Cursing and Blessing (Genesis 9:18-29)

1. A Second Adam (18-20 )

Verses 18-19 shift the eye from the ark, the flood, and Noah to Noah’s three sons. This is similar to the beginning of Genesis 4, where the narration shifts from the garden to the sons of Adam and Eve. These transitional verses prepare us for the main event in the story.

Verse 20, in the context of verses 18-19, presents Noah as a second Adam. Notice the following similarities:

They are both commanded to be fruitful and multiply

They share the same profession: tillers of the soil (2: 15; 4: 20)

They both experience the shame of nakedness

Both of their sins result in family strife

There is the same language of blessing and curse spoken (3: 14; 9: 25)

Noah is the second Adam, both as recipient of divine blessing and as father of corrupt seed.

Noah planted a vineyard (20). Some say it fulfills Lamech's prophecy of comfort in Genesis 5:29 “And he named him Noah, saying, “This one will bring us relief from the agonizing labor of our hands, caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” Others suggest that it foreshadows the symbolic nature of a vineyard to the nation of Israel and a future Messiah. I think it simply explains something that Noah planted and the source of Noah's wine. Also, a vineyard and wine represent the blessing of God; and, after all, Noah was commanded by God to be fruitful and multiply, including fruitfulness in working the soil.

2. Heroes of the Bible were human (9:21)

Noah's drunkenness and nakedness confirms God's analysis of the human heart back in 8: 21: "I will never again curse the ground because of human beings, even though the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth onward.”

One of the many impressive things about the Bible is its raw and honest depiction of the major characters in God's redemptive story. Heroes of the Bible were human. Think about it, beyond Noah there is:

Abraham, who lied about the identity of his wife and produced a child by Hagar the servant rather than waiting on God.

Then there was Jacob, who tricked his brother and father out of a birthright and a blessing. And Jacob's sons sold their brother into slavery!

Moses, the man who led Israel out of Egypt was a murderer.

David, Israel's greatest king, was an adulterer and conspired Uriah's death.

His son, Solomon, Israel's wisest King, filled the palace with dozens of foreign wives, who influenced Solomon and the nation to worship foreign gods.

Yes. God used sinful people. Their sins are plastered all over the pages of Scripture. That's all God had to work with –ordinary people, like you and me, who struggled with sin, yet, they also possessed courageous faith in God: an ark; a son on Mt. Moriah; raising a staff over the Red Sea; standing toe-to-toe against a giant warrior. God uses ordinary people.

Having said all that, verse 21 is sad. This story is a reminder of how quickly and even easily any of us can fall into sin. At our best, we still fight against our sinful human nature; and sometimes we lose the battle. But we don't have to lose. Let me spend just a few minutes to remind you (us) of a few things regarding sin and temptation:

First of all, Jesus modeled the winning strategy over sin: he quoted Scripture. That reminds me of Psalm 119: 11 -"I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you."

Paul, exhorted the Ephesian believers to armor up in the face of spiritual warfare. "Put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6: 1), and then explained it, noting that our spiritual weapon is the "sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God."(Eph. 6: 17)

Then in 1 Corinthians 10: 13. Paul informed us, "No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it."

And finally, in Romans 6:6, Paul says this, "For we know that our old self was crucified with (Christ) so that the body ruled by sin might be rendered powerless so that we may no longer be enslaved to sin, since a person who died is freed from sin."

Wow! The battle against sin is a battle we can win. Noah lost. And his sin exposed the bone-deep corruption of the human heart. And just as with Adam, we're reminded of sin's shame. Ham's actions heightened Noah’s shame.

3. Honor your father and mother (22-23)

The story-teller makes sure that we understand that the Canaanites were descendants of Ham (18). Why? Because the first ones to hear these stories were Hebrews, about to cross over the Jordan into the land of the Canaanites. They needed to know the corruption they were about to face.

Apparently, Ham walked into Noah's tent. He saw! Does that ring a bell? Eve saw. The sons of God saw. In these stories, seeing led to sin.

What was Ham's sin? That is answered by contrast with Shem's and Japeth's actions in the next verse: "They did not see their father naked."

SEEING WAS THE DISGUSTING THING!

Some have misinterpreted the scene in verse 22 as a sexual sin. But there is no indication of that in the story. The sin is in the contrast between Ham’s action and his brothers’.

Nakedness was shameful in Hebrew culture. Yet, if Ham had taken the right action no one would have seen Noah's shameful situation except Ham.

Instead, Ham "told his brothers." He should have done what his brothers did in verse 23.

