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Who was Molech?



    
    

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

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Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
As with many details in ancient history, the exact origin of Moloch/Molech worship is unclear. The term Moloch is believed to have originated with the Phoenician mlk, which referred to a type of sa...

July 01 2013 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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My picture Jack Gutknecht Supporter ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church
"The word translated “hell” is gehenna. It comes from a Hebrew phrase “the valley [ge] of Hinnon,” referring to an actual valley outside Jerusalem where wicked King Ahaz worshipped Molech, the fire god, and even sacrificed his children in the fire (2 Chron. 28:1-3; Jer. 7:31; 32:35). —Warren Wiersbe https://bethelchurchmuncie.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/wiersbe-commentary-new-testament.pdf 

Molech (Lev. 20:1-5) was the god of the Ammonites. His metal image was heated red hot and little children were placed in his arms and burned to death (see 2 Kings 23:10; 2 Chron. 33:6; Jer. 32:35). People who practiced such idolatry were inhuman, and their presence in the camp defiled God’s sanctuary and profaned His holy name. Idolaters were not tolerated because they influenced others and led people away from the worship of the true God. 

According to Deuteronomy 12:29-32, "The inhabitants of Canaan had grossly defiled their land by their personal conduct and their abominable religious practices, which included sacrificing their children to the false gods, usually Molech “the abomination of the Ammonites” (Dt 12:31; 1 Kings 11:5, 33)." --Wiersbe

Is not this similar to abortion in America to say the least? Or better, abortion worldwide?

"Baal worship was the prevalent religion among the Canaanites, and it didn’t include the sacrifice of children. The Ammonites put their children through the fire as part of their worship of Molech." Specifically, "The Ammonites worshipped the hideous god Molech and sacrificed their infants on his altars (Lev. 18:21; 20:1-5; and see Jer. 7:29-34; Ezek. 16:20-22)." 

"Ahaz was the son of Jotham, a good king, and the father of Hezekiah, a very good king, but he himself was not a godly man or even a good man. Instead of discovering and doing the will of God, Ahaz imitated the wicked kings of Israel and even the pagan practices of Assyria. He even adopted the horrible worship practices of the pagans and sacrificed his son (2 Chron. 28:3 says “children,” plural) to a pagan god, Baal or Molech, a practice that was clearly prohibited in the law of Moses (Lev. 18:21; Deut. 18:10)." 

Unfortunately, the good king Hezekiah had a bad son, Manasseh. "Manasseh followed the religion of Molech and caused his sons to pass through the altar fire (Lev. 18:21; 20:1-5)." 

In Isaiah 30, we discover that, "Just as sheol was prepared for the king of Babylon (Isa. 14:9ff.), so Topheth was prepared for the king of Assyria. Topheth was a site outside Jerusalem where the worshippers of Molech sacrificed their children (2 Kings 16:3; 21:6; Jer. 7:31-32; 19:6, 11-14). It was defiled by Josiah (2 Kings 23:10), turned into a garbage dump, and named “Gehenna,” which comes from ge-ben-hinnom, meaning “valley of the son of Himmon.” That was the location of Topheth. “Gehenna” is the New Testament word for “hell.” The funeral pyre for the great king of Assyria would be a garbage dump! How humiliating!" --Wiersbe

See my opening statement.

"The chief god of Edomwas Molech (Malcham, Milcom), which means ‘reigning one, king.’ Amos 1:15 could be translated, ‘Molech will go into exile,’ thus showing the inability of their god to save them." --The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: Old Testament

December 13 2022 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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