What can we understand by the words: “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation ...”?

A simplistic interpretation of these words can lead to the thought that the Creator will punish descendants of a sinner even if those descendants are innocent of the sins of their ancestors.

If a person can be made to pay for the iniquities of another then it means that a person can reap what he has not sown! This is however an impossibility as the Laws of Creation will not allow such a thing to happen.      

                   

The scripture quoted can be found in Deuteronomy 5:9. The scripture when read in full is to the effect that the sins of the fathers will be visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate the Almighty. So it is clear from this that those who do not abide by the Laws of the Almighty are regarded as enemies of God. Such will reap the fruits of their actions and omissions. If their children follow them in such disobedience they too will suffer the fate similar to that of their parents.

This brings us to yet another Law of Creation. The Law of like attracts like. This law ensure that only what is spiritually similar are attracted to each other. So it happens that many a parent who is counted among the enemies of God will also attract similar souls from among the souls waiting for an opportunity to incarnate on earth. So, like father like son, the hatred for God is perpetrated and all concerned face a terrible fate unless they change their ways.

We should also be careful of what we tell our children when they make enquiries about spiritual matters. For example when you tell your child that the dead are resting in peace you have misled that child! The child may believe the parent, base his whole life on this wrong belief and pass it onto his own children. When this first child leaves the flesh and realises that there is indeed continuous activity for the soul, it will not only regret having held such wrong beliefs but he will have to experience how his own son passes the wrong belief to the future generations. He will be held fast to them by this guilt until at last one of his descendants come to a better understanding!

Now, we are the time when the Gospel of Pure Truth is being disseminated once more on earth. He, who turns a deaf ear to the Message from above, marks himself among the enemies of God. Let us therefore be on our guard, lest we also be found among such!