But She Did Not Remove All the High Places

1 Kings 22:41-44

Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

Samhain, All Hallow's Eve, Halloween; it is my high place. 

To understand the confliction you must first understand the seriousness of my conviction. And it starts with a question; are true professing believers in Christ to participate in this holiday at all? 

I do understand that this holiday is fun for the kiddies and that no one (at least in my circle) is talking about letting their kids dress up as Satan or hold spiritual séances. That to many, this is a harmless, silly time to dress up and pretend to be a bear, cowboy, princess, soldier, doctor or fairy, really…its all in good fun. But is it always?

The History of Halloween is much deeper than good fun. Its origins are from the Gaelic festival Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. Many of the practices withstood time. The Gaels believed October 31 to be the start of the darker half of the year (Winter). The festivities of Samhain had liminal meaning, it was thought that on this night the veil between the land of the living and the land of the dead was thin and therefore spirits and supernatural beings (e.g. fairies, trolls, wood elves) could more easily move between realms. The Gael's believed that their festivities needed to involve propitiation to ensure that their people and their livestock survived the harsh winter. Offerings of food and drink were left for them, sometimes place settings would be set for invoked dead ancestors, inviting them to revisit their homes. Guising, similar to dressing up for trick or treating was part of the festival. The costumes are thought to have been a way of imitating the spirits to avoid possession.                                
                                                     

The Gaels Were Necromancers

            

But are the ancient roots of this American holiday enough to keep Christians from it. Some say not. I think the first thing we need to do is access all the information, and be aware of all the threats. 

Matthew 12:43-45

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, 

swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. 

That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

How do I know this to be true? Because prior to being saved I was a Necromancer. I will tell you, more people believe in Necromancy then you'd realize, and sadly many who call themselves Christians. Think about it, how many times have you heard a loved one tell you that your Grandmother is looking down on you from Heaven? Or that your 'someone' has passed but is with you in spirit? My mother told me that when she dies she will still protect me, be my Guardian Angel.  And these are all lovely things to say to one hurting, mourning, and in pain but they give no real comfort because they are lies. 

"For the living know that they will die, But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. Also, their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun." Ecclesiastes 9:6 

But my children do not summon the dead. Nor do they put on costumes to ward off spirits. True, but they are becoming desensitized to the demonic activities. And it is my opinion that this is where most of the danger lies. Have you ever done an image search for   

"Halloween"? I did, to get these postcards that I'm using for this post...I encourage you to do the same. Because I think (at least for me) it was a bit of realization, so many un-Godly, anti-Christ images depicting a Holiday that I, daughter of the One True King celebrate. 

Anton Szandor LaVey, who established the Church of Satan wrote "after one's own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht (May Day) and Samhain (Halloween). 

The Devil's Holiday

2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Please Oh God, help me to have the courage to tare down what is my high place.