The Transformation of Themes in the Pattern of Judgments, Part III
Our final article on how the primary themes introduced in Genesis 1-3 are transformed as we progress through the Bible
Introduction
Hopefully you have read the first ten articles in this series and have seen how the Pattern of Judgments repeats itself many times in the Bible. Essentially, Genesis 1-3 contains a group of sixteen 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 always starts with Adonai (the Lord) initiating some form of new creation, and ends with Him 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 initiated the cycle with the creation of the heavens and earth (Genesis 1:1-2), and then the cycle was 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.
As noted previously, 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. When you do that, you’ll see how the pattern repeats itself numerous times in Scripture.
As you review the sixteen themes you may be wondering if they are only applicable in the Tanakh (Old Testament). For example, you may think, “How are some of the
themes relevant to what I read in the Apostolic writings?” Themes such as:
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 2:18-25—A Virginal Bride for the Man
Genesis 3:15—Enmity of the Seed
Genesis 3:17-19—Curse on the Land
In actuality, these themes weave their way throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation! The problem is that the themes take on different characteristics as you progress through Scripture. In other words, the sixteen themes undergo transformations, and we need to be aware of these changes. This article (as well as the previous article, Part II) will trace these themes through the Bible, and we will learn how they are transformed yet remain true to their basic thematic underpinnings presented in Genesis 1–3.
Genesis 3:16—Pain in Childbirth
To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;
in pain you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband,
and he shall rule over you” (Genesis 3:16).
The theme of Pain in Childbirth is one of the most powerful themes we find in Genesis 1-3. Although there is only one verse dedicated to the introduction of this theme, the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, amplifies this theme’s prophetic echoes. Notice the phrase, “To the woman," for it is to the woman that this ominous foreboding is directed. Although this baneful utterance was originally spoken to one particular woman, as we thematically investigate the many narratives of Scripture, we will soon realize that there will be many women besides Eve who will succumb to its disastrous consequences. Furthermore, we will soon learn that this theme is inextricably linked to Genesis 3:15, which speaks of the conflict that will be ever present between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent.
It is tempting to only concentrate on the last part of Adonai’s pronouncement—in pain you shall bring forth children. Every mother knows the pain of childbirth. But this verse declares so much more than that. It states that the woman’s sorrow and conception will be multiplied. But what does it mean that her conception will be multiplied? I believe the answer becomes quite obvious when we simply note the themes that unite so many of the narratives concerning the matriarchs (Sarah, Rebekah and Rachel) and other women in the Bible who were destined to give birth to children who would function as either messianic figures or messianic forerunners.
Note how all the matriarchs to one extent or another suffered from barrenness. Sarah suffered the stigma of barrenness most of her life, even past normal child-bearing age.
But Sarai was barren; she had no child (Genesis 11:30).
Rebekah was barren for her first twenty years of marriage to Isaac. In fact, it was only after Isaac pleaded with Adonai in prayer that she was able to conceive a child.
Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah as wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan Aram, the sister of Laban the Syrian. 21 Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 26 Afterward his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau’s heel; so his name was called Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them (Genesis 25:20-21 and 26).
Rachel was barren for many years, and watched in dismay as Leah birthed one son after another for Jacob.
When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb; but Rachel was barren . . . 1 Now when Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister, and said to Jacob, “Give me children, or else I die!” 2 And Jacob’s anger was aroused against Rachel, and he said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?” (Genesis 29:31–30:2).
Is this a mere coincidence? Also, note how it seems that women in the Tanakh (Old Testament) who were destined to bring forth a child that was either a messianic figure or some type of messianic forerunner also suffered barrenness!
