Not directly killed but still not an easy decision for person to make. Unfortunately we often cause ourselves to be in such a situation... or worse, we cause our children through no direct fault of their own to be in such situations.
In a time when most women were very dependent on men to survive and of course when all young children are very dependent, how could a man who had any feelings of compassion at all, do such a thing?
Consider Abraham:
"Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son." Gen 21:10-11
"And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs." Gen 21:14-15
Reading those verses in context we will see that with Ishmael it ended OK because it was not just Sarah who insisted that Hagar be sent away. God spoke to Abraham confirming that he was to do what Sarah told him... but that did not make it an easy thing to do.
People are born into this world of men with no real hope and then by their own actions they worsen their own situation... or worse, they worsen the situation of their own children who are completely dependent upon them. God sees the whole picture here and He also sees where a person could be and even though it may be a very painful way, He shows them a better way. Who is willing to follow it?
It appears so simple when we look at Adam and Eve: If only they had chosen to obey God...? But they did not so and so it has continued with men from that day to this...
Look at these OT verses:
"For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him" Lev 20:9
"If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them:
Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place;
And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear." Deut 21:18-21
We may not be followers of Moses, but is not the God who gave such laws to Moses the very same God that we serve? Why were the laws seemingly so harsh? Really God is merciful, but when a person repeatedly goes against
God when the person knows better, how long should he expect God to forgive him and embrace him as his beloved child one more time?
"If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Heb 12:7-8
Relate this then if you can also to what Jesus said here:
"Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." John 8:42-44
Here Jesus explains himself further:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matt 10:34-37
And here:
"Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." Matt 12:47-50
God has a plan, which when followed will make things ultimately better for those who really love Him... but the Way we are to walk, that highway of holiness, is certainly one where we will tread only on the soft and lovely petals of the rose. There are also thorns!
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Rom 8:28
