Your relationship with G-d determines your children’s future. Even if your children stray from the path, your relationship with G-d can protect them and earn them blessings. Likewise, your contempt for G-d can bring down punishments on your children. For this reason, is it important to be diligent and loyal in our walk with G-d, not only for ourselves, but for our children’s future. We see G-d save a child because of the parent’s loyalty many times, throughout The Torah. We also see many generational curses handed out by G-d, throughout The Torah. Your children’s future is is determined by the relationship you form with G-d today.
The Blessings to the Children’s Futures
Throughout The Torah, G-d saves the lives of many, because their parents had won the favor of G-d. We must commit to win that favor for the sake of our own offspring. By walking with G-d we store up protection and blessings for our children.
Noah’s Children’s Future
In the story of Noah we see that G-d only favored one human, Noah. “…Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.” Genesis 6:9 Yet, Noah’s sons and their wives were also spared:
17 “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives.” Genesis 6:17-18
G-d saved them-because of his affection for Noah.
Abraham’s Child
Abraham loved G-d and G-d loved Abraham. Thus, G-d made all of his children into great nations. This even included the child produced with the slave due to Sarah’s unbelief in G-d’s promise. Despite Sarah’s mocking of G-d, the lord still saved the child for he was Abraham’s and G-d had already established a covenant with Abraham. “As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.” Genesis 17:20
The Daughters of Lot
In the story of Lot, Sodom is destroyed after men of the village attempt to rape angels. Lot and his family are spared because Lot was favored by G-d. Yet, Lot’s daughters later rape their father. They were no more moral than the other people who had been destroyed, but G-d saved them because their father was a man of morals. “16 When Lot still hesitated, the angels seized his hand and the hands of his wife and two daughters and rushed them to safety outside the city, for the Lord was merciful. ” Genesis 19:16
It is also interesting to note in this story that Lot was not spared purely of his own goodness. Rather, he was spared, because G-d loved Abraham and Abraham loved Lot. “29 But God had listened to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.” Genesis 17:29 This suggest our place of prominence with G-d can protect not only our children, but all whom we love.
In all these stories, the children of G-d’s people were spared whether or not they deserved it, because their parents and loved ones loved the Lord and he in return loved them. We must serve the Lord for our children’s future and protection.
The Curses Brought Upon the Children’s Future
Unfortunately it isn’t only blessings we pass to our children. Many curses were passed from one generation to the next and many children in The Torah paid for their parent’s sin.
Noah’s Grandson
In the story of Noah, Noah becomes drunk and passes out naked. His son Ham sees him naked and rather than cover him he goes outside and tells his two brothers. When Noah awakes and discovers what has happened, he does not curse Ham, but Ham’s child Canaan.
“Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” Genesis 9:22-25
David’s Children’s Future
When David takes another man’s wife G-d responds by sending Nathan to David to say “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. But because you have shown contempt for the Lord by doing this, the son born to you will die.” 2 Samuel 12:13-14
Generational Cures
Finally Deuteronomy tells us:
“45All these curses will come upon you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, since you did not obey the LORD your God and keep the commandments and statutes He gave you. 46These curses will be a sign and a wonder upon you and your descendants forever. 47Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and gladness of heart in all your abundance…” Deuteronomy 28:45-47
This verse says the offspring of the person who does not serve the Lord will be cursed forever. Forever is a long time. That means your decedents will never be able to break free of the curse you created, no matter how many generations the bloodline persist. For your children’s future, serve The Lord with all your might.
As we can see the wrath of G-d is not only against the sinner, but also the offspring. Likewise, the blessings of G-d are not only for the saint but also for their family. If you want your child to have a blessed life, it is not enough to teach them the law. You must follow the law yourself and store up blessings for the next generation. You must avoid G-d’s wrath and any curses that may result from your actions. Your life still has ripples in the lives of your children and descendents long after your life has ended.
Please Be sure to read our last post and sign the petition to save one of G-d’s children from a horrible fate. Girl 17 Ordered to Pay the Family of Her Rapist