The purpose of this website is to provide free sermon manuscripts and sermon videos to pastors and missionaries throughout the world, especially the Third World, where there are few if any theological seminaries or Bible schools.

These sermon manuscripts and videos now go out to about 1,500,000 computers in over 221 countries every year at www.sermonsfortheworld.com. Hundreds of others watch the videos on YouTube, but they soon leave YouTube and come to our website. YouTube feeds people to our website. The sermon manuscripts are given in 46 languages to about 120,000 computers each month. The sermon manuscripts are not copyrighted, so preachers can use them without our permission. Please click here to learn how you can make a monthly donation to help us in this great work of preaching the Gospel to the whole world.

Whenever you write to Dr. Hymers always tell him what country you live in, or he cannot answer you. Dr. Hymers’ e-mail is rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net.

The word translated “iniquity” means “lawlessness.” Dr. John F. Walvoord’s commentary said, “A mystery in the New Testament is a new truth previously unknown before its revelation in the present dispensation. In this case the mystery is the revelation of a future climax of lawlessness in the world” (John F. Walvoord, Th.D. and Roy B. Zuck, Th.D., editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Victor Books, 1984 edition, New Testament, p. 719; note on II Thessalonians 2:7).

Dr. J. Vernon McGee said, “‘The mystery of lawlessness’ will continue to grow worse and worse” (J. Vernon McGee, Th.D., Thru the Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Volume V, p. 414; note on II Thessalonians 2:7). The rise of Halloween as a major holiday is part of the “mystery of lawlessness,” as rebellion against God’s law grows “worse and worse.” The popularity of Halloween today is part of the “falling away” prophesied in II Thessalonians 2:3. I will answer three questions concerning the origin, rise, and current popularity of Halloween.

I. First, when did the lawlessness which produced Halloween begin? Where did it originate?

Last Sunday an eight-year-old boy in our church asked me, “Dr. Hymers, where did Halloween come from?” I gave him a short answer and told him I would speak on it today. I told him about Ezekiel 28:12-15 and Isaiah 14:12:15 which says,

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-15).

Satan’s original name was Lucifer, which means, “morning star.” He was “the anointed cherub that covereth” (Ezekiel 28:14), covering and protecting the throne of God. Dr. Morris said Lucifer was “evidently the highest cherubim and, therefore, the highest of all God’s created angels” (Henry M. Morris, Ph.D., The Defender’s Study Bible, World Publishers, 1995 edition, p. 878; note on Ezekiel 28:14). But Lucifer’s heart was lifted up in pride. He decided to revolt against God, and take over His throne. Lucifer said,

“I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14).

But Lucifer was cast out of Heaven into the earth’s atmosphere. His name was changed from Lucifer to Satan when he was cast down by God. “Satan” means adversary, or enemy. Satan led one third of the angels against God. They too were cast out of Heaven and became demons. Satan is now called “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) – because he rules the demonic forces in the atmosphere around the earth. Only in the future will Satan and the demons be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10).

Today Satan is God’s enemy, His adversary. He is

“The prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in [energizes] the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).

Satan works in, and energizes, unregenerated mankind.

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…”
       (II Thessalonians 2:7).

Thus, Halloween, with its emphasis on death, demons, witches, vampires and ghosts, is “energized” by Satan, empowered by him.

II. Second, how did Halloween rise and become so popular?

Again, we must say,

“The mystery of iniquity doth already work…”
       (II Thessalonians 2:7).

The iniquity (lawlessness) began with Satan’s rebellion against God. It spread to mankind when Satan tempted Adam in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-5). Adam listened to Satan and rebelled against God.

“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation…” (Romans 5:18).

The entire human race became sinful by nature, through our union with Adam, the first human being,

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).

At the Tower of Babel, mankind tried to reach Heaven and dethrone God (Genesis 11:4). God judged them by “confounding” their languages and scattering them across the face of the earth. In their various countries, men began to forget God. They rapidly replaced the worship of God with heathen practices and idol worship.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things” (Romans 1:21-23).

Those who traveled from the Tower of Babel to Europe, were the Celts. Their Druid priests worshipped Samhain, “the Lord of Death,” who was actually Satan. Their new year began on November 1. They believed that on October 31, the last day of the old year, Samhain gathered the evil dead and put their souls into the bodies of animals. They believed that Samhain put the souls of the “good” dead into reincarnated human bodies. The Druids sought to please Samhain because he decided whether their souls should go into animals or return as humans. They also believed that Samhain allowed the spirits of those who died in the previous twelve months to return and roam the earth on October 31.

Thus the Druids believed that ghosts, evil spirits and witches were active on the evening of October 31. On that night they believed evil spirits played tricks on people. The Druids put on ugly masks and danced around bonfires to scare away the evil spirits (cf. John Ankerberg, John Weldon, and Dillon Burroughs, The Facts on Halloween, Harvest House Publishers, 2008, pp. 11-14). The Encyclopedia Brittanica (1946 edition, volume 11, pp. 102-103) said that Halloween began long before Christ was born.

History shows that the main celebrations of Halloween were purely Druidical, and this is further proved by the fact that in parts of Ireland Oct. 31 is still known as…“vigil of Saman.” This is directly connected with the Druidic belief in the calling together of certain wicked souls on Halloween by Saman, lord of death. On the Druidic ceremonies were grafted some of the characteristics of the Roman festival in honour of Pomona held on Nov. 1, in which nuts and apples…played an important part. The custom of lighting Halloween fires survived until recently in the Highlands of Scotland and Wales.

