Could Death Exist Before Sin Biblically?

Could Death Exist Before Sin Biblically?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 21, 2024 All Scripture NKJV (Donate)

Death and sin—these are two things today’s society seems to want to avoid in a conversation! In today’s secular society, kids have been taught for generations that death goes back for millions of years. But there is a huge contrast when you open the pages of Scripture beginning in Genesis.

The Bible is the authority on the past (as well as the authority on scientific and theological aspects), and it is logical that the Bible should be the authority on the issue of death and its relationship with sin. Getting a big picture of sin and death and how they are related in the Bible can make us better witnesses to today’s culture.

Everything Was Originally Perfect 

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)

He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He. (Deuteronomy 32:4)

When God finished creating at the end of day six, He declared everything “very good”—it was perfect. God’s work of creation is perfect. We expect nothing less of a perfect God.

What was this “perfect” or “very good” creation like? Were animals dying? Was man dying? Let’s look closer at what the Bible teaches.

Everything Was Originally Vegetarian 

And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. “Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. (Genesis 1:29–30)

We know that animals and man were not eating meat originally, according to Genesis 1:29–30. So, meat-eaters today were all vegetarian originally, which also points to death not being part of the original creation. Plants are not “alive” in the biblical sense of nephesh chayyah, only animals and man. So, plants being eaten did not mean death existed before the Fall. One would not expect a God of life to be a god of death. When we look at God’s restoration in Revelation 21–22, there will be no death, pain, or suffering.

If a Christian wants to side with the atheistic view of a world where death existed for millions of years using the majority of the fossil layers as evidence of slow, gradual accumulation instead of a global Flood, they have major problems. The fossil layers consist of many animals that have the remains of other animals in their stomach contents. As we’ll discuss later, Scripture tells us that sin brought about animal death, something that did not occur prior to the Fall. This rules out many of the rock layers as evidence of millions of years because the Lord declared that everything was originally vegetarian. The Flood of Noah’s day is a much better explanation of the rock layers, which show animals eating other animals after sin.

Death Is a Punishment 

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16–17)

God gave the command in Genesis 2:16–17 that sin would be punishable by death. This is significant when we look at the big picture of death. If death in any form was around prior to God’s declaration in Genesis 1:31 that everything was “very good,” then death would be very good too—hence not a punishment at all.

Some have pointed out that this passage is not referring to animal death. In one sense, we agree with them: this verse was not directed toward animals. But by the same logic, this command was only directed toward Adam, yet Eve died, and so do we (Adam’s descendants) for sin. This shows the all-encompassing impact of the sin-death relationship.

Adam Knew What “Die” Meant 

Some people have brought up the objection that if there was no death existing in the world, then how did Adam know what God meant in Genesis 2:17.

God, the author of language, programmed Adam with language when He created him, as they conversed right from the start on day six (see Genesis 2). Since God makes things perfectly, Adam knew what death meant—even if he did not have experiential knowledge of it. In fact, he probably understood it better than any of us because he had a perfect mind, uncorrupted by sin and the Curse.

Sin Brought Animal Death 

The first recorded death and passages referring to death as a reality came with sin in Genesis 3 when the serpent, Eve, and Adam all were disobedient to God. Please note that what happened is the first hint that things will die:

So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. (Genesis 3:14)

Genesis 3:14 indicates that animals, which were cursed along with the serpent, would no longer live forever but have a limited life (all the days of your life). This is the first hint of animal death. Since animals were cursed, they too will now die. Though this particular verse doesn’t rule out animal death prior to sin, its placement with sin and the Curse in Genesis 3 may very well be significant.

The Lord’s sacrifice to make coats of skins for Adam and Eve

The first recorded death of animals comes in Genesis 3:21, when God covered Adam and Eve with coats of skins to replace their fig leaf coverings they assumed would cover their nakedness.

Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

Abel apparently mimicked something like this when he sacrificed from his flocks (fat portions) in Genesis 4:4, as did Noah after the Flood in Genesis 8:20. The Israelites did this as well, giving sin offerings of lambs, doves, etc.

Noah offering sacrifices

The punishment for sin was death; so, something had to die. Rightly, Adam and Eve deserved to die, but we serve a God of grace, mercy, and love. And out of His love and His mercy, He basically gave us a “grace period” to repent.

