Noah's curse

 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]

The days of Noah #3

 August 19, 2020 (Wednesday)

 

After the flood, Noah responded to God with worship. “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord…” [Genesis 8:20a] This is difficult. Imagine the world you know has ended, you and your family are the only ones left. It’s not just people gone, it’s everything you once knew. What would you do?

 

God’s response to Noah’s worship, “…Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.” [Genesis 8:21b NIV] At the Fall God cursed the ground. Now it seems He is reversing course. I’m thinking the degree of the curse may have been softened at that point. Considering the devastation of the flood, we have no clue.

 

God’s plan, at this point was, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” [Genesis 8:22 ESV] This is a promise “while the earth remains.” This is explained later, “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” [Genesis 9:11 ESV] Later in Scripture we find the earth is reserved for fire (see 2 Peter 3:7).

 

Another piece of information that ties into the creation account, “The fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every (creature)…” [Genesis 9:2a ESV] It is assumed that after the Fall, humans and animals were separated into this dichotomy. At this point in history, God makes the note of animals fearing humans in general.

 

Possibly the shift happens because God appears to change the dietary reality of humanity. “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.” [Genesis 9:3 ESV] Verses 4 – 6 open a discussion of blood and its significance to life. Verse 6 institutes the death penalty for murder. The reason, “for in the divine image God made human beings.” [Genesis 9:6b CEB]

 

Then God gives them a sign, “I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth.” [Genesis 9:13 NLT] Thus, God establishes a covenant (legal contract, promise) with humanity and all creatures of the earth. Please note, God’s covenants are “unilateral.”

 

By unilateral, I mean, God does the action. This action is not based on human merit. God does what He does because He wants to do it. This is the core of “grace.” Humanity is helpless, unless God takes action. God wants us to be healthy, safe, and in right relationship. He works to make it so.

 

Despite humanity’s failings, God has not and will not turn His back on us. Despite our rebellion, God loves us with an unfailing love. Despite our self-inflicted stupidity, God is still willing to work with us to move us to where He wants us to be…

 

So, why are we continually tuning our back on Him? Why are we rejecting His love? Why are we settling for Hell when God offers Heaven?

The days of Noah #2

 August 18, 2020 (Tuesday)

 

Noah must have been an incredible man. Genesis 6:9 records, “These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.” [ESV] Three things mark Noah as different.

 

First, Noah was a “righteous man.” I think this means, morally and spiritually, Noah was “right” with God. It is easy to be righteous when being religious is in fashion. It seems Noah’s righteousness was swimming against the current. . Peter insists he was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). So his resistance to the corrupt culture was not just a passive righteousness. That, the world and the Devil will probably tolerate. Noah’s resistance was active. He didn’t just LIVE the life, he ADVOCATED for the life of righteousness.

 

Second Noah was “blameless in his generation.” In other words, Noah was “blameless” in character and conduct. Note, blameless is not the same as “sinless.” While humanity had become corrupt to the core, Noah seems to be above his culture. I know there is a sense where we interact with our society, neighborhood, and culture every day… But Noah avoided being polluted by their influence.

 

Finally, Noah “walked with God.” I’m guessing this relationship, described as “walking with…” is the reason for his honors. As Noah walked with God, God made him and he became righteous and blameless. His walk was a parable for people to understand God. He was the visual example and pattern in his day of righteousness.

 

Last time we looked at the “days of Noah.” The mark of that generation was the thinking was skewed to evil. But wait! That’s not all! “Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” [Genesis 6:11 ESV] Under the tyranny of sin, the world is diseased, dying, and decaying. The people of the day were bent on self-destructive behavior. The natural progression of such behavior is violence.

 

This corruption, which brought on judgement, as NOT due to fate. Nor was it predestined. Genesis 6:12 is clear, “And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.” [ESV] Humans made the decision to corrupt their way. If I can echo Paul in the book of Romans, it seems they were busy inventing, encouraging, and celebrating the decay.

 

As a means of escape, Noah is told to build an “ark” (boat). It was between 450 feet to 510 feet long (300 cubits), 75 to 85 feet wide (50 cubits), and 45 to 51 feet tall (30 cubits). In ancient days a cubit was the distance between the elbow and the tip of the middle finger. These dimensions put it near or at the maximum proportions for a sea worthy wood boat. The proportions make it virtually unsinkable under natural conditions. 

 

Are you JUST passive in our righteousness or are you also active in advocating for righteousness? Are you influenced, or worse, at the mercy of the world and culture around you?

These are the days of Noah.

The days of Noah

 August 15/16, 2020 (Saturday/Sunday)

 

We don’t know when Jesus will return. However, Jesus left a clue. “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.” [Matthew 24:37 NLT] Jesus went on to say, “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark.” [Matthew 24:38 NIV] Some have suggested life will go on as normal. However, I suspect something deeper in Jesus cryptic clue.

 

But what were the days of Noah like? Genesis 6:1 – 2 raise speculative questions. Genesis 6:3 show God limiting human life to 120 years. Genesis 6:4 mention the Nephilim, who were giants or “men of renown.” I’m going to skip these things because, they are not significant to the question.

 

Genesis 6:5 describes the state of humanity, “The Lord saw that humanity had become thoroughly evil on the earth and that every idea their minds thought up was always completely evil.” [CEB] Another translation says, “…everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.” [Genesis 6:5b NLT]

 

Kind of sounds like an election year, eh? Wickedness was unchecked, even encouraged and celebrated. This is an image of a world without the moral restraint of a Creator and law giver. It is the natural process of the progressive, addictive, and aggressive nature of sin. Jeremiah tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” [Jeremiah 17:9 NIV] The idea “beyond cure” is also translated “desperately wicked,” “desperately sick,” and “incurable.”

 

This is a world without God. As our society and culture attempts to eliminate God, silence God’s witness, and turn churches into museums and flea markets, we should not be surprised at the depth of evil we are capable of…

 

Riddle me this: why do we care about the plight of some people because of skin color or other factors, yet not care about the person in the mother’s womb? Seems we are being selective and reaping what we deserve.

 

God’s feelings toward humanity at this point are not charitable. “The Lord regretted making human beings on the earth, and he was heartbroken.” [Genesis 6:6 CEB] This is the heart of a parent whose child has strayed into destructive and dark behavior.

 

But God is not helpless against the tide of human evil. Despite the resolution to destroy what He created, will within His right, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” [Genesis 6:8 ESV] In this muddled, mangled mess, God finds a glimmer of light. Someone to have favor upon.

 

“And God did not spare the ancient world—except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.” [2 Peter 2:5 NLT] Someone to champion righteousness.

 

These are the days of Noah…