Please click here to donate.
Due to its obvious pagan origins, the answer to the question as to whether followers of Messiah should celebrate Halloween is a resounding no. When we are in the body of Messiah we are to become like him, not like the world. Halloween, no matter how commercialized, has almost completely pagan origins. Halloween is clearly a satanic holiday, so when we keep Halloween, we are serving the devil. No man can serve two masters.
Scripture clearly tells us the things Yehovah wants us to keep and practice. Halloween is clearly not one of them.
Scripture does not speak at all about Halloween, but it does give us some principles on which we can make a decision. In Old Testament Israel, witchcraft was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27). The New Testament teaching about the occult is clear. Acts 8:9-24, the story of Simon, shows that occultism and scripture do not mix. The account of Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13:6-11 reveals that sorcery is violently opposed to scripture. Paul called Elymas a child of the devil, an enemy of righteousness and a perverter of the ways of God. In Acts 16, at Philippi, a fortune-telling girl lost her demon powers when the evil spirit was cast out by Paul. The interesting matter here is that Paul refused to allow even good statements to come from a demon-influenced person. Acts 19 shows new converts who have abruptly broken with their former occultism by confessing, showing their evil deeds, bringing their magic paraphernalia, and burning it before everyone (Acts 19:19).
Yehovah explicitly forbids pagan practices and occult involvement
In Deuteronomy 18:9-14 TS2009, God speaks very clearly about practices associated with the supernatural realm: When you come into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, do not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations. Let no one be found among you who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practises divination, or a user of magic, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these is an abomination to יהוה, and because of these abominations יהוה your Elohim drives them out from before you. Be perfect before יהוה your Elohim, for these nations whom you are possessing do listen to those using magic and to diviners. But as for you, יהוה (Yehovah) your Elohim has not appointed such for you.
This isn’t just an Old Testament concept. The Apostle Paul reinforces this teaching in Ephesians 5:11-13 TS2009, telling believers to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.“
And have no fellowship with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather convict them. For it is a shame even to speak of what is done by them in secret. But all matters being convictedd are manifested by the light, for whatever is manifested is light.
What fellowship has light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 TS2009 Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness? And what agreement has Messiah with Beliya‛al? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever? And what union has the Dwelling Place of Elohim with idols? For you are a Dwelling Place of the living Elohim, as Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among them, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you. And I shall be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה the Almighty.”
Revelation 3:15,16 TS2009 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.
James 2:19-24 TS2009 You believe that Elohim is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder! But do you wish to know, O foolish man, that the belief without the works is dead? Was not Aḇraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitsḥaq his son on the slaughter-place? Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected? And the Scripture was filled which says, “Aḇraham believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And He called him, “he who loves Elohim.” You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone.
Titus 1:16 TS2009 They profess to know Elohim, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
Due to its obvious pagan origins, the answer to the question as to whether followers of Messiah should celebrate Halloween is a resounding no. When we are in the body of Messiah we are to become like him, not like the world. Halloween, no matter how commercialized, has almost completely pagan origins. Halloween is clearly a satanic holiday, so when we keep Halloween, we are serving the devil. No man can serve two masters.
Scripture clearly tells us the things Yehovah wants us to keep and practice. Halloween is clearly not one of them.
Scripture does not speak at all about Halloween, but it does give us some principles on which we can make a decision. In Old Testament Israel, witchcraft was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27). The New Testament teaching about the occult is clear. Acts 8:9-24, the story of Simon, shows that occultism and scripture do not mix. The account of Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13:6-11 reveals that sorcery is violently opposed to scripture. Paul called Elymas a child of the devil, an enemy of righteousness and a perverter of the ways of God. In Acts 16, at Philippi, a fortune-telling girl lost her demon powers when the evil spirit was cast out by Paul. The interesting matter here is that Paul refused to allow even good statements to come from a demon-influenced person. Acts 19 shows new converts who have abruptly broken with their former occultism by confessing, showing their evil deeds, bringing their magic paraphernalia, and burning it before everyone (Acts 19:19).
Yehovah explicitly forbids pagan practices and occult involvement
In Deuteronomy 18:9-14 TS2009, God speaks very clearly about practices associated with the supernatural realm: When you come into the land which יהוה your Elohim is giving you, do not learn to do according to the abominations of those nations. Let no one be found among you who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practises divination, or a user of magic, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For whoever does these is an abomination to יהוה, and because of these abominations יהוה your Elohim drives them out from before you. Be perfect before יהוה your Elohim, for these nations whom you are possessing do listen to those using magic and to diviners. But as for you, יהוה (Yehovah) your Elohim has not appointed such for you.
This isn’t just an Old Testament concept. The Apostle Paul reinforces this teaching in Ephesians 5:11-13 TS2009, telling believers to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.“
And have no fellowship with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather convict them. For it is a shame even to speak of what is done by them in secret. But all matters being convictedd are manifested by the light, for whatever is manifested is light.
What fellowship has light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 TS2009 Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness and lawlessness? And what fellowship has light with darkness? And what agreement has Messiah with Beliya‛al? Or what part does a believer have with an unbeliever? And what union has the Dwelling Place of Elohim with idols? For you are a Dwelling Place of the living Elohim, as Elohim has said, “I shall dwell in them and walk among them, and I shall be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. Therefore, “Come out from among them and be separate, says יהוה, and do not touch what is unclean, and I shall receive you. And I shall be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says יהוה the Almighty.”
Revelation 3:15,16 TS2009 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I would that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth.
James 2:19-24 TS2009 You believe that Elohim is one. You do well. The demons also believe – and shudder! But do you wish to know, O foolish man, that the belief without the works is dead? Was not Aḇraham our father declared right by works when he offered Yitsḥaq his son on the slaughter-place? Do you see that the belief was working with his works, and by the works the belief was perfected? And the Scripture was filled which says, “Aḇraham believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.” And He called him, “he who loves Elohim.” You see, then, that a man is declared right by works, and not by belief alone.
Titus 1:16 TS2009 They profess to know Elohim, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unfit for any good work.