What About Halloween?

What About Halloween? 

A Biblical Perspective 

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI 

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 1, 2024  

In the United States and other countries, Halloween has become one of the most popular unofficial “holidays”.[1] On the upside, retail sales boost the economy measuring in the multiple billions of dollars spent in the USA each year. 

On the down side, the “holiday” has become a time of increased crime (especially arson and other acts of violence) on Halloween night as well as the night before.  Even the author’s house was robbed one Halloween by forced entry. So although the retail industry loves Halloween, police and insurance companies dread it! Of course, there is also a tremendous amount of occult activity associated with this “holiday”. 

Kids and even many adults love getting dressed-up for Halloween.  And they love the candy, of course. It’s just innocent fun, isn’t it?  Let’s think carefully and biblically about that. 

When did this holiday begin and why?  Was it of pagan origins or is there something more behind it? How should Christians view this day in general? 

To understand these questions further, we need to go back to the roots of Halloween.      

When Did Modern-Day Halloween Get Started? 

In the early 1900s, the migrating Irish and Scots brought Halloween traditions to the United States. Over time, Halloween catapulted into mainstream culture.  

The “holiday”, though, has roots reaching much earlier. Some researchers claim that the “holiday” can be traced back about 2,000 years to the Celts of Europe, who occupied what is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France (and the few other places).[2] It was a pagan festival called “Samhain” (pronounced “sow-in”) and was celebrated more or less in honor of the dead, and involved the offering of large sacrifices of crops and animals.[3]  

Although no original written accounts of this festival exist today from the ancient Celts, there is some reference to it in Roman records, when the Romans conquered Celtic lands around AD 43. With Roman rule, the day of Samhain was influenced by Roman festivals of the time. The first was called “Pomona” which was a type of harvest festival, and the next was “Feralia,” the Roman day of the dead. Interestingly, both Feralia and Samhain were festivals of the dead and celebrated at the end of October.[4] 

The Name “Halloween” 

Around AD 800, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1^st as All Saints’ Day in an effort to give a Christian alternative to this pagan holiday.[5] Christians who did not want to celebrate pagan festivals celebrated something of positive spiritual value – in this case honoring the saints and martyrs. With the overwhelming expansion of Christianity in Europe, All Saint’s Day became the dominant holiday.[6]  

In fact, the current name of “Halloween” originates from the day before All Saint’s Day, which was “All Hallow Evening” shortened to “All Hallow’s Eve” or “All Hallow’s Even.”  The name varied over time further and became “hallowe’en”. 

A couple of hundred years later, the Roman Catholic Church made November 2^nd All Souls Day to honor the dead. This may well have been influenced by the continued persistence of the day of the dead by the ancient Irish, Scots, and others in Europe. Today, many Christians celebrate October 31^st as Reformation Day in honor of reformers such as Martin Luther, who spearheaded the Reformation in the early 1500s.  

Because All Saints Day was such a huge event, placing the 95 Theses to the door of the church at Wittenburg on All Hallow’s Evening meant that more people would have the opportunity to read it. The door of the church was like the public bulletin board. So there is a direct connection to the All Hallow’s Eve and Reformation Day. 

Other Cultures Have A “Day Of The Dead” 

Although many claim Samhain as the origin of modern-day Halloween, it is significant to note how many cultures throughout the world have celebrated a “day of the dead” (often with sacrifices), occurring at the end of summer and fall. It seems too much of a coincidence. 

For example, in the Americas there is the Mexican Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos) that goes back to the ancient festival of the dead celebrated by Aztecs and the more-ancient Olmec. This was likely where the Guatemalans get their Day of the Dead.  Brazilians also celebrate Finados (Day of the Dead). Bolivia has the Day of the Skulls (Dia de los natitas). In Asia, there are similar festivals.7

The annual Jewish holiday of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is celebrated in the fall, usually September/October.8 But it is distinctly different in purpose.  It is not in honor of the dead.  Rather it deals with soul searching, repentance, and is a time of great sacrifice for the sins of the people (Leviticus 23:27). The Day of Atonement was also celebrated in the fall, usually September/October.  Though the origin of this date, specifically for the Israelites, can be traced to Moses, the day may well have been chosen by God going back to previous events, as famous Bible chronicler Archbishop Ussher pointed out.9 

What Is The Original Source For Halloween?  

