God Made Me who I Am
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Noah
Noah
The book of Genesis is the story of beginnings. The book can be divided into 2 parts. the first part being: Four Main Events. The second part being: Four Main Persons. The Story of Noah and his sons is recorded in chapter 9, verses 17 continuing to Chapter 10:32: This means that it falls in the category of Part 1, “The Third Main Event (The Flood). The text begins with the group who survived the flood getting off the ark. There are two things we should notice right here:
God had destroyed the world because of sin
God had destroyed the world because of sin
Sin was still present in those whom He saved
Sin was still present in those whom He saved
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.
Ham
Ham
What we know about Ham is that he saw and told. Look, we all could do without the visual of Noah being drunk and naked, and we would not have known if Ham had not saw and told. The text says that Noah was drunk and uncovered inside his tent, and Ham saw it and told his two brothers outside.
Read Genesis 9:20-23
Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard.
He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.
Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
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.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Interpretation of Noah’s Nakedness and Curse of Canaan
Interpretation of Noah’s Nakedness and Curse of Canaan
The episode involving Noah’s nakedness has various interpretations. Some scholars suggest that Ham simply saw his naked father and failed to cover him (Westermann, Genesis 1–11, 488; Wenham, Genesis 1–15, 200; Hamilton, Genesis 1–17, 323). Others argue that “seeing another’s nakedness” is a euphemism for a sexual act with either one’s father or mother (see Bassett, “Noah’s Nakedness,” 232–37). Although the exact nature of Ham’s behavior remains undecided, Noah’s response—cursing Canaan, the youngest of Ham’s four sons (Gen 9:25–27; 10:6)—clearly indicates a negative connotation.
Scholars have paid significant attention to the lack of biblical explanation for Noah’s curse against Canaan (rather than Ham). Some have speculated that Canaan was born of Ham’s incest with his mother (Bassett, “Noah’s Nakedness,” 235), though this seems problematic in context. Others have suggested that Canaan participated somehow in Ham’s behavior against Noah but that this detail was omitted “on the grounds of delicacy” (Sarna, Genesis, 66). Another view proposes that Canaan, in this reference, represents the Canaanite people as a whole, with Ham’s behavior typifying both the sins of the Canaanites and Yahweh‘s response to that sin (Wenham, Genesis 1–15, 201). Contemporary biblical scholarship has rejected what is known as the “Hamite (or Hamitic) Myth,” which applied the curse to Ham and was used to justify racist objectives.
Some interpretations focus on Israel’s superiority over the Canaanites. Noah declares that Canaan will be the “lowest of slaves” (Gen 9:25 NRSV) to his brothers—including Shem, the ancestor of Abraham and of the Israelite people. This passage—which immediately follows the flood story—may be seen as depicting Israel’s exaltation over the Canaanites, who occupied the promised land prior to the Israelites. As Brueggemann notes, “This narrative is an opportunity to root in pre-history the power relations between Israel and Canaan and to justify it on theological grounds” (Brueggemann, Genesis, 90). In addition to Canaan, Ham is said to be the ancestor of other bitter enemies of Israel (i.e., Egypt, Cush). One of Ham’s grandsons, Nimrod, supposedly started his kingdom at Babel and later built the city of Nineveh (Gen 10:6–11).
Canaan
Canaan
Cursed be Canaan. These are the words that Noah used in Genesis 9:24-27, when he awoke from his drunken stupor. His issue is with Ham, not with Canaan. Ham is the one who betrayed his trust, it was Ham who exposed him, it was Ham that hurt him.
When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.
So he said,
“Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants
He shall be to his brothers.”
He also said,
“Blessed be the LORD,
The God of Shem;
And let Canaan be his servant.
“May God enlarge Japheth,
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;
And let Canaan be his servant.”
You have heard it been said that “hurt people, hurt people”. Noah had been hurt by his youngest son Ham, but he does not aim his anger at Ham alone but he gets him where it really hurts by cursing his son Canaan. We might ask the question “Why Canaan”?
Gen 10:6
The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.
We are told here that Ham was the father of Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. The Easton’s Bible Dictionary says:
CANAAN—(1.) The fourth son of Ham (Gen. 10:6). His descendants were under a curse in consequence of the transgression of his father (9:22–27). His eldest son, Zidon, was the father of the Sidonians and Phoenicians. He had eleven sons, who were the founders of as many tribes (10:15–18).
And so Canaan was the “Baby of the Bunch”. Think with me for a minute: as we look at this situation we could correctly surmise that when people try to hurt you, they usually target what will hurt you the most. My contention is that Noah targeted Canaan because he knew how much he meant to Ham. And so Noah relegated Canaan to be the servant of his Uncles Shem and Japheth.