In Ireland, “Halloween is actually a national holiday (celebrated with fireworks); children are even released from school for a week” (Ankerberg, ibid., p. 15).

All of the modern customs of Halloween come from the ancient pagan Druids, including jack-o’lanterns, trick or treating, Halloween costumes, asking for fruits, nuts and candy – and all the rest. Dr. D. A. Waite said,

The Druids were Satanic to the core in their worship and pagan practices. Halloween is a Druid holiday that we in America have received from Satanic paganism (D. A. Waite, Th.D., Ph.D., Halloween: the Devil’s Birthday, Southwest Radio Church Ministries, Box 100, Bethany, OK 73008).

The Roman Catholic church tried to “Christianize” Halloween by turning it into “All Saints’ Day.” In 835 A.D. Pope Gregory III ruled that All Saints’ Day must fall on the same day as Samhain. Yet the basic underlying features of Satanic Druidism remained, and were brought to America by Irish Catholics during the great potato famine in the 1840s. Hundreds of thousands of Irish Catholics immigrated to the United States and brought the current Halloween practices with them. Before the 1840s Halloween was not observed at all in Protestant America. 

We agree with Dr. Waite that this “holiday” is “Satanic to the core” (ibid.). The Bible says,

“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).

III. Third, why is Halloween celebrated in the public schools, but not Christmas or Easter?

Again, the answer is given in our text,

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…”
      (II Thessalonians 2:7).

As America continues to reject her Christian heritage, this is inevitable. In 1962 the Supreme Court outlawed prayer in the public schools. It was a raw act of judicial power, not based on anything in the Constitution. How could it be? The men who wrote the Constitution never in their lives said one word against children praying in school! This was a decision of liberals in the Court, not a decision of the framers of our Constitution!

Last Sunday I read a “classic” reprint of a “Peanuts” comic strip that first appeared a few months after that Supreme Court decision in 1962. Sally Brown comes home from school. She says to her brother, Charlie Brown, “Guess what?” He says, “What?” They both look around to see if anyone is listening. She signals for him to follow her. They look behind a door to see if anyone is listening. They peek out a window to see if anyone is there. Then they crawl behind a couch and hide. Finally she whispers to him, “We prayed in school today!” He puts his hands over his mouth in horror! (The Los Angeles Times, Sunday, October 24, 2010, p. H4).

So, that’s what has happened in the United States of America. Children are forbidden to pray in our schools. “Christmas” and “Easter” cannot be mentioned by name for fear of punishment. Yet every schoolroom has cardboard cut-outs of witches and skeletons, black cats, vampires, ghouls, and ghosts! What’s a kid to think? I believe they ought to be told the truth! America has become a pagan nation! Satan and his holiday are honored – but the name of Jesus Christ cannot be spoken! As it was in the ancient world, so it is today,

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” (Romans 1:21-25).

“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…”
       (II Thessalonians 2:7).

I don’t know about you, but I always become a Protestant on Halloween! I’m a Baptist all year long. But on Halloween I become a Protestant! I protest against this pagan holiday! On Halloween I always remember that on October 31, 1517, the great Reformer Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses on the door of his church at Wittenberg, Germany. It was 95 points against the sale of indulgences, 95 points against giving money to the Pope to release souls from the flames of purgatory. Luther was exactly right when he said, in essence, “If the Pope has the power to release souls from the flames of purgatory, why does he have to be given money to do it? Why doesn’t he do it out of Christian love? Why doesn’t he instantly release every soul suffering there?” Nobody could answer that question – and the Great Reformation was under way!

By the way, there is no such thing as purgatory. It is not in the Bible, not one time! Why? Because there is no such place as purgatory! That’s why!

Let us all stand with Luther on Halloween – against the corruption of the churches – including the new-evangelical churches of our day! Let us all be “Protestants” on this day, let us say Sola Scriptura (nothing but Scripture), Sola Fide (nothing but faith in Christ), Sola Gratia (nothing but the grace of God can save us). That’s what Luther said – and that is what I say. Away with Halloween! On this day we should all be “Protestants”!

Let us preach Christ alone for salvation. He died on the Cross to pay for every one of our sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ…cleanseth us from all sin” (I John 1:7). We need no priest to “absolve” us from our sins. Christ absolves us from our sins by His death on the Cross, and His resurrection from the dead! We need no “sacrament” of Holy Communion! Christ is our sacrament. We need no priest to stand between us and God. Christ stands between us and God!

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5).

You must feel the power of sin in your life. You must feel that you are a totally depraved sinner. You must throw yourself on the mercy of Christ. Christ alone can save you! Christ alone can cleanse your sins with His Blood. Christ alone can justify you in the sight of a Holy God. Christ alone can redeem you from sin, Hell, and the grave. Come to Christ – and He will save you by His Blood and Righteousness. Get into a Bible-believing Baptist church. And come to Christ, and be born again, saved from the wrath to come!

(END OF SERMON)
You can read Dr. Hymers’ sermons each week on the Internet
at www.realconversion.com. Click on “Sermon Manuscripts.”

You may email Dr. Hymers at rlhymersjr@sbcglobal.net, (Click Here) –
or you may write to him at P.O. Box 15308, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
Or phone him at (818)352-0452.

Scripture Read Before the Sermon by Dr. Kreighton L. Chan: Romans 1:21-25.
Solo Sung Before the Sermon by Mr. Benjamin Kincaid Griffith:
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus” (by Joseph M. Scriven, 1820-1886).