Open7 Posted September 13, 2023 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 61 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 116 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 51 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/10/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted September 13, 2023 In 1 Samuel 15:2-3 God asks Saul to wipe out the Amalekites because of what they did to Israel when they came out of Eqypt. But this happened hundreds of years prior, so why should these Amalekites in Saul’s day be punished for the Amalekites of the exodus generation? Ezekiel 18:20 says that ‘The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son’. But I know also that in Exodus 20:5 it says how God visits the iniquity of the fathers to the children of the 3rd and 4th generation etc. The best answer I’ve been able to think of, is that the Amalekites of Saul’s day were the same as the Amalekites of before, and they had not learned from the mistakes of their ancestors. But I don’t feel that satisfied still. Can anyone help? I’ve been frustrated in not being able to find much help online for this Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah_ Posted September 13, 2023 Group: Senior Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 790 Content Per Day: 0.25 Reputation: 878 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/07/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted September 13, 2023 If you read the last few chapters of I Samuel you will find that the Amalekites of Saul's and David's time were just as vicious and violent as their ancestors. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Open7 Posted September 14, 2023 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 61 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 116 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 51 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/10/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 14, 2023 7 hours ago, Deborah_ said: If you read the last few chapters of I Samuel you will find that the Amalekites of Saul's and David's time were just as vicious and violent as their ancestors. Hi @Deborah_ I have read this yes thanks. The point I made, was that it wasn’t the Amalekites of Saul’s time who punished Israel when they just came out of Egypt, so why did God lay the punishment on them for these sins when it wasn’t their sin? I know God can delay punishment sometimes, but because of the way it’s written, it sounds like future Amalekites are being directly punished for the sins of past Amalekites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who me Posted September 14, 2023 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 17 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,300 Content Per Day: 1.72 Reputation: 1,685 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/27/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted September 14, 2023 9 hours ago, Open7 said: why did God lay the punishment on them for these sins when it wasn’t their sin? As you rightl6 say no one is punished for their parents sins, but parents sins influence and teach children how to live, so those same sins are perpetuated down the generations. Tha Amalekites started hating Israel and continued to hate Israel and were punished for that hatred. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Open7 Posted September 14, 2023 Group: Junior Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 61 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 116 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 51 Days Won: 0 Joined: 10/10/2019 Status: Offline Author Share Posted September 14, 2023 36 minutes ago, Who me said: As you rightl6 say no one is punished for their parents sins, but parents sins influence and teach children how to live, so those same sins are perpetuated down the generations. Tha Amalekites started hating Israel and continued to hate Israel and were punished for that hatred. Yes this is what I figured also. Thanks @Who me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah_ Posted September 16, 2023 Group: Senior Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 790 Content Per Day: 0.25 Reputation: 878 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/07/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted September 16, 2023 On 9/13/2023 at 8:12 PM, Open7 said: Ezekiel 18:20 says that ‘The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son’. But I know also that in Exodus 20:5 it says how God visits the iniquity of the fathers to the children of the 3rd and 4th generation etc. In Exodus, God is referring to communities (which include nations). It's in the plural. Culture is transmitted down the generations almost as consistently as genes - a kind of herd mentality, if you like. Warlike tribes generally continue to be warlike (unless something major happens to them), and idolatrous nations generally continue to be idolatrous. But in Ezekiel, it's all about individuals. Individuals always have the choice, whether to conform to their sinful inheritance or whether to repent. And if they repent, God forgives them. https://deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/the-sins-of-the-fathers/ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamL Posted September 16, 2023 Group: Royal Member Followers: 10 Topic Count: 99 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 5,117 Content Per Day: 1.48 Reputation: 2,555 Days Won: 4 Joined: 11/06/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 09/01/1950 Share Posted September 16, 2023 On 9/13/2023 at 1:12 PM, Open7 said: why should these Amalekites in Saul’s day be punished for the Amalekites of the exodus generation? Ex. 17:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.”... 16 for he said, “Because a hand was upon the throne of the LORD, the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” The Book of Jasher records (81:53) that Amalek "brought with him... magicians and conjurors..." In effect, the nation of Amalek committed an unpardonable sin, just as individual souls may choose to do. From which there is no forgiveness, individually or nationally. Which does not necessarily mean that individual souls of that people may not disassociate themselves from their heritage and it's curse. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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