“There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire” (Deuteronomy 18:10)
God love Babies!
It is written in God’s Word, “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD; The fruit of the womb is a reward” (Psalm 127:3). And again it is written in the Psalms, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:13-14). God has His part in making babies. Even though a man and a woman are involved in the process of procreating the conception of the baby is something that God oversees and carries very close to his heart and more so because man has a free will. Because of the sinfulness of the human heart man can destroy and pervert what God has sanctioned and has been a part of. The most perfect emblem of God’s Love is a newborn baby. The psalmist said that babies are a gift from the LORD and a reward from Him. God is involved in the conception but He never overrides the will of man.
What about Adoption?
Undoubtedly around the world there are millions of couples who would dearly love to have a baby but cannot have one. All of them would be willing to adopt a baby and bring it up as their own. There are some cases where abortion might be necessary for the health of the mother if her life is at stake or there is something seriously wrong with the baby and there is no possibility of surviving after birth. Even in the case where a baby is born because their mother was raped is a very tragic and savage blow to the mother and its adverse after effects for both the mother and baby cannot be dismissed or diminished. Even in this case, as tragic as it is, does the baby have a right to live? Adoption is always the option in such cases. Non therapeutic abortions are usually performed for convenience. For millions around the world, especially in the western democracies, having a baby does not fit into the parents lifestyle or because of the career or because of the pursuit of materialism or idolatry. This is a plague of huge proportions today!
On pagan altars
When the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land the LORD specifically instructed His people through His servant Moses not to adopt or to follow the ways of the nations they were going to dispossess. These wicked nations in the land of Canaan practiced sodomy and other sexual perversions but most of all they sacrificed their babies to their gods on pagan altars. God spoke to the Israelites through His servant Moses about this diabolical practice. God took the sacrificing of innocent babies very seriously!
(Leviticus 20:2-5) “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molech is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molech, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molech and if they fail to put him to death, I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech.’”
“Thou shalt not kill!”
Today instead of pagan altars we have abortion clinics plying their trade and many for the sake of money and for the convenience of their clientele. Charles Gardner, a freelance journalist and author writing in the “Israel Today” online publication said recently; “Israel is nevertheless rife with immorality – and I am thinking particularly about abortion, a killing of innocents that echoes previous turning points in Israel’s (and the world’s) history at the time of Moses and of Jesus. I appreciate that its practice in modern Israel is less prevalent than in most parts of the West, but some 650,000 children have nevertheless been denied life in a country that gave God’s law to the world, including the commandment “Thou shall not kill’.”
Molech Worship
Molech worship was practiced by the Ammonites and Canaanites, who revered Molech as a protecting father figure. Images of Molech were made of bronze, and their outstretched arms were heated red-hot. Living children were then placed into the idol’s hands and died there or were rolled into a fire pit below. Some sources indicate a child might also be “passed through the fire” prior to the actual sacrifice in order to purify or baptize the child. Molech worship occurred in the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem. Because of this, the valley became associated with the idea of Tophet, or hell (Isaiah 30:33) (Jeremiah 19:12) (Mark 9:45).
The Occult Connection
The Canaanites were heavily into the occult with their pagan religions which were in reality the worship of demons. In fact scripture teaches in both Testaments that the worship of idols in the worship of demons. (Deuteronomy 32:16-17) (Leviticus 17:7) (1 Corinthians 8:4) Today’s idols come in the form of career, sport, money, human relationships, wealth and luxury, the Internet, entertainment, sexual gratification. Now having a good career or becoming wealthy or having a better job or having a girlfriend or enjoying sport and sometimes entertainment (wholesome of course) or even an enjoyable sex life within marriage are not things that are wrong in themselves but when they become the object of our affections and the things that we pursue leaving the LORD out of the equation they become idols. In most cases abortions are performed because of the sin of idolatry. Satan is the ultimate author of death as he is the thief who steals, who kills and destroys. Of course the Lord Jesus is the one who brings life and gives it abundantly. He is into life and not death.
What about the leaders?
During the centuries the Israelites dwelt in the Land of Israel they had leaders and eventually kings as the other nations had. Some were good and others were bad. The leaders and kings were responsible for setting the example to their people. In the matter of sacrificing babies on the altars of Molech and Baal they even sacrificed their own babies to these demonic idols. We read about King Ahaz, “But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before the sons of Israel” (2 Kings 16:3). King Manasseh also did this; “He made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and separatists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord provoking Him to anger” (2 Kings 21:10). Whether it is in America or Europe but more so in Israel who has the Torah, the leaders have a responsibility before God to govern justly and to do what is right. The abortions in Israel also continue with a liberal abortion policy. God’s Word is clear! “You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the Lord” (Leviticus 18:21).
