Forgive your brother his trespasses (Seventy-sevenfold)

Bible Study (Terry Spradlin)

When I read the scripture in Genesis 4:23 about Lamech saying he would be avenged seventy-seven fold, it immediately draws my attention to Christ words to forgive seven times seventy.  I just wanted to put all these scriptures together to see how they flow.  We should always be willing to forgive those that hurt us and also we should forgive ourselves for hurting others. We should turn from sin and turn to God and ask the Holy Spirit to lead guide and direct our footsteps.  As you journey through these passages you will come to the conclusion that it is essential for us to forgive others so that we to can be forgiven. The model prayer from Christ even tells us, Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive our trespasses (sin) as we forgive those who trespass (sin) against us. God wants us to walk in love as Christ walked in love for us. Although Christ had no sin his was willing to lay down his life for our sin. To pick up our cross we must be willing to forgive others seventy times seven. Not just a number but an amount of forgiveness that is beyond what we can pay. Accepting that Christ is the ultimate sacrifice for that payment and allowing Jesus to work in our lives so that we can walk in His love. (Terry Spradlin)

The scriptures below are The New King James Version of the Bible and the notes are from The Nelson Study Bible


Genesis 4:23 Then Lamech said to his wives:
"Adah and Zillah, hear my voice,
Wives of Lamch, listen to my speech!
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurting me
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold."
24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,

• What follows is a boastful taunt song that captures the violent spirit of Lamech. The words of Lamech are poetic, making the passage memorable and powerful. In this boast, Lamech indicates that he has followed the worst pattern of his ancestor Cain. In his wicked braggadocio, he taunted god by his words seventy-sevenfold. Whereas the Lord would bring vengeance on the slayer of Cain "sevenfold".  Lamech boasted that by himself he would greatly magnify the vengeance on anyone who attacked him. This is another example (although as wickedness) of the inflation of numbers for effect (Numbers 1:46).

Genesis 4:15 And the Lord said to him, 'Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

• Cain had fear that he would be an fugitive and vagabond because of murdering his brother. But God offered Cain a way out of his sin. He said anyone taking vengeance on Cain shall be seven times worse. 

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish he transgression
"To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
to bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.

• Seventy weeks may also be translated seventy sevens. Many scholars agree that the "sevens" are seven years, as seventy years of captivity addressed in v. 2 implies. Leviticus 25:8 speaks of "seven Sabbaths of years"; Lev. 26:18, 21 implies that Israel's punishment would be multiplied sevenfold. Therefore, a seventy "week" exile should be expected to last for seven times seventy years. Second Chronicles 36:21 suggests that the captivity was to last long enough to make up for seventy omissions of the sabbatical year, which occurred every seven years. This would amount to 490 years before god's people would experience perfect reconciliation with their God. There are many different interpretations with their god. There are many different interpretations of how these years account for the eras of world history before the Second Coming of the Messiah. Some interpreters have suggested that the used of number seven in this verse is symbolic representing completeness. that is, the completion of all human history.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "lord how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? 22 Jesus said to him, " I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, wit his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him saying, 'Master have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' 27 Then the master of the servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 "But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying 'Pay me what you owe!' 29 So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him saying,, 'Have patience with me, and i will pay you all.' 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had compassion on you? 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due him. 35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

• Seventy times seven may also mean "seventy-seven times." The point is not to keep count at all, but to always be wiling to forgive.
• Ten thousand talents was an enormous sum. A denarius was worth about six thousand denarii. A denarius was one day's wage for a laborer (20.2). A talent was worth about six thousand denari. Ten thousand talents would be sixty million day's wages, a sum that would be impossible to repay. Thus Jesus graphically portrayed this man's hopeless predicament.
• This parable reiterates the principle that we should forgive others because God forgives us.
• This verse is warning about the penalty for not forgiving others (see 1Cor. 11:30-32; Heb. 12:5-11).  all of a Christian's sins are forgiven and forgotten forever 9see Psalm 103:12; Jeremiah 3:34; Hebrews 8:12). But this parable illustrates the Christian duty to forgive others (see 6:12,14, 15: 2 cor. 2:10; Eph 4:32). If our forgiveness should be in direct proportion so the incredible amount that we have been forgiven (v. 22), then we must always be willing to forgive.

Luke 10:17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." 18 And He said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightening from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but "rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

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A Curious Sight

There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” – Exodus 3:2-3

God revealed Himself to Moses as a bush that was on fire but not burning up. Just like in Moses day, the presence of the Lord is a fire that refreshes and purifies. As we become a people who seek the presence of the Lord we become a curious sight to those around us – a people who burn with zeal but don’t burn out.

Reuben - Firstborn, birthright

Gen 37:21-22  21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.  22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. KJV

• Here Reuben is pleading for Josephs life. He is trying to figure out how to keep him alive.

Gen 37:29-30 29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. 30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?  KJV

• In verse 30 it would seem that Reuben was worried about himself not Joseph.  Because his concern is about what will happen to him when he tells his father that Joseph is gone.

Gen 35:22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. KJV

• Reuben, Jacob's firstborn son, may have been aserting his right to be the principal heir.  Maybe he felt slighted by jacob's implication that the youngest son benjamin was the son of his right hand. By sleeping with his father's concubine, he was assserting that he would succeed his father. Ironically, this very action caused him to lose the blessing he desired (see 49:3,4)

Gen 49:3-4  3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:  4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch. KJV

It also appears that the very same struggle that Jacob and Esau had over the birthright was still being faught through Jacobs oldest son Reuben, who many years later is still struggling to hold on to his birthright as the firstborn son.

Here Am I

Abraham's Faith Confirmed
Gen 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? KJV
Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. KJV

Isaac Blesses Jacob
Gen 27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I. KJV
Gen 27:17-19 17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. 18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? 19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me. KJV

Jacob Flees from Laban
Gen 31:11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I. KJV

Joseph Sold by His Brothers
Gen 37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I. KJV

Jacob's Journey to Egypt
Gen 46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.  KJV

Moses at the Burning Bush
Ex 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. KJV

Samuel's First Prophecy
1 Sam 3:4-8  4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.  5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. 6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.  8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.  KJV
1 Sam 3:16-17  16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I.  17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.  KJV

The Report of Saul's Death
2 Sam 1:6-10  6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him.  7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.  8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.  9 And he said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.  10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. KJV

David Escapes from Jerusalem
2 Sam 15:24-30 24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the city.  25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:  26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. 27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.  29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.  30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up. KJV

Isaiah Called to Be a Prophet
Isa 6:7-12  7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.  8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.  9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.  10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.  11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,  12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.  KJV

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