How Do Generational Curses and Blessings Work?

There is an old saying that “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” We often say this when we are speaking of likenesses in the family. Some of these likenesses can be characterized as family resemblances, dispositions, and inherited character traits and personalities.

I remember family members saying that I had a long face like my father. When I was young that bothered me. I didn’t want to look like a man. However, as I grew older, I knew I didn’t look like a man, but I did have my father’s coloring and certainly some of his features. As I grew older, I began to wonder why the resemblances were so important and why my large group of relatives seemed so focused on them at family reunions. As we grow older, we learn that we have inherited certain characteristics from our mother’s side of the family and other characteristics from our father’s side of the family. We all desire to have the best from each side.

My interest in inheritance continued as I started reading the Bible early in life (around 10 years old). I was quite curious about the Jewish tribes and their special assignments. I began to see their inheritances. Then as I continued reading those long family trees, I began to see generation strengths and weaknesses. Seeing those patterns lead me on a lifelong study of generation blessings and curses. The Bible is full of both blessings and curses.

God wants to shed light on the hidden causes of defeat in our families and root out stubborn and entrenched blockades to victory. As we discover the truth of God’s Word and apply it to our personal lives, we will establish a tradition of blessing for our present and future generations – a life of abundance, fulfillment, and victory in Christ—for our children, our children’s children, and generations yet to come.

There are two sides of the same coin:

"…I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me." (Exodus 20:5 [NKJV])

And:

"Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments." (Deuteronomy 7:9 [NKJV])

Do you want to be blessed? Do you want your children to be blessed? Nothing touches you more than your children. When you give place to God in your life, you open yourself to His blessing. But if you give place to the devil – or if you are under a “generational curse”—you are asking for your children to enter into the same curse, and the devil will devour!

The following story of two American families illustrates the power of generational curses.

Max Jukes was an atheist who married a godless woman.

Some 560 descendants were traced:

Three hundred ten died as paupers—150 became criminals, 7 of them murderers—100 were known to be drunkards—and more than half of the women were prostitutes.

The descendants of Max Jukes cost the United States government more than $1.25 million in 19th-century dollars.1

Jonathan Edwards was a contemporary of Max Jukes. He was a committed Christian who gave God first place in his life. He married a godly young lady, and some 1,394 descendants were traced:

Two hundred ninety-five graduated from college, of whom 13 became college presidents and 65 became professors. Three were elected as United States senators, 3 as state governors, and others were sent as ministers to foreign countries. Thirty became judges, 100 were lawyers, 1 the dean of an outstanding law school. Seventy-five became officers in the military. One hundred were well-known missionaries, preachers, and prominent authors. Another 80 held some form of public office, of whom 3 were mayors of large cities, 1 was the comptroller of the United States Treasury, and another was vice president of the United States.2

Not one of the descendants of the Edwards family was a liability to the government!

If you follow God—serving Him, praying, living in the Word, staying committed to Him—then your children and your grandchildren are going to grow up serving Him as well:

"Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known." (Deuteronomy 11:26-28 [NKJV])

"Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 28:1-2 [NKJV])

Marilyn Hickey