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Matthew 1:20

God Cares For The Brokenhearted

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 18, 2023

 Joseph was a just and compassionate man. He did not want to shame Mary for the presumed adultery and decided to divorce her quietly. I imagine how deeply hurt this man must have been. He had deep feelings for this girl, as is clear from the way he responded to her adultery. Think about it! The love of your life shows up pregnant by another man, presumably, and all your hopes and plans are washed away in an instant. There must have been a great internal struggle for Joseph between his desire to keep the law and his love for Mary. He chose to do the hardest thing and send her away. I can’t help but think of all the “lost love” songs of my day. How can I live if living is without you? The world ended when I lost your love. Like Toni Braxton, you plead with the lost lover to “unbreak my heart.” The hopes and dreams of a normal happy life are gone. What becomes of the brokenhearted? I wonder if Joseph found comfort in the Scriptures, which talked about God’s love for the brokenhearted. It’s in the Law, the Prophets, and the writings. “God has made me forget my trouble (Gen. 41:51); God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction (Gen. 41:52); God heals the broken-hearted (Ps. 147:3); he has anointed me to bind up the broken-hearted (Isa. 61:1); the Lord saves the broken-hearted (Ps. 34:18); he adds no sorrow with his blessing (Prov. 10:22).”[1]

One night when Joseph wrestled with his loss, he received a heavenly visitor that dealt with his broken heart. Matthew 1:20 says, “But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” An Angel told Mary to “fear not” when she was informed that she would have a child out of wedlock. She asks the angel “how can this be since I have not been with a man?” Mary knew that it was humanly impossible for her to have a child. The child would be a miraculous one conceived in her through the power of the Holy Spirit.  The Angel explains, and Mary accepts his answer. Joseph is also told not to be afraid because this conception is a supernatural one. This reminds us of the angel that appeared to Abram and Sarah in Genesis informing them in their old age that they will have a son. Sarah laughs. Abram thinks he’s too old to father children, but the angel asks, “Is there anything too difficult for God?” The assumed answer of course is “no, nothing is impossible with God.” Both Joseph and Mary accept the supernatural explanation. In spite of it being contrary to everything they know and see, they set aside their fears and believed in the supernatural.

We celebrate Christmas each year with the proclamation of our belief in this supernatural event in the life of Joseph and Mary. I know it’s not scientific. I know it’s against everything we know of life and see around us. I know many theologians today speak of the virgin birth of Jesus as a myth that was made up by his followers to add credence to his teachings. Atheists and agnostics reject the miraculous in nearly all of its forms, as presented in the Bible. Only Christians believe in the virgin birth of Jesus today, but even Christians are becoming more and more skeptical. A writer for the Christian Post said, “While some might expect nonbelievers to wrestle with doubts about the Christmas story as relayed in the Bible, the new research says there are actually signs of growing doubts from Christian groups as well.”[2] I don’t care. I still believe in it. It’s the supernatural fulfillment of all of God’s promises in the Old Testament. Jesus, born of a virgin, is the one that brings us eternal life. If his birth, as told in the Gospels, is just a myth. I have plenty of reasons to be afraid of just about everything in life, especially its ending. Death is all that there is for us on this earth. But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid.” Don’t be afraid because God cares for the brokenhearted, and he sent Jesus to bind up our wounds. Oh, death, where is your sting?

 [1] Day, A. Colin. 2009. Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

[2] Fewer Americans Believe Jesus Was Born of a Virgin: Study | U.S. News (christianpost.com)

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Malachi 1:6

Rebellion and Witchcraft

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 17, 2023

We rebelled against just about everything in the 1960s. We learned to question everything. Authority figures were not right simply because they were authority figures. “The Man” was our enemy. The “Establishment” was a force for tyranny that we had to stand against. I remember the song “Signs.” It was about rebellion against authority and ownership of private property. I expect that the socialistic influence of the day influenced a lot of this mentality. It says, “Sign, sign Everywhere a sign
Blockin’ out the scenery, Breakin’ my mind Do this, don’t do that, Can’t you read the sign? And the sign said Anybody caught trespassin’ Will be shot on sight. So I jumped on the fence, and I yelled at the house. Hey! What gives you the right To put up a fence to keep me out But to keep Mother Nature in? If God was here, he’d tell you to your face, Man, you’re some kind of sinner.” The Bible is fairly clear on property rights and supports those who work for and earn what they have and deserve to own it. But the point in this verse in Malachi seems to be more concerned with rebellion in a general way. Malachi 1:6 says, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? Says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’” It’s a general condemnation of parental authority as well as economic authority. The exciting closing phrase of this verse tells us that even the priests of Israel have rebelled against God’s authority. Malachi says that rebellion consists of despising the name of the authority, whether parent, employer or God himself. The sin of rebellion reached all the way up the ladder in Israel to its King.

