Lawrence Grott
Throughout the history of Israel going back to the exodus, the people didn’t take long to turn their backs on God. Not only did they turn from Him quickly, but did it repeatedly as documented throughout the Old Testament. Each time this happened God would lift up a prophet to speak through, to the people. He wanted to warn them of the consequences of their wickedness in hopes they would turn back to Him.
From the very beginning when God handed down the law to Moses it’s made clear that judgement and punishment would come with disobedience. Most people could easily point out to you or me that God in the Old Testament was angry and wrathful and that’s true, but what seems to get lost is that He was also slow to anger and wrath. Even though it was documented in the law, God continued to be patient and loving toward them by giving them every chance to return to Him. God judges and punishes because He’s just and righteous, not because He wants to. There comes a point where He has to judge.
He’s no different with us to this day. But just like a parent with a child, there’s a time when judgment can’t be held back. With the Israelites the line that was crossed was during the reign of King Manasseh, the eldest son of King Hezekiah. King Hezekiah was a good king who brought the people back to God from idol worship along with every other type of sin. God told him he was going to die, so Hezekiah went to his bed and cried. He made his case about how good of a king he was, so God gave him fifteen more years of life (this is a very shorthand account).
You most likely have been taught how this is an example of the rewards of righteous living and such a wonderful thing (Of course this is true, but we need to see the whole story in context), but God knows the end from the beginning. God wanted Hezekiah to go home to be with Him. He uses this to be a teachable moment for the rest of us. By letting Hezekiah live he has a son named Manasseh who becomes king after him as mentioned above. If Hezekiah had not lived those fifteen extra years, Manasseh wouldn’t have been born. Let’s see why this would’ve been preferable.
Manasseh ends up being the most evil king Israel ever had. Manasseh sinned all the ways of those who came before him, but then took it even further. He sacrificed his own son to the god Moloch (Molech).
2 Kings 21:6(NKJ)
Also he made his son pass through the fire, practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft, and consulted spiritists and mediums. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
2 Chronicles 33:6(NKJ)
Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
Moloch was a bronze statue heated with fire in which babies were placed on the outstretched hands. The parents offered up their own children, and those who had no children would buy babies from poor people and cut their throats; meanwhile the mother stood by without a tear or moan; if she utter a single moan or tear, she had to forfeit the money, and her child was sacrificed anyway; the whole area around the statue was filled with flutes and drums so that the cries of the babies couldn’t be heard by the people.
Moloch was literally the god of financial convenience. Poor people let their children be murdered for a monetary payment and not having to worry about the future costs of raising them, and those who had no children bought and sacrificed the babies of the poor in hopes of financial blessing.
While it’s no longer done on a bronze statue, this is being done today for the exact same reasons in the western world. OVER 97% of abortions done today are nontherapeutic. They’re done for nothing more than financial convenience. This was the line the Israelites crossed with God where judgment could no longer be withheld. After Manasseh’s reign there was a revival under King Josiah, but by then it was too late because of all the innocent blood that was spilled. You can read for yourself the rest of the account in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
Israel was and is God’s chosen people. Christians are God’s chosen people. The United States (as a nation) isn’t God’s chosen people. If God didn’t spare His chosen people for this sin, He’s not going to spare the United States and other western countries for this sin either. When the judgment for this comes, and it’s coming, being a Christian won’t prevent you from experiencing the judgment of God. It didn’t spare the righteous citizens of Israel’s past and won’t spare us.
This is a sin not only by individuals, but by nations. When we vote (as a nation) to put people in office that write laws to embrace this behavior, it’s the nation that gets judged. If He doesn’t judge us for the millions of babies our country allowed and now champions to be murdered for financial convenience He wouldn’t be righteous. I pray we see a genuine revival in the United States. It’s sorely needed. But just like in ancient Israel, I fear we’ve crossed the line and judgment can no longer be stopped.
We need to use this time of deferred judgement for witnessing to and making disciples of the people before it’s too late. Give yourself over to the study of the Word of God, find a good church that teaches sound doctrine, join a home discipleship group, and let the Holy Spirit work inside you as you reach the world for the cause of Jesus Christ. God bless.
Lawrence Grott
If you’d like to learn more or get a copy of my book: The Purpose for the Passion, please visit me at: https://spiritandtruthministries.life 