It seems no coincidence that cultures all around the world in both present and ancient times have had a holiday when the dead were remembered and animals were sacrificed. If cultures around the world have had this, it is one additional argument for there being a time when all the peoples of the world lived together. 

Otherwise, it seems strange and difficult to explain how these cultures developed celebrations that are so similar.  This pushes the true origin of “Halloween” to the time before the dispersion at Babel, Genesis 11, over 4,200 years ago, after which, early cultures were beginning to have variations of this day set in.   

According to Archbishop Ussher, the timeframe between these events was about 106 years, with the Flood ending in 2348 BC and the dispersion occurring about 2242 BC.10 In this timeframe, Noah would have still been alive, and Noah’s sons, too. We are not given much information in Genesis about the wives of Noah and his three sons. But Noah’s son’s wives were busy having children after the Flood, producing a total of 16 grandsons for Noah. 

There have been several claims for so many cultures having a day of the dead.  Consider these: 

1. Were they days celebrated in honor of an ancestor or group of ancestors after they died?  Perhaps the day was to celebrate at the time when a great patriarch or matriarch of a given family that left Babel finally died. The death of a great ancestor would happen to each culture sooner or later. But the odds of most of them dying in the late summer/fall is very low so it would be more difficult to explain the holidays all being at about that time. 
2. Was it a harvest festival of grains and animals, which were prepared for winter, thereby signifying death? Then later this festival was transformed spiritually to honor the dead? This might explain the sacrifice of animals and why the holidays occur in the fall. But it fails to address why each culture deviated toward a spiritual day of the dead. Also, this doesn’t make sense for cultures that are in the southern hemisphere, where September/October is spring, not harvest time. 
3. Did Noah’s wife die soon after the Flood and this day honored her? By the time Ham had fathered Canaan and Ham sinned against Noah (which was before the dispersion at Babel), Noah’s wife is not mentioned, and Japheth and Shem were left with the task of covering their father’s nakedness after he got drunk and lay uncovered in his tent (Genesis 9:20-27). One would suspect that Noah’s wife should have had this responsibility, but she is nowhere mentioned.  Had Noah’s wife died fairly early, prior to Babel, this well-known matriarch’s death would have been remembered by each culture after the dispersion at Babel. But there is no mention or reference to a great woman, which would be expected if this were the case.11 
4. Did Satan, the one who comes to kill and steal and destroy (John 10:10), move throughout all the pagan cultures after the dispersion to develop these days of the dead? Though this is possible, it seems Satan would almost have to have an omnipresence and omnipotence about him do such a thing. And although Satan would like us to think he has these attributes of God, he doesn’t.   
5. Was it a day to remember those who died in the Flood and a continuation of the sacrifices that Noah made after coming off the Ark? Because the celebrations call to remembrance the dead and have sacrifices, then it is reminiscent of the large sacrifice that Noah and his family did after the Flood. This would also explain why many other cultures have a variant of this regular sacrifice. When Noah and his family exited the Ark, they offered sacrifices to God (Genesis 8:18 – Genesis 9:1); of course, deviations in this sacrifice over the year and its meaning would have varied down the ages. This author seems to lean more toward this explanation than the others. 

Other Christians have recognized this connection.  For example, Alfred Rehwinkel, a Professor of Theology at Concordia Seminary, put together the idea that nations throughout the world had a similar day of the dead, and directly related this to the Flood of Noah’s day.12 This was realized as far back as 1951 when Rehwinkel published his book called “The Flood.” Also, scholar John Urquhart pointed this out as far back as 1931.[8]  

The many varied accounts and sad celebrations of the day of the dead worldwide confirm that its origin was a time when people groups were still gathered together or had closer ties. Is it possible that the event of Noah’s sacrifice is where the day of the dead really originates?  

