judgment
2 Kings 21:6, Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
2 Kings 17:17, And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
Ephesians 5:5-7, For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.

10) What excuse do you have for taking part in Pagan traditions?
Many people have different reasons for taking part in Halloween and acting out those things God said are abominations to Him. Some believe it is a fun celebration with opportunities to have as many candies as possible. Some think it is a way of sending evil away. Some think it’s an old tradition that many are practicing without any pagan connections. Some believe it is a day to make their children happy and keep them engaged. Whatever excuse or reason you have for celebrating Halloween it is important to consider the following God’s word.

Leviticus 5:17, “If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.”
I Corinthians 15:33, “Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”
Proverbs 6:27, Can a man take fire to his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
1 Thessalonians 5:22 KJV, “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
1 Thessalonians 5:22 AMP, “Abstain from every form of evil [withdraw and keep away from it].”

Conclusions
The history of Halloween can be traced to the celebration of the feast of Samhain by the Celts, and the celebration of Pomona, and Feralia by the Romans. It was a pagan celebration that was Christianized by the Roman Catholic Church. All the practices in Halloween are taken from pagan traditions that are condemned by God. Taking part in Halloween is a re-enactment of these pagan practices and It is one of Devil’s deception to make you sin against your make through the practice of witchcraft, divination, deception, and magic. Those who celebrate Halloween are not giving glory to God, but to the devil. Halloween is not the propagation of the good news, but fear, darkness, pagan practices and tradition of men. The Holy scriptures commanded you to be separate and not be unequally yoked together with devilish practices. Practicing or acting out the practices God said are abominations bring serious consequences, even if you do not know it or do it in ignorance. Leviticus 5:17, “If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity.” You are commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” “Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil,” Proverbs‬ 3:7‬.‬