The Great Masquerade

If I could go back in time, I think attending a costume ball would be fabulous! I know some of you are rolling your eyes at me, but I think it would be fun to dress up and have a formal party. That is one thing I think is fun about Halloween; everyone dressing up. Today my favorite pictures of my children are when they dressed up for the Fall Festivals at church. I always made them dress up as partners, like Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, Dorothy and the Scarecrow, and Indian chief and wife. As Bryce got older that fun came to an end. Actually, I think he stopped participating after I made him wear tights for Peter Pan. I had to tell him that football players wore them under their uniforms to get him to put them on! However, for me I wish we could skip all the evil costumes. Not because I think they're scary but because it recognizes Satan and his evilness. I wish we had times during the year, other than Halloween, we could dress up in fun costumes! We could, if we all lived in my perfect little world. lol
However, when it comes to masquerading there is none better at it than Satan. Scripture tells us that he is the great deceiver and he appears as an angel of light to deceive. I think one of the greatest illustrations of this kind of deception is found in the movie “A Little Mermaid”. Remember Ursula the sea witch. First, she baits Ariel to give up her voice to become human, not telling her the full consequences of her decision. Then she masquerades as a beautiful girl to keep Eric away from Ariel. When she doesn’t keep them apart in time, she shows her true self as the witch. She takes Ariel to lock her up in chains because Ariel’s soul now belongs to her according to the contract. However, her father ends up paying the contract and she is freed. Sound vaguely familiar? What we need to remember is that Satan would never get us to bite the bait of sin if we could see the consequences of doing so. It does nothing but produce destruction and pain. So he always makes the bait tempting, appealing, and alluring. When we bite, the chains come on and reality becomes ugly. Scripture says the pleasure of sin is only for the short term but the love of God will last forever. Be very wise about the bait that Satan dangles in front of you. The pleasures of Christ will out last any bait Satan can offer by far.

….for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:14 (NIV)