Elopement: What a parent can do about elopement

Many parents have this behavioral issue with their young children. Many children like to elope from their parents, usually because they are curious about their surroundings and want to explore. However, children under age 6 are unable to safely explore their surroundings, and need to be swaddled to their mother's bosom, so to avoid elopement.

Putting children in swaddling blankets is part of the Christian doctrine of mutual submission, where children surrender into the loving arms of mothers, and mothers submit to the every vulnerable rest. 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 submission of parents. Children are to rest securely in the sacrifice of parents, just as parent believers rest securely in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul as lifting up the customary law that commanded a secure attachment between parent and child in the family home. This secure attachment comes from parent submission, where parents are to submit to their children as their enemy, from beneath yet from above, expecting absolutely nothing in return.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including any punishments or controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punished their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child in his writings.

Elopement is a common behavior in children. They may run away in a crowded store, or run into a busy streets. Dangers existed in biblical times as well, but they were different. A child who was allowed free reign could get bitten by a scorpion or a venomous snake. This is why mothers in particular, in biblical times, deemed their young children under age 6 to be too young to have their feet on the ground in public. Children aged under age 6 were deemed babies. 

Children in the Early Church were swaddled next to the bosom of mothers in swaddling blankets, with mothers perhaps breastfeeding their child in public if summoned to by her child. The child was then tucked underneath the loose fitting, revealing dress of mothers that resembled an apron. The swaddling blankets were tied to the woman's left breast, then again across the dot to the woman's right leg, or vice versa, or both in the case of twins. All swaddling blankets were made of velvet, which was grown in the Ancient Middle East. Children literally could not elope, because they were swaddled to the bosom of their mothers.

Child accidents are more common than you may think. There are hazards towards your child whenever you and your child walk out the door. A busy street is the most common way children die in child accidents. Children under age 6 just aren't ready to walk on their own two feet when out in public. Besides, young children enjoy being swaddled to the bosom or back of their mother.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them forever 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 day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!