Moloch, the Executioner

Reading:   Leviticus 18

Chapter eighteen primarily consists of "thou shalt nots" in regard to sexual relations, perversions, and abominations.  Most of the described acts are labeled either: "wickedness" (incest, pedophilia v.17), "confusion" (bestiality v.23), or "abomination" (homosexuality v.22).  Some of the verses are perplexing riddles (brother's wife's sister's daughter type stuff) but tend to boomerang back for understanding after a bit of rambling on.  One verse, however, had nothing to do with sexuality, brought up an obscure name, and didn't seem to fit in the chapter subject line at all...

LEVITICUS 18:21

21    And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. 

Who is Molech?  After doing a quick search on the name, I recalled why the name was familiar; two instances actually.  First, Molech is mentioned by John Milton in Paradise Lost (required reading for  anyone who desires a degree in English):

First, Moloch, horrid King, besmeared with bloodOf human sacrifice, and parents’ tears; Though, for the noise of drums and timbrels loud,Their children’s cries unheard that passed through fireTo his grim idol. Him the Ammonite

Milton gives Moloch the ignominous role of being the first pagan god to join Satan in his quest for dominion over, and destruction of, humanity.

The Second instance, also recalled from years at the University of Utah, was from a plate (31) called The Flight of Moloch, from William Blake, who called Moloch the executioner.  

Who is Molech? A very bad dude!  Basically, though, he is a Minotaur type figure (head of a bull, body of a man) that was an idol of worship requiring his subjects to sacrifice infants in his unholy name.  A statue of the beast would be heated up until it was red and then, in ritual fashion, a baby would be placed in the arms of the statue where it would be consumed by heat.  Loud drums and tambourines would be played to drown out the screams.  Brutal and an obviously horrific example of humanity going terribly wrong in its desire to please anything that might better life, no matter how extreme.

It's believed that the primary reason the Romans destroyed Carthage was due to Moloch worship by the Carthaginians.

Anyway, enough of that, some images are hard to erase which is why I have not added any links to the numerous pictures of Moloch worship.  Suffice it to say, Moloch was bad, is bad (there are many allusions to Moloch worship in modern times), and The Lord is quite clear that child sacrifice is a big fat, what-are-you-thinking, "No!"

~Kipling