"Say to the Israelites: Any Israelite or foreigner living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death; the people of the country are to stone him."
Leviticus 20:2
Molech was a god worshiped by the Canaanites. One of the methods of their worship was to sacrifice their children to him.
The first portion of this chapter lists several of the hottest religious and pseudo-religious behaviors of the time (Canaanite gods, mediums, etc) and details God's hatred for such atrocities. He makes it abundantly clear that anyone engaged in any form of worship that isn't directed towards Him will be put to death.
Some argue that this is one of the things that makes God unbelievable, but I disagree. The argument is often said that God is more concerned with people doing what's right than He is with which religious or spiritual beliefs people have. I think that the best way to focus on the truth in this debate is to realize that God (in this case) rescued the Israelites from Egypt. He is demanding that His people, who He rescued, follow His rules so that His actions in rescuing them were not in vain.
A modern viewpoint on this subject would be that Jesus rescued us from the death which we deserve because of our sinfulness. Because of that act, we owe Him our allegiance. Whether we think that palm-readers or astrology have any accuracy or not, we are not to seek those methods because our Savior abhors them.
Question of the Day:
Examine your personal beliefs, and use the bible as a magnifying glass. Do you see any places where your own beliefs do not match with biblical principles? What do you need to do to change this?
Prayer of the Day:
Examine my heart, comparing it to Your will for me, and show me the error of my ways. Mold my heart into a mirror of Your own so that I may willingly follow Your statutes all the days of my life. Amen.
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