The fact that children are being murdered, both before and after birth, is nothing new in history. In the headlines, there is a new discovery of one hundred plus mummified remains found in Peru of children who were sacrificed in a ritual to a false god. They all suffered a similar wound, a cutting to the chest. It is supposed that this wound was made to extract the hearts of the children, while they were still alive. The terror of their last living moments at the hands of adults who should have treasured and protected them, are still engraved upon their faces (see article) . We have heard of this ancient practice in other nations, usually in worship to a sun god.
Even in Israel, centuries ago, people threw their children into fires to worship and sacrifice to the false god, Ba'al. This appalled the LORD. The whole land became so polluted from the practice, that God had to remove the people into exile for seventy years in order to cleanse the land from the foulness of the abomination (see 2 Kings 21:10-16).
We shake our heads at the vileness and ignorance represented by these slaughters of history, but we have our own version of it today. We are still offering these horrific sacrifices to these same foul demonic gods, but we call it by another name, and we think we are accomplishing a "good" with it. We have even made it the law of the land. We have called it a liberty and a right. However, at the founding of our nation, liberties and rights were defined as those "endowed by their Creator", in the Declaration of Independence. These rights guaranteed to us and to all men are sacred and unalienable because of their divine origin*. Liberties, these foundational documents contend, cannot be given by a king or a Parliament, but are a result of an impartation from the Divine Creator, to His created being, which carries His own image: man. This nation, that is supposed to be a beacon of this divinely sourced liberty to the world, has embraced and legitimatized one of the darkest and most evil practices that the world has ever known, by associating it with the same rights of divine origin that all men have received from God. We, like those ancient peoples, not only do not acknowledge the divine source and force of a life, and the resulting divine liberty belonging to that life, but we also do not know the God Who created both, Who gave up a portion of Himself, breath, body and blood, so that we could live.
Perhaps, in part, in order to address this continual evil in the hearts and practices of man, God made very clear in His Word, the truth of the divine nature of life, including its beginnings, and the truth of His continuing presence in the life of all men. As we make the conscious choice to be ignorant of this vital truth, we do a great harm to ourselves, as we will see.
Jesus repeatedly taught and warned regarding the treasuring of children:
"Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And He laid His hands on them and departed from there." Mt. 19:13-15, Mk. 10:13-16, Lk. 18:14-17
Jesus directly defines the kingdom of heaven with children. Why would He do this? He gives us another glimpse:
"Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me...Woe to the world because of offenses (enticements to sin)! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!...Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven, their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven." Mt. 18:7, 10
The child in our midst is the most humble being on earth. The defenseless child humbly places himself, with great trust, in the hands of his father. The child humbly believes what his father tells and teaches him. This same spirit is to be desired by each of us concerning our heavenly Father. For this reason, the mightiest angels in heaven, the ones who are closest to God, and look upon His face, are given charge over these humble, submitted spirits. These children are to be our teachers in the spiritual art of complete love, trust, and humility before our Father. Because of this humility of the child, as we saw above, the greatest power is assigned to them:
"But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He (Jesus) did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna (Save us) to the Son of David!" they were indignant, and said to Him, "Do You hear what they are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, "Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise?" Mt. 21:15-16
First of all, these children had correctly identified with loud cries, Jesus as the Messiah. Secondly, if we look at the Psalm that Jesus cites to the most scripturally educated men of Israel, we will see an amazing truth:
"O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth, who have set Your glory above the heavens! Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants You have ordained (yacad- be founded, establish, begin, appoint, sit in conclave and consult) strength (oz- power, might, boldness, of a loud voice, the power joined to majesty, spendor, and glory), because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger." Ps. 8:1-2
In the sounds from children's mouths, God has placed the power by which He silences the most hateful and vengeful spiritual enemies of God and man. No wonder those demons have always demanded the destruction of children, and we are rebellious enough to agree to it. Children are in possession of a most powerful spiritual weapon. We see it again here:
"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior (gibuwr- might and strength of God), so are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver (arrow case) full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate." Ps. 127:3-5
This verse tells us that children are the possession of the LORD, yet man may borrow them, or have temporary custody of them. They are the arrows in the hand of the powerful God, that man is allowed to keep in his own arrow case. These powerful arrows, children, bring the "dabar" to the enemies, both natural, and spiritual, both personal and national. As we destroy our children, we destroy one of the greatest benefits that God has given for our protection and defense.
We destroy these possessions of God, these arrows of His strength, lent to us for our benefit before they are born, rationalizing to ourselves that they are not alive, or human until after birth. Again, God would correct our ignorance through His Word. David, one of the great warriors, was shown his relationship with God while still in the womb, and before:
"For You formed my inward parts; You covered (wove, like an embroidery of assorted colors) me in my mother's womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame (otsem- bones, power, might, great, to bind up) was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret (protected shelter, disguise), and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts (rt- lowly, humble) of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!" Ps. 139:13-17
Not only is the divine beginning of a life a wonder that begins well before birth, but this wonder also reveals the nature of God to us. What we consider "disposable" according to our laws, has been revealed to David as being the result of the very thoughts and power of God.
To His prophet, Jeremiah, whom God would use to raise up and destroy kingdoms:
Then the word of the LORD came to me saying: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.
Jeremiah, is amazed at this calling as he says to the LORD, "Ah, LORD God! Behold, I cannot speak for I am a youth. The LORD reveals the power with which He has endowed Jeremiah, even though a youth, the power of the arrow, the "dabar" to be spoken to the enemies in the gates:
...Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant." Jer. 1:5, 9-10
Let's not kill our children, whether born or unborn, and let us not even be consenting to the idea. We all have reason to repent, to turn, and to humbly receive God's truth and merciful benefit regarding the children He has lovingly and wondrously entrusted to us.
Our Father has ordained a life even before the womb.
*Rights of Divine origin of the Declaration of Independence:
http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/yardstick/pr3.html
Out of the mouths of babes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH6msTsClUs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfDkQvnEJ0o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJAqoDRX33I
