August 20, 2020 (Thursday)
What happens next shows what a devastating event can do to
even a righteous man. “After the flood,
Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard.” [Genesis
9:20 NLT] This is an interesting choice of crops. Generally grapes are very
labor intensive. I would think planting grapes would be a luxury after basic
food security issues are addressed.
Eventually, “One day
he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his
tent.” [Genesis 9:21 NLT] Let me be clear: I cannot prove, from the Bible,
not to drink alcohol. However, the Bible is clear: being drunk is a sin. I can
demonstrate bad things happen with the use of alcohol. This is “exhibit A.”
I can’t judge Noah. I wonder if he is not self-medicating
under the devastating toll of the flood. Think about it this way: Noah’s
obedience in building and entering the ark facilitated the death and
destruction of the flood. The weight of guilt could be soul-crushing. I know
the reasoning is flawed, but this is not actions of a righteous man. This and
what follows.
“Ham, Canaan’s father,
saw his father naked and told his two brothers who were outside.” [Genesis
9:22 CEB] This information brought a reaction, “Shem and Japheth took a robe, threw it over their shoulders, walked
backward, and covered their naked father without looking at him because they
turned away.” [Genesis 9:23 CEB] The few details of this event do not seem
to merit Noah’s extreme reaction.
“When Noah woke up
from his wine, he discovered what his youngest son had done to him.”
[Genesis 9:24 CEB] What caused Noah’s outburst? Was it because Ham embarrassed his
father, pointing out his state to his brothers? Think about it; wouldn’t it
give a certain sense of joy to expose the hypocrisy of a righteous man? But,
there is a twist. His name is Canaan.
In Genesis 9:18 and 9:22 Canaan is noted as the son of Ham. He
is the only son mentioned in this story and the fourth son of Ham. So why is he
so prominent in this story? When Noah cursed Ham, he actually cursed Canaan, “(Noah) said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest
of slaves will he be to his brothers.” [Genesis 9:25 NIV] Wasn’t it Ham who
gave the offense? Why curse Canaan?
One theory, which seems plausible, stems from the expression
“saw his father naked.” In Leviticus 20:11, Ezekiel 22:10, Habakkuk 2:15, this expression
is a euphemism for incest. Canaan (whose name means “humiliated”) would seem to
be the product of that relationship. Of course, that does not explain the two
brothers walking backward… or who in their right mind would boast about incest…
Bottom line: possible despair plus alcohol in excess plus opportunity
for self-destructive, stupid, and sinful behavior natural to humanity, all add
up to a volatile situation. Result: someone is cursed, an entire segment of the
population damned to the evils of slavery (and beyond), and the earth is plunged
into the same chaos that caused a purging flood.
Or as Paul put it, “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will
ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.” [Ephesians 5:18
NLT]
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