Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children? No!

Created Date: 16-May-2016

Generational curse?  No!

Last updated: 14-Jun-2026
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Sections
 

1 For Them that Hate Me
2 A Curse of Canaan By Noah? No
3 Curse of Jeconiah that God did Not let Affect the Royal Blood-Line
4 Generational Curse Exists? No
5 Good News - Wickedness of the Wicked will be on Himself
6 Satanic Realm Territoriality
7 Strongholds of Satanic Forces
8 Suffering Is Meant to Happen to the Christian?

1. For Them that Hate Me

God is not going to have anyone appear at both the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ or the Great White Thrown of Judgment and have someone say:

  1. God you are not fair because I had faith and acceptance of you with Salvation, and someone else who did the same sins did not have the same consequences on Earth.
  2. God you are not fair because I had faith and acceptance of you with Salvation, and someone else who did the same righteous actions to your glory is getting more rewards in Heaven than me.
  3. God, while I never accepted you, the consequences that I received were not the same as someone else when I was on Earth and now as I go to the Lake of Fire.

God always judges fairly with Grace and Mercy where all of us, that even includes those who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, should be overwhelmingly thankful for Mercy.  For those that do not have Salvation, the mercy provided by God is to:

One of the most quoted verses where many people speak about is with the incorrect thought that God will curse a family genealogy based solely on one person is Exodus 20:5 and then Numbers 14:18. 

  1. Notice the part of "them that hate me", which means the INDIVIDUAL that hate God. 
  2. Notice the part of "visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation" precedes the consequence of happening when the person hates God.
  3. Notice the iniquity falling on the father and children is because of worshiping idols.
  4. Notice the mercy applied.
  5. Notice the no means letting the guilty go unpunished.

All the person has to do to not allow the "visiting of the iniquity" to happen is love God despite what a forefather has done.  When anyone worships false Gods and knows of the Power of God, which was very evident in the times of Israel's history of God delivering Israel so many times, then knowing of the God and rejecting God is blasphemy!

Exodus 20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them idols, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
Numbers 14:18 The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in mercy, forgiving wrongdoing and violation of His Law; but He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’
Ezekiel 18:20 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

The following is an excerpt from the Oppression and Possession topic:

The lineage of Kings of Israel, that were very sinful, were interrupted with great Kings that loved God and brought blessings on Israel.  The good Kings often had to undue, avoid and build on God's guidance in the midst of their sinful parent King that did evil in the sight of God.  God blessed the good Kings and the kingdom of Israel.

2. A Curse of Canaan by Noah, No

The following is an excerpt from the end of the Noah Curse Canaan topic:

The contested passage in the Genesis passage regarding the curse is Genesis 9:25-27 verses:

Genesis 9:25-27 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 26 And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant. 27 God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.

Here are the important points related to the "Cursed be Canaan":

  1. Noah's son Ham was never cursed.
  2. The cursing was on the offspring of the woman, which was Ham's son named Canaan.
  3. This son, named Canaan, was the last son of Ham.  We are not given the mother's name, but she obviously was not the wife that had Ham's other three sons. 
  4. It can be inferred that Noah did NOT have any blessing or curse on Ham's other three sons, which also proves that Noah was directing the curse (a prophecy) only on one person and not an entire family of Ham.  Notice that Ham's other sons: Cush, Mizraim, and Phut (or Put) are not named in the curse prophecy.
  5. The son named Canaan started the Canaanites tribe.
  6. As stated already: A Canaanite is a person from the area shown below that is also anciently known as the land of Shinar.  The Canaanite people are fair to dark complexion just like other people from that geographical area of the Middle East, which include the people of Israel.
  7. In Noah's prayer to God, the grandson Canaan is TWICE said to be the servant to Shem and Japeth.

