What Does Hallowed Mean, and What Do We Hallow?
It is that time of year again when children, and some adults put on their costumes and knock on every door that leads to the possibility of getting a handful of goodies! This holiday is known as Halloween.
In our part of the world, Halloween is popular. There are hundreds of kids that walk the alleys and neighborhoods searching for treats, and for the most part residents sits on their front porches to hand out candy. This is truly a great time for a community.
But have you ever wondered where the word “Halloween” came from and what its original meaning is?
What is the definition of Hallowed?
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, hallowed is defined as holy, sacred, consecrated, or revered.
Hallowed has old English roots. We can trace the word back to the old English word halig which means holy. In the Middle Ages, this word referred to what early Christians called All Hallows’ Day. Today, this is called All Saints’ Day. The day before All Hallows’ Day was called All Hallow Even – or what we call Halloween today.
Where Do We See Hallowed Used in the Bible?
All translations are not created equal; therefore, you will not find the word hallowed in all the same verses in each translation. The primary difference is the usage of hallowed in the Old Testament. Early versions of the Bible all use hallowed to describe a holy or sacred event, place, or person. If one would read the 1611 King James Bible, they would encounter this word frequently in the Old Testament and once in the New Testament.
One will only find hallowed used in the Lords Prayer found in Matthew 6:9
Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name
Here we find Jesus teaching about prayer in what is known as the Sermon on the Mount. He is harkening back to the ten commandments and what God said about himself. God said He was the Lord, your God, and there were to be no other gods before him. When we pray, we are to give God the reverence and praise He deserves before all other requests.
What Things are Hallowed?
While we make many objects and people in our life Hallowed, there are only two things that are truly hallowed.
The first is hallowed ground. All ground or land is hallowed. The land we walk and live on belongs to God. He is the creator and has given us a loan to use His land for His purposes. The Bible is the story of God’s people as they traverse God’s land. Hallowed ground is also the place where we sow love, mercy, and reconciliation. This sacred ground is what we will nourish the seeds and prepare for a harvest of faith.
Secondly, God’s name is hallowed. To hallow God’s name is an outward action of reverence. It is active praise. Not using God’s name in vain or defiling His creation is just a small way we can show how sacred and holy God is.
In Conclusion
When we understand that hallowed means holy or sacred, we can understand the necessity of purification and making ourselves ready for worship. The Lord’s prayer reminds us that we are to make the name of God holy. We are to show our praise and adoration to our Lord.
Christians are not making blood sacrifices or building temple courts today. What we are doing is understanding that we must hallow the name of the Lord in remembrance of what He has done for us. It is an outward response that tells the world we are working daily to purify our hearts and minds so we may express to this sinful world the need for a Savior.
We should actively make our God a sacred part of our lives. We should understand that our God has created a hallowed ground for us to live on. Our time on this hallowed ground should be spent glorifying Him
