What does Jeremiah 7:31 reveal about God's view on child sacrifice practices? Setting the Scene • Jeremiah is standing at the gate of the temple (Jeremiah 7:2), calling God’s people to repentance. • The immediate issue: they are practicing idolatry, including burning their own children to Molech at “Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom.” The Core Verse “‘They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom so that they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire. I did not command it, nor did it enter My mind.’” (Jeremiah 7:31) Key Truths God Declares • Child sacrifice is utterly outside His will—“I did not command it.” • It is unthinkable to Him—“nor did it enter My mind.” • The language shows personal outrage and heartbreak, not mere disapproval. Why This Practice Offended God So Deeply 1. Direct violation of explicit commands – “You must not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech” (Leviticus 18:21; cf. Deuteronomy 12:31). 2. Assault on the image of God – Children bear God’s image (Genesis 1:27); destroying them is an attack on the Creator Himself. 3. Idolatry at its darkest – Worship of false gods coupled with innocent bloodshed (2 Kings 17:17; 21:6). 4. Perverting the purpose of the Valley of Hinnom – A place meant for refuse became a stage for atrocities, later symbolizing final judgment (“Gehenna”). 5. Breaking covenant love – God rescued Israel from child-killing Egypt; now they repeat pagan cruelty (Exodus 1:22 vs. Hosea 11:1-2). Scriptural Reinforcement • Deuteronomy 18:10 – “Let no one… sacrifice their son or daughter in the fire.” • 2 Kings 23:10 – Josiah defiled Topheth to end the practice. • Ezekiel 16:20-21 – God calls it “slaughter” and an act that makes His sanctuary unclean. • Psalm 106:37-38 – “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons… the land was polluted with blood.” Consequences God Announces in Jeremiah 7 • The valley that heard children’s screams will echo with the people’s own cries (Jeremiah 7:32-34). • Silence will replace songs; judgment will fall because innocent blood cries out (cf. Genesis 4:10). Lessons for Today • God treasures every child as His gift (Psalm 127:3; James 1:17). • Any culture that normalizes the destruction of the innocent invites divine grief and eventual judgment. • True worship protects life, reflects God’s holiness, and rejects practices—even popular ones—that God has called abominable. |
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