For Sale: Body Parts

     Just when you think you’ve heard it all, another issue surfaces that defies human reason.  Planned Parenthood shocked the nation recently when it was revealed that their services include not only the slaughter of the unborn but harvesting parts of their bodies for profit.

     Let’s see what the Bible says about such practice and then everyone can choose for themselves their position on the issue.

     The sanctity of human life is a major premise throughout the entire Bible beginning in the first chapter of the first book, i.e. Genesis.

     “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…’  So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”  Genesis 1:26a, 27

     The Hebrew for ‘man’ means ‘mankind’ which includes both male and female.

     Immediately the thought process reasons that if God made man in His own image, it would be contrary to God’s will to destroy or kill man, or mankind.  That is absolutely the case according to the Bible.

     Even before the immutable Ten Commandments were given, God confirmed the premise of sanctity of human life to Noah immediately after the flood.

     “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.”  Genesis 9:6

     The primary meaning of ‘shed’ is to ‘pour out.’  It also means to spill, slaughter, or murder.

     Many centuries later as the fledgling nation of Israel was preparing to enter Canaan, God delivered the Ten Commandments through Moses which included ‘You shall not murder (kill)’ and, as we’ve seen, is synonymous with ‘shed man’s blood.’

     Shortly thereafter God elaborated on the significance of the ‘blood.’

     “…for it (the blood) is the life of all flesh.  Its blood sustains its life.”  Leviticus 17:14

     Therefore, if the blood of an animal or of a man is shed, its life is taken.

     Let’s back up three verses to see the significance of that fact.

     “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.”  Leviticus 17:11

     Only God has the authority to require man’s blood as payment for his own sin.  The animal sacrifice was a type, or foreshadow, of Christ’s offering His own blood to cover the sins of His chosen.

     So if only God has the authority to require man’s blood, how serious is it when man sheds the blood of another, especially that of a child?

     The Israelites provided vivid examples of such atrocities to alert this current generation of the consequences of such practice.

     Shortly after entering Canaan the Israelites began to disobey God.  They did not destroy all the people in the land as commanded, but rather adopted some of their hideous practices.

     They did not destroy the peoples, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them, but they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works…they even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughter…and the land was polluted with blood.  Thus they were defiled by their own works…”  Psalm 106:34-39a

     Several significant points in the above passage are noted.  The Hebrew for ‘innocent’ means guiltless and/or blameless.  The Hebrew for ‘sons’ and ‘daughters’ includes ‘child’ or ‘young one.’

     The Prophet Jeremiah addressed the issue to Judah approximately 800 years later, after Northern Israel’s fall.

     “Because they have forsaken Me and… have filled this place with the blood of the innocents (they have also built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal, which I did not command or speak, nor did it come into My mind)…”  Jeremiah 19:4-5

    

     The people of Judah had also forsaken God’s word by shedding the blood of innocent children and offering their sons (children) as burnt offerings to Baal. 

     Such a horrific practice was never commanded by God nor had such an abomination ever entered the mind of God.

     But what about unborn children?

     To be completed next week.