The Pattern of Judgments (A Cycle Beginning with New Creation and Ending with Judgment) - Part III
Completion of Minor Cycle #1 and Minor Cycle #2
Introduction
As stated in Part I, Genesis 1-3 contains a group of 16 themes/events1 which combine to form a particular pattern that is repeated numerous times throughout the Bible. I call this the Pattern of Judgments. The Genesis 1-3 thematic pattern starts with Adonai (God) initiating some form of New Creation and ends with Adonai meting out judgment upon those who have transgressed His commandments in some egregious manner. The first example of this cycle can be seen in Genesis 1-7, where Adonai initiates the cycle with the creation of the heavens and earth (Genesis 1:1-2), and then the cycle is brought to an end with the judgment of Noah’s flood (Genesis 7). Thus, Genesis 1-7 is what I term a major cycle of this Pattern of Judgments. Chapter 8 then starts a new major cycle with a “New Creation” of the earth out of the chaotic waters of Noah’s flood.
In addition to the major cycles there are also minor cycles. They are minor cycles because they only contain a few of the sixteen themes presented in Genesis 1-3, as opposed to a major cycle which will contain most of them. Despite this, minor cycles have clearly defined beginnings and endings. Genesis 1-7 is Major Cycle #1, and can be divided thematically as follows:
Genesis 1-3 - The sixteen foundational themes for the Pattern of Judgments
Minor Cycle #1 - Genesis 4:1-24
Minor Cycle #2 - Genesis 4:25-5:32
Minor Cycle #3 - Genesis 6:1-7:24.
As you can see, Genesis 1-3 establishes the full array of themes found in the Pattern of Judgments, and then Genesis 4-7 contains three minor cycles. The key to 1) understanding how the pattern repeats itself, and 2) how to perceive this pattern when/as it occurs, is to always thematically connect the events in the Biblical narratives back to the sixteen foundational themes established in Genesis 1-3. So let’s get started by studying Genesis 4:1-16 and thematically connecting verses in this passage to the 16 themes presented to us in Genesis 1-3.
In Part II we focused on the first part of Minor Cycle #1 (Genesis 4:1-24). Most importantly, we learned how Cain was the fulfillment of the prophecy of the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Furthermore, we showed how Abel was representative of the seed of the woman. In this article we will complete Minor Cycle #1 and then study Minor Cycle #2 (Genesis 4:25-5:32) in full.
Completion of Minor Cycle #1
Let’s begin with Cain’s son Enoch in Genesis 4:17. As we did in Part II, we will make thematic connections between events in Genesis 4:1-24 with events in Genesis 1-3, confirming the prophetic nature of the Pattern of Judgments found in Genesis 1-3.
Genesis 2:4-9 - Man’s Work in His Ancestral Plot of Land
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed (Genesis 2:8)2.
We know Adonai provided occupations for Adam and Eve. The development of this theme in Cain’s life is quite instructive. Genesis 4:2 teaches us that Cain’s occupation was as a tiller of the ground. But, as a result of his sin of murder, Adonai pronounced the following judgment upon Cain,
11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth” (Genesis 4:11-12).
There are some who may think Adonai’s punishment was somewhat soft. In actuality, it was quite harsh. In order to understand the harshness of this punishment, we simply need to focus on its ramifications in light of the agrarian culture within which Cain found himself. Adonai said, “When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you.” In other words, Cain could sow seeds in hope of a harvest and it would NEVER be realized! He could never grow anything! That is pretty devastating for someone in an agrarian society. Of course there were other options for Cain. He could learn how to be a shepherd like Abel his brother or he could put on his entrepreneurial cap and do something else more rewarding. But what did he choose to do?
And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch (Genesis 4:17).
It seems that Cain focused his attention and energies on building a city. When you think about it, how fitting it was for Cain to be the first one to build a city! He could never grow food, so there was no need for him to be associated with the land and its cycles of sowing and reaping. This, by the way, is the reason Cain was a wanderer. He wandered around looking for food that had grown of its own accord because he could not grow food himself from the ground. Again, this was an egregious punishment since man only ate vegetation at that time. So, he built a city. A place where you did not sow and reap, a place where you are separated from the natural cycles of sowing and reaping, and a place where people gathered together and lived in relatively close quarters with each other. They could devote themselves to other pursuits besides growing food. After all, they could simply buy food from others.
