All Saints’ Eve Vs Halloween

Joshua 6:1-7

Joshua 6:1–7 ESV

Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.” So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.”

Joshua 6:20

Joshua 6:20 ESV

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

Memory - It is important to remember. We will not remember if we do not keep talking about it.

Deuteronomy 6:7

Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV

You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

It is not about talking about those who have gone on before. It becomes a memorial to a person if it does not relate back to the God they served. It is never right to elevate the creation above the creator. Memorials are important. Memorials are to be conversation starters on another amazing way God has taken care of us. Memorials are to be open doors to share the gospel. If memorials do not open the door to talk about our God, then they become idol worship. This made seem harsh, but anything placed higher than our God is idol worship.

There has been ideas on how a Christian should handle Halloween. Some say there is nothing wrong with it. Some say we should have nothing to do with it. Everyone else is somewhere in the middle. To really decide where Christ would want us, we need to look at the history.

All Saints Day was created because Christians were being martyred faster than they could honor them. It was known All Saints’ Day, All Hallows’ Day, Feast of All Saints, Feast of All Hallows, Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas. People would gather on All Saints’ Eve or Hallow’d Eve for evening service and begin to honor all those who had died. This service was known to last for 2-3 days depending on how many Christians were martyred.

It was originally held ranging from May 13 to the Sunday after Pentecost. Around 731, Pope Gregory III made a dedication to the relics

“of the holy apostles and of all the saints, martyrs and confessors, of all the just made perfect who are at rest throughout the world”.

This was the first time all Christians were honored.

Hebrews 12:1

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Roughly around the same time, churches in the British Isles changed All Saints Day to November 1st in an attempt to replace the Celtic festival called Samhain (Saa`wn), the festival of the dead.

Hallow’d Eve or Halloween is actually a Christian holiday. The Roman Catholic church was the dominant faith at the time. It’s encouragement of praying to the saints and the concept of purgatory opened the door for aspects of Samhain (Saa`wn) to be merged with Hallow’d Eve, the honoring of those who have gone home.

The church has stayed quiet for way too long. It is time to go on the defensive. I believe God would say to us the same thing He told Joshua.

Joshua 6:2

Joshua 6:2 ESV

And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.

But substitute Holden for Jericho. Paul tells us in Ephesians about the great and powerful armor God has given us and how we are to use it.

Ephesians 6:12

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

There is a real hell, fire, and brimstone. More real and painful and miserable than you will find on Halloween as advertised as a thrill.

Revelation 21:8

Revelation 21:8 ESV

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

This is why we are here. To be a hospital for the hurting spiritually. To give a clear choice so hopefully, no one within our sphere of influence will experience this 2nd death. This is what should keep us up at night. This is what should keep us on our knees.

This is why we should cry out the same words as a young Billy Graham,

“Lord, do it again, but do it through me”

People do not come to a salvation knowledge of Jesus Christ out of fear primarily. Most people come to Jesus Christ because of His love, His Mercy, and His grace.

1 John 4:7-8

1 John 4:7–8 ESV

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Conclusion

A - Acknowledge

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

B - Believe

Acts 16:31 “And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.””

C - Confess

Romans 10:9-10 “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”