Question On Exodus 20:5

[ktn4eg]

In my reading of Exodus 20:5 (which is part of the Ten Commandments), I'm not exactly sure how I am to understand what the Lord God is trying to tell us in the latter part of this verse which, in the KJV, reads: "....visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;"

One interpretation of this passage would seem to imply that the Lord "visits the iniquity" of one generation that hates Him upon subsequent generations regardless of what that particular future generation tries to do to thwart whatever negative consequences are imposed upon them by the Lord.

OTOH, I read other passages in both the OT and NT that seem to imply that each person will "answer to God" only for what he or she does--regardless of what his or her ancestors might (or might not) have done in the past.

If the above understanding is correct, then it would seem that (according to Exodus 20:5) God some how holds a person's future generations responsible for what his or her ancestors who hated God did (or didn't do).

Personally, I don't see how one would expect God to hold a person responsible for what his or her previous generations may have (or not have) done in manifesting their hated toward God when the person living in a subsequent generation was not even born.

I would appreciate reading how you interpret this passage in the last part of Exodus 20:5 with regard to its impact on future generations.

 

[Judith]

Look at Israel who has been cut off for past sins of the fathers. Notice in the passage you quoted the word is "fathers" plural not singular. It is not talking about someone's earthly father in one family, but what the fathers (spiritural leaders) of a generation or generations have done.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Look at Israel who has been cut off for past sins of the fathers. Notice in the passage you quoted the word is "fathers" plural not singular. It is not talking about someone's earthly father in one family, but what the fathers of a generation or generations have done.

Israel is not "cut off." Israel has been set aside for now. But the promises made to Abraham will be made whole in the millennial age. The remnant, faithful Israel, will inherit the promises of the land, which was not withdrawn from them, as the occupation of the land by historical Israel now proves.

 

[Judith]

Israel is not "cut off." Israel has been set aside for now. But the promises made to Abraham will be made whole in the millennial age. The remnant, faithful Israel, will inherit the promises of the land, which was not withdrawn from them, as the occupation of the land by historical Israel now proves.

semantics and not worthy of discussion, but 1kings 9:7

 

[kyredneck]

Take a look at what came upon the the children of Israel for the sins of their fathers because of the evil that they did to their brother Joseph, in that they betrayed him and sold him into bondage (Joseph being a fascinating type of Christ). It was exactly the fourth generation that was released from bondage and came up out of Eygpt:

And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. Acts 7:6

13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
16 And in the fourth generation they shall come hither again..... Gen 15

 

[Aaron]

One interpretation of this passage would seem to imply that the Lord "visits the iniquity" of one generation that hates Him upon subsequent generations regardless of what that particular future generation tries to do to thwart whatever negative consequences are imposed upon them by the Lord.

Exd 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

What good thing can a generation of god-haters expect, let alone three or four generations?

If all congress got saved, then democrats and rinos became republicans and impeached Obama and half the Supreme Court justices, then immediately ended abortion and deficit spending, you think the national debt would just disappear? You think the innocent blood doesn't get avenged? No the next three or four generations are still going to suffer.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

semantics and not worthy of discussion, but 1kings 9:7

Prophecy of Israel's captivity in Assyria. Not Judah's. Both were still Israel, but Judah went into captivity for only 70 years in Babylon/Persia and returned to the land. Sorry, but that verse doesn't prove your belief in Covenant Theology, which is in complete and total error, disagreement with the Bible.

 

[kyredneck]

18th/19th century fulfillment of Re 20:7; 'gifted' us with such wonderful things as Marxism and Zionism, untold millions perished in the 20th century from the deception of communism alone, how many innocents dead from the deception of Zionism backed by 'Christians', still ongoing, but no matter, fire from heaven will devour the adversaries..... Dispies are right, the times are indeed late.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

18th century fulfillment of Re 20:7; 'gifted' us with such wonderful things as Marxism and Zionism, untold millions perished in the 20th century from communism alone, how many innocents dead form Zionism, still ongoing, but no matter, fire from heaven will devour the adversaries..... Dispies are right, the times are indeed late.

Love ya, KRN, but wow! Not even close. :tonofbricks:

 

[kyredneck]

The deception runs deep, but that's what the serpent is, a deceiver.

 

[Archie the Preacher]

Your suspicions are well founded, KTN4EG

The part you cite is a sub-clause of verse 5. It is (as you rightfully said) a section of the Decalogue. Exodus Chapter 20, verses four, five (and six, to complete the sentence) reads:
20:4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below.
20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations of those who reject me, 20:6 and showing covenant faithfulness to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

This is the commandment to not make idols nor worship them (any other 'god-thingie' is covered in verse three, preceding). The second portion is sort of an explanation or warning attached to the command itself.

It makes the rather obvious observation that living an ungodly life-style will influence one's children to live in such manner, affecting the future generations as I believe Judith said in different words. However, by honoring God and living according to His precepts (including the commandments), one's children will follow that pattern of living and thereby be approved in God's sight.

However, this is not to be construed to mean God gets even with one person by taking it out on that person's children. Ezekiel 18:Vv 1-4. From the passage in Ezekiel, it would appear some of the Jewish people did in fact take the passage in Exodus improperly.

 

[kyredneck]

31 Wherefore ye witness to yourselves, that ye are sons of them that slew the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
33 Ye serpents, ye offspring of vipers, how shall ye escape the judgment of hell? Mt 23

51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? and they killed them that showed before of the coming of the Righteous One; of whom ye have now become betrayers and murderers;
53 ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not. Acts 7

41 Ye do the works of your father. They said unto him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I came forth and am come from God; for neither have I come of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and standeth not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father thereof. Jn 8

 

[Aaron]

I think we need to guard against the temptation to interpret the verses in a manner that says something other than it says. God is jealous, and he will see the punishment of the idolatry of the fathers upon future generations.

II Kings 22:11-20.