At this point I’d like to think about how cities have developed over the centuries. Cities are places where masses of people are huddled together away from the natural landscape of the earth. They are places where individuals can influence others much more easily than if people owned acres of land and were naturally separated from each other by landmarks and boundaries. In other words, cities are places where large numbers of people can be more easily manipulated (as a group) by those with an agenda. Is this not what we see today? Inner cities are cesspools of wickedness and evil. The Bible often teaches us its lessons by simple associations. Think of this thematic connection. The first city was built by a murderer, by someone of the seed of the serpent.
This phenomenon, of cities being places of wickedness, is surely with us today. Where do we see the most crime? Primarily in major cities controlled by Democratic politicians. This is not to say that all people who are Democrats and live in cities are wicked and that all people who are Republican and live in rural areas are righteous. But Adonai help us if we cannot see the overall differences between major metropolitan cities and rural areas, mockingly call fly-over country by “sophisticated” city folk! Now, let’s compare and contrast our two major political parties. It’s the Democratic Party that stands for abortion, gender re-assignment, light sentences for criminals who commit violent crimes, inappropriate sex education for minors, gay rights, etc. It is the Republican party which pretty much has a platform antithetical to the those things listed above that Democrats seem to champion. If you look at an electoral map of the 2016 presidential election, you’ll see an amazing phenomenon. Large metropolitan areas primarily under Democratic control are BLUE (Democratic) areas and rural areas and areas outside of large Democratic run cities are primarily RED (Republican). I believe this phenomenon has a direct spiritual connection to Cain, the man who built the FIRST city. The Bible is truly prophetic and its lessons are eternal. The point I’m making is that Cain, the first wicked person identified as being of the seed of the serpent, is the one who invented cities. This is not just a coincidence! Furthermore, this is not just guilt by association. This is studying thematically and learning the lessons the themes teach us.
Genesis 3:1-7 - Man’s Fall Into Sin
6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings (Genesis 3:6-7).
Just as the Bible records Adam and Cain’s failures, so likewise, the Scripture now focuses on the failure of Lamech, Cain’s great, great grandson.
Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. (Genesis 4:19)
As I stated at the beginning of the second article in this series, the key to 1) understanding how the pattern repeats itself, and 2) how to perceive this pattern when/as it occurs, is to always thematically connect the events in the Biblical narratives back to the sixteen foundational themes established in Genesis 1-3. If we divorce the story of Lamech taking two wives from its corresponding theme in Genesis 1-3, then we will fail to see the real tragedy of this story. So what theme are we to connect to Lamech’s sin?
Genesis 2:18-25 – A Virginal Bride for the Man
Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24).
When Adonai (God) instituted marriage in Genesis 2:18-25, His intent was that there would be a one-flesh relationship between one man and one woman. Lamech’s sin of taking two wives was in direct rebellion against Adonai’s ideal for marriage. Yeshua (Jesus) confirmed this when the Pharisee’s questioned Him about divorce.
8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 19:8-9).
Lamech’s second sin pertained to murder.
23 Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me. 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold” (Genesis 4:23-24).
Although there is no direct reference to Genesis 1-3 regarding Lamech’s sin of murder, we can supply such a connection by referencing Adonai’s admonition after Noah’s flood.
5 Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. 6 “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:5-6).
This verse helps us connect Lamech’s sin to Genesis 1:26-28 where we are informed that Adonai created man in His image. Therefore, when Lamech killed the man who wounded him, he was destroying someone who bore Adonai’s image. Thus is the tragedy of murder.
At this point we need to thematically connect Cain and Lamech together, for both of them committed murder. Here, we can see a pattern beginning to develop with regards to Cain and his descendants. Cain the murderer, and seed of the serpent, has descendants that are walking in his path and bearing his image as the seed of the serpent. We will now go on to examine Minor Cycle #2 (Genesis 4:25-5:32).
Minor Cycle #2 - Genesis 4:25-5:32
It should be obvious that as of Genesis 4:25-26, a major change has occurred:
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.
