Abortion – What does the Bible have to say?

While the Bible doesn’t specifically mention abortion, it does mention the specific names of many individuals, and the plans God had for them, before these persons were even born. It is important to note that for an unborn child, at the moment of conception, the foreknowledge of God became the reality of life. From that point on, to have allowed abortions to take place in biblical times on the following men would mean that the lives and exploits of Ishmael, Isaac, Josiah, Solomon, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, and even Jesus would have been cut off before they even began, thus thwarting God’s will and plans for their lives.

God clearly has precious plans for all of us whether adult, child, infant or unborn and knows about them before we are even conceived and while we are in the womb. May the following seven portions of Scripture show us what God had to say concerning the future lives of these above seven men.

Ishmael (Genesis 16:11)

“The angel of the Lord also said to her: ‘You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.’”

Isaac (Genesis 17:19)

“Then God said, ‘Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.’”

Josiah (1 Kings 13:2)

“By the word of the Lord he cried out against the altar: ‘Altar, altar! This is what the Lord says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.’”

Solomon (1 Chronicles 22:9)

“But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.”

Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:5)

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

John the Baptist (Luke 1:13)

“But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.’”

Jesus (Luke 1:30-31)

“Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.’”

The Bible has consistently taken its stand that life begins at conception. As one reads the Scriptures we can quickly see how early on God tells us of His plan for these seven biblical characters. (Psalm 139:15-16) says it so well:

“My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth. Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy Book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”

The Bible and abortion should never be spoken of in the same sentence. They are as opposite as light and darkness and life and death.