Moloch
Important Note:
In this article, I am not by any means claiming Moloch actually exists; I am just explaining this strange deity as it is being talked about currently.
Who Was Moloch/Molech/Molek?
Recently, in speeches pertaining to abortion, many people have been referencing the Canaanite god, Moloch. One might ask, who is Moloch? Today we will be going over this strange "deity."
As mentioned prior, Moloch was a Canaanite(Canaanites are people who live in Canaan) god, primarily worshiped primarily by the Phoenicians. Practices of Moloch primarily consisited of intercoursal rituals, as well as child sacrifice. In these sacrifices, a baby was placed in a sort of hole in the body of a metal idol in the shape of Moloch(a man with a bull head in short terms) or on the hands of the iron idol.
A fire would be lit inside or around the statue thus making the statue extremely hot. This extreme heat made living hard surprisingly. I know, crazy stuff.
To drown out the screams of the babies, loud drums were played over their yelling.
Moloch in The Bible:
Not to claim Moloch is a charater in the Bible, but he his refrenced on several occasions throughout.
Leviticus 18:21 KJV
"You shall not give any of your children to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the Lord."
Leviticus 20:2-5 KJV
“You shall also say to the sons of Israel: ‘Anyone from the sons of Israel or from the strangers residing in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech, shall certainly be put to death; the people of the land shall stone him with stones. 3 I will also set My face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given some of his children to Molech, so as to defile My sanctuary and to profane My holy name. 4 If the people of the land, however, should ever disregard that man when he gives any of his children to Molech, so as not to put him to death, 5 then I Myself will set My face against that man and against his family, and I will cut off from among their people both him and all those who play the prostitute with him, by playing the prostitute with Molech."
Jeremiah 7:31 KJV "And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart"
Jeremiah 32:35 KJV "And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin."
2 Kings 23:10 KJV "And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech."
Deuteronomy 12:31 KJV "Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods."
Works Cited:
Boston Public Library, 2022. Pagan gods (Moloch). [image] Available at: <https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/7727592178/in/photostream/> [Accessed 26 June 2022].
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Moloch". Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Mar. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Moloch-ancient-god. Accessed 26 June 2022.
Mark, Joshua J.. "Canaan." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 23 Oct 2018. Web. 26 Jun 2022.