It was a time when there was a sacrifice to cover sins and a reminder why death reigns in this sin-cursed world. It was a spiritual time, a time when people remembered the sudden disaster, a global Flood, which took virtually the entire population because of sin. Consider Noah for a moment: he even lost brothers and sisters in the Flood; the grief would have been overwhelming (Genesis 5:30).  

Halloween’s roots could easily extend this far, but I concede that there should be no dogmatism about it.  

Why Sacrifices? 

Proper sacrifices in the Bible were associated with sin and death. This goes back to the first sacrifice in Genesis 3:21, when the first two humans (Adam and Eve) sinned against God. The Bible says that the punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23, Hebrews 9:22).  Due to their sin, Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness. So, God made coats of animal skins to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:21).  God sacrificed animals to cover this sin. So, we have illustrated the principle that an innocent substitute must die to provide forgiveness. 

In a fashion similar to God, Abel offered sacrifices from his flocks (Genesis 4:4) and Noah did the same after the Flood. Later, the Israelites did this as well, giving sin offerings of lambs, doves, etc. The blood of animals, however, was not enough to remove sin; they were only enough to cover it (Hebrews 10:4), as finite animals could never really take the infinite punishment from an infinite God.  These instances of sacrificing animals were foreshadowing Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who as the perfect infinite sacrifice on the Cross fully paid for our sins, so that everyone who trusts in Him will be saved and given eternal life. 

With most of the celebrations of “the days of the dead,” sacrifices were involved. This suggests that cultures around the world understood this concept of sacrificing to God to cover sins. A Christian should expect this since all people groups have descended from those at Babel.  

So logically, when people migrated to different parts of the world after God confused their language, they took the concept of sacrifice with them. Of course, their methods and meaning of sacrifice changed and varied over the years, so the true intent was lost.   

Understanding the true meaning of sacrifices in the Bible can be used as a tool for Christians to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Death and suffering are a result of sin, and sacrifices were continual reminder that sin is punishable by death. This is the foundation for the Gospel and why Jesus stepped into history.  

The true meaning of what sacrifices meant and culminating with Jesus being the final sacrifice and now such sacrifices of animals are no longer required.  The bad news of sin and death, which sacrifice is a continual reminder going back to Adam, has been conquered by the Son of God and the free gift of salvation is now offered.  

If the days of the dead really have their roots in Noah’s sacrifices (and even back to the first sacrifice), then consider this: the Lord has even given the command to Christians to celebrate in remembrance this final sacrifice – it is called the Lord’s Supper.  Paul says: 

And when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." (1 Corinthians 11:24-25; NKJV) 

The Evils Of Modern-Day Halloween And What A Christian Can Do? 

It should be obvious from a Christian perspective that modern practices of Halloween and days of the dead have evil intent. There has been considerable paganism associated with Halloween over the years. Even evil acts such as vandalism, fires, pranks, pretending people are something they are not by dressing up, and so on are painfully in opposition to the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:19-23).  So, a word of caution must be made to evangelicals who promote the modern practices of Halloween.  

If anything, an alternative that would oppose Halloween should be offered by Christians.  Psalms 24:1 points out that everything belongs to the Lord. Therefore, there is no reason to let Satan have Halloween. It is not his day in the first place. When Satan tried tempting Jesus, he offered Jesus something that was not his to offer (Matthew 4:8 – all the kingdoms of the world).  

Jesus obviously didn’t go for it; because it wasn’t Satan’s to give anyway, nor did Satan exercise any authority over Him. Many today believe that Halloween is Satan’s day, and recommend staying away from it. But recognizing such a thing would be to disregard that Satan owns nothing and that all days belong to God. Christians can take this day and make better use of it, such as Reformation Day, Harvest festival, an extra day of communion to remember Christ’s sacrifice, and so on (Colossians 2:15).     

