“Generational Curses”
by
Elder Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
One of the most misinterpreted scriptures of the Bible has caused much confusion for many years. It has been the catalyst for many false teachings that are taught in some churches today. It has caused people that are filled with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost, redeemed by the blood of the lamb that are able to cast out demons, heal the sick, and preach this glorious gospel to become superstitious. There are now even preachers who have developed what is nothing short of ritualistic incantations as a method of dealing with what amounts to nothing more than a misinterpretation of the Word of God.
This scripture or the phrasing of the scripture that has been misinterpreted is found several times in the Bible and it’s the phraseology that is misunderstood. We will look at this scripture and the phraseology of it. That scripture is none other than Exodus 34:6-7 “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the father upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and fourth generation.” Similar scriptures are Exodus 20:5, Numbers14:18, Deuteronomy 5:9.
Many people will take this scripture and try to base that there are such things as generational curses. I will say yes there are; however, they are not the curses of bad luck or a hex placed upon a family they are the results of the iniquity of each individual and due to this iniquity the curse of disobedience is upon them. Through the Word of God in this lesson I will show you what is meant when I say a generational curse, the difference between a hex and curse, and the most important differences of all what the Word of God was truly saying when it says “the iniquity and transgression and sin”, never once does the Bible say place a curse or hex is placed upon someone.
The meaning of the word Curse.
The word curse opens a cornucopia of different meanings to different people. To most people the word curse refers to some form of vulgarity that back in the day would cause one to have their mouth washed out with soap. To some the word curse refers to the things they see in the movies or read in some fairytale book, like snow white, how the witch put a curse of snow white and cause her to fall into a deep sleep. Then there are those that feel unless they wear a necklace of garlic, carry a crucifix, and pack a gun with a silver bullet in it that they are likely to be bombarded by demons that are lurking around every corner just waiting to curse them. Then there are those that say oh that was then, but in this day and time we don’t have to even worry about that, we are not in the dark ages anymore.
The word curse according to the dictionary has a few definitions:
1. A prayer or invocation for harm to come to someone.
2. A word or expression used in swearing, profanity.
3. Biblically it is “Empowered to fail” (Deut. 28:15-68)
Of the 185 times the word curse is used in the Bible I believe that it’s more the second definition is brought on as a result of the first definition. We must understand that unlike today’s society, that the people of the Old Testament had more of a fear and respect for God and His punishment coming upon them. Because of this fear and respect when one person would get mad and upset with someone they would say I curse you, wishing harm and retribution upon them. I believe a good example would be Peter when he had denied Christ and he began to curse and swear Mark 13:71. Although the Bible doesn’t confirm this, if we just look at how people act today we can say that it is quite possible, when Peter began to curse and swear I like to believe he said something like, “I don’t know the man, leave me alone, I curse you and may the wrath of God come upon you, leave me alone @%&*%.” This is based upon the first and second definitions given above.
Many people feel that a curse is some form of hex placed upon a person by some other person. The word Hex simply means one that practices witchcraft. Witchcraft is dealing with sorcery. Sorcery is the use of magic. Magic is the art of a person who claims to be able to do something by the help of supernatural powers or their own knowledge of nature’s secrets. Understanding this, a curse, as we call it can only come form God or Satan if God permits it to be so. Satan was able to afflict (curse) Job with the things he did only after God gave him permission to do so and even then he was limited to what he could do, because the power is God’s. No man or woman can curse a person because they do not have the supernatural capabilities to do so. The Bible says in 1st Chronicles 16:22 & Psalm 105:15 “Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm”.
Now understanding the definitions of a curse and knowing that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, John 3:16, do you actually believe that God would invoke harm upon those He loves. Do you believe that God could be capable of using profanity? Therefore the only possible conclusion would be empowered to fail. This is not a hex, but simply the authority to suffer the consequences based upon the choice we freely made.
The Birth of Generational Curses.
