day no. 15,179: the responsibility of blessings and curses

"Men are held responsible for their children. The Law of God taught that the sins of fathers, not mothers, could be carried on as curses to the third and fourth generations, but fathers who trusted the Lord, obeyed him, and walked in his ways would bring forth blessed children even to a thousand generations. Likewise, men are held responsible by God for their wives’ actions." -- Matthew Pennock, As a Man Is so Is His Strength

The sins of fathers carry three to four generations. While mothers certainly can and do contribute to the avalanche of sin, it is the fathers who are held responsible for it. Likewise, the blessings of the fathers are carried on to a thousand generations. While mothers certainly can and do contribute to this blessed inheritance, it is the fathers who are held responsible for it.

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, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

The fact that sin only travels three to four generations is evidence for the grace of God in restricting its influence. Whereas the promise of blessing infecting thousands of generations is evidence for the grace of God in expanding its influence.

To put that in better perspective, in the history of the world, to date, there has not yet existed a thousand generations. The world has not known a single thousand, let alone thousands plural. Oh, what grace God has in store for those who love Him and follow His ways.

Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.