The story of the Shunammite woman’s barrenness (2 Kings 4:8-37) and the birth and death of her son are intimately thematically connected to the story of Sarah’s barrenness and the birth and near-death experience of Isaac. The connections between these two stories are too numerous to be coincidental2. The connections between these two stories teach us that Sarah is thematically connected to the Shunammite woman, and Isaac is thematically connected to the Shunammite woman's son. The Holy Spirit uses these thematic connections to teach us how to properly interpret the story of the binding of Isaac in Genesis 22. The story of the binding of Isaac is supposed to teach us that it is as if Isaac was resurrected from the dead.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense (Hebrews 11:17-19).
Manoah’s wife ( see Judges 13-16), gave birth to Samson, a major messianic figure who teaches us about the mission and work of Yeshua.3 There are numerous ways to know that Samson is a messianic figure. Note the promise given to Abraham concerning the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 22:15-17:
Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son— 17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
The promise that Abraham’s seed would possess the gate of their enemies is none other than a restatement of the enmity of the seed found in Genesis 3:15!
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
On one level, Genesis 22:17 can easily be seen as a figure of speech, simply indicating that Abraham’s descendants will be victorious over their enemies. However, despite the almost sure certainty that the phrase “and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies” is a figure of speech, we realize that later on in the Tanakh, Samson literally fulfilled this promise in Judges 16:1-3:
Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her. 2 When the Gazites were told, “Samson has come here!” they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the gate of the city. They were quiet all night, saying, “In the morning, when it is daylight, we will kill him.” 3 And Samson lay low till midnight; then he arose at midnight, took hold of the doors of the gate of the city and the two gateposts, pulled them up, bar and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.
In other words, Samson is one of many messianic figures who would qualify as the seed of the woman. Samson, acting prophetically, teaches us that Yeshua would one day defeat our greatest enemy, death, as stated in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 and 54-55:
Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 27 For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all . . . 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Samson’s story also teaches us how Messiah Yeshua would one day be handed over into the hands of the heathen. The key to understanding this is simply to realize, as stated earlier, that Samson is a messianic figure, one who foreshadows Messiah Yeshua. Note the following similarities between events in Samson’s life (Judges 15:1-13) and Yeshua’s life:
The Philistines were ruling over Israel.
The Romans ruled over Israel during Yeshua's lifetime.
The men of Judah were concerned that Samson would cause the Philistines to attack them and the Jews were afraid the Romans would destroy them.
Judges 15:11 - Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and said to Samson, “Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us? What is this you have done to us?”
John 11:48 states the following; "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
The men of Judah arrested Samson and the Jews arrested Yeshua.
Judges 15:12 - But they said to him, “We have come down to arrest you, that we may deliver you into the hand of the Philistines.”
Matthew 26:47-49 - 47 And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” 49 Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
The men of Judah handed Samson over to the Philistines and the Jews handed Yeshua over to the Romans.
Judges 15:13 - So they spoke to him, saying, “No, but we will tie you securely and deliver you into their hand; but we will surely not kill you.” And they bound him with two new ropes and brought him up from the rock.
Matthew 27:1 - When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.
As you can see, Samson is most definitely a messianic figure. And these connections are just the tip of the iceberg. Samson’s life is one of many that foretold of the sufferings and glory of Messiah Yeshua. Do you remember the words of the angels who spoke to the women after Yeshua’s resurrection?
Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again’ ” (Luke 24:5-7).
The connections above are just one of many examples from the Scriptures teaching us of Yeshua’s passion, death and resurrection!
Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:44-47).
The main point here, however, is that Samson’s mother suffered barrenness just as the matriarchs of Israel did. Again, I ask if this a coincidence?
Samuel’s mother, Hannah, also suffered barrenness before she brought forth Samuel. And how is Samuel connected to Yeshua? Let’s take note of the following thematic connections:
Both Hannah and Elizabeth (John the Baptist’s mother) were barren:
1 Samuel 1:2—And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
Luke 1:7—But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
Both Samuel and John the Baptist were Nazarites from birth:
1 Samuel 1:11—Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
Luke 1:13-15—But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
Both Samuel and John the Baptist were highly recognized as prophets of Adonai:
1 Samuel 3:20—And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel had been established as a prophet of the LORD.
Luke 7:28—“For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
The first recorded sermons for Samuel and John the Baptist were sermons on repentance:
1 Samuel 7:3-4—Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you
return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the LORD, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the LORD only.
