Through the Bible - 1 Chronicles 14-17, John 10
Good morning,
This morning, as we do on most weekends we turn to the book of Psalms and continue with the topic of abortion that we looked at on Friday.
Psalm 106 takes a look at Israel's many sins and points out that there can be joy in the forgiveness, knowing the forgiveness of our sins.
Thousands of years have past and we still get caught up in the same sins. We may not look upon abortion as a sin of idolatry, but today's passage may open our eyes to what was going on then and what is going on now.
Verses 36 and 37 of Psalm 106 point out that God's overarching reason for prohibiting "mingling" with the pagan nations is that it leads to idolatry as it did with Solomon's wives leading his heart astray. The worship of idols cause the king and his people to abandon true God for worthless idols. This became a snare for them, a trap that would lead to destruction.
Ps 106:37 They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to demons,
38 And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with blood. NKJV
Notice in verse 37 it is called "sacrifice", modern society calls it "choice".
John Piper in a sermon on this passage notes:
One is that it is called “sacrifice.” Verse 37: “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters.” Sacrifice means that you give up something ordinarily considered valuable (a sheep or a bull) to gain something better—usually from a deity. Abortion in America is not done consciously with any desire to get blessing from a deity. But it is done to gain something “better” than the baby—that is what the whole debate is about. Is the gain greater than the loss? We need to be sure to see it in those terms: The life of a child is being sacrificed for something. What that “something” is defines the barbarity of our culture. I say that knowing full well how unimaginably difficult many unplanned pregnancies are. I do not make light of that. The issue is: How precious is the child? And will we trust God to make a way? This is what crisis pregnancy centers are devoted to.
Second, the child sacrifice in the psalm is described as the sacrifice of our sons and daughters. Verse 37: “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters.” He could have said “children.” But he says “sons and daughters.” This draws attention to two things. 1) They were sexually different. They were little boys and girls. And 2) they were family. This baby that is being sacrificed is family. And so it is with abortion. It is always a little girl or a little boy. And it is always family.
Most of us will probably go to church to worship Christ this weekend, and offer the "sacrifice of praise". A sacrifice is always given to something.
Piper notes that the sacrifices in Psalm 106 and the abortions performed today, are sacrifices as well, sacrifices to idols.
As we celebrate Memorial Day tomorrow. We need to remember those who have served and are serving our country in the military that we might have freedom. Let us also remember the unborn children and pray that this nation will repent, and turn from these practices.
Ps 82
God calls the judges into his courtroom,
he puts all the judges in the dock.
"Enough! You've corrupted justice long enough,
you've let the wicked get away with murder.
You're here to defend the defenseless,
to make sure that underdogs get a fair break;
Your job is to stand up for the powerless,
and prosecute all those who exploit them."
Ignorant judges! Head-in-the-sand judges!
They haven't a clue to what's going on.
And now everything's falling apart,
the world's coming unglued.
"I commissioned you judges, each one of you,
deputies of the High God,
But you've betrayed your commission
and now you're stripped of your rank, busted."
O God, give them their just deserts!
You've got the whole world in your hands! (from THE MESSAGE: )
In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
Ps 106:35-48
35 But they mingled with the GentilesAnd learned their works; 36 They served their idols,Which became a snare to them. 37 They even sacrificed their sonsAnd their daughters to demons, 38 And shed innocent blood,The blood of their sons and daughters,Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;And the land was polluted with blood. 39 Thus they were defiled by their own works,And played the harlot by their own deeds.
40 Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people,So that He abhorred His own inheritance. 41 And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles,And those who hated them ruled over them. 42 Their enemies also oppressed them,And they were brought into subjection under their hand. 43 Many times He delivered them;But they rebelled in their counsel,And were brought low for their iniquity.
44 Nevertheless He regarded their affliction,When He heard their cry; 45 And for their sake He remembered His covenant,And relented according to the multitude of His mercies. 46 He also made them to be pitiedBy all those who carried them away captive.
47 Save us, O Lord our God,And gather us from among the Gentiles,To give thanks to Your holy name,To triumph in Your praise.
48 Blessed be the Lord God of IsraelFrom everlasting to everlasting!And let all the people say, "Amen!"
NKJV
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