A Leak That is Shaking up Nation
On M-nday, 5/2/2022, The Epoch Times reported that a supposedly leaked U.S. Supreme Court document suggests that the Judicial Branch of this country may finally overturn controversial Roe V. Wade. News of this leak rocked the legislative Branch of the U.S. government, with the conservative side of the aisle praising SCOTUS for doing the right thing, while the liberal/progressive side of the aisle entered into a season of handwringing and gnashing of teeth at the forthcoming potential ruling.
Defining Roe v. Wade
In case you weren’t aware, Roe v. Wade, according to Wikipedia, was a landmark 1973 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which “the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.”
The effect this judicial decision had on this nation cannot be understated. Although numbers vary, depending on the source, it is generally accepted that since the passage of Roe v. Wade, some 60 million children have been murdered through the vehicle of legalized abortions (An estimated 62 million abortions have occurred since Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 | Fox News). Consequently, abortions since the passage of this court decision have become a part of Americana. For it has become widely accepted and touted by those in support of abortion rights, that any and all women have a right to choose what happens to their bodies. The adage: my body, my choice has essentially undermined any and all talk about the efficacy and moral rectitude related to the issue of abortion in this nation. A nation, mind you, that many have proclaimed over the years, was founded upon Judeo-Christian principles.
The Pervasiveness of the Pro-Abortion Mindset and Acceptance
Which of course leads to the fundamental point that most every sect of denominationalism and of catholicism tend towards being anti-abortion. In fact, since Roe v. Wade became the law of the land in relation to so-called abortion rights, conservative-leaning Christians and Orthodox Catholics have stood firm against the killing of any children: Both the born and the unborn. This anti-abortion position has probably been the one issue that has united denominationalists the most in this country.
And rightfully so. For although Scripture itself does not outright prohibit the act of abortion (since abortions were not practiced among Yah’s people), it does provide the truth-seeker the Creator’s view of the sanctity of the unborn life:
Exodus/Shemot 20:13—”Thou shalt not kill” (KJV).
Job 31:15—”Did not He that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb” (KJV)?
Psalm 22:10—”I was cast upon thee from the womb: Thou art my God from my mother’s belly” (KJV).
Psalm 127:3-5—”Lo, children are an heritage of Yehovah: And the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. They shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate” (KJV, modified).
Psalm 139:13-16—”For thou hast possessed my reigns: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (KJV).
Jeremiah/Yermiyah 1:5—”Before I (Yah speaking) formed thee in the belloy I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (KJV).
How many of the 60-plus souls murdered as a result of Roe v. Wade would have been Jeremiahs to this lost generation?
Indeed, there is a price that must be paid for the 60 or so innocent lives that were snuffed out in this nation, not solely because of Roe v. Wade, but more so, by the evil hearts of those who cared only for themselves and who despised Yehovah and His Ways. These, scripture foretells, are subject to Yah’s holy and righteous wrath:
“For the wrath of Elohim is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of Elohim is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them” (Rom. 1:18-19; KJV).
Any rational person knows that killing an innocent, unborn child is wrong and that that wrong must in the end be answered for.
Yah Has a Special Place in His Heart for the Unborn
It should be evident that Yah has a very special place in His heart from the unborn and for children in general. And the fact that the general consensus of this nation’s citizens are in favor of abortion only tells us just how far a people’s hearts are from Yehovah. How depraved humanity has become? For there was a time in this country when even the thought of aborting a baby was viewed as unconscionable and evil by even the most secular of society.
So, this whole thinking on the part of this nation’s conservatives and evangelicals and Catholics in this country, being in jubilant celebration over what could be the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court is simply spiritual window covering. In order for any abolition of Roe v. Wade to have any true teeth to it; to make any true leeway on the path towards an overall Biblical view on the sanctity of life, must begin and end with the heart of the people. For truth be told, the heart cannot be legislated.
The Disparity in Views About Abortion Among the Religious in Society
In general, Denominationalism and Catholicism stand firmly against Abortion in this country, with few exceptions. However, according to an article in myjewishlearning.com entitled “Abortion and Judaism”, a majority of religious Jews actually support abortion. These believe that abortions “should be legal in all/most cases.” The article, in fact, draws from a 2015 Pew Research Forum survey that asserted that “83% of American Jews, more than any other religious group, say abortion should be legal in all/most cases.”
