In Psalms one hundred six the Psalmist speaking of the heathen nations said the people of Israel, “served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, ...”, and in chapter one hundred six and verse thirty-eight of Psalms the Psalmist shared how the people of Israel, “shed innocent blood” where we read,
And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.
The verse begins, “And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, ...” The Psalmist began with the words, “and shed innocent blood” or “and poured out and spilled clean, free from guilt and exempt from obligations bloodshed or life giving blood”, “even the blood” which means “indeed the life giving blood” “of their sons” or “belonging to their, the people of Israel's, male offspring and progeny” “and of their daughters” which means “and belonging to their, the people of Israel's, female offspring and progeny”. The Psalmist shared how the people of Israel began to pour out and spill the guilt free life blood of their children to the false idols they were worshiping and serving.
The verse continues, “... whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.” The Psalmist added the words, “whom they sacrificed” or “the offspring of Israel were killed, slaughtered and slain” “unto the idols” which means “to the idolatrous images” “of Canaan” or “belonging to Canaan whose name means lowland and was the son of Ham and the progenitor of the Phoenicians and of the various nations who occupied the seacoast of Palestine”: “and the land” which means “ and the district, territory and region” “was polluted with blood” or “existed as profaned, defiled and corrupted with bloodshed”. The Psalmist referred to the way the people of Israel slayed their innocent children as an offering of worship to the false images of “Canaan”, and this caused the entire territory to be defiled with bloodshed. (See Deuteronomy 21:9; 2 Kings 21:16, 24:4 and Jeremiah 2:34)
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how the Psalmist referred to the way the people of Israel slew their own children as offerings to the false images and gods of the land of Canaan. The people of Israel began to worship images which were hallowed out, lit with a fire within and burning hot inside. Then they would throw their living children into the fire where they would be consumed. This practice was carried out in order to please or appease the false deities, and we can only imagine such atrocities. God loved the people of Israel, and He knew they would fall into these practices if they forsook Him and His ways. He loves us as well, and He desires to save us from such horrific things. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to become a living sacrifice to pay for our sins so that we may be forgiven and inherit everlasting life with God forever. Those who forsake a relationship with Jehovah God may be led into horrific aberrations of worship, and God extends His invitation to everyone to protect and save them from these cursed practices.
Next time the Psalmist shares how the people of Israel, “defiled with their own works”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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