The Lord sacrificed an animal to cover this sin. It was not enough to take away sin but merely offered a temporary covering. This shows how much more valuable mankind is than animals (see also Matthew 6:26, 12:12). The punishment for sinning against an infinitely holy God is an infinite punishment, and animals are not infinite. They simply cannot take that punishment. We needed a perfect and infinite sacrifice that could take the infinite punishment from an infinite God. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is infinite, could take that punishment. These animal sacrifices foreshadowed Jesus Christ, who was the ultimate, perfect, infinite sacrifice for our sins on the cross. Hebrews reveals:

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. (Hebrews 9:22)

This is why Jesus had to die, and this is why people sacrificed animals to cover sin. These passages make it clear that animal death has a relationship with human sin, as well as the fact that it came after sin (see Christian Theodicy in Light of Genesis and Modern Science). Also, it is the very basis and foundation of the gospel.

Sin Brought Human Death

 

This same type of proclamation that animals will ultimately die (all the days of your life) comes back in Genesis 3:17, where man would also die (all the days of your life). So, like the animals, man would die in fulfillment of what God said in Genesis 2:17.

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. (Genesis 3:17)

Some have stated that they believe this was only a spiritual death, but God made it clear in Genesis 3:19 by adding that humanity will return to the dust from which we came, which makes it clear it was not excluding a physical death.

In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”. (Genesis 3:19)

Even Paul, when speaking of human death, specifically says:

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)

The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26)

Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. (Romans 5:14)

For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) (Romans 5:17)

If the death God mentioned is only spiritual, then why did Jesus have to die physically—or rise physically? If the Curse meant only spiritual death, then the gospel is undermined.

It is true that Adam and Eve didn’t die the exact day they ate, as some seem to think Genesis 2:17 implies. The Hebrew is die-die (muwth-muwth), which is often translated as “surely die” or literally as “dying you shall die,” which indicates the beginning of dying (i.e., an ingressive sense). At that point, Adam and Eve began to die and would return to dust. If they were meant to have died right then, the text should have used muwth only once, as is used in the Hebrew meaning “dead, died, or die” and not “beginning to die” or “surely die.”

Does the Bible Teach Death before Sin?

 

The Bible tells us very clearly that there was no death before sin from many passages. In fact, there are no Bible verses indicating there was death prior to sin.

Death before sin is a problem for a perfect creation at the end of day six

The only reason some people try to insert death before sin is to fit man’s ideas of “millions of years” of death from a uniformitarian view of the fossil record into the Bible. But this makes a mockery of God’s statement that everything was very good in Genesis 1:31. Death, animals eating other animals, thorns, cancer, tumors, and so on are not very good, and yet these are found in those fossil layers.

This leads to compromising what God plainly says to accommodate fallible man’s ideas. Besides, the Scriptures reveal a global Flood in Genesis 6–8, after sin, which explains the vast majority of fossil layers. So, one need not appeal to billions of years to explain these layers. It is better to trust what God says:

It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. (Psalm 118:8)

Keep in mind that having death before sin also undermines the very gospel, where Jesus Christ stepped into history to conquer sin and death. In doing so, He graciously offered the free gift of salvation to all who receive him.

Conclusion 

A Biblical View of Death

A Secular View of Death

Keep in mind there are primarily two views of history (secular and Christian) with two different authorities (man’s fallible reason apart from God and a perfect God) with conflicting views about the past.

According to the Bible, a perfect God created a perfect creation, and because of man’s sin, death and suffering came into the world. But through Christ, we look forward to a time when there will be no more pain or death or suffering (Revelation 21:4).

In a secular worldview, there has always been death. So, when Christians try to incorporate the secular idea of millions of years into their theology, two main questions arise. Was there really a change when Adam and Eve sinned? And what will heaven really be like then?

This article was first published here: https://answersingenesis.org/death-before-sin/biblically-could-death-have-existed-before-sin/; Reprinted by Permission.

 

 

New Dinosaur Found That Burrowed Underground?

 

New Dinosaur Found…That Burrowed Underground?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 11, 2024 (Donate)

Creationists have long commented on how dinosaurs were created on Day 6—the same day as man—according to God in Genesis 1. Those who believe in or have been influenced by the religion of secular humanism (and its variants) disagree with this, proposing that man and dinosaurs are separated by millions of alleged, unobserved years. Nevertheless, God’s Word reigns supreme against arbitrary objections to His absolute Word.

Because there are two different viewpoints about the past, there tend to be two different interpretations of various dinosaur finds. This is why we must be discerning when it comes to research that includes good observations but also incorporates secular “storytelling,” which is common in reports, whether in news or technical papers, in today’s culture.

