Pro-social deification, pro-social child worship: Why children are next to God in the Bible

Many people think biblical times were hard for children, meaning usually on the lines of children doing menial labor for parents, getting whipped, and so forth. However, the fact of the matter is that biblical times were attachment parenting times, and also child worshipping times.

Jesus Christ said in Matthew 25:45-46 KJV:

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.

This refers to the fact that children are the "least of these" in our society. They weren't named ss such. but they were surely seen as such by the ancient Israelites and in the Early Christian churches. Christ was saying, implicitly, that whatever you do to harm children, you end up harming God. Ancient Israel and adjoining churches were child worshipping cultures, meaning children were seen as signs of God, with their every need and interest being that of God, imposed on parents by the child.

Every single parent and adult is guilty in relation to children, and is deserving of DEATH and DESTRUCTION merely for existing in relation to children, with parents/adults being obligated to be meek and shamefaced in relation to children, with parents being shut up in the Lord. Parents especially are to be convicted of their child's needs, putting those needs first, and their own needs last, to the point of dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This refers to a form of respect not consisting of fearful compliance, but safety and security in venting to parents, telling parents anything and everything under the sun. Children ordered parents around with god-like authority, and parents surrendered to the demands of their child, appeasing their child. Attachment parenting was the norm in biblical times. Think a Christian mother holding pales of water, with a young child wrapped up in swaddling blankets next to her bosom, and an older child strapped to her back in a papoose bag, with her gathering water to cook with and to drink. That was how children rested in and surrendered to parents in biblical times.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, including child abuse. This means the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, stemming from entitlement. Here, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law on the punishment of children, rebuking Greek Christian parents who held onto that habit. Punishing or even being controlling with one's child carried severe penalties, namely excommunication in the Early Church, and even death by bloodletting (hanging parents up like poultry) in the Old Testament. The seven verses in Proverbs that depict the rod of correction are repealed verses, as they are only relevant to the context in which they were given to. This is because nowhere in Proverbs does it refer to "biblical spanking", with King Solomon being against striking young children with rods - King Solomon himself was anti-spanking for children (maybe not for wives?). The rod was intended for ADULT children - the 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction, as a final warning before being put to death, and if you survived gratefully, you were given a second chance at life. This was after a criminal trial documenting the many warnings given beforehand for the criminal habit. Only judicial corporal punishment is mentioned in Proverbs, and only for the Old Testament time period. Children could not be whipped because they could not stand trial for criminal acts or civil wrongs that they committed. The Early Church did not practice corporal punishment nor the death penalty as a form of church discipline, except in the case of wife-spanking as a form of mutual accountability to wives who actively consented - however, even then, striking a woman without consent was domestic violence, and grounds for divorce, as was a man striking or abusing the children.

Children were seen in biblical times as signs of God, meaning extensions of God. You served a child's needs like you served what God needed from you. Children's demands were approached with a certain reverence. Parents in ancient Hebrew and Christian cultures, on average, did not have parent anger, and a consequence of this is that a child's orders were seen as lawful commands, and were taken with godly reverence, with parents shaking and quaking in the awe that was the vulnerability of their child.

Children were nurtured by mothers, with mothers especially being beholden to the every need of their child, being an extension of Christ serving God through her child. Children were seen as in place of God, to be served as one would God, with this being the case due to their vulnerable status in society, which will always be the case with children.

What did this nurturing look like? Nourishment and sustenance, in the form of breastmilk for children up to age 3 (or perhaps older if the child refused to unlatch), and skin-to-skin closeness when a child snuggles with mothers in the nude, or is wrapped up next to her bosom for close comfort and intimacy with one's child. The mother was completely beholden to serve her child's needs, including with co-sleeping until adulthood. The needs of her children carried a certain reverence, meaning she found a way to say "yes" to every request, at least partially. Fathers were best friends with children on a casual level, having connotational parent attraction to them, with fathers being more passive, dragged around like a human ragdoll by their children. Christian fathers put their children on a pedestal when remarking about them, speaking in baroque, flowery language about how they loved their children, especially with daughters. Children went naked wherever they went, and the attraction was on the level of "sun tan oil", especially with older daughters. However, actually being entitled enough with one's child to sexually abuse her was seen as wicked and evil then. Usually, the attraction simply lead to deification of children, with daughters being regarded affectionately by fathers as "goddesses". Mothers put their children on a pedestal as well, but usually without the parent attraction involved. This idealization of children came from reverent fear.

If you serve a child's needs, you serve what God needs from you. Children are next to God in terms of worth. They are first in society, for being last in terms of their persecution. Children were always persecuted in society, so God loves them even more for it. Christ made it clear that if you aren't serving the every need of a child, you aren't serving Him, and that you will be judged at a later date for how you treat children.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them burn in the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!