Matthew 3:7-9—But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Adonai sent Samuel to reveal David as Israel’s king and He sent John the Baptist to reveal Yeshua as Israel’s king:
1 Samuel 16:11-13—And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
John 1:29-34—The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” 32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
Need I list any more connections? Is it not obvious that Samuel is a prophetic picture of John the Baptist? Yes, it’s true! And Adonai makes this abundantly clear through the simple thematic connections they share. And again, we must ask the question, “Is it simply a coincidence that 1) the matriarchs, 2) the mothers of messianic figures and 3) mothers who are destined to give birth to children who will function as messianic forerunners were the ones who suffered the indignity of a barren womb? No, it’s not! And we can clearly see that all these women who suffered barrenness were experiencing the effect of Adonai’s prophetic statement that the woman’s sorrow and conception would be multiplied!
As for the actual pain of childbirth which was also declared in Genesis 3:16, the Bible mentions two categories of that type of suffering. First, the Scriptures mention actual women who suffered great pains in bringing forth a child. Rebekah suffered greatly as her twins battled within her.
Now Isaac pleaded with the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If all is well, why am I like this?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body; one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger” (Genesis 25:21-23).
However, one of the more tragic stories regarding the physical pain that accompanies childbirth pertains to Rachel’s pregnancy with Benjamin. Not only did she suffer barrenness, she suffered a difficult birth which ultimately led to her untimely death.
Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. 17 Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” 18 And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin. 19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). 20 And Jacob set a pillar on her grave, which is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day (Genesis 35:16-20).
The second category of women who suffered the pains of childbirth were the figurative women who represented the nation of Israel! Here are a few examples:
“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child. 8 Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children (Isaiah 66:7-8).
Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished? For pangs have seized you like a woman in labor. 10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in birth pangs. For now you shall go forth from the city, you shall dwell in the field, and to Babylon you shall go. There you shall be delivered; there the LORD will redeem you from the hand of your enemies (Micah 4:9-10).
This prophetic type of a woman who represents Israel weaves its way to the book of Revelation, where we once again read about the nation of Israel who is in labor to bring forth a man child who is destined to rule the nations with a rod of iron.
Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne (Revelation 12:1-5).
Unlike some of the other themes from Genesis 1-3 that involve changes or variations to the theme as originally presented in Genesis 1-3, the theme of pain in childbirth remains relatively constant. The major point in this section is that we are not to limit the pain of childbirth to the physical pain of childbirth alone. The Holy Spirit desires that we also understand that Genesis 3:16 also refers to the pain, suffering and sorrows that would occur to the women of God as they suffered to simply conceive.
Genesis 3:20-21—Acts of Redemption
By acts of redemption I mean those actions taken by Adonai or mankind to heal the relationship between God and man. This theme will undergo many transformations as we progress through the pages of Scripture. The first example of this theme occurs in Genesis 3:20-21 when Adonai made skins to cover the shame and nakedness of Adam and Eve:
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.
The act of clothing Adam and Eve is utterly prophetic, and the picture being painted is messianic. Adam and Eve’s nakedness is simply a picture of the shame and guilt they incurred as a result of their disobedience. Adonai obviously had to kill an animal in order to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. Thus in this act we see a picture of our future redemption through Yeshua. Adonai had to kill an innocent animal, shedding its innocent blood in order to make skins to cover the guilt and shame of Adam and Eve’s sins. Is that not an accurate picture of our great salvation through Yeshua? In this article, I’d like to concentrate on one aspect of the transformations we encounter with the theme of acts of redemption as it pertains to sacrifices. We’ve already talked about the first sacrifice made by Adonai. The second act of redemption was initiated by Abel.
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell (Genesis 4:3-5).
