Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
It’s Halloween time with all its symbols from various sources, even some based in Christianized pagan rites. Much of the Christianized component originally was associated with the fear of death and its defeat by Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection (en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Halloween; Hebrews 2:14-15).
For example, the skulls so prevalent today originally represented the place of Jesus’ crucifixion (John 19:16-18). Also, dressing up as scary figures (guising) is based in poking fun at Satan because of his defeat by dressing up as once-feared creatures. Even the jack-o-lantern has its roots in Old English “Christian” folklore as one of the Jack tales [for example, “Jack and the Beanstalk;”. Jack outwitted the devil and struck a bargain the devil couldn’t claim his soul when he died (in the folktale, he actually caught the devil up a tree without a ladder by carving a cross in the tree trunk).
Later, when Jack was refused entry into heaven, the devil threw a live coal from hell at him to chase him away from hell. So he’s relegated to roaming the earth looking for a place to rest. He supposedly put the coal in a lantern as a light that never goes out because the hell’s fire is eternal (Matthew 3:12; 25:41; Mark 9:47-48). European jack-o-lanterns were carved-out turnips; pumpkins are distinctively American.
While Satan and his power of death were defeated by Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, a lot of folklore has developed that’s not supported by Scripture.
First, the Bible says nothing about souls roaming the earth between heaven and hell. Samuel was the only ghost mentioned in the Bible, and he basically chastised Saul and the Witch of Endor for interrupting his rest (1 Samuel 28:4-15). He was probably in Abraham’s bosom, the place of rest for the righteous, at least until Jesus came (Luke 16:19-31; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8). The only biblical account of the afterlife before the judgment is that of the rich man and Lazarus, neither of which could leave their assigned places because, upon death, eternal fates are sealed (2 Peter 2:4-10). Otherwise, Satan does the roaming looking for souls to devour (1 Peter 5:8; Job 1:6-7; 2:1-2)
Second (not that I’ve heard of any “Christian” principles based on this), the concept of a coal from hell casting any light is faulty. Although hell is an eternal fire, it’s also described as darkness, which likely sheds no light (Matthew 25:30; Jude 1:6-7, 12-13). Truth is, light comes from God, and heaven is the lighted place (Genesis 1:1-5; John 1:1-5; 8:12; 3:19-21; 1 John 1:5-7; Revelation 21:23-25).
One aspect about Halloween’s Christian origins is correct: Satan is defeated, and we need not fear him or anything in this world anymore if we are in Christ Jesus (John 3:16; 16:33; 1 John 4:16-18; Galatians 3:26-28; Romans 8:1-4, 28-39).
Are you in Christ? Christians must still watch out for the roaming devil who disguises himself and presents a false, “folkloric gospel” that’s really not good news (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15; James 4:7-10; Matthew 4:1-11).
Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan who writes about faith for the Quay County Sun. Contact him at [email protected]