As we have previously stated because of misinterpretations of scripture there has been confusion for many years. It has been the catalyst for many false teachings that are taught in some churches today. It has caused people that are filled with the precious gift of the Holy Ghost, redeemed by the blood of the lamb that are able to cast out demons, heal the sick, and preach this glorious gospel to become superstitious. There are now even preachers who have developed what is nothing short of ritualistic incantations as a method of dealing with what amounts to nothing more than a misinterpretation of the Word of God. This stems from the phraseology and the lack of understanding of three very important words, those words are iniquity, transgression, and sin. The main word and the one which is mostly misunderstood is iniquity, it is this very word which many people believe is and is the birth of generational curses. Therefore we will save this one for last and briefly discuss the two other words transgression and sin. Many people think that sin, transgression, and iniquity all have the same meaning, but they all have different meanings and it’s understanding the differences that we will begin to understand the term generational curses.
Sin: - is falling short of the mark, to miss the mark, or to fall short of what God has called you to do. Romans 3:23 says “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Sin is to fall short of what God has called you to do. I like this example when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane and told His disciple to pray. When He came back He found them sleep He asked could you not pray one hour, they had fallen short of what God had for them to do. Sin can happen to anyone and we can be forgiven of sin and go on with our life. The Bible says in 1st John 2:1 “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” Sin is not what was visited to the third and fourth generations.
Transgression: - is to go beyond or overstep pre-established boundaries set by divine law. Transgression is more the doing of something to someone else. Like going fishing eventhough there are no trespassing signs posted, what you have done is overstepped a pre-establish boundary set by the owner of that property. Transgression is not what is visited to the third and fourth generations.
Iniquity: - is to distort the heart, it is a certain weakness toward a certain sin. Iniquity is something that is done over and over again until it becomes a part of your character. Whereas sin and transgression focus more with tangible violations, iniquity deals with more the intangible things of a person’s character, their mind-set, attitude, behavior and personalities. It is iniquity that is passed from generation to generation. Because of iniquity being passed from generation to generation the result of the iniquity, which is the curse brought on from disobedience will continue to pass from generation to generation until someone makes the conscious effort to change their character, thus breaking the so-called curse. The iniquity is passed from generation to generation and if this cyclic behavior continues then the result, which is death the curse of sin, is the same.
Statistics show that children of divorced parents are more likely to be divorced in their marriage. Children that grow up in and abusive home are more likely to be abusive themselves. Children whose parents drink, smoke, or use illegal drugs are more likely to do the same. This is the iniquity that is passed on from generation to generation. When iniquity is passed from generation to generation it becomes stronger and unless someone breaks that cycle it becomes harder for the next generation to break from that iniquitous behavior. This is not a curse, but has become the character of the individuals from generation to generation. It would be the same in the positive as well, for example families where the grandfather was a fireman, the father a fireman, and now the son is a fireman this is a characteristic that is passed down from generation to generation, this is not a curse of firemen upon that family.
We must understand that the consequences are not a curse from God directly upon an individual, but the results of disobedience to God’s word. There is a law that basically states what goes up must come down, it is the law of gravity. If I take a hammer and through it up in the air, the law of gravity says it’s going to come down. If it hits me in the head I can’t blame God for creating the law of gravity, but must suffer the consequences for disobey that law. The hammer hitting me in the head is not a curse, eventhough it may cause you to do so, but it’s just the result of throwing it up in the air.
God means what He says so why all the misinterpretations.
Let’s look at what God says in Ezekiel 18:1-4 & 14-23 “The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die. Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, that hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, that hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity. Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 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. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live”?
These few verses make it clear that God does not place a curse upon the children to the third and fourth generations for the sins of their fathers. However, if they continue in the iniquity they will suffer the same punishments.
Since God clearly said He will not punish the children for the sins of their fathers and He is not placing a curse on them down to the third and fourth generations then what is He talking about when He said “visiting the iniquity of the father upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and fourth generation”.
Let’s look at this scripture again Exodus 34:6-7 “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the father upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and fourth generation.”
What exactly is God saying?
To get the proper understanding we must understand what the word and the phraseology of the word visiting. The first and probably the most crucial misinterpretation is believing that the word punish and visiting mean the same thing. The word punish comes from a Hebrew word called “yacar”, which means to chastise, to strike, to instruct. The word visiting/visit comes from a Hebrew word called “paqad”, which means to look over, inspect, care for, to count or examine. Understanding this phraseology we see that God will inspect and examine the results of the father’s iniquity on the generations to come. Remember if iniquity continues from generation to generation it becomes harder to remove; therefore, God says “visiting the iniquity of the fathers to the third and fourth generation” is in no way, form, shape or fashion a curse for punishment on future generations because of what the father had done, but a trough inspection of the effects of the iniquity.