God Made Me Negro
God Made Me Negro
Just in case you all didn’t know it, Ham is believed to be the father of Negro people. The idea of the Hamite developed initially from the Hebrew biblical myth of the origins of humankind; what they called the Table of Nations. In it the sons of Noah were said to form the different people that occupied the earth after the flood. This myth on its own was harmless enough. Many different cultures have used the metaphor of an original family peopling the earth to explain their origins. But this is merely allegorical and not to be taken literally. However, to justify the enslavement of the Canaanites and the seizing of their lands by the Jews it was injected into the Hebrew story that the children of Ham were cursed with slavery and were forever destined to serve their brothers, Shem and Japheth.
it makes no sense to try to change it (cosmetically or otherwise), as we have seen others do. The case of Michael Jackson comes immediately to mind. As if there is something wrong with the skin that you are in!”
Can I get a few of y’all to help me? Say it Loud, I’m black and I’m proud!
Easton, M. G. (1893). In Easton’s Bible dictionary. New York: Harper & Brothers.
curse
curse
How can you say that? We just read Gen 9:24-27
When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.
So he said,
“Cursed be Canaan;
A servant of servants
He shall be to his brothers.”
He also said,
“Blessed be the LORD,
The God of Shem;
And let Canaan be his servant.
“May God enlarge Japheth,
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;
And let Canaan be his servant.”
How can I say that I am proud to be black when this text says that I am under a curse? And there are people in this present world who really believe that the negro is suppose to be nothing but a slave. So, how can I tell you that you ought to be proud to be a black? Let’s unpack it together.
God Made Me
God Made Me
The Bible says in Genesis 1:26, that God made me. In Gen 2:7, it says that God made me. Gen. 2:18,21,22 says He made me.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.
The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.
When we look into this narrative this afternoon, what we should understand is that Ham’s place in the story is because God made him. Listen, God made him black.
God Remembers Me
God Remembers Me
Noah, in his anger, wrote Canaan out of any glory in the story. His action here must come under question, because what we know about Our Heavenly Father says that this curse was not from him. This is Noah’s curse , but the sad reality is that people treat it like it came from God. Noah by his curse was saying that Canaan was insignificant. That which is insignificant is soon forgotten.
That’s what we see in Joseph, Jacob’s son, experience. You remember how his brothers sold him into slavery. They didn’t want him around, they wanted him forgotten. He was 17 years old when they conspired to kill him, but opted to sell him into slavery. He was 30 years old when he rose to power in the kingdom of his cousin Egypt. Though his brothers wanted him forgotten, God had not forgotten to remember.
The worst possible that could happen to a person is to be in slavery.
They were trying to curse him but God turned around and blessed him.
if you keep reading the book of Genesis 12:1-3, you will discover that “after Noah cursed, God used Abraham to bless. Can you help me say I’m proud because He remembers me.
Now the LORD said to Abram,
“Go forth from your country,
And from your relatives
And from your father’s house,
To the land which I will show you;
And I will make you a great nation,
And I will bless you,
And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing;
And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
He Redeemed Me
He Redeemed Me
Canaan’s situation in the text bothers us because he is in this situation because of sin; though not necessarily his own. Turn you bibles to Ezekiel 18:3-4 and see that God does not even operate like that. Noah was saying in essence that Canaan’s station in life is directly related to something that his father did.
As I live, declares the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.
I don’t know all the sins of my father, but I do know that I was in bondage and the Lord remembered and redeemed me and brought me back.
God Rewards Me
God Rewards Me
The text tells us that Noah cursed Canaan to perpetual servitude. He uses the word servant that really means “the least of all”. No one want to be the least of all. On the contrary, we are always wanting to be first. The problem is that when we do, we forget the lesson of Jesus who said that the one who would be great among you shall be the servant of all.
See Matt.23:11
“But the greatest among you shall be your servant.
What I like about this text is that it turns conventional wisdom on it’s head. It blows worldly value systems out of the water. Jesus flips the script on Noah’s curse for us today as we realize that the servant is the greatest.
The Lord wanted you to know today that he is concerned about black lives. Yes to Him “black lives matter”.
Conclusion
Conclusion
In the gospel of Matthew 15:22-28, Jesus encountered a Canaanite woman with a need. Her initial reply was met with no answer, but she kept on asking. When Jesus did acknowledge her request he said “it is not right to take the children’s food and give it to the dogs. The term “dogs” spoke to her status, her origin, a Canaanite. Jesus, because of this woman’s faith-filled answer. At the end of this narrative we cannot help believe that the Lord loves everyone.
And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.”
But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, “Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.”
But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
And He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
But she said, “Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once.
Becasue He is the way He is. Because he is the one who made us who we are…We can shout, sing, and celebrated our blackness and embrace the spirit of serving the Lord our Christ. Because He himself identified with our plight and all for our sakes because poor. He took upon Himself the form of a servant....