Passing Through The Fire part 2

But burning their children alive?

Yep, Molech pictured above was or is a Canaanite deity to whom the children were being sacrificed. This child sacrifice became a part of the Israelite’s worship because of several kings that followed and called for the practice.

2 Kings 16:1-3

King James Version

In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign. Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord his God, like David his father. But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.

2 Kings 16:1-4

The Message

Ahaz of Judah

In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah. Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king and he ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He didn’t behave in the eyes of his God; he wasn’t at all like his ancestor David. Instead he followed in the track of the kings of Israel. He even indulged in the outrageous practice of “passing his son through the fire”—a truly abominable act he picked up from the pagans God had earlier thrown out of the country. He also participated in the activities of the neighborhood sex-and-religion shrines that flourished all over the place.

2 Kings 21:1-6

King James Version

Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hephzibah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel. For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. And he built altars in the house of the Lord, of which the Lord said, In Jerusalem will I put my name. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

2 Kings 21:1-6

The Message

Manasseh of Judah

Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king. He ruled for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. In God’s judgment he was a bad king—an evil king. He reintroduced all the moral rot and spiritual corruption that had been scoured from the country when God dispossessed the pagan nations in favor of the children of Israel. He rebuilt all the sex-and-religion shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down, and he built altars and phallic images for the sex god Baal and sex goddess Asherah, exactly what Ahab king of Israel had done. He worshiped the cosmic powers, taking orders from the constellations. He even built these pagan altars in The Temple of God, the very Jerusalem Temple dedicated exclusively by God’s decree (“in Jerusalem I place my Name”) to God’s Name. And he built shrines to the cosmic powers and placed them in both courtyards of The Temple of God. He burned his own son in a sacrificial offering. He practiced black magic and fortunetelling. He held séances and consulted spirits from the underworld. Much evil—in God’s judgment, a career in evil. And God was angry.

They asked for a king and got some good along with some bad.

But sacrifice, burn alive their children?

I read the valley of Hinnom was where the burning alive of the children would take place. Outside of the valley, there were children playing who would hear the screams of the children and wonder if they would be next.

What a terror.

No wonder God would command that some groups/tribes were to be annihilated. God knew the evil that would spread regarding worshiping idols and false gods.

God issued many commandments, knowing that they would be impossible to keep. But His commandments were to show His chosen that they needed a Savior. Some helped. And all along, God knew what His redemption plan would be.

Romans 10:1-3

King James Version

Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Romans 10:1-3

The Message

Israel Reduced to Religion

Believe me, friends, all I want for Israel is what’s best for Israel: salvation, nothing less. I want it with all my heart and pray to God for it all the time. I readily admit that the Jews are impressively energetic regarding God—but they are doing everything exactly backward. They don’t seem to realize that this comprehensive setting-things-right that is salvation is God’s business, and a most flourishing business it is. Right across the street they set up their own salvation shops and noisily peddle their knockoffs. After all these years of refusing to really deal with God on his terms, insisting instead on making their own deals, they have nothing to show for it.

God loves us and wants the best for us. Sometimes I think I might know what’s best, but in the process, I have learned God always knows what’s best. And while it may be beyond my understanding, I am determined to trust God.

Later, the Lord willing I will share what I learned went on in -

Tophet

In the Hebrew Bible, Tophet or Tophet is a location in Jerusalem in the Valley of Hinnom, where worshipers engaged in a ritual involving “passing a child through the fire”, most likely child sacrifice. Traditionally, the sacrifices have been ascribed to a god named Moloch. Wikipedia.