Samuel confronted King Saul with this sin and explained what rebellion was like. In 1 Samuel 15:23, Samuel says to Saul, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” Geisler comments, “Samuel forthrightly affirmed, ‘Rebellion [is as] the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness [is as] iniquity and idolatry’ (1 Sam. 15:23). Solomon added, ‘An evil man is bent only on rebellion’ (Prov. 17:11). Nehemiah described Israel in these words: ‘They became stiff-necked and, in their rebellion, appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery’ (Neh. 9:17). God is King, and we, his subjects, have rebelled against His rule in our lives.”[1]

The Prophet, Samuel, speaking for God, confronts the religious leaders for their failure to honor, respect, and obey God’s instructions. Their minds and ministries have gone so wrong that they don’t even recognize what they have done. They enter into a dispute with God. “We have not done anything wrong,” they argue! The culture in Malachi’s day had evolved from a strict belief in God’s right to direct the behavior of humans to the idea that each man’s opinion was as valid as anyone else’s. Anyone can question the parent, the boss, or the priest about what is right and wrong. When one is confronted with sinful behavior, they challenge the confrontation. Unfortunately, in Malachi’s day, as well as our own, the abandonment of authority has become commonplace. Wiersbe observed, “Thanks to worldwide media coverage and the constant pressure for higher program ratings, sin has become an important part of international entertainment. Evil activities that we ought to be weeping over are now sources of entertainment; they are vividly displayed on movie and TV screens and discussed in depth in newspapers and magazines. The all-seeing camera moves into the bedroom, the barroom, and the courtroom and enables excited viewers to enjoy sin vicariously. Movies and TV are instructing generation after generation of children how to ridicule virginity, laugh at sobriety, challenge authority, and reject honesty. Actors, actresses, and advertisers have convinced them that ‘having fun,’ ‘feeling good,’ and ‘getting away with it’ are now the main goals in life.”[2]

[1] Geisler, Norman L. 2004. Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers.

[2] Wiersbe, Warren W. 1996. Be Skillful. “Be” Commentary Series. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

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Zechariah 1:9-14, Various

Words Of Comfort

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 16, 2023

The Angel of the Lord, riding the red horse, asks God how long he will continue to have no mercy on the children of Israel that have been punished in Babylon for the past 70 years of captivity. The Lord answered and said, “And the Lord answered gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. I have returned to Jerusalem with mercy; my house shall be built in it, declares the Lord of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. My cities shall again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem again.” The curious thing to me in this passage and others like it from the Old Testament prophets is that although they contain warnings of judgment upon the wicked, the point they all try to make is that God is always ready to forgive and receive back into fellowship. One Theological Journal recognized this in the poetry of Emily Dickinson, “Though American poet Emily Dickinson did not practice conventional Christianity, her poetry is suffused with the images and language of the Bible. She blamed clerics for deadening the Bible and aimed to make its message alive again. Her often subtle illusions reveal a very thorough knowledge of the Bible. She emphasized the compassion of God rather than his judgment.”[1]

I’ve always preferred to emphasize God’s love rather than His judgment. Without denying God’s judgment on sin, I will never forget the many passages about God’s comfort of people, even sinners. Collin’s Thesaurus of the Bible gives us a beautiful collection of God’s comforting words: “Your anger turned away, and you comforted me (Isa. 12:1); the Lord has comforted his people (Isa. 49:13; Isa. 52:9); you will be comforted for the evil I brought on Jerusalem (Ezek. 14:22); your rod and your staff comfort me (Ps. 23:4); God who comforts the downcast comforted us (2 Cor. 7:6); you have helped and comforted me (Ps. 86:17); the Lord answered the angel with gracious and comforting words (Zech. 1:13); I remember your ordinances and comfort myself (Ps. 119:52); the poor man was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22); the rich man saw Abraham and Lazarus in his bosom (Luke 16:23); Lazarus received bad things, and now he is comforted (Luke 16:25); the church was walking in the comfort of the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:31); my comfort is that you have revived me (Ps. 119:50).”[2]