Here, we can see an obvious connection between the sacrifice of Genesis 3:20-21 and Abel’s. Both sacrifices were a blood sacrifice. However, the main transformation that takes place is the idea that the offering was made by man instead of Adonai. Next, we read of Noah making a sacrifice.
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. 21 And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done (Genesis 8:20-21).
When we compare Noah’s offering to Abel’s we see the addition of an altar, which was not mentioned in Adonai’s or Abel’s offerings. Thus, our transformation continues. We also see the building of altars with the patriarchs, especially Abraham. We first read of Abram building an altar and making a blood sacrifice near Bethel.
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. 9 So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South (Genesis 12:8-9).
As you trace Abraham’s journeys you’ll notice that he would build altars in various locations. The same type of behavior occurred with Abraham’s sons Isaac and Jacob. As they traveled from place to place they would build altars and call upon Adonai. However, with Jacob we notice an interesting trend. Although he built altars in various places, we see that on numerous occasions he would return to one particular altar, the one in Bethel.
“Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone” (Genesis 35:3).
Once the nation was established with Moses as the leader, Israel built the tabernacle which was mobile. Therefore, they could travel about freely on their journeys and offer sacrifices whenever necessary. Similar to the patriarchs, Israel could travel and sacrifice at any particular location. However, Moses informed them that a day was coming when they would no longer have a portable tabernacle, but a permanent place of worship in a certain place where He would cause His name to dwell.
“But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. 6 There you shall take your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall rejoice in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the LORD your God has blessed you (Deuteronomy 12:5-7).
In hindsight, we know the location of the place where He caused His name to dwell—Jerusalem. As a matter of fact, the temple in Jerusalem, Solomon’s temple, was called Bethel, the house of God!
Of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasuries of the house of God and over the treasuries of the dedicated things (1 Chronicles 26:20).
Now, notice the wording used to describe Jacob’s location when he was in Bethel!
And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!” (Genesis 28:17).
It seems that the altar Jacob built in Bethel was of special prophetic significance when we compare it to the temple Solomon built. We can find the following thematic correlations between the two:
In Genesis 28:10-22 the area where Jacob had his dream of the ladder leading up to heaven is identified as the “place” no less than six times in so few verses. When Moses wrote about the permanent location for the temple he constantly mentioned “the place” where Adonai would cause His name to dwell.
Genesis 28:11—So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. (Doesn’t the repetition catch your curiosity?)
Deuteronomy 12:5—But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. See similar wording about the place where Adonai will put his name in Deuteronomy 12:11, 14, 18, 21, 26; 14:23, 24, 25; 15:20; 16:2, 6, 7, 11, 15; 17:8,10, etc.!
When Jacob awoke he experienced the fear of God in that place where he lay all night. Moses repeatedly mentioned that the temple which would be located in the place Adonai would choose to cause His name to dwell would be a place where people would come to learn to fear Him.
Genesis 28:16-17—Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”
Deuteronomy 14:23—And you shall eat before the LORD your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always.
Deuteronomy 31:10-13—And Moses commanded them, saying: “At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. 12 Gather the people together, men and women and little ones, and the stranger who is within your gates, that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the LORD your God and carefully observe all the words of this law, 13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land which you cross the Jordan to possess.”
The name of the place where Jacob had his vision of the ladder was called Bethel. As mentioned earlier, Solomon’s temple was called the the house of God, which is a literal translation of the word Bethel.
It was at Bethel that Jacob promised to bring Adonai a tithe of all Adonai gave to him. When Israel presented themselves to Adonai at the temple, they were supposed to bring their tithes with them.
Genesis 28:22—“And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.”
Deuteronomy 12:11—then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD.
These are just a few of the connections between Jacob and that place where he spent the night and how they are thematically connected to Jerusalem and the temple Solomon built called Bethel. Nonetheless, these are enough connections to see that the altars and places where the patriarchs worshiped were prophetic foreshadows of the temple in Jerusalem. The patriarchs built altars as they traveled, but the altar in Bethel had special significance to them as they often returned to it. This was prophetic of the tabernacle which was mobile and the temple which was permanent.
