ONE THOUSAND (1,000) GENERATIONS

1. Introduction

a) There are 7 social mind molders (or 7'mountains):

i) Religion
ii) Family
iii) Education
iv) Government
v) Media
vi) Art
vii) Business

b) My topic of "1000 Generations" relates to the importance of "Family" in one of the social mind molders.

c) Let's ask ourselves one important question:

i) "How many years are there in a generation?"

For example:

@1. Your parents have you and let's say you leave home at the age of 18 (1st generation) and you eventually get married and have children (2nd generation) and when your children have children (3rd generation) and when your children's children have children (4th generation).

ii) Generally, 1 generation averages 25 years i.e from birth of a parent to the birth of a child. However, some use 20 years as a benchmark for generic measure of time. According to the Bible, 40 years separates one generation from the next.

iii) God will punish the children for the sin of the fathers to the 3rd and the 4th generation of those who hate him.

@1. 8"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 9 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 10 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Deuteronomy 5:8-10 NIV)

2. In the beginning, what was God's decree said about the life span for man?

a) 120 years but we couldn't keep up nowadays.

i) 3 Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years." (Genesis 6:3 NIV)

3. What was the life span mentioned in the Old Testament?

a) From Adam to Noah (Genesis 5:3-31, 9:28-29 NIV) before the flood.

i) Adam - 930 years
ii) Seth - 912 years
iii) Enosh - 905 years
iv) Kenan - 910 years
v) Mahalalel - 895 years
vi) Jared - 962 years
vii) Enoch - 365 years (God took him away)
viii) Methuseleh - 969 years
ix) Lamech - 777 years
x) Noah - 950 years (before 600 + another 350 years after the flood)

b) Why the flood?

i) 5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8 NIV)

c) From Shem to Terah (Genesis 11:10-25, 32 NIV) after the flood.

i) Shem - 600 years
ii) Arphaxad - 438 years
iii) Shelah - 433 years
iv) Eber - 464 years
v) Peleg - 239 years
vi) Reu - 239 years
vii) Serug - 230 years
vi) Nahor - 148 years
ix) Terah - 205 years (Abraham's father)

d) From Abraham to Joshua.

i) Abraham - 175 years. The Bible recorded He died at a good old age, an old man and full of years. (Genesis 25:7-8 NIV)
ii) Isaac - 180 years. The Bible recorded he died old and full of years. (Genesis 35:28-29 NIV)
iii) Jacob - 147 years (Genesis 47:28 NIV)
iv) Joseph - 110 years (Genesis 50:22, 26 NIV)
v) Moses - 120 years (Deuteronomy 34:7 NIV)
vi) Joshua - 110 years (Joshua 24:29 NIV)

4. How about the life span for man in the prayer of Moses found in Psalms 90:10?

a) 70 - 80 years and yet many did not make it.

i) 10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10 NIV)

5. Is it possible for a man to live so long for him to see his godly offspring to 3rd and 4th generation?

a) The answer is a definite "YES".

b) Let's look at the records in the Bible about Joseph and Job.

i) 22 Joseph stayed in Egypt, along with all his father's family. He lived a hundred and ten years 23 and saw the third generation of Ephraim's children. Also the children of Makir son of Manasseh were placed at birth on Joseph's knees. (Genesis 50:22, 23 NIV)

ii) 10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 The Lord blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so Job died, an old man and full of years. (Job 42:10-17 NIV)

@1. The Lord restored Job's fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. (Job 42:10 NIV)

Fortune                       Job 1:3 (Before)     Job 42:12 (After)

1) Sheep                             7,000                      14,000
2) Camels                           3,000                        6,000
3) Oxen                                 500                        1,000
4) Donkeys                            500                        1,000

6. Why is it so essential for us to ensure that we live to see our 3rd and 4th generation of our godly offspring?

a) Highlights:

i) The Devil (or Lucifer, or ancient serpent, or dragon, or Satan) has one window period to play i.e. up to 3rd and 4th generation to cut short our godly offspring to a thousand generations. (Note: His time is limited on earth. That's why he has gone all out to destroy our families).

ii) After the 4th generation of godly offspring, we believe that the lineage of 5th generation of godly offspring will move to a thousand generation. This is to say that the window period for the devil to play is now closed!

7. What is the key to long life that enables us to see our future generations?

a) Honor our father and mother

i) 16"Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 5:16 NIV)

b) Obey God's commandments

i) 28 The Lord heard you when you spoke to me, and the Lord said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. 29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! (Deuteronomy 5:28, 29 NIV)

c) Walk in obedience

i) 32 So be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. 33 Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess. (Deuteronomy 5:32, 33 NIV)

8. Prayer focus

a) Pray that we live long to see our 3rd and 4th generation of godly offspring.

b) Pray that we are strong, healthy and live long to ensure that our godly inheritance will move to a thousand generations.