In the midst of God’s great judgment upon the whole earth, He protected Noah and his family. He then protected Lot, the resident of Sodom and Gomorrah, when the fire and brimstone rained down.  “If he is powerful enough to save when the whole world is underwater, and when the skies are raining fire, then he can save his people through and from trials and bring them at last to glory.”[3] I find it interesting that Simeon was the priest at the Temple who rejoiced when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus. Luke 2:25 tells us that Simeon was looking for the “consolation of Israel.” In the midst of a sinful, rebellious people, Jesus is indeed the “comfort of Israel” as well as the comfort for all believers. He’s settled the score for us. He came and died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for our sins and purchase for us a place in heaven which he offers to us as a free gift that can only be received through faith. He left us here at his ascension with some of the most encouraging and comforting words imaginable. He’s preparing a place for us in heaven and will return to take us home. One writer says, “He cannot prepare a mansion for us in heaven without first of all destroying the works of the devil, destroying sin and its dominion, destroying death and the grave. In addition to satisfying God’s justice and God’s holy law and offering this propitiation that removed the wrath of God, He had to do all that before He could prepare a place for us in heaven and then come back and receive us unto Himself, that where He is, we may also be.”[4]

[1] Sailer, William, J. Creighton Christman, David C. Greulich, Harold P. Scanlin, Stephen J. Lennox, and Phillip Guistwite. 2012. Religious and Theological Abstracts. Myerstown, PA: Religious and Theological Abstracts.

[2] Day, A. Colin. 2009. Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

[3] Anderson, Clive. 2007. Opening up 2 Peter. Opening Up Commentary. Leominster: Day One Publications.

[4] Lloyd-Jones, David Martyn. 1996. God the Father, God the Son. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

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Haggai 1:12-15, Isaiah 43:1-5

You Are Not Alone

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 15, 2023

Haggai called the returning remnant of Israel to think about their situation. They had returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, but they had focused their attention on building lives for themselves. They expected God to bless them as they built their lives on the land of promise. God did not bless them. Their crops did not produce as expected. The work was hard and tedious and showed little progress. The people were discontent and discouraged. God has brought about in your lives situations to remind you that life without God is genuinely meaningless and unproductive. Haggai challenged them all to see the situation as it was. The people listened! Haggai 1:12-15 says, “Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord. Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord’s message, I am with you, declares the Lord. And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius, the king.”

No matter what’s going on in your life, “I am with you, declares the Lord.” He is especially with us when He calls us to fulfill our missions in life. When Jesus was about to depart from the earth for the last time, he gave his followers a commission. Just as Haggai gave the Israelites a commission from God, Jesus gave his followers a commission from God. He tells them to make disciples of all nations and adds, “Behold, I am with you always.” Acts 18:9-10 tells us that one night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision saying, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you.” The Handbook of Bible Promises informs us that Jesus is with us in every situation of life. “He encourages us in times of difficulty.” Jesus sent Paul to Rome in Acts 23, and the text tells us that Jesus “stood next to Paul and said, ‘Take courage.’” Jesus is also with us when it hurts. “He comforts us in times of sorrow. Matthew 5:4 says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” In addition, He is with us in our failures and frailties. “He strengthens us in times of weakness.” In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul tells us what he learned about Jesus as we face our weaknesses. He says, “I will boast about my weaknesses.” He adds that by doing so, Christ’s power will rest on him.”[1]

Haggai wants the returning remnant to realize that they are not alone. God is with them.  You and I are not alone, either.  This realization will stir up the spirit in our lives. There is nothing that might enter our lives that will destroy us. God’s assurances to His people in the Prophets are God’s assurances to us as well since we have been adopted into God’s family. We read in Isaiah 43:1-5, “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. If you cross over water, I am with you, or over rivers. They will not overwhelm you. If you pass through the fire, you will not be scorched. The flames will not burn you, for I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. For you are precious in my sight; you are honored, and I love you. So I set aside people in your stead, nations in exchange for your life. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.”[2] I like what Colin Smith says, “You will face many struggles and will have defeats as well as victories, but you are not alone in this battle: The Spirit of God is within you, and that is what makes the Christian life possible. The Christian life is all about the proper application of overwhelming force. Never say you are Helpless when the Spirit of God lives in you.”[3]

[1] Beaumont, Mike, and Martin Manser. 2020. The Handbook of Bible Promises.

