RE: Even to the third and fourth generations?
I wrestle with the concept of generational curses based on what happened in my own family history. My maternal grandfather had an aunt who could tell the future. So obviously there was occult involvement there. My grandfather's oldest son was a crib death. His youngest son died in a car accident at 18. His youngest daughter spent 6 months in the hospital from an accident involving a car she was riding in when she was 15. Another daughter had a history of mental illness. Another daughter married a man who used to beat her. It's all very unusual to all happen to a single family.
Generational curses most likely involve sins like alcoholism that are passed down from parents to children. My grandfather was an alcoholic. His son that died went out drinking with some friends. His friend got drunk, drove too fast, and my uncle was killed.
I have very similar stories in my family and yet none of my grandparents (as far as I know) had any involvement with the occult. I was the only one in my family who studied and practiced the occult.
It wouldn't be fair in my mind that my descendants should have to suffer for something I have done. If God wills it, I will endure whatever punishment I have coming for my sins, but I will do all I can to teach my children the bible so that they don't go astray as I did.
I believe that God does not punish innocents. And I understand the word used in Exodus and Deuteronomy is "paqad" which is translated as "visiting" in KJV and sometimes as "punishing" and "appointing" but it has the connotation of checking, caring, observing. I believe God keeps score of each and every of our action and choice, and idol-worship is indeed the greatest sin one can commit. So, we need to be extremely vigilant when it comes to that because if most of our family tree are idolaters, you're almost guaranteed to expect tragedy if you continue with tradition (and conflict if you break from tradition).
Thanks for sharing! My grandfather was a criminal, bootlegger, and alcoholic. He would beat my grandmother and raise all kinds of hell. He was not born-again. As much as his kids - my father, uncles, and aunts - despised his behavior, many of them (the sons) acted in the same manner. And guess what? I was on that same path of destruction. It took the Almighty - who I hated by the way - to radically change me in order for there to be a generational change. I am unworthy of His mercies. By rescuing me from the pit, He rescued my sons from a pagan/occultic father who was training them up in wickedness. Now they know the true GOD!