Day 28 of 40 day fast

I’ll be eating in 12 days. I have to admit, I’m looking forward to it.

God frequently admonished the Israelites not to participate in the sinful practices of the peoples who lived nearby. One of these was the sacrificing of children to Molech, the god of the Ammorites. “Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God.” Lev 18:21 “I will set My face against that man and I will cut him off from his people for by giving his children to Molech, he has defiled my sanctuary...I will set My face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech.”

Various OT kings followed Molech and some sacrificed children eg Ahaz. (2 Kings 16:3) In the Valley of Ben Hinnom, in Jerusalem, altars were erected for child sacrifice and it was known as the Valley of Slaughter. (Jer 7:32) King Josiah tore these altars down. (2 Kings 23:10) Abortion is the equivalent these days of that ancient practice of child sacrifice to the god of Molech, through eg self-interest, fears, shame.

When I was in Israel in 2006, a conference speaker told of this 10 year old son wanting to go to Ben Hinnom Valley b/c he had heard of the child sacrifice that had occurred there. When his father agreed, his son put on his suit and gathered a bunch of flowers. In the valley he knelt down and prayed. I was so touched that after the conference I went to that valley and prayed concerning the abortion in NZ.

Recently I read of another group who prayed there about abortion and afterwards someone noticed that birds had come back into the valley.

When God said He would wipe out mankind (through the flood) he added, “animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air”. “though they are morally innocent, the animal world, as creatures under man’s corrupted rule, shared in His judgement.” Gen 6:7 + NIV note

Let’s pray together: Lord we confess that the ancient god Molech has been at work in our nation of NZ and that we have bowed down to it through abortion. Through this we have broken Your commandment that we should have no other gods before You. Therefore, You have been right to have set Your face against us.

Lord, we are sorry for these sins. Today, in the spirit, like King Josiah, as Your kings and priests and with the authority You have vested in us, we call on New Zealanders to pull down every altar they have raised up to the worship of self as god before our God. We declare ‘no more!’ to this practice of child sacrifice.