Pro-Life Women of the Bible

WHAT’S FAITH GOT TO DO WITH IT? 

Pro-life and Pro-choice: nothing stirs up more controversy than these two words. Pro-life people often take a stand on this issue because of their religious beliefs; however, there are many secular and scientific reasons to be on the side of life. All you have to do is look at a sonogram. 

On the other hand, pro-choice advocates want to leave faith out of the discussion. Often their argument is that they personally don’t condone abortion, but they don’t believe in pushing their religious views on others. However, they defend a woman’s right to choose with a religious fervor that often puts Christians to shame.

So faith has a lot to do with it!

OR IS IT OUR LACK OF FAITH THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT?

We allow the secular world to bully us into submission in many areas that undermine our faith. They take the moral high ground and tell us we are intolerant busy bodies that don’t believe in the Constitution. They constantly remind us that there is this thing called separation of church and state.

Of course, the misunderstanding of separation of church and state is phenomenal. First, it isn’t found in the Constitution and people misinterpret the original meaning. Jefferson was answering a letter from a Baptist congregation and basically telling them to relax.  Jefferson assured them they had freedom of faith and the state is constitutionally bound to stay out of the church’s business. Two days after writing this letter Jefferson attended a church service held in the House of Representatives! Still think he believes that the church has no place in government or in the public square?    

However, due to this unfortunate distortion of Jefferson’s statement the bullying from pro-choice advocates (and other causes that go against our faith) forces us to be quiet. We talk among ourselves and worry about the state of the world, but we are, too often, people of talk and no action. Was it our passivity and lack of outrage that allowed prayer to be taken out of the schools, the definition of marriage to be changed, and abortion to run rampant?

Unfortunately, we don’t realize how big our God is and that there are no forces that can overcome Him. We are His instruments on earth called to prayer and action against those that want to silence His word.   

SADLY, THIS BEHAVIOR IS NOT NEW.

Remember when the Israelites were rescued from slavery in Egypt and they were on their way to the Promised Land. They looked back, and what did they see? The Egyptian military pursuing them. Frightened and angry they decided it would have been better to stay enslaved! After witnessing many miracles that gained their freedom they still didn’t understand that God was bigger than the Egyptian military. Instead of seeking God’s help and protection they blamed God.  Here is God’s response:

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Command the Israelites to start moving'” (Exodus 14:15 NCV). In other words, don’t stand around complaining. Trust God and take action. 

In this scenario the Egyptians were taking action to suppress the Israelites and bring them back to a life of slavery. You can be assured that those on the pro-choice side are fighting tooth and nail to silence Christians advocacy for life. 

Fortunately, there are some organizations that are living out Exodus 14:15, in regards to abortion. One of these groups is the “March for Life.” 

PRO-LIFE MARCH

In 2020 the March for Life was on January 24. This an annual protest, which began in 1974, in opposition to the appalling decision to legalize the murder of children in 1973. 

As I read about the history of this group’s mission, it occurred to me that the pro-life movement didn’t begin in 1974. It started in ancient times.

PRO-LIFE (VS) PRO-CHOICE IN ANCIENT TIMES

Disposing of others’ lives has been around almost as long as humans. After all, Genesis, the first book of the Bible, records the first murder! (Genesis 4:8)

Unfortunately, children have always been easy prey, used as pawns in our government, political, and religious systems.

At one time in history, people thought that children gave magical protection to a building or structure; for this reason, archeological digs find children interred in the foundation of buildings.

Appeasing the gods through child sacrifice was a common practice, particularly by the Ammonites, who worshiped Molech. (Deut. 12: 29-31 and Lev. 18:21)

Moreover, there is also evidence to suggest that the Carthaginian Empire practiced child sacrifice, in the extreme, to gain the favor of their gods. Some historians think they also used this practice to control their increasing population!

Population control, sound familiar? 

Well, as we can see from above that population control isn’t a new idea, just easier to do today.

Socialism is picking up steam in the United States, especially with our college age and twenty something citizenry. All the free stuff and being taken care of sounds wonderful. It is like eating comfort food without the consequences of health issues or weight gain. Believe me, I know all about comfort food and its consequences. 

However, like comfort food, socialism has negative consequences. Although there are many adverse affects this article is focused on abortion; and socialism has a positive view on abortion and population control. Check out what one of the United State’s foremost socialist, Bernie Sanders, has to say on this subject. Sanders thinks this should be a key part of the platform to address climate catastrophe. I guess babies are a catastrophe. How stupid I am, I thought they were a blessing from God and cute too!

SCRIPTURES INDICTING ISRAELITES PRACTICE OF CHILD SACRIFICE

Just like our younger generation is persuaded by the culture around them and see socialism as a good thing, so the Hebrews were  influenced by the societies surrounding them. Therefore, they succumbed to the barbaric practice of child sacrifice; despite numerous and dire warnings from God.

In 2 Kings 16, we read that King Ahaz began his reign as king of Judah; however, he did not follow God’s laws: “indeed he made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel” (2 Kings 16: 3b NKJV).