3. Curse of Jeconiah that God did Not let Affected the Royal Bloodline

When following the lineage of the Royal Blood-Line of Jesus Christ, there is the wonder and exciting revealing on God using Two of the Royal Bloodlines of King David to get to Jesus Christ's human lineage.  Jesus Christ is God and was God before His entrance into His Creation where the Royal Bloodline was about the Virgin Birth and the Seed of the Woman in Genesis 3:15 that was prophesied against the Serpent that was posed by Lucifer at the Garden of Eden's judgment pronouncements by God.

King Jeconiah, and many of the lineage continued in blasphemy against God, but there was some that did not blasphemy God and loved God.  This included Jesus Christ's adopter father Joseph.

God exists in Eternity and is not subject to our time domain.  God is able to see the end from the beginning of our time domain so God knew of the future bad generations of Jeconiah, along with the good generations.  With God's view of the lineage of Jeconiah then God could state that "his seed will not prosper".  The ultimate prosper was not having Jesus Christ come through Jeconiah's lineage and the royal bloodline went through King David's son Nathan, and not Solomon.

The following is an excerpt from the Tenth Man topic:

In the book of Jeremiah there is the King Jehoiakim, who does so many very evil things against the Lord, that Jeremiah records the penalty from God on Jehoiakim in the scriptural passage of Jeremiah 22:24-30. 

Notes:

Jeremiah 22:24-30 24 As I live, saith Jehovah, though Coniah (Jeconiah) the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; 25 and I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them of whom thou art afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26 And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. 27 But to the land whereunto their soul longeth to return, thither shall they not return. 28 Is this man Coniah a despised broken vessel? is he a vessel wherein none delighteth? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into the land which they know not? 29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of Jehovah. 30 Thus saith Jehovah, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days; for no more shall a man of his seed prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling in Judah.

4. Generational Curse Exists? No

Besides the scriptures that were listed at the start of this topic, there are other scriptures that describe problems that are caused by the ancestors against the descendants.  The iniquity on those that hate God causes the Judgment of God. 

In Jeremiah 32:17-18, the scriptural passage is a prayer for mercy for Israel abandoning God that has always been there for them.  Israel was about to go into a period of enslavement to the Babylonians, and a loss of their sovereignty of their land. 

Jeremiah 32:17-18 17 Oh, Lord God! Behold, You Yourself have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, 18 who shows mercy to thousands, but repays the wrongdoing of fathers into the laps of their children after them, great and mighty God. The Lord of armies is His name;

The key part to note on the scriptural verses in the full passage of Jeremiah is consequences are for those who:

  1. Worship false gods (the idols),
  2. Serve the false gods,
  3. Who hate the true and only God.   (Author's note: Ignoring God is the same as hating God.)

All three of these areas are blasphemy.

In Ezekiel 18:20, God clarifies that righteousness is based on our behavior our own actions.  The problem, as shown many times with Israel, was when offspring continue in idol worship, serving false gods, hate, and ignore God.

Ezekiel 18:20 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.The soul that sinneth, it shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

One example of many is well-known proof of there is no Generational Curse is the sons and daughters of Korah and the men that were with Korah.  Korah and men with Korah, that were from the tribe of Levi which would have been destined to become Priests of Israel. rebelled against Moses when leaving the captivity of Egypt.  Korah's and his men were separated from all of Israel and were swallowed by the Earth along with what they had.  The Children of Korah and Korah's men went on to do well in God's Service:

Numbers 16:32-33 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
Numbers 26:11 Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah died not.Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah died not.
1 Chronicles 6:31-38 31 And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the house of Jehovah, after that the ark had rest. 32 And they ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem: and they waited on their office according to their order. 33 And these are they that [b]waited, and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites: Heman the singer, the son of Joel, the son of Samuel, 34 the son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Eliel, the son of Toah, 35 the son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 36 the son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 37 the son of Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 38 the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of Israel.
1 Chronicles 12:1-7 1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, his helpers in war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow: they were of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer; then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite, and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah, and Jehu the Anathothite, 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite, 5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6 Elkanah, and Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites, 7 and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
1 Chronicles 9:19-21 19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren, of his father’s house, the Korahites, were over the work of the service, keepers of the thresholds of the tent: and their fathers had been over the camp of Jehovah, keepers of the entry. 20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was ruler over them in time past, and Jehovah was with him. 21 Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of the tent of meeting.

