Prophet Jeremiah condemned the practice of human sacrifice for the following reasons:
- Idolatry: Human sacrifice was an act of idolatry, which means worshiping false gods or idols. It indicated the infidelity of the Israelites to the one true God and their lack of knowledge of the true nature of Yahweh.
- Disrespect for the sacred gift of life: Human sacrifice demonstrated the Israelites’ lack of respect for the sacredness of life. By sacrificing human beings, they showed a disregard for the value and importance of human life, which is a gift from God.
- Defilement of the land: Human sacrifice defiled the land because life is in the blood. The act of shedding human blood in sacrifice polluted the land and caused it to cry out for justice. It was a vengeance against the land because blood speaks and demands justice.
- Lack of love for God and others: Human sacrifice was a sign of the Israelites’ lack of love for God and their fellow human beings. It demonstrated their disregard for the commandments to love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and to love their neighbors as themselves.
- God did not ask for human sacrifices: The practice of human sacrifice was not commanded or desired by God. It was a human invention and a deviation from God’s true will for His people. God desires obedience, faithfulness, and love, not the taking of human lives.
