“Praise the Lord! How blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth…” Psalm 112:1-2a

Many consider Jonathan Edwards (1703—1758) to be the greatest theologian North America ever produced. He was a major voice in America’s first Great Awaking of Christian faith that occurred roughly between 1727 and 1744. He is the author of several weighty theological works, such as Original Sin, Freedom of the Will, and Religious Affections. He wrote The Life of David Brainerd, that has inspired many to take the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth. His famous Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God sermon helped ignite the Great Awaking in Connecticut.

What is less known about Edwards is his family legacy. On July 28, 1727 he married Sarah Pierrepont, of whom he wrote “has a strange sweetness in her mind…is most just and conscientious in all her conduct…you could not persuade her to do anything wrong or sinful if you would give her all the world….She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly and seems always to be full of joy and pleasure; and no one knows for what.” One of their daily habits was an evening horseback ride, where they would converse about the day without the distractions of home. Though Jonathan was constantly studying, Sarah was always welcome to come to him. Before retiring every night, they read the Bible and prayed together.

The Edwards’ had eleven children. For one hour before dinner each evening Jonathan helped them with their school lessons and listened to their adventures of the day. At the conclusion he prayed a blessing over each child. “Every house,” he said, “should be a little church.” In high demand as a speaker outside his own parish, whenever he left town for other engagements, one of his children always accompanied him.

In 1747 the seriously ill missionary to the Indians, David Brainerd, came to the Edwards’ home. Their daughter Jerusha cared for him. They fell in love and would likely have married had he not died on October 9, 1747. Jerusha passed four months later, having contracted the same tuberculosis that plagued Brainerd for most of his adult life.

Edwards’ daughter Esther once wrote in her diary, “Last eve I had some free discourse with my father…I opened my difficulties to him very freely and he as freely advised and directed. The conversation has removed some distressing doubts that discouraged me much in my Christian warfare. He gave me some excellent directions…that tend to keep the soul near to God, as well as others to be observed in a more public way. What a mercy that I have such a father!” The Edwards children all turned out well, as did their posterity.

By contrast there was another man named Max Jukes, born about 1720. Jukes was an atheist, who married an ungodly woman. In 1900 American pastor and educator Albert Edward Winship wrote a book entitled “Jukes-Edwards: A Study in Education and Heredity.” In it he traced the posterity of the two men. Of Max Jukes’ 540 studied descendants, 310 died as paupers, 150 were convicted criminals, there were 7 murderers, over 100 drunkards, and 190 female prostitutes.

From Jonathan Edwards’ 1,394 studied descendants came an American vice-president, 3 senators, 3 governors, 3 mayors, 30 judges, 13 college presidents, 65 college professors, 100 lawyers, 60 physicians, 75 military officers, 100 preachers and missionaries, 60 prominent authors, and 80 other public officials. How we who are fathers live our lives, treat our wives, and relate to our children now will affect generations after us, for good or for evil.