What about Generational Curses

[gerry1937]

Hello,
I am new to t his forum, and I was searching for an answer to my question. I am a born again Christian with Jewish genealogy. My grandmother was full Jewish and her mother and father also full jewish people. I am 71 years old, and have two grown children who have children of their own. Here is my question. My son, and his son, both have issues with alcohol, and spending time in jail. My grandsons, now 24 and 28 both spend time in jail as a way of life. Alcohol and drugs have been prevelant in my family. My youngest grandson who is 8, has come to know the Lord because he is living in our household and we have exposed him to the blessings of the Lord. He has said to me only this am "grandma, in my family, we always go to jail." This was in response to something I had said to him about his future as a successful young man. This is my question: My pastor suggested that out of his own mouth, (my grandson) he spoke his generational curse. I went to the book of Deuteronomy 29 where God is talking to the Israelites through Moses and telling them he will bless them if they are obedient, and will curse them if they are not obedient. My question is in Jewish theology, is it your understanding that the curse remains? I realize that Christ makes the difference on the quality of life for a believer, but what about the curse? Does it still stay on those in my family through my mothers seed who have not called upon the Lord for their salvation? Myself, for example, I have many diseases, Gloucoma, have had cancer, respiratory problems. Are these a result of the curse, or is it just a coincidence? Sorry this is so long, and I truly would appreciate an answer from one of you who is well versed in what I'm talking about. God bless you, and I am glad to be here. Blessings

[Mark]

Hi Gerry,

First, I want to say thank you for joining this forum. We are honored at your presence. commands that when an older (grey headed) person comes among us, we are to stand. If you had physically entered into our local synagogue, we would have all risen to our feet.

Second, eight year old boys are sharp as pins and it is tragic how our American culture is inclined to brush their concerns and insights away as unimportant. The conclusions that your grandson is drawing today is going to have a dramatic impact on the directions he follows in the future. It is really very important for you to sit down with him and share what the Word of God says to him about his life and his future and the "destiny" that is part of our Loving Father's plan. I very much appreciate that you have taken this time and that you are taking this young person's concerns so seriously.

declares that Adonai is a jealous God, visiting the iniquity (the evil) of fathers upon children unto the third and fourth generation. (Exodus 20:5, Exodus 34:7, Numbers 14:18 and Deuteronomy 5:9). He is also described among these same passages as showing mercy (kindness) unto thousands (of generations) of those who love Him and keep His commands. Now, even second grade math demonstrates that this doesn't work. If a righteous great, great great grandfather covers the lives of a thousand generations of children, Dad or Grandpa can't mess that up. Nor should the sudden righteousness of a grandson cancel out the declaration against his ancestors.

In Deuteronomy 24:16 we are told that a father must not be held accountable for the misdeeds of his children, nor shall a child be punished for the crimes of his father. Each person is responsible for his own sin. Since the Law of Adonai is perfect and given to us by the Righteous Judge and King. We must believe that He, Himself, is subject to His own commands. God will not break His own Law. Thus we have to understand that there must be some confusion as to what God means when addressing generational sins or curses.

It is true that sin attaches itself to us generationally. We each are inclined to participate in those things that our fathers before us did. Some of this might be genetic make-up. Definintely it has to do with what we grow up with as understanding to be normal or acceptable behavior. If you are exposed to a lot of violence as a child (either by siblings, parents or watching it on TV) violence is not so disturbing to you, therefore acceptable. Drugs and alcohol in the home, seeing others participate in that lifestyle, results in a de-sensatizing to the horrors of it. Families that are from divorced parents are more succeptible to divorce because they have become comfortable with living among others who are divorced.

There is another way to look at the way Adonai approaches us, as we are all consumed by our sin. The understanding of generational curses, as the Scripture describes it, does not demand that the sons are doomed to carry on the vices of their ancestors. We find this in the Hebrew word pah-kad. It literally means "to watch over." This could be understood as a charge against us, like a prison warden; but it is more inclined to describe One who is demonstrating a sincere concern. He knows what are our inclinations. He sees how we are drawn to follow the paths that our fathers have taken. The passages are not saying that the third and fourth generation have no choice but to live in the sins that their fathers had lived in. He's simply saying that you're not going to get away with it if you do.

Because of exposure and acceptance of those who have defined their lives by their sins, each of us are inclined to participate in those sins. Those things which are fathers allowed are going to things that we are going to naturally tend toward. Our Father gives us the antidote to this disease: His mercy extends to thousands of those who love Him and keep His commmands.

David said,

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
(Psalms 119:97-101)

If your grandson commits himself to following after the things of Adonai, there is no curse that can cling to Him. If he allows his heart to be filled with the love the Spirit of Adonai through Messiah Yeshua, there is no sin that can overtake him. It sounds like things are on the right track. Encourage him to press on. And tell him that as I see my own eight year old son, and pray for him, your grandson will be included in those prayers each day.

Blessings to you and to all your family in the name of Messiah Yeshua,

Mark

[adam7gur]

Hi Gerry!
I know that Derek Prince has much to say about what you are worried about. Check out his book about curses , ( Blessing or curse ).
God bless you!

