Abortion

Abortion 

Introduction: 

Abortion is the intentional taking of a life in the womb.  It is not the same thing as a miscarriage or contraception.  While there is no “Thou shalt not have an abortion,” the Bible does reveal God’s will on this matter.  Ezekiel 16:21   “that you have slain My children and offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire”   God speaks of us as My children. 

Body: 

I.   What Is God’s View of Life in the Womb?

• Hebrew – Old Testament
  • Genesis 25:21-24   twins in the womb

Genesis 17:25   Ishmael, age 13

Genesis 9:19   Noah’s adult sons

The same Hebrew word is used in all three cases.

• Job 3:16   stillborn child

Lamentations 4:4   young children

The same Hebrew word is used in both verses. 

• Greek – New Testament
  • Luke 1:41, 44   babe

Luke 2:12   babe

Acts 7:19   babies

The same Greek word is used in these three verses.

• Luke 1:36   son

Luke 15:11   sons

The same Greek word is used in these two verses. 

• Concept of Conception
  • Luke 1:36   What was conceived?  Was it a body of tissue?  No, it was a son!
  • Matthew 1:20   Did the Holy Spirit produce a blob of tissue?  Or did the Holy Spirit produce the Son of God?
  • Notes about when certain body parts begin to form and function:

Zygote – At fertilization there are 23 pairs of chromosomes which contain the information for life.  All of the characteristics of the physical body are present.

Heart – It starts beating a few weeks after fertilization.

Eyes, ears, arms and legs – They are forming five weeks after fertilization.

Brain waves – They are detected five weeks after fertilization. 

II.   What Does Exodus 21 Reveal about Abortion? 

• Read Exodus 21:22-25
• I’m indebted to Brother Dave Miller for his insight into some of the Hebrew words used.

• Original meaning:  “she gives birth prematurely” or “her fruit depart”  The words reflect the idea that the child or children come out or are brought forth.  It is used in Exodus 21:4.  The word itself does not convey any information about whether the baby is alive or not.  See: Genesis 25:24-26
• Those translations that use “miscarriage” in this text are paraphrasing, not translating.  The Hebrew language does have words that have the idea of miscarriage or stillbirth.                    Job 3:16 and Exodus 23:25-26   The Holy Spirit did not use either of these words in our text.
• Now note the phrase – “no lasting harm follow.”  No reason to assume this applies only to the mother.  We must apply it to both mother and child.  The child is just as much human as the mother!
• So our text teaches that if two fighting men accidentally injure a pregnant woman and she delivers prematurely, then if neither mother nor child is harmed, the one who hit her will have to pay a fine.  But if injury or death to either mother or child results, then it would be “life for life, eye for eye, . . .”   So to cause death accidentally to a premature baby was punishable by death.
• If God dealth so severely with the accidental death of a premature infant, how do you think He feels about abortion – the deliberate, intentional taking of the life of an unborn baby?                         Note Exodus 23:7  Also see Proverbs 6:16-17

Conclusion: 

God views abortion in a very serious way.  It is not the removal of unwanted tissue from a mother’s womb.  It is the killing of the innocent.  That unborn baby is made in the very image of God.  

Bobby Stafford

April 29, 2012

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