We are in chapter thirty-four of Exodus with our word for today which is a phrase. פֹּקֵ֣ד עֲוֺ֣ן visiting the iniquity, punish iniquity. It is used 7 times in the Old Testament. Let’s look at these. Our phrase is used to describes God’s reaction to the worship of false gods and idols. Exodus 20:4-5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, פֹּ֠קֵד עֲוֺ֨ן visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments (Deuteronomy 5:8-9). Our phrase is used alongside other words that show just how graphically God will judge sin. Leviticus 18:24-25 Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, וָאֶפְקֹ֥ד עֲוֺנָ֖הּ so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants (Isaiah 26:20-21; Lamentations 4:22). Our phrase is used to describe a list of God’s characteristics which we have been looking at over the last several days. This is how our phrase is used in our chapter. Exodus 34:6-7 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, פֹּקֵ֣ד עֲוֺ֣ן visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” What is interesting is that our phrase is used right after he says God forgives iniquity so there seems to be a contradiction. Does God forgive iniquity, transgression, and sin or does he visit iniquity that is punish it instead of forgiving it? The answer is yes. God does both depending on whether or not we repent from sin or continue in it. The Holy Spirit writing through Paul to the Romans says this same thing in this way. Romans 11:22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. It’s like this, God has two windows he will look through and we get to decide which window he looks at us through. If we chose to reject God’s salvation by continuing in our sin then we are asking God to look at us through the window of the law. This means that God will see all of my sin and judge me for it resulting in eternal separation from Him. The good news is that God has provided a better way for both him and us. If we chose to repent from our sins then we are asking God to look at us through the window of Grace. This means that God will see Jesus perfect life instead of my sinful one. I will be able to be connected to God forever in eternity because of my relationship with Jesus through Faith. So God is kind to those who accept Jesus but stern toward those who reject him. Notice how far reaching the consequences of unrepentant sin are, “visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.” That is staggering. But explains why there is so much heart break, pain and devastation in relationships through out generations. The good news is that Christ can break these generational sins starting today if we allow God to transform our lives through his Spirit working in and through us. This was a huge part of Jesus ministry to reconcile all things to himself. I’ll close with these great passages. Malachi 4:6; Luke 1:17 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers … he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord (Colossians 1:19-20).
