Executive Producer

This episode is brought to you in part by Executive Producer, John Anonymous.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 13-15 CEB, Ch. 16-18 NIV

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Thoughts

Chapter 18 clarifies and even puts to rest the idea that there is such a thing as a generational curse. Some believe that children are sometimes punished for the sins of the parents. The idea stems primarily, I think, from Exodus 20:5:

“You shall not bow down to [idols] or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.”

But listen to verse 20 of our chapter here, chapter 18:

“The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son.

This seems to clearly teach that each person is responsible for their own sin. 

So what’s going on? Is the Bible contradicting itself? When confronting seeming contradictions in the Bible, it is critical to look at context. 

So what is the context in the verse from Exodus? To what is God referring? Let’s read it again. 

“You shall not bow down to [idols] or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.”

This verse is talking about idolatry. We know that God hates idolatry, don’t we? So does He hate it bad enough that He will punish multiple generations because of the ancestors? No. Remember what I said a few times on yesterday’s episode? God does not change. 

So what is the answer? How do we get out of this conundrum? 

A person, or a generation that practices idolatry creates a culture of accepting this behavior, right? If I have an altar to a false god in my home, my children are going to be raised to accept that as normal. So when they have a family, it is more than likely that they will have an altar to a false god in their home. And so it goes, from generation to generation. 

Each generation is responsible for their own behavior, but when they are raised in a culture that accepts sin, it’s more likely that they will accept sin.

But it does not have to be this way. I was not raised in a Christian home. My dad was very anti church. He thought it was all just so much hogwash. So it could have been assumed that I would follow in his footsteps in this arena, right? But God, in His infinite mercy, touched my heart and give me the faith to believe in Jesus. There were probably a thousand different things that I was exposed to as I grew up to bring me to the awareness that Jesus is who He said He is, and that I need Him in my life. So I asked Jesus to be my Savior when I was a teenager, and I spent most of the rest of my dad’s life praying for him. And shortly before he died, he finally surrendered his life to Jesus. But of course, he had to make that decision for himself. My salvation could not save him, any more than his sins could not condemn me. 

Chapter 18 ends with a confirmation that God is a God of mercy. He wants to forgive sins. He says, “Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!”

I’m so glad that God made a way for us to escape the consequences of our sins, aren’t you? Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me.”