GENERATIONAL SIN

GENERATIONAL SIN

Exodus 34:7, "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniqutiy of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

Many generations have come and gone.  WE are here, in existence, today for that which has been.  Our lineage did not rise up over night.  But we have been allowed the blessing of life, from those which have gone before us.  All of life, every generation, is recognized, formed and made by God.  No living soul is in existence without God.  God gives life, and God takes life.  This study is to allow for us to see out of Scripture the impact of good and evil generations.

We know that God is without sin, without error; He is perfect in all His ways. 

FATHER/SON

The product of a godly father is to produce a godly son for the glory of God's great Name.  It should never be a father's desire to produce a evil child.  Thus a father, mother, a parent must fulfill all responbilities of adhereing, teaching, disciplining, mentoring a child after God's desire.  But it seems in this history of life we are living, it is a hard thing.  Many a grandparent and parent are quoting, 'Bring a child up in the ways that they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from it.' 
It is the prayers and tears of many a parent for the wayward child that brings them back to the Lord.  Example is 'the prodigal son' in Luke.  And we may conclude, that the prayerlessness of a parent has also allowed many a wayward child to continue in sin to their destruction.  It seems to me, in my observation of all this, by God's mercy and grace we all stand or fall.

Let us look at a few example of good/evil by products.

1.  Adam found God's mercy, even though he had sinned against Him.  Cain was evil in the sight of the Lord.
2.  Noah found grace in the sight of the Lord. Ham was cursed.
3.  Eli was the priest after the Lord.  Yet his sons, Hophni and Phineas did evil in the sight of the Lord.
4.  Samuel was the prophet. Yet his sons did not after him. So much so that they people desired a king; 'thy sons walk not in thy ways'. 
5.  DAvid did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.  Amnon rapes Tamar; Absalom conspires and seeks to kill David.  They did evil in the sight of the Lord.
6.  David did right in the sight of the LOrd. Solomon started off right, but by the end of his life, he did evil in the sight of the Lord.
7.  Jehosphat did right in the sight of the Lord.  Jehoram, his son, 'And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord.' 
8.  Hezekiah did that which right in the sight of the Lord.  Manasseh did more evil than all that were before him to provoke the Lord to anger. 
9.  Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.  Jehoiakim did that was evil in the sight of the Lord his God.
10.  Gideon served and feared the Lord.  He wrought a great work of deliverance of the Lord's people.  Yet, Abimelech kills all of his brothers and does evil in his wicked reign.

Now let us consider the few examples of evil parents to good children.
1.  Abijah, the son of King Jeroboam. 'There is found some good thing toward teh Lord God of Israel'.  Yet his father is known, to be the one who made Israel to sin against the Lord.
2.  Ahaz 'provoked to anger the Lord God of his fathers'; yet, Hezekiah did right in the sight of the Lord.
3.  Amon did evil in the sight of the Lord, 'humbled not himself before the Lord'; yet, Josiah came forth from him and brought a great revival to the land.
4. It is said of Abraham's father, Terah worshipped false gods; yet Abraham was called forth to serve the Lord God and go to a land that he had never been. And he obeyed the Lord.

And the example of evil parents to evil children is too many to consider, but shall be revealed in eternity for those that perish in hell. 

Our conclusions are nothing new.  It is evident by the numbers and examples listed of how hard to begin with evil and produce good.  None but God can do this.  He brings us out to bring us in.  No man can take it for granted.  No man can dare leave it to chance.  If some of the most godly men have walked with God, wrought for God, served God, loved God and yet, lost their children to Satan, sin and the world; then how much more should we be aware of our need to rely fully on Him, Who is able to save to the uttermost.