What do we see in these verses that signals to us we have happened upon a new phase in our Pattern of Judgments? Genesis 4:26 states, men began to call on the name of the LORD! When we compare the events of Genesis 4:1-24 to 25-26, we see an abrupt change. Instead of reading about a man who murdered his brother, we are introduced to the beginning of an era where men began to call on the name of the LORD. Previously, we saw a man who rebelled against Adonai’s portrait of marriage—one flesh between one man and one woman. Now men are beginning to return to their Creator. Similarly, instead of a man who was content to murder another person created in the image of God, we see humanity beginning to reach out to their Creator. It seemed as though the descendants of Cain were deciding the direction of mankind, but something happened with the birth of Seth, and particularly, Enosh! Up until this point, we have seen how Cain’s wicked posterity followed in his footsteps, fulfilling the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 as the seed of the serpent. As far as the seed of the woman was concerned, only Abel fulfilled that calling and he was killed by Cain. It is at this point we can discern the end of Minor Cycle #1 and the beginning of Minor Cycle #2. You will remember that the Pattern of Judgments starts with a new creation. The first cycle started in Genesis 1 with the creation of the heavens and earth. Let’s read Genesis 5:1-5,
This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. 3 And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. 5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.
Did you see it? Did you see the subtle thematic connections between Genesis 5:1-5 and the creation account of Genesis 1? The following connections to Genesis 1 prove we are beginning a new cycle, Minor Cycle #2. This cycle is beginning with allusions to New Creation.
Genesis 1:26-28 – Man, God’s Image-Bearer, Commissioned to Exercise Dominion Over Creation
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
When Adonai first created the heavens and the earth He appointed a man, Adam, to rule over it. In this new minor cycle of creation, He starts over with Seth. In Genesis 5:3 (And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.), we see an unmistakable connection to Genesis 1. The phrase, in his own likeness, hearkens back to Genesis 1:26-27.
It should be understood that a minor cycle only contains a few of the sixteen themes we identified as indicative of the Pattern of Judgments. Furthermore, we should realize that it would be impossible for Adonai to have literal new creations of the heavens and earth each time a new cycle began. So, whenever we reach the beginning of a new cycle, we need to look for subtle clues in the text signaling to us that we have begun a new cycle. Genesis 5:1-5 contains the themes of new creation. It does this by using words that remind us of the new creation of Genesis 1. Also, note the following: Adam failed in his commission as well as Cain and his descendants. At this point we do not have a “seed of the woman”! That is until Genesis 5:1-5. As we will soon see, Seth is now the one whose lineage will give rise to the seed of the woman! It’s as if Adonai is saying, “Seth is now the new Adam, commissioned to be my representative in the earth.” At this point, let’s continue to see how Minor Cycle #2 will develop.
Genesis 3:20-21 – Acts of Redemption
20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them (Genesis 3:20-21).
Genesis 3:20-21 informs us of what happened after Adam and Eve sinned. Adonai made tunics of skin for them and clothed them. This is what I call a redemptive act. It’s an act that helps breach the broken relationship between God and man. In this particular act, it is Adonai who is acting, reaching towards mankind by symbolically offering a means for Adam and Eve to have the shame and guilt of their sin covered. However, the redemptive acts are not always Adonai reaching out to mankind. Sometimes the redemptive act pertains to mankind reaching out to Adonai. This is the case in Genesis 4:26,
And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.
This verse informs us that after Enosh was born, men began to call upon the Lord. In other words, this is a redemptive act on the part of mankind to reach out to his Creator.
Another act of redemption (of a symbolic/thematic nature) occurs on behalf of Noah. We read in Genesis 5:28-29,
28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. 29 And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed.”
Noah’s comfort of his family by his ability to help ameliorate the effects of the curse on the ground can be seen as redemptive, inasmuch as his activities will bring comfort and relief from one of the negative effects of Adam’s fall into sin, namely, the curse on the ground. The ground was cursed by Adonai so that it would not yield to its fullest. Furthermore, the ground would bear thorns and thistles for all of mankind. Lamech was grateful when Noah was born because Noah would be able to alleviate some of their toil and suffering as they dealt with the cursed ground. Therefore, thematically we can see this as an act of redemption where Noah would help alleviate troubles caused by the curse on the land. In the future, this thematic picture of redemption from the curse on the land was to be partially fulfilled through Israel and her obedience to the commandments concerning allowing the land to rest every seventh year (Shemittah) and forty-ninth to fiftieth year (Jubilee). Israel’s obedience to those laws would have secured Garden of Eden-like abundance of food for the entire nation (Leviticus 25)! Furthermore, the ultimate fulfillment of the removal of the curse upon the land still awaits the Messianic kingdom when the curse will be removed from the entire earth (Romans 8:18-21).
