The Mercy Seat/Bound4Life

Just for clarification, this was not one of the issues I intended to address in this blog. However, I feel as if could be a worthwhile discussion. To begin, let me give you a brief history of what Bound4Life is. Bound4Life is a self-proclaimed anti-abortion organization. They focus on having prayer in front of governmental buildings all over the United States with a piece of red tape stating "LIFE" over their mouths. Here is a brief excerpt from their website. 

"When LIFE is written on a piece of red tape and placed on our mouths, we are identifying with the silent cries of the unborn and of those who have no voice. Our stand is not a protest, but a silent prayer meeting. We make our appeal to the judge of the earth and ask Him for speedy justice to be released. It is a plea- 'Oh that God would subpoena that conscience of America!" We dream of a day when all 740 abortion clinics in America will have long lines of people, young and old alike, standing strong on sidewalks, praying and fasting with LIFE covering their lips. If 740 churches would rise up and take on one abortion clinic each with sustained fasting and prayer, what would happen?"

The verse this organization clings to is Ezekiel 4:2-3. It states, "Lay siege against it, build a siege wall against it... Set your face against it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it."(NKJV)

Let's examine this phrase in other versions of the Bible. We will begin with the NIV and move to the NASB. We will also examine this text contextually to determine the validity of the statement in accordance with the Silent Siege movement. 

NIV

"Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works to it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it.(3) Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face towards it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel."

NASB

"Then get yourself an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city, and set your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign to the house of Israel."

Okay, so let's look at this verse contextually. During this passage, Ezekiel was by himself. God tells him to take a brick and write Jerusalem on it, and then siege ti with prayer. Afterwards, he was supposed to set up and iron plate which represented the physical wall in a prayer siege. And so, this is all happening when Ezekiel is shut up in his room. People think he's crazy. The whole point is that he was not going to the actual location and doing it publicly. He was doing it in the place of prayer where God had placed him. So, if you're going to cite the verse, you would think that it would be mimicked in the same way, as a designated prayer place that isn't public. 

Ezekiel at this point, was commanded by God to be praying shut up in the prayer room where God had him. It seems strange to me that though Bound4Life claims not to be a protest, I see no other reason for them to be in front of a building with LIFE tape over their mouths. If not a protest, what is it? This movement is not mimicking the actions of Ezekiel in the closed room of prayer. They are publicly denouncing and judging the actions of those people who have made a choice (whether it be right or wrong). How are we to know the plans that God has for that person. I count myself so lowly as not to know that plans that God has for his people on earth and I have no intention of claiming so.

Not only that, but my question is if there are exceptions to abortion/induced miscarriage. Now, let me dispel any misgivings you may have about my opinion on abortion. I am by no means pro-abortion in cases where the mother has an option to have the baby. However, I am also of the opinion that there are exceptions to this rule. Let me present to you one example that has given me reason to doubt what some Christians claim: Is it acceptable to terminate the life of a fetus if the life of the mother is in danger? Or, would the life of the mother be forfeit because they should choose to continue with the pregnancy despite the complications? Has God given us medical technology to allow mothers to die, to allow those people who haven't planned to have an induced miscarriage or abortion die because we are so convicted that God's heart is for the life of every unborn child who may suffer death from an abortion? 

Maybe I'm confused about the convictions of those people who practice what Bound4Life preaches? Perhaps I am. If so, I wouldn't mind clarification.