As I was Saying . . .
In my previous blog “I Don’t Cook”, I was writing about generational sin cycles. The subject can be controversial and I wanted to share a little more. Having studied spiritual warfare, I’ve read about generational curses but I’m writing more out of my own understanding of scripture coupled with my personal experience rather than repeating the material from the books I’ve read.
In The Bible
The concept of generational curses is articulated at the giving of the law to Moses. In Exodus 20:5-6, God warns Moses that the consequence of breaking the law through idolatry will bring punishment upon the children of the perpetrator – to the third and fourth generation (earlier, I referred to two generations – I stand corrected). However, when the law is kept, blessings are released to a thousand generations to come. I believe this exemplifies a spiritual dynamic that has not changed (even in light of the New Covenant) any more than the dynamic of sowing and reaping has changed.
Way Harsh Dude
It’s hard to believe the loving Father that Jesus revealed is the same guy who said he would punish our kids for our rebelliousness. It just feels so harsh! But I heard Craig Hill respond to that once, and it makes perfect sense to me. He calls it the mercy of God. Wait, what?
Let me oversimplify things. What is the most precious thing in the world to you? For many people it’s their children or grandchildren. What is going to stop me from doing something I shouldn’t do but want to anyway? If that action will hurt my grandkids!
When God introduced this spiritual dynamic, he was using the most powerful deterrent available. “Your actions will bring destruction on what you love most.” In other words, if you love your kids (or future kids), just don’t do it!
So what does God’s punishment look like? My experience has been that God doesn’t actively cause bad things to happen to your kids. The punishment comes through the devil having access to their lives. When we open the door, we can’t blame God for who comes in.
They Got Stoned (And I Don’t Mean Buzzed)
Not only was the threat to the children a deterrent but consider the punishment for breaking many of the laws. Death by stoning. Seriously. I think that would put a damper on my desires. Why death? Again, when you consider the ramification of generational sin cycles, you see the potential of sin unchecked in the community for years to come (remember the yeast analogy?) Death has a way of being a final solution to sin.
Thank God for the cross and the forgiveness of sin! Under the law, the only way to eradicate the contagion of sin was to kill the sinner. The new covenant of grace offers a different way – to apply the greater power of God’s grace. Just as Jesus was not infected by the leper but the leper was infected by Jesus’ healing touch. I will be writing about how I apply the grace of the cross to generational sin cycles soon.
Illustrations
Allow me to give an illustration from the Bible of how sin patterns repeat in families: Abraham lies and prostitutes his wife to a king twice to ensure his own safekeeping and in the very next generation, Isaac repeats the same sin with his wife. We find lying and deception throughout Abraham’s family line when Rebekah’s mother and brother, Laban, try to delay Abraham’s servant from taking her to be married to Isaac after giving their permission the day before which indicates the tendency to break their word or be deceitful and unfaithful. The sin is amplified to cunning, theft and deceit when Rebekah and Jacob conspire to steal Esau’s blessing. Furthermore, not only does Jacob participate in that deception, he is victimized by Laban in the same manner. Remember that the heirs don’t just perpetrate the sin but are often victims of said sin.
In this one family, we see a clear picture of how the spiritual dynamic of generational sin cycles operate in a family. Take note, this was happening before the giving of the law indicating its nature as an ongoing spiritual dynamic not a consequence of the Mosaic covenant.
OK, I’m not trying to write a thesis here. I just wanted to illustrate why I believe this spiritual dynamic is biblical. I could write more but I think I’ve made my point. In my next blog, I’ll be sharing some of my personal experience with generational sin cycles and how I prayed to break their power to operate in my life.
Today, I’m praying for revival in India. I’m also asking God to highlight any area in my life still affected by the sins of my ancestors.
What will you pray for today? Please be sure and submit your email to get notices of my next post and leave a comment. I look forward to hearing your thoughts!