The Sanctury defiled
God spoke through His servant Ezekiel, “For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. Thus they have committed adultery with their idols and even caused their sons, whom they bore to Me, to pass through the fire to them as food. Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and have profaned My sabbaths. For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered My sanctuary on the same day to profane it; and lo, thus they did within My house” (Ezekiel 23:37-39).
In the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah they continued to have worship in the Temple and there was much religious activity in Samaria and Jerusalem but in the end the lines between truth and error were completely obliterated. Time after time God sent prophets to warn the kings and the people but in the end they would not listen and eventually reaped the consequences of their actions. Israel as a nation today is still sacrificing their children to Molech and Baal on the altar of the abortion clinics!
Is there a solution?
There is a solution! One thing we need to keep in mind is that sin, is sin. Whether it is immorality, idolatry, pride, love of money, or the other sins of the flesh, abortion is also a sin if it is performed for non-therapeutic reasons. Like all sin it is forgivable if a woman truly repents and asks God’s forgiveness. God can and will forgive sin no matter how black and diabolical as He is in the business of saving and restoring sinners. Also the man is not exempt! There are multitudes of cases where an unreasonable man who has got a lady pregnant forces her to have an abortion even if she does not feel it is right. On the other hand there are young career minded couples who want to abort the baby because it does not suit their lifestyle or career goals. Today there are many women scarred emotionally and mentally down deep on the inside by having had a non-therapeutic abortion and the guilt for many, if they are honest, lies like a heavy weight and burden on their mind and conscience. They regret having had the procedure but cannot turn back the clock. Yes, there is a solution indeed! It is not in a programme or in any human agency or human person.
The Lord Jesus, the friend of sinners, is the solution
Whether it was the woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, or Mary Magdalene who had seven demons cast out of her or the woman who broke the alabaster jar and anointed Jesus’ feet with the very expensive oil and wiped them with her hair, they all received pardon, cleansing and restoration mentally, emotionally and spiritually directly from Him. They loved Him for His compassion and acceptance and His willingness to forgive their sin. He knew all about them and forgave them when they fell at His feet. Of course a non- therapeutic abortion is a very serious sin and it is murder and not to be taken lightly but it is a sin that can be forgiven when there is genuine heartfelt repentance and sorrow expressed towards God and faith exercised towards the Lord Jesus Christ, the friend of sinners, who said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
His blood avails for me!
Charles Wesley that Great Hymn writer penned these words; “The name of Jesus charms our fears and bids our sorrows cease, Sings music in the sinner’s ears, Brings life and health and peace. He breaks the power of cancelled sin; He sets the prisoner free. His blood can make the foulest clean; His blood avails for me!” The blood of Jesus has not only atoned for sin but has the power to cleanse the heart and life from the deepest and darkest stains of sin. As it is written; “if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:7-9).
Furthermore His blood can cleanse the conscience from dead works and this includes guilt. As it is also written; “How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:14). There is nothing else that can cleanse the guilty conscience from sin like the blood of Jesus.
Our Burden Bearer
It is written in God’s Words, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation” (Psalm 68:19). He not only bears His people’s burdens but carries them on His shoulders. As the Psalmist also wrote, “Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever” (Psalm 28:9). It may be you are a young lady or an older woman or a teenager and you have been carrying the burden of a non- therapeutic abortion that could have been avoided. You are genuinely sorry and carry around the guilt of what you have done but the LORD knows your every thought and emotion and can restore the years that the locusts have eaten. (Joel 2:25) Furthermore, He will not only remove your sins from you as far as the east is from the west but actually forget what you have done in the past and give you a brand new start in life and what you need to fulfil His good acceptable and perfect will in the future. (Hebrews 8:12) (Psalm 103:12) (Romans 12:1-2)
Give him your ‘baggage’
Why not come to Jesus, confess your sin and receive His forgiveness and cleansing. He is the restorer of lives and the good shepherd who carries the lambs on His shoulders that have strayed from the flock. Why not come to Him now with all of the past baggage and sin and lay them all at His feet and hear Him say, “Your sins are forgiven go and sin no more.” He Himself also said; “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29) Will you come?