The Fossil Find

This brings us to a new dinosaur fossil find. It is called Fona herzogae and was found in Utah. This dinosaur is part of the ornithischian kind. So, it is a new species within an existing kind. A news item on the dinosaur states:

“Found in Utah by North Carolina State University researchers and paleontologists, the Fona herzogae was a small-framed, plant-eating dinosaur that lived in the Cenomanian age — about 100-66 million years ago.”[1]  

Observable facts about the fossil include (1) where it was found, (2) that it was small-framed, and (3) who found it. However, the rest of this quote delves into interpretation. We don’t know its full diet—it may have feasted on insects. Nor do we know where it lived—what we do know is where it was buried as a result of a catastrophe.

Furthermore, this creature definitely didn’t live 100-66 million years ago when you start with God who created all things a matter of thousands of years ago.  Instead, it died in the Flood and was deposited in what became rock layers, which secular researchers misinterpret as 100-66 million years old. These particular fossil layers were laid down at the same time and are actually Flood sediment.

Fona herzogae—A New Species in An Existing Kind

Nevertheless, it is a small dinosaur (small but long, being about 7 feet in length, including the tail), by the way dinosaurs are defined.[2] The article goes on to say:

“Avrahami and his team also believe this new dino was a burrowing species, spending at least part of its life underground.”[3]

The reasons for this were first articulated by Varricchio and colleagues in 2007[4] for these types of dinosaurs, and a number of researchers have discussed and expanded on the possibility of burrowing ever since. With this new species find, and due to at least two fossils found intertwined at one site (Mini Troll) and certain anatomical structures, the possibility of burrowing was inferred. The idea of burrowing dinosaurs was discussed in more detail in the technical report.[5]

In a nutshell, they suspect that dinosaurs with limb morphologies similar to some burrowing mammals might have had burrowing behaviors. This, as well as other suggestions based on fossil study, is why they consider this creature (and those similar to it within its kind) to be a possible burrower.

Dinosaurs Burrowing?

Is burrowing a reasonable habit for these dinosaurs before the Flood? It’s definitely a possibility. The researchers were careful not to be overly adamant (e.g., no burrows were found, for instance) but strongly leaned towards the idea of burrowing.[6] Based on their fossil assessments, I don’t think they were “grasping at straws” for this interpretation—they might be onto something. Without further evidence, I’m happy to leave this option open.

Bear in mind that the Flood buried many creatures—most had already drowned and were even disarticulated. But many others were likely still alive during their burial, giving them a few moments of struggle to try to escape.

I would suspect that many of these dinosaurs—if they didn’t die from the burial or the brutality of the Flood waters already—would have tried to immediately dig their way out, which could leave possible evidence of something like burrowing. A lost cause, of course, as all these land-dwelling, air-breathing animals outside the Ark of Noah died by the 150^th day of the Flood.

It may be possible to see this type of evidence in the future. Nevertheless, the researchers said they found no evidence of burrowing at this stage. The idea of burrowing strictly comes from fossil evidence.

Looking Back At Accounts—Dragon Legends May Give Us A Clue

Interestingly, creationists have often pointed out the connection between dinosaurs and dragons (as have a few secularists as well). Some dinosaurs even have the name "dragon" in their name (e.g., Dragon of Qijiang, Dracorex Hogwartsia, and Dracopelta). Draco is the Latin name for dragon.

As a point of note, all dinosaurs could rightly be classed as dragons, but not all dragons fit the definition of a dinosaur. Dinosaurs are land animals with one of two hip structures, whereas dragons also included sea and flying reptiles as well as serpentine reptiles.

John Calvin's dragon in his Genesis commentary artwork as translated into English 

One thing we commonly find in ancient land dragon legends (that creationists often discuss as the possible dinosaurs dying out after the Flood) is that many tended to live near swamps and had burrows, lairs, or caves to which they dug and lived. Consider the epic poem Beowulf, for instance, where Grendel lived at the edges of a swamp and had a burrowed lair that Beowulf had to enter to kill this menacing dragon. This particular dragon bore a description that has an uncanny resemblance to a baryonyx with a heavy claw. St. George famously killed a dragon living near a swamp in similar conditions.

The point is that there are historical reasons, within a biblical understanding of the past, to think that some dinosaurs may have burrowed or at least spent much time underground. So, finding a dinosaur with fossil anatomical structures that were possibly used for burrowing is actually expected—even within a biblical worldview.

  

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[1] Jordan-Marie Smith, A newly discovered dinosaur may have spent part of its life underground, NPR, July 19, 2024, https://www.npr.org/2024/07/19/nx-s1-5046257/dinosaur-new-discovered-science-burrow.

[2] B. Hodge, Dinosaurs, Dragons, and the Bible, Master Books, Green Forest, AR, 2023, pp. 9-14.

[3] Ibid.

