What God’s Word Says about the Unborn
by KarenSue Nyquis

1. Fetuses are Children At the Moment of Conception, They are Formed and Called by God
God calls a fetus (Job) a “male child” at the moment of conception. – “And the night in which it was said, ‘A male child is conceived.’ “ (Job 3:3 NKJ) God is the One responsible for forming the fetus in the womb and He knows its name. –“The LORD has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.” (Isaiah 49:1 NKJ) God knows a fetus even before He forms it in the womb and He gives it its purpose for living even before birth. – “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJ) The Bible calls fetuses children. Twin fetuses can even get caught up in sibling rivalry. – “Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren, and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. But the children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘if all is well, why am I like this?’ So she went to inquire of the LORD.” (Genesis 25:21 NKJ) The Holy Spirit called a fetus “blessed” in the first few week of pregnancy. --- “ . . . Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!’ ” (Luke 1:41 – 42 NKJ) A fetus only 6 months old was filled with the Holy Spirit and felt emotions. – “He (John the Baptist) will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.” (Luke 1:15 NKJ) His mother, Elizabeth, (who was six months pregnant) said, “But why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.” (Luke 1:36, 43 – 44 NKJ)

II. God Calls for Punishment of Those Who Hurt the Unborn
If anyone caused a woman to go into labor prematurely, yet the unborn baby and mother were not harmed, the husband could bring the perpetrator to court and he had to pay whatever the judge imposed on him. – “If men fight and hurt a woman with child so that she gives birth prematurely, yet no harm follows, he shall surely be punished accordingly as the woman’s husband imposes on him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.” (Exodus 21:22 NKJ) If either the woman or the unborn child was injured or died, God required that person to suffer the same consequences as did the victim(s). – “But if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” (Exodus 21:321 NKJ)

III. God Watches What Happens in Delivery Rooms
God Deals with those who kill or save the lives of babies in the delivery rooms. – Pharaoh commanded two Hebrew slaves. “When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstools, if it is a son, then you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live. But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive . . . Therefore, God dealt well with the midwives . . .” (Exodus 1:16,17, 20 NKJ)