The Sins of the Parents
NUMBERS 14:18
18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
GALATIANS 6:7
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
The Sins of the Parents - Bible study
Reaping is a law of God – when you sow seed, then there is a law that states that you will reap what you have sown. Whatever seed you sow will be your future harvest of what you will reap. So as believers we are forgiven, but there is also this law that is still in effect.
God forgave William Branham for not going with the Pentecostals at the beginning when God told him too, but he still paid a price for that mistake, because whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
We know that the natural seed of man is reaped in his offspring – so what that man sows in his life has an effect on his children which is the manifestation of his seed.
Opening scripture
NUMBERS 14:18
18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
NUMBERS 14:18 - New International Version
The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.'
NUMBERS 14:18 - Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah is slow to anger, and of great kindness; bearing away iniquity and transgression, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on a third generation, and on a fourth;
We see this principle from the beginning, because we know that when Adam and Eve sinned in Eden at the start of the human race, it brought great suffering on down to their entire offspring of the entire human race for 6000 years. So this is a powerful principle.
II KINGS 5:21-27
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
We know that natural seed can often carry diseases in a hereditary way through the genetics – this is also the same with sin, the sin of one generation is often carried on to the next. This principle has been known for thousands of years.
JOHN 9:1-3
1 ¶ And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
LIFE.IS.THE.HEALER_ INDIANAPOLIS.IN TUESDAY_ 57-0611
E-47 Sin's associated with sickness. I don't mean that you sinned, your parents before you. God promised He'd visit to three and four generations the sins of the father's upon the children. But God's a Healer.
King David’s problem with needing 500 wives was amplified in his son Solomon with 1000 wives, and we know that in the end it was Solomon’s many wives that caused his heart to be turned away from the Lord.
EXODUS 34:6-7
6 And the LORD passed by before him (Moses), and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
We know that the Jewish people have suffered terribly down through their history of the last 2000 years because of their rejection of Christ.
MATTHEW 27:22-25
22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
LUKE 23:28-29
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
Christ is speaking of the future generations of their offspring that would suffer terribly because of their sin of crucifying the Lord.
We know that destruction was soon to come upon Jerusalem in AD70, in which certainly their children would have seen that. “For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren – in other words, “The calamities that are about to fall on you and your children because of your rejection of me will be most terrible and call for the bitterest lamentations. And the thoughts of those calamities afflict my soul far more than the feeling of my own sufferings – so don’t weep for me as much as you should weep for yourselves and for your children.”
He was foretelling them that the days of distress and misery were coming that were to fall upon them and their children; which indeed they did in the most awful manner when the Roman general Titus besieged Jerusalem in AD70.
So we can see from these things that when parent rejects Christ, then it has a negative future effect on their decedents – this is a principle of the word.
**But then also on the other side; when you receive Christ, then that also has a positive effect of blessing on your offspring.
Often worldly people think that they can get away with things, they can turn the word down and live a sin filled life and it seems like nothing really bad happens to them in their lifetime and that they got away with it, not realising the hardship and suffering that they will bring upon their offspring, because the sins of the parents are visited on the children.
WHY.ARE.WE.NOT.A.DENOMINATION_ JEFF.IN V-11 N-7 SATURDAY_ 58-0927
78 Listen, you young people today. I don't know whether you come to this church, or where you come, you young boys and girls. Did you realize, the things that you're doing, if there is another generation, your children will be judged for what you do? Haven't you no respect or decency? You girls that's out here wearing these little old shorts and things around, you know, that's reflecting on your daughter. Did you know your grandmammy was a--a flapper, and your mammy a chorus girl, and that's the reason you're a striptease today? It's certainly. What will your children be? Yes, sir. God said He'd visit the iniquity of the parents upon the children and their children, to three and four generations.
79 And did you realize, my brother, every time you do that which is right, that'll be visited on your children?
Look here, let's take Hebrews the 7th chapter. The Bible said, when--when Melchisedec met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the king, and blessed him, and said... Now, Levi, is talking about paying tithes. Said, "Levi had an order from the Lord to receive tithes from his brethren." And Levi who received tithe paid tithe, for he was yet in the loins of Abraham when he met Melchisedec. And Abraham was his great-grandfather. Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, Jacob begot Levi; Levi, father, grandfather, great-grandfather. And while Levi was in the loins of Abraham, the Bible said he paid tithes to Melchisedec. Hallelujah.
Don't let nobody tell you that any kind of a move in the world can ever interfere with God's great cog; she's moving right on. It was planned back there in the beginning. There ain't a devils or enough devils can interfere with His program.
One of the biggest things that God responds to in judgement is a proud spirit.
Remember when Kind David numbered the people because of pride, 70 thousand men paid with their lives as a direct result of David’s pride.
Satan and his followers were all kicked out of heaven because of him having pride in his heart.
But when a man will show humility, it will stay the judgement of God upon him.
I KINGS 21:25-29 This is the story of when Elijah meets King Ahab when he was taking possession of Naboth’s vineyard after that Jezebel had got him murdered by her evil lies.
25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words (of Elijah, declaring the judgment of God that would befall him), that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.
We see this principle of God proclaimed and manifested throughout the entire bible – that the sins of the parents are visited on the children, but also we see that the righteousness of the parents are also visited upon their children
II KINGS 10:30-31
30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.
31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. (Notice this – that Jehu was not really interested in what would befall his offspring, this is an unusual thing)
THINGS.THAT.ARE.TO.BE_ RIALTO.CA V-4 N-6 SUNDAY_ 65-1205
Therefore, we know that Jesus has gone to prepare a place, to receive a people unto Himself. Who those people are, I hope it's we are part of those people tonight. If it isn't, my friend, God has made a way, a condition, that you can be included in that if you want to. You're on free moral agency. You can act the way you wish to. But now notice, now, in this world that is to come. There is a world to come.