[2] Blenkinsopp, Joseph. 2008. Isaiah 40–55: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 19A. Anchor Yale Bible. New Haven; London: Yale University Press.

[3] Smith, Colin S. 2002. Unlocking the Bible Story. Vol. 4. Chicago, IL: Moody Press.

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Zephaniah 1:10-11

Economic Disaster

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 14, 2023

Zephaniah calls the Nation to repent of its evil ways, especially for having embraced the Baal worship of Jezebel.  The only reason they have not faced God’s judgment so far is that God is patient. The prophet explained that God’s patience with their idolatry would not last forever, and He would soon act to bring justice to the poor and redeem those oppressed. Zephaniah knew that the hearts of the nation’s kings and priests had become hardened and would never turn back to God. Like Pharaoh in the Exodus, the hardened hearts of the leader will bring destruction to the whole population. That time is at hand, Zephaniah 1:10-11 explains, and the suffering will be great, “On that day, declares the Lord, a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate, a wail from the Second Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills. Wail, O inhabitants of the Mortar! For all the traders are no more; all who weigh out silver are cut off.” What we see in this passage is a monetary collapse in Jerusalem, the New York City of the nation of Judah. Bentley says, “Zephaniah is obviously very familiar with the layout of the city. He knows the market district. The Fish Gate was situated in the most vulnerable part of the city; it was not surrounded by hills. The prophet is also familiar with the New Quarter. All of these places were centers of trade and industry. They were also likely to be the seat of much corruption and dishonesty, where, as always, the poor were the losers.”[1]

Just like today, much of the stability of a nation is dependent on its economy. We’ve had tough times in the history of our nation and know what this means. October 29, 1929, has become known as “Black Tuesday.” Black Tuesday is known for being the worst day in the U.S. stock market. Throughout the 1920’s stock prices reached new heights, more than quadrupling in value. But on Black Tuesday, the bubble burst, and by 1933 prices were down about 80% from the heights of the late ’20s. The great crash of 1929 plunged the U.S. into what is known as “The Great Depression.” Between 1930 and 1933, about 9,000 banks failed. Production in U.S. industry hit rock bottom and left millions of Americans out of work, and the rest, struggling to survive. A proud nation found itself filled with soup lines, hobos, and shanty towns.”[2] I have photos of my father standing in one of those soup lines.

Everything that builds and sustains a solid citizenry and stable living situation is connected to the moral fiber of the nation. The well-being of all its citizens is a responsibility of everyone to some extent. The early Christians, according to Luke, shared all things when things got tough, and this is still a principle we should live by today. Because of the great depression and other hard times, we sometimes want to withdraw from society and take care of ourselves, hiding in well-supplied bunkers. Some take warnings like this passage in Zephaniah, and others panic into unchristian behavior. Sailer rightly concludes, “To predict imminent economic ruin for a nation because of moral bankruptcy is to misrepresent God’s purposes in Christ. To encourage believers not to cling to the things of the world and share with those in need is consistent with the gospel. To frighten them into hoarding resources to survive the supposed impending economic collapse is without a biblical mandate or example.”[3] When such an attitude is embraced, only the poor will suffer.

[1] Bentley, Michael. 2008. Opening up Zephaniah. Opening Up Commentary. Leominster: Day One Publications.

[2] Benfield, Chris. 2015. “The Collapse of Babylon (Message #41) (Revelation 18:9–24).” In Pulpit Pages: New Testament Sermons, 1878. Mount Airy, NC: Chris Benfield.

[3] Sailer, William, J. Creighton Christman, David C. Greulich, Harold P. Scanlin, Stephen J. Lennox, and Phillip Guistwite. 2012. Religious and Theological Abstracts. Myerstown, PA: Religious and Theological Abstracts.