When King Josiah ascended the throne of Judah,  he wanted to bring the nation back to worshipping the one true God. Therefore, Josiah  “…. Defiled the altar of Topheth in the valley of Ben-Hinnom, so no one could ever again use it to sacrifice a son or daughter in the fire as an offering to Molech” (2 Kings 23:10 NLT).

PRO-LIFE ADVOCATES IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

It’s depressing to think that God’s chosen people practiced such heinous acts, Despair not, there were pro-life advocates among the Israelites, just as there are today. 

The Midwives

First, let’s look at the book of Exodus. Here we find two women who risked their lives to take a pro-life position. Shiphrah and Puah were midwives to the Hebrew women during the time the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt.

Indeed, these women had “good” reasons for decreasing the population. Why bring more children into slavery and hardship?

But, surprisingly, it wasn’t these ladies who wanted the population controlled. Fearing the Hebrews numbers and strength, Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all Hebrew baby boys as they helped bring them into the world.

The Bible tells us that the midwives feared God and did not obey Pharaoh’s edict. These two women were courageous to defy Pharaoh’s order. After all, Pharaoh had total control; hence, they jeopardized not only their positions but their lives to save these babies. 

However, when Pharaoh interrogated them about their failure to carry out his demand, these women did not back down. Yes, they lied about the reason they were unable to kill the baby boys, but God blessed their pro-life stand, protected them from Pharaoh’s wrath, and gave these two women families of their own. (Exodus 1: 15-21)

The mother who chose adoption

Since the midwives didn’t murder the baby boys, Pharaoh changed the edict. “Throw all newborn Hebrew boys into the Nile River.” (Exodus 1:22) Moses was born during this traumatic time. Therefore, his mother, Jochebed, put him in a well-crafted basket and placed him by the Nile River because she knew Pharaoh’s daughter frequented this place. Additionally, she devised a plan with Moses’ sister, Miriam, to save her son. 

Miriam’s job was to keep a lookout for Pharaoh’s daughter and approach the princess with a plan. “Shall I get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”  (Exodus 2: 1-10)

What a difficult thing to do, but Moses mother chose adoption over the death of her child.

I don’t know why more women don’t do that today. There are so many couples longing for a family.

The mother who sacrificed to save her child’s life

Then there is the famous story of Solomon’s wisdom. Two prostitutes who lived together had a child within three days of each other. One baby died. Both mothers claimed the living child was theirs, and the dead baby belonged to the other woman. 

Cutting the baby in two was Solomon’s solution; thus, both women could have half of the baby.

Of course, the birth mother said to let the baby live. This pro-life prostitute sacrificed her desires for her child to live. (1 Kings 3: 16-28)

Unfortunately, pro-choice advocates persuade women to avoid any sacrifice for the child’s sake; instead, they encourage women to abort the baby so they can go on with their lives as if nothing changed. Sacrifice is a dirty word.

However, what we don’t understand is how we are sacrificing God’s blessings on this country through this modern day holocaust.

Weeping for our children that are gone

In Matthew, we see another example of pro-life sentiment.

When asking for directions at King Herod’s palace, the Magi referred to this recently born baby as “king of the Jews.”  King Herod took immediate action to preserve his position, thus ordering the military to carry out a horrific massacre by killing all boys two and under in and around Bethlehem. Of course, because of God’s protection Jesus was no longer in Bethlehem, but Herod did not know this. (Matthew 2: 12-18)

Matthew quoted from the book of Jeremiah to express the grief caused by the slaying of innocent children.  “Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children are gone” (Jeremiah 31:15b NLT).

Until the massacre of children ceases, we too must continue to weep and cry out for justice. 

LACK OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE IS NOT NEW

So this lack of respect for life is not new. Throughout history, humans have casually destroyed and murdered.

Was this lack of concern in ancient times because they worshipped false deities that were cruel, heartless, and selfish?

Today, is it because we think we are nothing but evolved animals?

No matter the reason, we must not grow weary in defending children’s lives from those who see them as expendable or a means to an end.

Certainly, January 22, 1973, was a shameful day for the Supreme Court of the United States.

In 2019, the Guttmacher Institute reported that there were almost 60 million children killed through this legal procedure. Check out this site for some other alarming stats.

CONCLUSION AND COMMENTS

However, as long as there are people, defenseless children will always be at risk. But we can take solace in knowing the there will also be pro-life advocates who follow God. After all, God considers children a gift.  

“But Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.’ And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left” (Matthew 19:14-15 NLT).

As we decide who our next president will be, keep in mind the stance of each of the candidate’s stand on abortion. Is Trump a perfect person? Of course, not. There is much about his style that I don’t like, but style is not what I am voting for – I want policies and actions that match my values. Trump is the most pro-life president we’ve had since Roe (v) Wade. The first one to attend the March for Life! 

Biden and the democrat platform wants abortion to remain the law of the land. They continue to make it easier for women to access abortions and approve the funding of organizations liked Planned Parenthood. In fact, Biden wants to repeal the Hyde Amendment and use your tax dollars to fund abortions. 

Christians, we must take action and start the march across the Red Sea!

I welcome respectful and thoughtful comments on the subject. 

This post is an updated article originally written in 2018.

Blessings until next time.