We must also learn to take the Bible in context. We said God said all souls are His and the soul that sinneth will surely die. He also said that the quote “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.” This was an excuse the Children of Israel were using to place blame on God for the things that they were going through, but God made it explicitly clear in Ezekiel 18:3 “[As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have [occasion] any more to use this proverb in Israel.” Therefore if God said this will no-longer be able to be used, this should suffice the fact that generational curses are non-existent.
Let’s look at the context God was speaking first of all. Exodus 20:5 says “thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, 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”. This is part of the Ten Commandments, the 3rd commandment to be precise. God had chosen the Children of Israel to uphold His name in a sinful world. He had stated that He was a jealous God and would not stand for them bowing down to idols like everyone else was doing, this is iniquity remember iniquity deals with the intangible repeated sins, character. If they disobeyed God’s commandments they would suffer the curse of the law for their disobedience toward God, this curse of the law would be felt from generation to generation until they turned from their wicked ways. 2nd Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
The punishment for disobedience is spelled out in the book of Deuteronomy 28:15 – 61. The word Deuteronomy means “repetition of God’s law”. It is the 5th book of the Bible, the number 5 means God’s grace. God will give His grace to those that keep His commandments, but the curse for disobedience is the empowerment to fail.
What is the curse for disobedience?
Let’s look at Deuteronomy 28:15 – 68 “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. The Lord shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: and thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: so that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. The Lord shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. The Lord shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee. Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume. The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: and they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; a nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young: and he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee. And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the Lord thy God hath given thee. And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: so that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: so that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, and toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the Lord bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the Lord thy God. And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: and thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: in the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.” Remember curse is empowered to fail.
What is the BLESSING for Obedience.
Deuteronomy 28:1-14 “And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe [and] to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed [shalt] thou [be] in the city, and blessed [shalt] thou [be] in the field. Blessed [shall be] the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed [shall be] thy basket and thy store. Blessed [shalt] thou [be] when thou comest in, and blessed [shalt] thou [be] when thou goest out. The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee. The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do [them]: And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do [them]:”
The meaning of the word Blessed.
The word Blessed to hallow or consecrate by religious rite or word : to hallow with the sign of the cross to invoke divine care for.: to speak well of : approve to confer prosperity or happiness upon, protect, preserve, endow, favor.
Ashre is a Hebrew word that has been translated as "blessed." It’s an exclamation -- "O the good fortune!" The root meaning is "to go straight, to advance." The person of whom one can say ashre ha-ish is one for whom things are on the right track, going along a straight way, going forward, making headway. It is often used in the Book of Psalms, as seen in the first psalm: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." The next verse offers a metaphor of what it is like to be blessed -- such a person "is like a tree planted by streams of water."
Blessed is the complete opposite of cursed. If cursed is empowered to fail, then blessed is empowered to succeed.
BEWARE of FALSE TEACHERS.
The Bible says in Matthew 24:11 “And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many.” There are many false prophets that are teaching on the misinterpretation of these scriptures. In this portion of this lesson I want to make you aware of some of the teachings that are out there.
The Bible says in 2nd Timothy 2:15 “ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth..” Rightly dividing is essential. There are preachers that are saying that demons are passed from generation to generation and these demons have embedded themselves into the lives of Christians because of generational sins. The remedy for the removal of this demonic curse the Christian first needs to find out what the demons are, recite certain utterances from so-called prayer books to break the stronghold they have on a Christian, sometimes you may need the help of special people with special knowledge in these matters to assist you in some instances. The recital of these words will break the demonic strongholds of generational curses (hexes). “I cancel out all demonic working that may have been passed on to me from my ancestors. I cancel every curse that Satan and his workers have put on me from my ancestors. I reject all other blood sacrifices whereby Satan may claim ownership of me.” First of all this is nothing more than an incantation. Jesus Christ, the Blood of the Lamb or nothing Holy at all is even mentioned. Second the scripture said visiting the iniquity of the father, nothing about demons or demonic spirits is passed to generation to generation. Third if you had to say some kind of incantation to release a demonic presence in your life WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE CROSS.