Instead, he went outside and drew attention to his father's shame. In this way, Ham dishonored his father. Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”

In the ancient world insulting one's parents was a serious matter that was usually punished by death. This is reflected in Deuteronomy 21:18–21 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father or mother and doesn’t listen to them even after they discipline him, his father and mother are to take hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate of his hometown. They will say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he doesn’t obey us. He’s a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city will stone him to death. You must purge the evil from you, and all Israel will hear and be afraid.”

That seems harsh and severe to our ears. But we need to remember that God was preparing a people who will bear his image to the world. They will become known as the people who Worship Jehovah God. He must purge them of evil.

Perhaps we need to be more serious about living a holy life. People know us as those who Worship God and follow Jesus. When we are blatantly disobedient to Christ's commands, what do you think people say about us and our God? Like Ham, we bring disgrace to our heavenly Father. Thankfully, Jesus has already been executed for our sins, but our loving Father still disciplines us because he loves us and wants us to repent and be purged so that we can live a holy life that brings glory to his name, not shame.

Shem and Japheth did what Ham should have done in the first place (23):

They did not see. Notice the care they took so that they did not see his nakedness.

They covered their father's shame. They refused to take advantage of Noah despite his vulnerable condition.

They treated their father with love and respect.

And by the way, “covered" in verse 23 is from a Hebrew word that is also used for forgiveness.

The "cover-up" was not to hide Noah's Sin, nor to deceive, it was an act of mercy and grace to eliminate the shame of Noah's sin.

Some have incorrectly interpreted the word justification with a clever phrase: "just as if I never sinned." No. It is because I sinned that Jesus died for me. Sin was in total view when Jesus forgave me. Grace doesn't treat us as if we didn't sin, it pours out forgiveness and redemption despite our sin. Shem and Japheth served as God's human agents, covering Noah's shame in spite of Noah’s sin.

4. Blessing and cursing (24-27)

When Noah woke up and sobered up, he learned what happened while he was drunk. The storyteller didn't reveal how he learned it.

An act such as Ham's cannot end without repercussions. So Noah, recognizing the situation, spoke an oracle that included a curse on Ham's descendants. Noah, inspired by God, made a prophetic speech, seeing what would become of Ham's family: the Canaanites. Bad seed produces bad crops. And when we read forward in God's story, we see the truth of Noah's words. Everything the Canaanites did in their pagan existence was symbolized by Ham's sinful attitude. And when Israel crossed over into Canaan, they found these tribes and were face to face with their wicked influence.

In contrast to the curse, Japheth’s and Shem’s descendants received a blessing. Actually, the blessing was spoken to the Lord, and then indirectly to Shem, Noah's eldest son.

Remember, in a Hebrew household, it was the eldest who received the father's blessing. In this father's blessing is something remarkable and exciting. Shem will be blessed, but it will be the Lord's doing. And what the Lord did was remarkable. Look at Shem’s genealogy in Genesis 11:10-26

Genesis 11:10–28 (CSB)

These are the family records of Shem. Shem lived 100 years and fathered Arpachshad two years after the flood. After he fathered Arpachshad, Shem lived 500 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Arpachshad lived 35 years and fathered Shelah. After he fathered Shelah, Arpachshad lived 403 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Shelah lived 30 years and fathered Eber. After he fathered Eber, Shelah lived 403 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Eber lived 34 years and fathered Peleg. After he fathered Peleg, Eber lived 430 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Peleg lived 30 years and fathered Reu. After he fathered Reu, Peleg lived 209 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Reu lived 32 years and fathered Serug. After he fathered Serug, Reu lived 207 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Serug lived 30 years and fathered Nahor. After he fathered Nahor, Serug lived 200 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Nahor lived 29 years and fathered Terah. After he fathered Terah, Nahor lived 119 years and fathered other sons and daughters. Terah lived 70 years and fathered Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Now look at Jesus’ genealogy in Matthew 11. Where does it start? It starts with Abraham. From Shem came the Patriarchs of the Old Testament, and a Savior, Jesus Christ. What a blessing!

5. The end of an era (28-29)

Verses 28-29 complete Seth’s genealogy chapter 5. it picks up were 5:32 paused: Genesis 5:32 “Noah was 500 years old, and he fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 9:29 ends just like all the other genealogical entries in chapter 5: “then he died.” This marks the end of an era, and the beginning of a new era, which we will begin next week in chapter 10.

Why did God include this story?

To warn Israel of the wickedness of the Canaanites, who lived in the promised land.

To give Israelite confidence when possessing the promised land and subjugating its inhabitants.

To prepare a people who will act honorably in the context of wickedness.

What's the take-away for us?

Our sinful shame has been covered by the blood and righteousness of Jesus. We are blessed!

Because we have received the blessings of forgiveness and redemption, we should love Jesus with all our hearts.

Obedience is the evidence of our love.

Living a holy life honors our Heavenly Father.