Seventy and Sevenfold /1

Adam and Eve were given dominion of the earth and everything that lived.  But things got messed up when the Serpent beguiled Eve.  As a result, Adam was fated to till the ground for survival and Eve would travail and conceive in the pains of childbirth.  Even still GOD being ever loving had a plan to rescue them and their descendants from the Serpent’s earthly entrapment. It would unfold itself through the generations which would ultimately culminate with the birth and sacrificial death of The Lamb, Jesus Christ, “Seventy and Sevenfold” generations later.

Following their fall from grace, Adam and Eve conceived two sons: firstborn Cain and then Abel.  Both Cain (a tiller of the ground like his father) and Abel (a Shepherd of sheep) knew that because of Adam’s offense a plan of redemption was being worked out on this planet. Their understanding of how this would be accomplished was reflected in their offerings to GOD. Abel offered HIM a blood sacrifice because he knew that the life of the flesh was in the blood. (Lev.17:11) Most importantly, he was meekly acknowledging to GOD that only the sacrificial death of a first-born sheep could atone for the sins of his descendants. It typified the coming Lamb of GOD, Jesus Christ. Cain, not as highly spiritually-calibrated as his brother, presented the fruit of his work – a tilled sheaf of wheat which had no power and no life to atone. Cain’s offering displayed that wheat, symbolic of his seed and descendants on earth, could be liberated from the Serpent’s curse through their own finished works. This displeased GOD who had plans of HIS own.  Scriptures recount that HE favored the sacrifice of Adam’s second born son, Abel, over his first-born son, Cain, through whom should and could have flowed the inheritance of the earth.

Cain, now extremely vexed and jealous that he failed to be recognized as the firstborn son whose lineages should continue to have dominion over the earth, slew Abel. This stopped Abel from promulgating favored lineages fixed to inherit the earth. But the tables turned on Cain when GOD chose Adam’s third son, Seth, to promulgate lineages that would eventually birth the living Lamb and Testator, Jesus Christ. (Heb.9:15-16) The inheritance of Adam’s descendants, although concealed, had already been sealed! For his part, Cain was cursed, banned from the presence of GOD and exiled (I am hearing: cast out) into the wilderness and outside the bounds of the inheritance.  

But GOD being ever merciful placed a mark on Cain declaring that should anyone harm him, they would suffer a “sevenfold” punishment. (Gen. 4:15)  By studying the Adamic lineages, one begins to understand that Cain’s punishment was concealed in a sevenfold generational formula. That is to say that at the seventh generation from Adam, Cain’s descendants could have found favor with GOD. But at the pivotal seventh generation when Cain’s lineages could have been blessed, the shedding of innocent blood took place a second time at the hands of one of his descendants: Lamech.  

** Gen.4:26 Cf. Deut 5:9

At the seventh pivotal generation, Enoch the seventh descendant in Adam’s lineages through Seth, was translated to heaven. Conversely, Lamech the seventh descendant in Adam’s lineage through Cain, remained on earth and lamented that his descendants would now have to wait “Seventy and Sevenfold” generations for redemption.  It was the greatest historical disclosure of all time that was foretelling the plan of redemption through the birth of Jesus Christ who was wending His way through concealed lineages and generations.

“If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.” (Gen. 4:24). 

These words found expression again ages later when Jesus prophetically declared to Peter this “Seventy and Sevenfold” mystery and the importance of forgiving – not only “Seven Times” but as many as “Seventy Times Seven!

“Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. “ (Mat.18:21-35)

Part two follows….