5. Good News - Wickedness of the Wicked will be upon Himself

Scripture dealing with the list of offenses against God and the good news is found in Ezekiel. 

Ezekiel 18:19-21 18 Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live. 20 The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. 21 But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

Notice that if a person no longer continues in the areas warned, then God states:

6. Satanic Realm Territoriality

The Satanic Realm consists of Fallen Angels and Demons that scriptural appear to be territorial which can then mimic the idea of a generational curse.  We learn from many scriptures that the Satanic Realm consisting of Lucifer, the Fallen Angels and Demons are territorial.  Notice in Daniel 10:20 that there is a Satanic Prince of Persia. 

Biblical Scholars point out that there are specific responsibilities and evil talents that Fallen Angels and Demons will specialize or traffic.  As an example, medical doctor often specializes in specific areas but are still capable of assisting in other areas.  

Notice in Matthew 12:44, the Satanic Spirit returns to house which it has familiarity and may possess or oppress different members of a family.  As an example, if the Satanic Spirit formerly was occupying a house and influencing a parent with alcoholism, where the parent is no longer an alcoholic, then the Satanic Spirit will attempt to get assistance in getting the parent to start drinking alcohol again and possibly trying to influence other family members.  The Satanic Spirit's action of trying to influence other family members can be wrongly considered a generational curse when it is actually a territorial Satanic influence.

 
Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  

Note: this indicates there are Fallen Angels that rule and are in the spirit realm. 
Daniel 10:20 Then he said, "Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. 

Note: this indicates that Michael is having to fight against the principalities in the spirit realm that are over earthly geographical areas.
Psalm 22:12 is Messianic and points to the Messiah dying on the cross where it relates a satanic spiritual entity surrounding Him

"Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me." 

Note that the exact meaning of verse 12 is not known but it is the consensus of many that is a satanic entity.  Read the whole Psalm 22 and it is absolutely an awe-inspiring way to so many idioms of the cross such as verse 16 through 18.
Matthew 12:43-45 43 Now when the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it 44 Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came'; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.

7. Strongholds of Satanic Forces

The spiritual interpretation of the scriptures, point to the reality of Strongholds of Satanic Forces.  These strongholds specialize in either manipulation through possession or oppression.   

The individual Satanic Spirits, who are working in a family with such things as adultery, alcoholism, drug addiction, physical abuse, murder and so much more have to be contended with by the succeeding generations because of the Strongholds they have created in territorial proximity.  This is why it is almost always seen in life, that the offspring of the parents will commit, participate or fall into the same negative choices of the parents.  As pointed out above Matthew 12:43-45, let us know the standard operational approach used by Satanic Spirits.

There is always help and victory!  In all things we know that God is there for us and we only need to ask for His assistance.  The start of not only fighting against the Satanic Strongholds and our own sinful nature is to:

  1. Spend time with God in prayer,
  2. Read the Word of God
  3. Spend time with other Christians
  4. Seek help in specialty groups for assistance with addictions.
Hebrews 4:15-16 5 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ

8. Suffering Is Always Meant to Happen to the Christian?

Suffering happens to all Christians and there is many blessing that can be obtained through them.  If we do not have suffering then we cannot achieve the higher goals in our Earthly life that will yield greater rewards in Heaven.  Also, without the struggles that are suffering, we cannot experience God always leading us to show His Love in our Earthly life.

Understanding the reasons can help us all when we are going through tough times and when getting out of a tough time in our lives.  Read more on the Suffering topic to understand the blessings!

What to read next?

What is Salvation?  Is it possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there an Age of Accountability?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?