I started off too soon, as I failed to begin at the beginning. What beginning? The beginning of the plans of Jehovah for His people actually began before creation, but in time were first seen in the sons of Noah. As we remember, while all the families of the earth up to Genesis 6 came exclusively through Adam, Noah in reality was a new Adam of sorts. Not the second Adam, who is Jesus Christ, but a new beginning of mankind.
Genesis 6:9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
This is a very important fact and leads to some important truths. Jehovah was going to start over, not with a perfect man or sinless man, as He did with Adam, but with a righteous man. A blameless man who walked with Jehovah not with the god of this world.
6:10 Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
These three names will take on more significance as our study progresses.
6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.
Noah was the only righteous man on the face of the earth. Noah and his small family were a true remnant, although all of his sons were not righteous.
Genesis 9:18 Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan.
9:19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.
9:20 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard.
Their new beginning started well, as they now had the ‘new’ garden to plant and enjoy the blessings of Jehovah. Could there be any doubt about the power of Jehovah or His holy righteousness?
9:21 He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
This is confusing, but it is part of the story we need to know. What did he see, what did he do, what did he say?
9:23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness.
9:24 When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.
Whatever Ham saw or did, was evil and repulsive to Noah. Some theologians and scholars believe that this pertains to a sexual encounter with a man’s wife. To uncover someone’s nakedness can be linked to such behavior, but that seems to evil to imagine here. So we just have to listen to what Noah thought of it.
9:25 So he said, "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers."
9:26 He also said, "Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.
9:27 "May God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant."
So Noah cursed Ham and blessed Shem and Japheth. He made Ham the servant of his brothers. How that is shown comes much later.
9:28 Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood.
9:29 So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.
This is important as well, as Noah was alive to see Terah, the father of Abram, born. No only that but all the descendants, 7 generations from Noah, all were still alive at the birth of Abram. The life of righteous Noah was evident and exampled for a long time in preparation for Jehovah’s plans for Abram.
More next Saturday.