We can see yet another act of redemption in Enoch’s life!
21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him (Genesis 5:21-24).
The writer of the book of Hebrews informs us that Enoch was taken so that he did not see death!
By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God (Hebrews 11:5).
This is an ultimate act of redemption. Enoch was spared death! Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:25-26 that the last enemy to destroyed in this present age is death itself. Enoch was able to taste this sweet victory as a pre-figuring of those who will not die, but will be changed when Yeshua (Jesus) returns. This was truly an act of redemption of enormous importance!
Genesis 2:4-9 – Man’s Work in His Ancestral Plot of Land & Genesis 3:17-19 – Curse on the Land
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed (Genesis 2:8).
17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the
herb of the field (Genesis 3:17-18).
Amazingly, Genesis 5 has very little to say about Seth’s descendants other than, “and he died”. Nonetheless, one theme from Genesis 1-3 that we can make a connection to concerns how Adonai provided an occupation for Adam. He put Adam in the garden to care for it. Similarly, we learn in Genesis 9:20 that Noah’s occupation was that of a farmer, working with the dirt.
And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.
The Seed of Cain Contrasted with the Seed of Seth
As noted previously, the Scripture does not say much about the deeds of Seth’s descendants. In contrast, it has much to say about the deeds of Cain’s descendants! Recognition of this dichotomy and understanding the underlying reason for it will help us learn much about what Adonai is trying to convey to us in Genesis 4:17-5:32! Genesis 4:17-24 is a summary of Cain’s immediate descendants. Genesis 4:25-5:32 is a summary of Seth’s immediate descendants. We know Cain’s progeny are the seed of the serpent. Furthermore, we also know that Seth’s lineage is the new lineage of the seed of the woman, so I’d like to suggest to you that it is Adonai’s desire for us to compare and contrast these two sets of seeds to see what we can learn from them.
The Contrast of Earthly Pursuits
Moses had much to say about the lives of Cain’s descendants. Cain’s descendants are characterized by their earthly pursuits. When we examine the lives of Cain, Lamech, Jabal, Jubal and Tubal-Cain as presented in Scripture, we immediately notice that the text has something to say about their lifestyles, how they entertained themselves and how they made a living. Notice the emphasis on their own earthly pursuits! In contrast, the seed of Seth are characterized by one phrase, “and he died.” There is mention of work with regard to only one of Seth’s descendants, Noah. And as I mentioned above, Noah’s work is thematically connected to an act of redemption. Therefore, we can immediately see a stark contrast between the two seeds.
As a matter of fact, unlike Cain’s descendants who are described by their earthly pursuits and sins, Seth’s descendants are described by their redemptive acts!
Genesis 4:26 – And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 5:21-23 – Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.
Genesis 5:28-29 – Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. 29 And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD has cursed.”
This thematic comparison of the two seeds shows us that Cain’s seed is the seed associated with earthly pursuits, whereas Seth’s seed are those whose lives are hidden in God (and he died) and full of acts of redemption.
Contrasting the Two Seeds Through the Word Build/Built
We can also see an amazing dichotomy when we compare and contrast how the word build/built is used with the two seeds! In order to see this amazing contrast we will need to go ahead and project each line into the future so we can have a few more representatives.
The first usage of the word built, associated with Cain and his lineage is found in Genesis 4:17,
And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch.
As we trace the lineage of those earliest generations we find that the progeny of Ham perpetuates the seed of the serpent. Cush was a son of Ham, and of his descendants we read,
Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. 9 He was a mighty
hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city) (Genesis 10:8-12).
Here we read that Nimrod built Ninevah. Furthermore, the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh. It is also interesting to note that Nimrod’s name means “rebellion”!
If we trace our genealogy out into the future, we will see that the generation of the Tower of Babel are also of the seed of Cain, the seed of the serpent. They built the Tower of Babel,
And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4).
