Genesis 9:20-21 – Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent.
In Genesis 9:18-28, Noah responded to God’s kindness by getting drunk and passing out naked in his tent like a hillbilly redneck on vacation. Noah’s son Ham then walked into Noah’s tent to gaze upon his father’s nakedness. The Scriptures simply do not tell us much more than these bare details, but many people have inserted numerous speculations about what happened, and we will never know exactly what happens as only two men were present – one who was passed-out and the other who does not give us the whole story. Whatever happened, one thing is sure: it was sinful and shameful.
In the story of Noah, we have a sort of second Fall with God starting over with Noah who, like Adam, sinned. The point is simply that sin remains the human problem for everyone, even after the flood, which sets the stage for Jesus Christ coming down to save sinners.
Genesis 9:25-27 then picks up Noah’s declaration of cursing and blessing directed toward his sons. Ham’s son (Noah’s grandson) Canaan and the Canaanites who descended from him were cursed to serve the line of God’s people that would come from Ham’s brothers. It was also promised that Japheth would prosper as God would dwell with him. The big idea is that everyone on the earth really falls into two simple categories: those who are blessed and those who are cursed. More important than the length of your life, number of zeroes on your income, or achievements you have is God’s blessing. God’s blessing is internal and provides us with a sense of mental and spiritual wellness, external with healthy loving relationships, and eternal as God’s blessing to His people continues forever.
Racist theologies have tried to claim that the curse of Canaan was a curse upon black people, which is simply foolish and unfounded, as from this man descended people of many races and nations, including Caucasians. Lastly, Genesis 9:28-29 picks up the genealogy from 5:32, as Noah dies and the human race again begins to grow and expand, though still sinful and in need of God who is a better Father than Noah, with a Son who is greater than Noah’s sons.
How have you seen God be faithful to your family, despite sin and folly, like He was to Noah and his family?
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