[4] D.D. Varricchio, A.J. Martin, and Y. Katsura,  First trace and body fossil evidence of a burrowing, denning dinosaur. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 274, 2007, pp. 1–7.

[5] H.M. Avrahami, P.J. Makovicky, R.T. Tucker, and L.E. Zanno, A new semi-fossorial thescelosaurine dinosaur from the Cenomanian-age Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation, Utah, The Anatomical Record, July 9, 2024, https://anatomypubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ar.25505.

[6] Ibid.

How Long To Build The Ark?

 

How Long Did It Take for Noah to Build the Ark?

Bodie Hodge, MSc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 4, 2024 (Donate)

Some confuse God’s statement in Genesis 6:3 as describing the time it took Noah to build the Ark. It says:

And the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” (Genesis 6:3; NKJV)

However, these 120 years are a countdown to the Flood.[1] In other words, mankind’s violence had reached its peak and God declared that 120 years was the “drop dead” date for mankind who is a mortal being (Genesis 6:3–7). From a quick look, these 120 years would seem to be the absolute maximum for the time given to build the Ark, but the Scriptures reveal much more allowing us to be more accurate.

For example, Noah was 500 years old when Japheth, the first of his sons, was born (Genesis 5:32). Yet Noah’s second son, Shem, had his first son two years after the Flood, when he was 100 (Genesis 11:10).[2] This means that Shem was 98 years old when the Flood came, and it also means that Shem was born when Noah was 502 years old.

So for Noah to begin having children at 500 means that Japheth was indeed the older brother, as per Genesis 10:21, being born when Noah was 500. Ham is mentioned as the youngest of Noah (Genesis 9:24).

When God finally gave Noah instructions to build the Ark, it was not at the beginning of the 120-year countdown. God told Noah that he, his wife, and his three sons and their wives (Genesis 6:14–18)[3] would go aboard the Ark at this same time.

Deducing that Shem was born 98 years before the Flood, it could be no more than this. But even more so, Ham hadn’t been born yet! If we were to assume the same time between Ham and Shem as between Japheth and Shem, then Ham could have been born around 96 years before the Flood.

Although the Bible is silent on the exact timing, it is reasonable to assume that some time elapsed for the three sons to grow up and find a wife. I would be most comfortable giving a range of anywhere from 20 to 40 years making Ham no less than 16 at his marriage.

So if we think about this logically and tabulate it:

Years Until The Flood	Event	Bible Reference
120	Countdown to the Flood begins	Genesis 6:3
100	Noah has Japheth, the first of his sons, when he was 500 years old.	Genesis 5:32; 10:21
98	Noah has Shem who was 100 two years after the Flood.	Genesis 11:10
? Perhaps 95 or 96 the same time between Japheth and Shem.	Ham was the youngest one born to Noah and was aboard the Ark, so he was born prior to the Flood.	Genesis 9:24;  Genesis 7:13
? Perhaps 20–40 years for all of the sons to be raised and find a wife	Each son was old enough to be married before construction on the Ark begins.	Genesis 6:18
~ 55–75 years (estimate)	Noah was told to build the Ark, for he, his wife, his sons, and his sons’ wives would be aboard the Ark.	Genesis 6:18
Ark Completed
?	Gather food and put it aboard the Ark.	Genesis 6:21
7 days	Loading the Ark.	Genesis 7:1–4
0	Noah was 600 when the floodwaters came on the earth.	Genesis 7:6

 

We would end up with a tentative range of about 55 to 75 years for a reasonable maximum time to build the Ark. Of course, it could be less than this depending on the age that Noah’s sons took wives.

Consider that the Ark was completed prior to loading the animals that the Lord brought to Noah (Genesis 7:1–4) and that they had to take time to gather food and store it aboard the Ark (Genesis 6:21). So carefully considering the text, we can conclude that the construction of the Ark did not involve the 120 years mentioned in Genesis 6:3 but 75 years at the most.

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children. 

Originally at Answers in Genesis; Edited; Republished by permission.

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[1] Some have also described this as the longevity of mankind. For a number of generations after the Flood (about 1000 years), people still lived to be much older than this (e.g., Isaac lived to 180 years), so it is not referring to longevity.

[2] Shem is often listed first (e.g., Genesis 6:10, 7:13) due to importance much as Abraham is listed first; yet Shem was not the oldest. From the lineage of Shem and Abraham came Christ.

[3] Youngest is used in ESV, NAS, and other translations for the word qatan which means small, young, or insignificant.

What About Halloween?

What About Halloween? 

A Biblical Perspective 

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI 

Biblical Authority Ministries, August 1, 2024 (Donate)

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.