God is Good

Read Leviticus 20-22
 
Leviticus 20:2-3 “If any of them offer their children as a sacrifice to Molech, they must be put to death. The people of the community must stone them to death.”
 
“GOD is good.” How many times have you said that or heard someone else say it? Usually one is responding to some good thing that has happened in his or her life. Perhaps it is receiving a surprise gift from someone, avoiding an accident or enjoying good health. These are good things, and God deserves praise in all things. But I want you to see how truly good (a word that means “of God”) God is in the midst of great sin.
    Horrible things were happening in the world when God spoke these words to Israel. People worshiping false idols were killing their children. There was a ritual of worship to the god Molech in which parents would literally throw their 4-year-old child into a fire.
    Of course, God detested that murderous practice. And he could have easily destroyed all the people. But he didn’t. His good intent was to save many of them, so they would turn their hearts to life, to him.
    So he commanded his people to execute the murderers, so the killing would stop. God loves mankind. We are made in his image. To murder is a direct attack on God. Murder was one of the chief reasons for the Great Flood. After the waters receded, God’s fourth command to Noah was Genesis 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.” Killing another human releases God’s wrath. Yes, we disdain capital punishment. But in God’s providence, it is a means to stop the killing and protect humanity.
    He commanded his people to be people of life who worshiped the God of life. God’s goodness came in his grace to protect his own, to stop sin, so the children would live.
    God’s good  justice protects the sanctity of life. Let’s pray the world in its murderous rage today knows this, and the killing that ravages our nations will stop.
   
Life is God’s Purpose.