And let me remind you, the construction of the Tower of Babel was done in rebellion against the command to fill up the earth (Genesis 1:28).
If we look at Seth’s descendants who represent the seed of the woman, we quickly notice that their building pursuits were quite different from those of the seed of the serpent! Beginning with Noah, we can trace the seed of the woman through his descendants: Shem, Abram and his sons, and Moses, etc. Notice what they built.
Genesis 8:20 – Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 12:7 – Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
Genesis 26:25 – So he built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD, and he pitched his tent there; and there Isaac’s servants dug a well.
Exodus 17:15 – And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-LORD-Is-My-Banner.
Once again, we see a very sharp contrast between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. Seth’s descendants’ work of building was always REDEMPTIVE, whereas Cain’s descendants’ work of building was always REBELLIOUS!
What’s In a Name
Lastly, I’d like to compare and contrast how these two seeds differ in the name they endeavor to promote. It seems that the seed of the serpent were simply interested in promoting a name for themselves.
Genesis 4:17 – And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch.
Genesis 11:4 – And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
Cain promoted the name of his son Enoch, and the generation of the Tower of Babel sought only to exalt the name of mankind. Neither were interested in promoting the name of Adonai who created heaven and earth! We can even add Jabal, Jubal and Tubal-Cain to the list, because to this very day, their names are remembered for what they did on the earth, the works of their hands (Genesis 4:19-22)!
However, when we consider the seed of the woman, we see quite a different picture indeed. The seed of the woman are interested in promoting one name, the name of Adonai!
Genesis 4:26 – And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 12:8 – And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.
And, because they were interested in exalting the name of Adonai, He rewarded them by exalting their names Himself,
I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing (Genesis 12:2).
Conclusions
We have now finished examining the first two minor cycles (Minor Cycle #1—Genesis 4:1-24 and Minor Cycle #2—Genesis 4:25-5:32). Looking back on where we’ve come from and considering the road we’ve taken, I suggest that Adonai wants us to understand the following concepts:
Minor Cycle #1 (Genesis 4:1-24) focused on the Pattern of Judgments themes as applied to Cain and Abel. The major focus of Minor Cycle #1 was two-fold:
The establishment of the two seeds, the seed of the serpent, which was initiated by Cain, and the seed of the woman started by Abel.
The establishment of the pattern of conflict between the two warring seeds in fulfillment of Genesis 3:15.
Minor Cycle #2 (Genesis 4:25–5:32) focused on the Pattern of Judgments themes as applied to Cain and Seth’s descendants. The major focus of Minor Cycle #2 was:
The continuing development of the two seeds through the descendants of Cain and Seth (who replaced Abel).
Contrasting the wicked hearts and ambitions of the seed of the serpent who were predisposed to rebelling against Adonai and His commands, versus the faithful seed of the woman who continually sought ways to honor Adonai’s name through redemptive acts of righteousness.
In part IV we will begin by suggesting a rationale ending Minor Cycle #2 at Genesis 5:32 and beginning Minor Cycle #3 in Genesis 6. Furthermore, we will continue to relate the events of the narratives to the original sixteen themes presented in the Pattern of Judgments.
Here is a list of the 16 themes:
Genesis 1:1-25 – New Creation of the Universe
Genesis 1:26-28 – Man, God’s Image-Bearer, Commissioned to Exercise Dominion Over Creation
Genesis 1:29-31 – Man’s Diet
Genesis 2:1-3 – The Sign of the Sabbath
Genesis 2:4-9 – Man’s Work in His Ancestral Plot of Land
Genesis 2:10-14 – Natural Riches of the Creation
Genesis 2:15-17 – The Choice Between Life and Death
Genesis 2:18-25 – A Virginal Bride for the Man
Genesis 3:1-7 – Fall into Sin
Genesis 3:8-13 – Adonai Investigating Sin
Genesis 3:14 – The Curse on the Serpent
Genesis 3:15 – Enmity of the Seed
Genesis 3:16 – Pain in Childbirth
Genesis 3:17-19 – Curse on the Land
Genesis 3:20-21 – Acts of Redemption
Genesis 3:22-24 – Judgment
All Scripture quotations are from the NKJV.