The Continuing Debate on Child Sacrifice

Here is a recent paper that adds more fuel to the debate about child sacrifice in Carthage.

In reference to biblical anthropology, there is no evidence that the Hebrew ruler priests practiced infant or child sacrifice. The story of the binding of Isaac is not about child sacrifice. 

Archaeological evidence confirms that child sacrifice was practiced by the Moche and Chimú people of Peru, the Aztec and Maya, in parts of Turkey and in Carthage in North Africa. Infant burials at Carthaginian “tophets" and sites in Turkey that date from 3100–2800 BC. It is believed that these sacrifices were performed to appease deities during crises such as impending war, natural disasters, plagues, famines, etc. The story of Abraham on Mount Moriah is posed by Judaism in protest of the practice. However, it is likely that Abraham the Hebrew understood the significance of what happened on Mount Moriah in a different way, as did the Apostles Paul and James. The key to understanding the event as the early Hebrew did is the symbolism of the ram.

Among the early Hebrew (4200-200 BC) the ram was a symbol of HR (Horus in Greek), the son of the High God. The Hebrew expected him to come in the flesh by the divine overshadowing of one of their Hebrew virgins. They anticipated that he would die and rise on the third day. A reference to the third day resurrection is found in the Pyramid Texts: "Oh Horus, this hour of the morning, of this third day is come, when thou surely passeth on to heaven, together with the stars, the imperishable stars." (Utterance 667) 

In fact, the earliest known resurrection texts were written by the Nilotic Hebrew. The expected the Risen God to lead his people to immortality. Jesus is the firstborn from the grave and by his resurrection he delivers to the Father a "peculiar people". He leads us in the ascent to the Father where we receive heavenly recognition because we belong to Him. He fulfills an expectation of the early Hebrew in his third day resurrection. 

The author of Hebrews explains that this story is about Abraham's faith that God has the power to raise from the dead. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, "In Isaac your descendants shall be called." (Hebrew 11:17,18)

James believes that this act was righteous because it expresses Abraham's faith in God's promises.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. (James 2:21-24)

One thing is certain: Horite Hebrew rulers, like Abraham and Job, did not practice human sacrifice.

 
Related reading: What Abraham Discovered on Mt. Moriah; Did Abraham Intend to Sacrifice Isaac?; Did Abraham Believe Isaac to be Messiah?; Jesus: From Lamb to Ram; Celestial Symbols that Speak of God; Jan. N. Bremmer (ed.) The Strange World of Human Sacrifice