Psalm 109:11-12

Psalm 109:11-12

The sins of the fathers

These verses have become very personal and very uncomfortable, they express sentiments that are completely alien to our modern-day culture. Firstly, we can understand the resentment that David bears towards his antagonist and that he would wish the man bankrupt and destitute. We would all like to see justice carried out on others that is commensurate with the injustice that they have shown us. But it’s this bit about the enemy’s kids! Is that justice? Can they be blamed for what their father has done? Should they bear the consequences of his callous behaviour?

Leviticus 26 was written for the Israelites and sets out the rewards for obedience and the punishments that would accompany disobedience amongst God’s holy people. The chapter, especially verse 14-39, makes for tough reading and, we would have to admit, the history of Israel proves that God is true to His Word. The coalitions that they made with foreign powers, the hypocrisy of their religion, their rejection of the Lord God and their blatant rebellion and disobedience saw them driven out of their land many times. The most recent being the 2,000 years of exile because they rejected Messiah. In every case, the consequences of the sins of the fathers were felt by their children, generations of Jewish families have suffered, and still do, because of the unbelief of their ancestors. 

The close identity of a man with his children and the children with their parents was partly linked to the family and tribal structures that were at the heart of Jewish life. Families grew together, worked together, feasted and celebrated together and they suffered together. Households consisted of 3-4 generations who lived communally and who were historically attached to the land passed on by their forefathers. These family bonds are alien to most of us in 21st century, our culture is all about the rights and personal journeys of individuals which affects every aspect of our lives. We work where our personal ambitions take us. We marry whom we choose. We also live where we choose, and our parents congratulate themselves on having brought us up to be independent! Thus, the ancient legal principle of “punishing the children to the third and fourth generation” is not understood today. Very few children bear the consequences of the failures of previous generations – or do they?

 

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