Child Sacrifice

Leviticus 20:1 the Lord said to Moses 2 "say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death"

2 Kings 32:10 And he (Josiah) defiled Topeth, which is in the valley of the son of Himmon, that no one might burn his son or daughter as an offering to Molech.

About a month before our team arrived in Togo, the voodoo priest there had sacrificed a small child, carving out the heart before discarding the body. I honestly didn't know what to do with that piece of information. It seemed like something from a different time and place. I thought how could anyone sacrifice their child to a carved rock and then throw it away in a shallow water well like a piece of rubbish? It did produce some healthy fear of the dark evil that we were fighting against. It is indeed a war.

When I got back, I investigated what the word of God says about child sacrifice. In many spots in the Old testament, including the two above God states His hatred of Child Sacrifice to a false god named Molech. The passage from 2 Kings above is in reference to Josiah's reforms which brought child sacrifice to Molech to an end. God hates anything offered to false gods, but in particular His innocent children that He created.

As always when I observe such clear sin, I try to apply it back against my own life and the culture around me. Sure, there are no stories of people taking their kids and burning them on a fire or carving their hearts out that I am aware of, but how are other ways that kids are sacrificed in our society?

Do we sacrifice them when our time is focused on "more important" things like work, habits or fitness to build ourselves up?
Do we throw them to wolves if we do not pray fiercely and pour the Gospel into them intentionally?
Do we sacrifice their purity by not shepherding their viewing and listening habits?
Do we sacrifice their self dignity when we don't listen to them becasue we are too busy being entertained or talking on a phone?
Do we sacrifice them when we don't discipline them in a Godly way, but rather allow Oprah to guide us where "all is good" ?
Do we sacrifice them by allowing drugs to take the place of healing hugs, open ears, precious time and edifying words?
Do we sacrifice them when we are bound by lust of another, which corrupts our affections?
Do we sacrifice them as our vanity focuses our actions on us rather than serving them?


I would say that I have partially sacrificed my kids at times, falling prey to most of the above traps. I will state firmly though that as I worship the God who allowed His Son to be a Holy Sacrifice, he not only makes me aware of these things, but empowers my battle against them. He sacrificed His son in the most Holy act of sacrifice ever, and there is no sacrifice available that can improve upon it one little bit. It is only when we cease striving and know that God is God, and Christ has satisfied Him that we can give ourselves unto His lordship.

Our heart's desire should be in praise of Christ, and our first priority with Kids is to show and teach them Jesus at every turn. We only get one shot with our kids -may God give us the grace and energy to buld them up in His son Jesus.