29 Just like your birth here, I said, you was prepared. God knew you would be here.
And now you know, even things that your parents done, now, people think that that isn't visit from generation to generation, but it is.
30 Over in the Book of Hebrews, I believe, about the 7th chapter, speaking, Paul there, the writers, I believe it was, was speaking on a--a great event that taken place with Abraham, that he paid tithes to Melchisedek, when he was returning from the slaughter of the king. And now he said, that, "Levi was in the loins of Abraham, when he met Melchisedek, coming from the slaughter of the kings." And then he reckoned that to "Levi paying tithes, also, when he was in the loins of Abraham," his great-great-grandfather.
And He visits the sins of the people upon their--their children, from generation to generation, that won't keep His Word. See?
31 You were all pre-planned by God. Nothing happens by chance, with God. He knows all about it. It's all pre-planned, planned for many generations back, so that you could be here tonight. Did you know that?
II KINGS 20:12-19
12 ¶ At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick.
13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.
14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.
15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.
16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.
17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.
18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and truth be in my days?
Notice again – Hezekiah does not seem too concerned about the trouble that he will cause upon his offspring, he is only interested with his own happiness in the present – and that seems to be the way with most people.
Many worldly parents pass their drinking and drug and bad lifestyle habits on to their children and don’t seem too concerned about that as they are in their own happiness for the moment.
When the denominational leaders back in brother Branham’s day turned down the message that God sent to them though his vindicated prophet, then we know that that is why the denominational churches are in such a mess today, it is because of the sin of their gospel forefathers in rejecting and crucifying the word for this hour, and so we know that in this day there is also coming a roman general called Titus, but his name is not called Titus from Rome today, it is called Putin from Russia.
II TIMOTHY 1:2-5
2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
Notice – it came from his grandmother, to his mother, and then into him.
There must have been something in Timothy’s grandmother that she did and that pleased God, and right then God put something in her that would come out in the third generation.
In the message “Testimony” 1953 in Chicago, brother Branham tells the testimony of the blind coloured girl from Memphis that he met when he had slipped out to escape the crowds in a big healing meeting where there where thousands of people pressing in and trying to get prayed for.
TESTIMONY_ CHICAGO.IL WEDNESDAY_ 53-0902
She said, "Yes, suh, but--but--but--but--but you is the--the--the--the Parson Branham?"
And I said, "Yes, ma'am."
And she said, "Oh, have mercy on me, Parson Branham." She said, "Lord, how did this ever happened?"
E-43 See? Out there, and how did this ever be? God knows how to do it. And I said, "Well, if you'll turn loose of my coat now." I said... And I couldn't pull it. No, sir. She wasn't going to turn me loose. No, sir. She was holding me right tight.
She said, "No, suh." She said, "I might lose you here."
And I said, "No, I'll pray for you." See?
And I said, "Let me have your hand just a minute. I want to hold your hand while I pray for you." I said, "You bow your head now." And she did. And I prayed something like this.
E-44 I said, "O dear God some nineteen hundred years ago an old rugged cross come dragging down through Jerusalem, dragging out the bloody footprints of the Bearer. On the road up to Calvary, the weight was so heavy, the big old cross on His little weak shoulders, it rubbed it till He fell under the load. Then along come Simon, the Cyrene, colored man and picked it up and helped Him bear the cross." I said, "Lord Jesus here's one of his children tonight, staggering here in total blackness and darkness. She can't see her hand before her. Lord, You know what it meant for that man to take that load off of Your shoulder that day and to help You to bear that cross." I said, "God, You bore her sickness at the same time You was bearing that cross up yonder." I said, "I ask Thee now..." And just about that time something come over me; I knowed it had happened. I knowed it was gone.
E-45 And if you don't know those things you'll sure can't... You don't understand Divine healing, well you--there's no need of trying it, because it's just a try anyhow. See? If you're trying it like that...
But if you know what's going to happen, then your faith is centered. Then you've got to sick before you get well. 'Cause that growth's in you and your blood stream has to take a... Think of a piece of growth that big on the inside of you, and it... Well, it plain rotten, a lump of meat like that laying in you... Sure, you have fevers and sickness and everything. Some people say, "I lost my healing." Well, that's the best sign in the world, you've got it. See?
And so I was waiting for that shrinkage to come on that cataract so she could see. She had her head down. I said, "Don't raise your head now. And don't make any noise." I said, "If you do, then..." I was watching where my ushers hadn't got there yet.
So I--I said, "Now, as you raise your head, keep your lids over your eyes till you get just about even with what you think was my face. And I'll tell you when to open your eyes."
She said, "All right." And I'd give her time, then she raised her head.
I said, "You're just about even now. Now, do you believe?"
She said, "Yes, suh." She said, "Something cool went all through me."
I said, "Now, you--you can see just a moment."
And she said, "Oh, Lawd," and the tears running down her dark cheeks like that.
E-46 And I said, "Now open your eyes. You've received your sight in the Name of Jesus Christ." She opened her eyes. She said... Light. She said, "Is that lights?" Said, "What's this?" See? It wasn't too thin yet. She--she couldn't tell daylight from dark. But it shrink, (You see?), when they--the--the life went out of the cataract.
She said, "What... Is--is--is--is them spots wa... Is that people going?"
I said, "That's right." She said, "Oh, Lawd, I who was once blind now sees." And--and she give a big scream and jumped out like that.
May this principle in the word encourage us to live the right sort life that is pleasing toward God, not only as an example to our children, but also knowing that our lives will bring a great blessing on our grandchildren, and also on our great grandchildren.