It appears that rabbinic Jewish law does not grant the unborn person status until he or she is born. Talmudic sources such as Yevamot 69b view the unborn child of less than 40-days gestation as “mere water.”
Despite general modern-day, Jewish sensibilities that favor abortion, and rabbinite Talmudic opinions that have the effect of de-humanizing the unborn, “feticide” (aka abortion) is effectively prohibited by so-called Jewish law. Now, I know this sounds contradictory, given what we’ve just discussed in terms of modern-day Jewish-pro-abortion sensibilities. But it remains clear even to the pro-abortion leaning Jewish religious leaders that abortion runs contrary to what is called Jewish law. For abortion would in effect be the “shedding of [man’s] blood,” which Yah expressly prohibited (Genesis/Beresheit 9:6). Actually, some rabbinic sources translate this passage to read more specifically: “the blood of man within man”, suggesting that the Creator was prohibiting abortion more than general shedding of blood through violent means.
So to be honest, there is some disagreement as to the efficacy of abortion among general, modern-day Jews, with the majority leaning in favor of abortion for any woman who chooses to undergo one. However, there is this general understanding in rabbinic literature that abortion is not permissible, except in the case when the mother’s life is endangered by the pregnancy. In such cases, these Jewish sources (e.g., the Mishnah) go so far as to suggest that an abortion is absolutely mandatory.
But then, these same sources also suggest that once the child has begun to emerge from his/her mother, abortion for any reason is then strictly prohibited.
I would be remiss in not mentioning that abortions are absolutely legal in the State of Israel. According to the “myjewishlearning” article, “there are no laws limiting when an abortion can be performed…”
The heart of man is desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).
If the people’s hearts are not changed, will an overturning of Roe v. Wade make any difference in this country as it relates to the killing of babies and Molech worship, which abortion essentially is (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5)?
It might be reasonably argued that the goal, regardless the political and social consequences that are certain to come as a result of an overturning of Roe v. Wade, is the cessation of abortions in this country. However, we know that where there’s a will, there is always a way. And certainly, if the people in general want abortion on demand, they will find a way to get it. Already the pro-abortion side of this nation’s legislative branch is hard at work looking for work-arounds to a potential overturning of Roe v. Wade.
The Problem Goes Beyond Abortion
As terrible as abortion is, and it is absolutely horrendous and evil, Father also calls His human creation to pay attention to the those in our society that are less fortunate then us; who need our help. To pay attention and adhere to the weightier matters of Torah such as “justice, mercy and faith” (Mat. 23:23). It’s so easy to get caught up in the abortion dialogue in this nation, yet overlook the other evils that are overwhelming American society:
Murder
Fornication
Adultery
Homosexuality
Thefts and Robbery
Violence against others, especially against those who cannot protect themselves
Indifference and even abuse against our seniors
Neglect in teaching our children in the righteous ways they must live
Etc.
The Courts Cannot Legislate the Condition of the Human Heart
Before any overturn of something like a Roe v. Wade becomes a reality in this country, and before we start popping the corks on congratulatory and celebratory spiritual champagne drinking, let us recognize that this is only the beginning of the hard work that lays before the Body of Messiah. The critical work of the Great Commission must be doubled down upon by Yahoshua’s disciples (Mat. 28:19-20). We must work while it is still day, because the dark days ahead will preclude and prohibit such activity (Joh. 9:4).
With our proclaiming of the Great Commission, comes our teaching of Yah’s Way of Life to those who answer the call to Messianic Discipleship. The Church Triumphant has failed miserably in this endeavor. For Yah expects His servants to not be in a state of strife with society, but be gentle unto one and all, apt to teach as the apostle writes, and patient even with those who contend with them (2 Tim. 2:24-25). Yah’s perspective on things and issues such as abortion, LGBTQ, the treatment of the less fortunate among us, must be widely taught and then modeled by us to the world. Otherwise, successes such as an overturning of Roe v. Wade will have little to no meaning. Because if the hearts of those affected by such things are not turned towards Yah, they will find newer and more innovative ways to further their evil beliefs and lifestyles. It is simply the nature of humanity to do such things.
Closing Thought
Therefore, I will end this by asserting that there cannot be a true overturning of Roe v. Wade by any legislative body in this nation, unless there is an overturning of the hearts and minds and souls of the people of this nation from themselves and the god of this world, to that of Yehovah Elohim, through His Son Yahoshua Messiah.
Faithfully