[jewishjediguy]

Oct 22, 2008 13:59:10 GMT -8 gerry1937 said:

Hello,
I am new to t his forum, and I was searching for an answer to my question. I am a born again Christian with Jewish genealogy. My grandmother was full Jewish and her mother and father also full jewish people. I am 71 years old, and have two grown children who have children of their own. Here is my question. My son, and his son, both have issues with alcohol, and spending time in jail. My grandsons, now 24 and 28 both spend time in jail as a way of life. Alcohol and drugs have been prevelant in my family. My youngest grandson who is 8, has come to know the Lord because he is living in our household and we have exposed him to the blessings of the Lord. He has said to me only this am "grandma, in my family, we always go to jail." This was in response to something I had said to him about his future as a successful young man. This is my question: My pastor suggested that out of his own mouth, (my grandson) he spoke his generational curse. I went to the book of Deuteronomy 29 where God is talking to the Israelites through Moses and telling them he will bless them if they are obedient, and will curse them if they are not obedient. My question is in Jewish theology, is it your understanding that the curse remains? I realize that Christ makes the difference on the quality of life for a believer, but what about the curse? Does it still stay on those in my family through my mothers seed who have not called upon the Lord for their salvation? Myself, for example, I have many diseases, Gloucoma, have had cancer, respiratory problems. Are these a result of the curse, or is it just a coincidence? Sorry this is so long, and I truly would appreciate an answer from one of you who is well versed in what I'm talking about. God bless you, and I am glad to be here. Blessings

Shalom Gerry

welcome to the forum

if generational curses were a reality in the times before Mashi'ach's first arrival, upon His arrival they would have been revoked:

Jer 31:29 In those days they shall not any more say, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the sons are set on edge.
Jer 31:30 But every man will die in his iniquity. Every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be dull.
Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, says YHVH, that I will cut a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah...etc

when it speaks of visiting the iniquities upon the children, it isn't speaking of the iniquities themselves becoming a bondage upon the children. when it speaks about the generations of those who hate Me, it is saying that the children already have contempt for the Living God, because the generations hate Him. it is all in the plural. when one repents, they begin a generation of life in the God of Life. and should they train up their children in this, then their child's generation will also be of those who Love [Him].

Alcoholism and drug addiction are not necessarily generational curses, but merely the fruit of the human condition as being born in sin. Yeshua says: that which is born of flesh is flesh, and it is also said that those who sow to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption. and that corruption pertains to the sin in which we are all born.

Many Blessings,
Yochanan

[veggirl]

So are you saying we don't get the sin from our parents?

As of right now I do believe in Generational Curses.

What about all those people in prison that had to serve time for a crime they didn't commit?
I know so much about this because I was a human and animal activist.

We have Curses, why could these things happen?

[Mark]

First, we don't have to place ourselves in the position of defending every good or (as we perceive) bad thing that happens in this world. We don't have to understand the reasons for why God does whatever He does... that's why He's God and we're not.

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?
(Romans 9:20-21 KJV)

Second, He doesn't have tp explain to us (even as the direct recipients of His will) why He is doing something. Was Paul imprisoned because of sin or so that God's will could be done?

A great example is where Messiah answers this very question:

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
(John 9:1-3 KJV)

The doctrine of "generational curses", as many understand it, would place Adonai in direct contradiction of His own :

The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
(Deuteronomy 24:16 KJV)

At the same time, it should be recognized that it is our inclination to follow in the patterns laid out by our parents, that spiritual attachments and demonic influences walk in familiar circles, and thus we are likely to continue the cycles of sin laid out by our parents.

[veggirl]

I don't defend everything, only when I believe I need to or if someone don't have a voice like animals.

I never even heard of Generational Curses until this forum, I looked it up on the internet, and I was getting scared, then I was thinking why all these bad things happen to people, its because of there parents. It made since, I was not raised in church I found out about God when I left home at the age of 16 to start my own life.

Do I have Generational Curses?

I am teaching my kids about the lord, an I am not making them to do anything, there doing it all on there own. Adoni gave me wonderful kids that love him, this is my blessing in my life time. Thats all I want is for my kids to love God with everything they have,.

[youneverletgo]

Mar 31, 2009 17:37:44 GMT -8 veggirl said:

I don't defend everything, only when I believe I need to or if someone don't have a voice like animals.

I never even heard of Generational Curses until this forum, I looked it up on the internet, and I was getting scared, then I was thinking why all these bad things happen to people, its because of there parents. It made since, I was not raised in church I found out about God when I left home at the age of 16 to start my own life.

Do I have Generational Curses?

I am teaching my kids about the lord, an I am not making them to do anything, there doing it all on there own. Adoni gave me wonderful kids that love him, this is my blessing in my life time. Thats all I want is for my kids to love God with everything they have,.

Be really careful about the sources of information on this subject. Make sure you check everything against what Scripture says.

Not everyone who teaches on the subject of generational curses is doctrinely sound.

www.apologeticsindex.org/c102.html

"A popular, though aberrant teaching holds that problems in the life of a Christian - including sickness, poverty, natural disasters, and etcetera - can all be due to a curse spoken many generations ago. Often, believers in this theory are involved in an equally aberrant variety of spiritual warfare, with an unhealthy and unbiblical emphasis on demons. Very prevalent in the Word-Faith movement, as well in today's controversial renewal and revival movements. "

cicministry.org/commentary/issue40.htm

web.archive.org/web/20000229193021/www.jps.net/tomldr/csintro1.htm

www.pfo.org/wdemons.htm

Please note that the above website may be unbalanced towards certain groups and beliefs, but they do discuss why the authors of the sites do not agree that Christians have generational curses.

What I'm saying is just be careful.

[veggirl]

Thank you, I will be careful.. : )

[yeshuafreak]

Mark i LOVE how you explained generational curses. wow. that is powerful.

thank you... they have been confusing me for a long time... gee i need to print that soon