So where do you go from here? Please encourage your pastors and elders to have some sort of church function to counter modern practices of Halloween. Of course, the only “good” thing that Halloween really has to offer should also be involved –tasty, but often unhealthy, candy! You may also visit the AiG website, www.answersingenesis.org or www.biblicalauthorityministries.org to learn more, as well as searching the Scriptures find answers.  

In today’s age, where Halloween has a foothold, people will likely come by “trick or treating.”  If a Christian alternative is not possible in your location, then take advantage of this opportunity to share with people the message of the gospel (tracts available) and how Jesus Christ has conquered death, and the forgiveness that can only be found in God. In the same way, God offered His own Son to save sinners from the punishment we all deserve by being that ultimate sacrifice on a cross.    

Death is a terrible reality for all of us and not something to celebrate or treat as fun.  Death is the punishment for sin.  Since all of us are sinners (Romans 3:23), we must realize that death is coming. But God is a God of grace and mercy, and in His love He has offered a means of salvation through His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died the ultimate death, in our place, so that all who believe can receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life. 

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23; NKJV).

Originally published: https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/halloween-history-and-the-bible/ 

Republished by Permission 

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[1] I am hesitant to call this a holiday, since a holiday is a “Holy Day” and there is little, if anything, holy in today’s Halloween. But for the sake of this article, I will call it a holiday.

[2] The Celts were descendants of Gomer and were often equated with ancient Gauls or Galatians. For more on this, see the book Tower of Babel: The Cultural History of Our Ancestors, Bodie Hodge (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2012).

[3] Ancient Origins of Halloween, History.com (A&E Television Networks, 1996–2008).

[4] Christine Nyholm, “Halloween Based on Ancient Beliefs,” September 10, 2007, http://ancienthistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/ancient_beliefs_and_halloween, accessed 13 June 2008.  See also Reference 3.

[5] "Halloween." Encyclopædia Britannica (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2008).

[6] The modern definition and use of the term “saint” in the Roman Catholic Church was not instigated until 1588 by Pope Sixtus V. At this point, Catholics began their stage of proclaiming saints in a three-step procedure: Venerable, Blessed, and then a “Saint”. There is no reason to assume that before this, saints were different than the view of saints that Protestants held to. Even Luther used the term saints correctly in his 95 Theses and had no complaint toward it use. It wasn’t until after Luther that the word was redefined and its use was corrupted.

7 “Day of the Dead." Encyclopædia Britannica (Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2008) and “Day of the Dead,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead, accessed 7 April 2008; For example in Asia, the Ghost Festival celebrated by the Chinese, which was a day to pay homage to dead ancestors. The Japanese celebrated something similar called O-bon or merely Bon. Even Vietnam has a variant of the Ghost Festival called Tet Trung Nguyen. In Korea, there is Chuseok or Hankawi where deceased ancestors are ritualized. In Nepal, there is the cow pilgrimage called Gia Jatra to honor the recently deceased. In the Philippines, there is the Day of the Dead (Araw ng mga Patay), where tombs are cleaned and repainted.  The list can go on and on. 

8 The date is the 10^th day of the month of Tishri on the Jewish calendar.  When translated to the current Gregorian calendar that we use today, it falls in September or October.  The Jewish calendar has a 360-day year, with a leap month every few years to get it back to about 365 days per year.  So the date moves a round on the Gregorian calendar. 

9 James Ussher, The Annals of the World, translated by Larry and Marion Pierce (Master Books, Green Forest, AR: 2003), p. 22.

10 Ibid.; with caveats, the Tower of Babel date is estimated based on historical, no biblical data.

11 I doubt that Noah’s death was the reason for the days of the dead since Noah lived for about 250 after the event at Babel, if Ussher’s calculations are essentially accurate.  Though it is possible that news would have spread through the world about Noah’s death, it seems less likely so many years after Babel.

12 Rehwinkel, A., The Flood: In the light of the Bible, geology and archaeology, 17^th Printing, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO, 1951 pp. 169-171.

[8] Urquhart, J., in Bible League Quarterly. October-December, 1931, pp. 181-183.