The original Act of Redemption of Genesis 3:20-21 transformed into the altars of the patriarchs, which then transformed to the mobile tabernacle and finally to the temple of Solomon. But all of these together foreshadowed and pointed to the ultimate Act of Redemption performed by Yeshua our Messiah, for He alone is the lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), which is what all these previous Acts of Redemption pointed to!
And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth (Revelation 5:6).
As we can see, the Bible begins with the death of an innocent substitute and ends with the death and resurrection of an innocent substitute.
Genesis 3:22-24—Judgment/Exile
The last theme we will examine is that of Judgment. The original judgment/ punishment for man’s rebellion consisted of exile from the source of life.
Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— 23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:22-24).
The theme of exile as judgment was repeated with Cain as he was “banished” from the face of the earth.
And Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me” (Genesis 4:13-14).
Amazingly, the phrase translated as “He drove out the man” in Genesis 3:24 uses the same Hebrew verb as in Genesis 4:14, “You have driven me out.” It is the Hebrew word garash, which means to forcefully expel. It is mentioned in both stories so that we won’t miss the connection!
This idea of scattering/exile as a form of punishment can also be seen in the judgment of the generation of the Tower of Babel as they were scattered over the face of the earth.
So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city (Genesis 11:8).
It also typified the punishment of the tribes of Simeon and Levi who were punished because of the sins of their forefathers when they killed the men of Shechem over the rape of Dinah. Those two tribes did not have their own land inheritances as a result of their forefathers’ sins.
“Simeon and Levi are brothers; instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place. 6 Let not my soul enter their council; let not my honor be united to their assembly; for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will they hamstrung an ox.
7 Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce; and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will divide them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel (Genesis 49:5-7).
We can also see the theme of scattering in the judgment upon Noah’s generation, as their bodies were scattered to and from over the earth as the flood waters carried their corpses via the ebb and flow of the torrential waters.
We’ve already seen how Adonai judged the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Their judgment however, was not a judgment of scattering. With the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah our theme of judgment takes on a new transformation to that of death by the hand of God. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were killed as fire and brimstone rained upon them. It was described as sudden and complete. The generation of Noah’s flood were destroyed by the flood waters visited upon them by Adonai. Furthermore, the Egyptians suffered a sudden judgment when their firstborns were killed by Adonai at midnight on the fateful night of Unleavened Bread.
Amazingly, the New Testament writers typically point to two stories as symbolic of the day of the Lord when Yeshua will return to judge the earth. The Apostles and Yeshua always referred to Noah’s flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as types of the final judgment that will befall those who have rejected the Gospel.
But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be (Matthew 24:37-39).
And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; 29 but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed (Luke 17:26-30).
For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly (2 Peter 2:4-6).
Yeshua and Peter were prophesying of the Day of the Lord when Yeshua will return in vengeance to destroy His enemies. His appearing to judge the earth will be sudden and inescapable as He supernaturally executes Adonai’s vengeance and wrath upon the wicked, slaying them with the breath of His mouth!
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God (Revelation 19:11-15).
This concludes this portion of our investigation of the Pattern of Judgments. We’ve seen how the initial themes of Genesis 1-3 have repeated themselves throughout Scripture. Furthermore, we’ve noted how the original themes are sometimes transformed or changed slightly in how they manifest themselves as we progress through Scripture. I felt it important to make sure that you were aware of these subtle changes primarily so you would realize that what started in the beginning (Genesis 1–3) has not changed, but has repeated itself throughout history, and how those themes are as relevant today as they were back in the days of yore. Truly, the words of Solomon are now more easily understood!
That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11).
Hopefully we will not be like those of whom it was said that there was “no remembrance of former things.” May we have eyes to see and ears to hear.
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