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Habakkuk 1:5, Psalms 37:7-9

Fret Not!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 13, 2023

In the course of everyday life, it often seems that God doesn’t care about the oppressed. He allows the wicked to have their way in the world. The prospering of the wicked is a frequently mentioned theme in the bible. A Bible thesaurus points this out in detail, “The wicked prosper (Ps. 10:5); I saw the prosperity of the wicked (Ps. 73:3); the wicked spend their days in prosperity (Job 21:13); robbers prosper (Job 12:6); her enemies prosper (Lam. 1:5); he will prosper until the time of wrath is completed (Dan. 11:36); he will succeed in what he does (Dan. 8:24); the horn prospered (Dan. 8:12); evildoers prosper (Mal. 3:15); why does the way of the wicked prosper? (Jer. 12:1); do not fret over him who prospers (Ps. 37:7).”[1] No one could identify with that better than the Northern Kingdom of Israel when they were conquered by the pagan Assyrian Nation. How can God allow such a thing? In Habakkuk 1:5, God assures his people that He is not inactive. He is behind the scenes even now working out justice against the oppressors. He says, “Look among the nations and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.”

 But God’s people were suffering at the hands of the wicked at the moment! Just like God’s people today, we look around and see it all and wonder how God can allow this situation to continue. We have the exact instructions for us that Habakkuk gave to Israel. His key phrase in the whole book, which is often quoted in the new testament, is “the just shall live by faith.” We are to live our lives trusting God. He makes all things right in the end. It will come about in a way we probably would never imagine, but He has promised us that all things, both good and bad, will work out in the end for our good. We are called to trust God regardless of the situation in our own lives and the unjust situations we might see around us.

Psalm 37:7-9 contains one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. I’m sure Jesus is thinking about this when he tells us not to worry. Paul was thinking of it when he said, “Be anxious for nothing.” It reads, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.” Butler comments on this verse, “The word translated ‘fret’ comes from the Hebrew word which involves a number of related attitudes. It can involve anger (we are angry with God for letting the wicked prosper), jealousy (we are jealous of the successes of the wicked), and even grief (the success of the wicked hurts). Fretting is easy to do. It comes naturally to most of us. We do not have to be taught to fret, for we seem to possess skills in fretting that need no teaching to improve them. It is not easy to see the wicked prosper and get ahead through their evil methods, but God has told us to ‘fret not.’”[2]

 [1] Day, A. Colin. 2009. Collins Thesaurus of the Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

[2] Butler, John G. 2014. Sermon Starters. Vol. 3. Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.

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Nahum 1:8-9

A Longsuffering God

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 12, 2023

Nahum preaches God’s goodness to the nation of Assyria. He informs them that the one true God is loving and compassionate and ever-ready to forgive and welcome them home with loving arms. He doesn’t want any to perish. God’s judgment is an irresistible force against which there is no such thing as an unmovable object. Like the soldier in a foxhole, Nahum urges the sinners in Nineveh to see the imminent nature of God’s judgment and turn to God for forgiveness. It’s interesting to me to remember that with the preaching of Jonah, the nation did repent. But they did not repent after Nahum’s preaching and faced God’s judgment. When God doesn’t act immediately to bring judgment on sin, man has the tendency to think it won’t happen. They get their nerve back and think this judgment theme is just a bunch of religious jargon. Because God reversed His judgments on Pharaoh and stopped the plagues, Pharaoh hardened his heart. Those who harden their hearts against God will face the consequences. Nahum warned them, and us, in Nahum 1:8-9, “But with an overflowing flood, he will make a complete end of the adversaries and will pursue his enemies into darkness. What do you plot against the Lord? He will make a complete end; trouble will not rise up a second time.” God brought the Persians against Assyria and utterly destroyed that nation. His destruction was so severe that there would be no need to repeat it. It was an overflowing flood that finally ended Pharaoh and his army. They all perished in the waters pursuing God’s people across the Red Sea.

Nahum confronts the Ninevites about their plans to conquer God’s people again. He asks them straight out, “What are your plans?” God knows what they are planning against His people, and He promises them that if they bring their army against His people, He will bring a complete end to them, and they will not rise again as they did between Jonah’s prophecy and Nahum’s prophecy. It will be over for Nineveh and the great Nation of Assyria. They will not have another chance. The old Bible commentator Horatio Bonar compared this prophecy of God’s judgment on Nineveh to a picture of God’s judgment on those today who reject Jesus. He writes, “It is not yet come, but it is coming. Judgment lingereth not, damnation slumbereth not. It will be a day of terror for the sinner when the pent-up wrath of God shall pour itself out, not in seven vials, or seventy times seven, but in an eternity of vials without number.”