Another infamous philosophy has even tried to say that you can get very specific and release demonic curses off certain parts of your body. Recite the following “I ask you to look all through the sexual organs and functions of my body for any evil spirit activity. I ask that the Holy Spirit would search out all my bones, blood circulation, nerve circuitry, muscles, tissues, glands, hair, skin and every cell for any wickedness against my physical body.
Another doctrine that is going around states that any problems a Christian has is caused by unknown curses, and it is the lack of revelation knowledge that is supposedly destroying the Christian because they fail to understand what the Lord proclaims to be unclean, thus their lives and homes are cluttered with unclean things which cause curses and cursing in their lives. This doctrine says that the Christian needs revelations and special knowledge to get free from these curses and that Satan has legal rights to curse Christians and send demons our way if we do certain things contrary. They teach that because of this there are such things as living on cursed ground, living in cursed houses, and many others leaving the Christian with no hope or assurances. It incorporates that accepting Jesus Christ into your life doesn’t remove this curse. Once a person is filled with the Holy Ghost they are set free, for whom the Son has set free is free indeed. The Bible says in 1st John 5:18 “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not...”
When light comes into a dark place the darkness is totally dispelled. Matthew 5:14 says “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid”. If we are the light then when we enter into a dark place, because greater is He that is in us then he that is in the world that which is inhabits a dark place when light comes in must totally be dispelled.
Heredity/Genetics is not a Generational curse.
Some people believe that because their grandmother died of cancer, their mother died of cancer, the brother died of cancer that they must also die of cancer for this is a curse upon the family. However this is a lie that is breathed in the pits of Hell. This is not a curse because of some sin that your ancestor had committed.
Let’s look at John 9:1-3 “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.”
Understanding that and that God does not cause the children to suffer for the things of their parents then what is genetics when it come to illnesses. A genetic illness that is inherited from generation to generation is a result of defective gene codes, something within the genetic makeup of that person is missing or defective thus causing that particular trait to be passed from generation to generation, this is not a curse. Therefore that individual must pray that the defective genetic code be corrected in their life and glorify God.
The Bible says in Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” God has healed us of our infirmities we must make our infirmities aware that God has healed us. Heredity is not a curse, no matter if you feel that going bald is, it is caused by some defect in the genetic makeup of you, if you pray that God correct that defect and make it the way He intended it to be, then you will be healed of that defect, it never was a curse.
Bad Habits and Lifestyles are not Generational Curses.
Many people will try to hide that because of the way their father was that, that is the reason they are the way they are. If your father had a bad temper and you have a bad temper, that is not a generational curse, but it is what is called learned behavior. Hate is a learned behavior, bigotry and prejudice is a learned behavior, whore-monging and homosexuality is a learned behavior people learn these behaviors as they become products of their environment and culture group. Parents, schools, political, and religious leaders teach these behaviors.
One excuse you so often hear is that Poppa was a rolling stone; therefore, I must be one as well that is the curse that is past down from generation to generation. No this is a lifestyle that a person decided to live of their own choice. (That is one reason why we as Christians should stand against same sex couples adopting kids because it opens them up to learning a different lifestyle.) This is yet another lie from the pits of hell. This is what the person has learned down through time and chose to act in the behavior they were taught. One thing about learned behavior is people can be taught how to act without even realizing what they are being taught or the one teaching them is may not even realize that they are teaching someone some kind of behavioral pattern. The amazing thing about learned behavior is if you learned it you can unlearn it as well.
How people try to make the Word of God contradict itself.
Many people will try to argue the Word of God they will say that the Bible contradicts itself. They try to base truth upon misinterpretations and therefore they are mislead and develop the idea that the Bible is contradictory; however, the Bible says in 1st Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”
Let’s look at what many people will say is a contradictory statement. Joshua 7:24-25 “And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.”
