Pro-social deification, pro-social child worship: Why biblical culture was child worshipping culture

Many parents think that biblical times were harsh for children. This is a common belief among American parents, who have heard a false rendition of the biblical context from pastors and clergy. The rumors are that children were put into child labor and whipped in that capacity. The fact of the matter is that biblical times were child worshipping times, as Ancient Jewish culture, including the Early Church, was a child worshipping culture. 

Jesus Christ was recorded to have 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 one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

This commandment denotes the concept of pro-social child worship. The "least of these" refers to the fact that vulnerable groups are signs of God, and that God appears in the faces of people who belong to a vulnerable group. Jesus only mentioned the categories that Jewish society then was getting wrong. Jewish society then already recognized clearly that children were among the "least of these", as children were deified figures in Jewish society, including Early Christian society. Whatever you did for a child, you did for God. Whatever you refused to do for a child as an adult, you refused to do for God. 

The centerpiece of an attached Christian parenting relationship is Christian Agape love for children, as denoted in the New Testament by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a fearful and convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in the good works of parents, with children being in place of God. 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 form of respect for parents does not refer to fearful compliance, but instead restful trust in parents, with children feeling safe confiding into parents anything and everything that is on their minds, including admissions of wrongdoing or non-conforming traits, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. Customary law in Ancient Jewish society, including the Early Church, commanded that parents have a secure parent-child bond, and be attachment parents in a special way that deifies the child, holding them high in reverent fear as a deity, obeying them as such.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, as defined under biblical law, at minimum, as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. This was interpreted, in context, as prohibiting all forms of punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, with the Apostle Paul rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan spanking custom into the church. Greek Christian parents were misusing the book of Proverbs even then to justify their punishment habits. Paul would have none of it in the churches he oversaw, and sent a warning to all of the churches that had scofflaw parents who supported spanking and punishing children. The rod verses are repealed verses that don't actually refer to raising children at all, but instead to a form of judicial corporal punishment within Judaism where a father was court ordered to issue 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction against an ADULT child (usually fathers were hostile witnesses when testifying against their own child), usually for crimes against the state or child abuse offenses. None of this sort of punishment existed in the New Testament, with instead Law being enforced by pro-social non-association.

Children in biblical society were clearly deified, with children being seen as next to God on earth. The pecking order was first-to-last in nature, with children having the authority to issue lawful and binding orders to advocate their needs. Children could order parents around, and unless it was absolutely necessary for parents to say "no", parents had to comply with the orders given by children. 

Parents revered and feared their children, in a way that prompted parents to idealize their children as "gods" and "goddesses". Children sat in their throne, and were pampered, not having to worry about anything, vesting all their trust in parents in terms of being cared for. Children were lawful extensions of God in the family home that parents respected with reverent fear, prioritizing children above themselves, leading to submission to children, and then, acceptance of children in a deified way. 

Parents were devotees to the deity of their children, and devoted their whole life to their children. Nothing in the world meant quite as much as a child. Parents who lost a child along the way were trauma-stricken by the loss, and believed their little "god" or "goddess" was one with God Himself, for Christ said several times that children were the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

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