But the famous Bible preacher of over 150 years ago does not leave his readers with a hopeless prophecy. He looks instead at the grace of God in offering redemption. He quotes from 2 Peter 3:9, “He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Bonar says, “Such is his goodness now. He is rich in mercy. His patience is beyond all conception or measure. And in his longsuffering, there is salvation—salvation to the uttermost. He pities, yearns, pleads, beseeches, spares, prolongs the day of grace, presents pardon, salvation, land ife to the ungodliest, free. Yes, freely to the last! Let this long-suffering goodness draw us, melt us, awaken confidence, and win us to love.”[1]

[1] Bonar, Horatius. 1873. Light and Truth: Or, Bible Thoughts and Themes, Old Testament. London: J. Nisbet & Co.

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Micah 1:6-7, Various

Child Sacrifice and Abortion

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
September 11, 2023

Judah and Samaria, the capital cities of the southern and northern kingdoms of Israel, have rebelled against their God and his provisions for them and have adopted the sacrificial system of the pagans around them. Baal worship involved sexual immorality of all kinds. The result of such blatant immorality is often unwanted pregnancies. Those would be resolved by offering up unwanted children as sacrifices to the pagan deities. This is what Micah 1:6-7 says, “Therefore, I will make Samaria a heap in the open country, a place for planting vineyards, and I will pour down her stones into the valley and uncover her foundations. All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces, all her wages shall be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay waste, for from the fee of a prostitute she gathered them, and to the fee of a prostitute, they shall return.” The nation of Israel had picked up this practice from the pagan nations around them. We cannot help but notice the similarity with our own practice of elective abortions being practiced in America. Many commentators and preachers have noticed this similarity. Sailer writes, “There was a rite in ancient Israel which has parallels to the modern practice of abortion – the rite of child sacrifice, one of the detestable things the Lord hates.” Because of the present climate of reproductive rights, it is not popular to point out this comparison. Andrew White wrote a very profound and convincing article entitled “Abortion and the Ancient Practice of Child Sacrifice.” It was published in the Journal of Biblical Ethics in Medicine (1987, Volume 1 (2), pp:34-42. This article “examines the primarily neglected parallels between ancient child sacrifice and the modern practice of abortion.”

The Bible condemns this practice. Deuteronomy 12:31 says, “You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods.” There are too many arguments against child sacrifice, thus abortion, to be mentioned here. But child sacrifice was the idolatrous practice of pagan nations (See Leviticus 20:2-5, Psalm 106:35-38, Jeremiah 32:35 and Hosea 13:2). Abortion defiles God’s people (See Ezekiel 20:26 and Exodus 20:31). It defiles God’s sanctuary (See Ezekiel 23:37, 39). It also incurs God’s anger in general (See Jeremiah 19:4-5, Ezekiel 16:20-21, and Hosea 13:2).[1]

Samaria, the capital city of the northern kingdom, had become totally assimilated into the pagan cultures around them. Baal became their pagan god of choice, followed by Molech, the god of their perennial enemies, the Ammonites. Micah tells the people of Samaria that they will face many severe consequences for this practice. Her building and paved streets, and other city structures will be destroyed, and it will be nothing be a field only good for planting crops. The idolatrous images she worshipped will be smashed to pieces. However, we understand this passage regarding the judgment on Samaria. We cannot miss the fact that God will judge such a horrible practice. I fully agree with the Got Questions website that addresses this issue. It makes the comparison between the child sacrifices of the Bible with the abortion of today. They practice infanticide because they do not have the technology to perform abortions like we have today. The article says, “There is also a correlation between child sacrifice and modern-day abortion. Unprecedented numbers of children have been ‘sacrificed’ at the hands of abortionists for the sake of convenience, immorality, or pride.” Could these be the modern-day Baals and Molechs? “Hundreds of thousands of babies have been killed so that their parents can maintain a certain lifestyle. God hates ‘hands that shed innocent blood’ (Proverbs 6:17), and we can be sure that God will judge this horrendous sin.”[2]

[1] Manser, Martin H. 2009. Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.

[2] Got Questions Ministries. 2002–2013. Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

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