If we read these verses it seems as though they are contradictory with what God said and that the children were punished for the sins of the father. However, we must take the Word of God in context. Look at Joshua 6:17-19 “And the city shall be accursed, [even] it, and all that [are] therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that [are] with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep [yourselves] from the accursed thing, lest ye make [yourselves] accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, [are] consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.”
The word accursed comes from a Hebrew word called “Khaw-ram” pronounced charam, it means devoted to God’s use (especially destruction). God had given specific instructions to Israel concerning what was to be done to Jericho, He specifically said that anyone that took of the accursed (devoted to God’s uses) thing makes the camp of Israel a curse and trouble it. This is called corporate responsibility, Israel, Joshua, nor Achan were surprised that God held the entire nation accountable for what Achan had done. In today’s society and sadly enough in the church, we have the mentality of individualism. The national theme is “Every man for himself”, eventhough the song I need you and you need me is sung with veracity and vigor, the mentality and attitude is individualism. It is because of this mentality that people will often say that God punishes the children for the sins of the father, it is because of individualism that the phrase The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?, was said back in this time.
To end the argument of then “If the children are not punished for the sins of the father the why did Achan family have to be killed”? We must answer the question
WHAT WAS THE SIN OF ACHAN’S CHILDREN?
Achan took what was devoted to God’s use, he disobeyed God, stole from God (will a man rob God), hid the booty in his tent, placed the entire nation in jeopardy of God’s anger, and caused the deaths of 36 innocent men. Achan’s children’s crime was this they failed to tell the iniquity of their father. They knew what he had done, because he hid it in his tent. Unlike houses today where every family member will have their own room, with the parents sharing a room, they lived in a tent, everyone was in plain view of everyone else. They knew what their father had done, they knew where the booty was, they knew the reason why they lost the battle to Ai and 36 men were killed, yet they disobeyed God and refused to confess the iniquity of the father. Therefore because they broke they law they willfully placed upon themselves the curse of the law which is death.
According to the Law in Leviticus 26:40 “If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me”. It is because the children did not confess their iniquity nor the iniquity of the father they also were punished. The cattle were killed as well simply because in the corporate setting no one should prosper at the expense of another.
Summary: Misinterpretation of God’s precious word has caused confusion in the church and lives of Christians for many years. False teachings, the lack of understanding, and the improper contextual quoting of God’s word causes people to develop ideologies and superstitions that plague them causing them to develop unbiblical theologies and practices. One of these superstitions that is gaining momentum in the today church is that of generational curses. However a proper understand of the Word of God will let us know that we are set free from the curse of the law. We have been redeemed from the consequences of transgression, he has forgiven our sins and our iniquities and No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper. Once we begin to search the scriptures and ask God to reveal His word to us then we will be able to see what God truly was saying when He said a certain things.
It is imperative that each and every person study the Word of God for themselves, hide the Word in their heart and make sure that they are not deceived by false teachers and philosophies that are plaguing society today. Children do not have to worry about the consequences of the sins of their parents being passed from generation to generation, but may serve God for themselves and turn from all iniquity.
When we or some one in our ancestral tree sin it is that person that has chosen the curse of disobedience. It is at this point that we have freely opened the door for the devil to begin to bring all manner of griefs our way. We must understand that God does not place a curse upon us, we chose the curse when we disobey His word. Exodus 15:26 says “And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I [am] the LORD that healeth thee.”
We all at the beginning are cursed by the ancestral sin of Adam 1st Corinthian 15:22 says “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” When we come to Christ we break the results of that curse and are a new creature with new results.
We must ensure that we have a proper understanding of the Word of God, the Bible says in James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
The Word of God is a precious resource to the livelihood of every man woman boy and girl and we must search the scriptures wherein we have eternal life. We are not bound by generational curses or any curses at all but have life and we have it more abundantly if we will do what the Word of God commands us to do. If we fail to do His will then we must suffer the curse of disobedience. The choice is each and every individuals own personal free-will choice and not the result of some ancestral iniquity. In the beginning I said I believes in generational curses and that is the fact that if from one generation the same iniquity is carried out then the same curse of disobedience is carried out also; however, once you make a change and receive God as your personal Lord and Savior then that curse or the result of disobedience is gone.
Elder Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
Boanerge Ministries.
