God's statement means the consequences of sin can continue from one generation to the next, while God remains patient and merciful.
The phrase appears in the Ten Commandments where God warns against idolatry and declares Himself a jealous God. Les Feldick's teaching shows that a generation that does not instruct its children leaves the next generation ignorant and open to paganism. He also points out that God delays judgment until iniquity has become full, and that even when God chastens His people, His mercy never departs.
Exodus 20:5 — This is the exact verse where God says He visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, in the context of the Ten Commandments.
Genesis 15:16 — This is the verse Les uses to explain why God waited four generations to deal with the Amorites.
The statement is part of God's own words in the Ten Commandments. After commanding Israel not to make graven images, bow to them, or serve them, God says, "for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me" (Exodus 20:5). The same language is repeated when God reveals His character to Moses: "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation" (Exodus 34:7). Moses uses the same words when pleading with God for Israel (Numbers 14:18). The Bible also shows God delaying judgment through several generations. In Genesis 15:16 God tells Abraham that his descendants will come back to Canaan in the fourth generation, "for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full."
Les does not isolate the phrase in Exodus 20:5, but he shows how it works out in biblical history. In Clip 7, he points out that God waited until the fourth generation to bring Israel into Canaan because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full. In Clip 6, he says God ended the corrupt pre-Flood generation "for the sake of the unborn generations." Les also teaches that generational failure is real: a generation that does not teach its children the things of God is only one generation away from paganism (Clip 1). And when he teaches about Israel, he shows that God chastened His people with other nations, but His mercy never departed from them (Clips 2, 4, 5).
The phrase is part of God's own words in the Ten Commandments. After commanding Israel not to make graven images, bow to them, or serve them, God declares, "for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me" (Exodus 20:5). The statement is tied specifically to the sin of idolatry and the covenant relationship God has with Israel. The same language is repeated when God reveals His character to Moses (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18).
In Clip 7, Les points to Genesis 15:16 and explains that God did not bring Israel into Canaan immediately. God waited until the fourth generation because "the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full." For Les, this shows that God is not eager to strike; He lets sin reach a full measure before judgment comes. The iniquity that had been building through generations was finally dealt with.
Les has told people, "We're only one generation away from paganism." If a generation does not teach its children the things of God, those children grow up ignorant of God and will raise another generation even farther removed. Les says this has been the failure of the human race from day one, beginning with Adam. This is how iniquity can continue through children: by a failure to shape the next generation.
Les shows from 2 Samuel 7:14 that God spoke of disciplining His son, the nation of Israel: "If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men." Les says God has done exactly that throughout Israel's history, using other nations to chasten them. But he emphasizes the next verse: God's mercy does not depart. In the book of Judges, Israel went up and down on a spiritual roller coaster, but God never gave up on them.
In Les's teaching on Genesis 6, he says God destroyed the earth because corruption had become so awful that it could not continue. He adds that it was done "for the sake of the unborn generations." This illustrates the principle: when a generation is incorrigibly corrupt, God can bring judgment so that future generations are not swallowed up in the same corruption.
The Ten Commandments Explained: Why "Love" Isn't Mentioned
the Lord has just been so good to us. All right, now I guess I should also announce we have also got some of these now in print. The first printing went so fast that they're gone, so it may take a little bit for those of you who have ordered late, but we'll try to have another group ready of the lessons in print in little booklet form.
One Generation from Paganism
Les teaches that if parents do not instruct their children in the things of God, the next generation will slide into paganism—this is how iniquity is passed to children.
God Chastens Israel as a Son
Les applies God's fatherly chastening to the nation of Israel, showing that God uses other nations to discipline His people when they commit iniquity.
Humanity's Continual Rebellion
Les explains that after 2,000 years of dealing with the whole human race, God saw that humanity would only go from bad to worse.
Chastening with Mercy
Les shows that God promises to chasten Israel with the rod of men, but His mercy never departs from them even when they fall short.
The Roller Coaster of Judges
Les uses the book of Judges to show Israel's repeated cycle of blessing and rebellion; God chastised them but never gave up on them.
Judgment for Unborn Generations
Les says the Flood was God's way of putting a stop to a hopelessly corrupt generation for the sake of the unborn generations.
The Iniquity of the Amorites Was Not Yet Full
Les explains that God waited four generations to bring Israel into Canaan because the iniquity of the Amorites had not yet reached its full measure.
Exodus 20:5: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
This is the verse containing the exact phrase in the Ten Commandments, addressed to those who hate God.
Exodus 34:7: Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
God repeats this description to Moses as part of His own character.
Numbers 14:18: The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
Moses pleads with God using this same statement after Israel's rebellion.
Genesis 15:16: But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
Les cites this verse to explain God's delay of judgment on the Canaanites.
2 Samuel 7:14: I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
Les quotes this as God's fatherly chastening of Israel.
2 Samuel 7:15: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
Les emphasizes that God's mercy does not depart even when He must chasten.
The Bible states that God visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation in the context of idolatry (Exodus 20:5). In Les's teaching, this works out through history: a generation that does not know God raises children who do not know God, and God allows sin to multiply until His judgment comes.
The phrase shows that the consequences of sin can outlast the original generation. Les's teaching about the Amorites shows a four-generation delay before judgment, and his teaching about the Flood shows God acting to stop corruption for the sake of unborn generations.
No, according to Les. Even though God chastened Israel with other nations, He said His mercy would not depart from them (2 Samuel 7:15). In the book of Judges, Israel kept falling away, but God never gave up on them.
Les says the responsibility of every generation is to teach their children the things of God. He warns that we are only one generation away from paganism if we do not instruct our children.
Watch the Teaching: The Ten Commandments Explained: Why "Love" Isn't Mentioned