Noah the Farmer
Heroes of the Faith • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week we started our study of Noah’s life and learned that God does not want anyone to perish in the great flood of life, but He does require that all come to repentance. He has provided us with all we need to “build the ark”, when we turn from sin and turn to God we find the very same thing that Noah found and that is “grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
Noah found grace in the eyes of God. The Bible says:
But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord because:
He was just
He was perfect in his generations
He walked with God.
We talked about what all those things meant last time, and so what I want to talk about today shouldn’t seem like a contradiction when I say that Job wasn’t actually perfect – not in the way we describe perfect, and his sons, at least one of them, had some issues as well.
The Flood
The Flood
Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed fifteen cubits upward, and the mountains were covered. And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, died. So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive. And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.
So that’s lots of water! How much water well 15 cubits is about 22 and a half feet, so according to scripture, you go to the top of Mt Everest and add another 22 ½ feet to it and there you have how high the water was. So in other words, High!
It was certainly enough to accomplish God’s purpose of Judgment. But although we often see this event as calamitous, and it certainly is easy to do so, we can also see how this event was actually a good thing, because humanity is given a new start through Noah and his family. Remember, Noah was a man who walked with God, so then that righteousness and that character would be passed on and carried out through this one man.
Often when we encounter the Lord’s judgment it is for similar purposes. God wants to get rid of what is corrupt in us so that what is good remains. In fact, look at what happens just a little bit later. So skip with me to:
Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated. And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. Then he said: “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.” And he said: “Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, And may he dwell in the tents of Shem; And may Canaan be his servant.” And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.
Now let’s start out by being honest. Who first sinned here? Right! It was perfect, just and right Noah that walked with God. But remember, our definition was not the same as God’s. We have a more stringent standard because we don’t understand what it really means to be perfect, just and to walk with God. Noah’s sin here is complacency. He was satisfied with his work, he thought to himself. Ah, all is good I’m going to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Nothing wrong with that, just don’t let down your guard. The psalmist warns of this very thing:
Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies. For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them;
But the true transgression is by Ham and Canaan, not Noah. Listen church, here is a truth from God. Someone else’s sin does not excuse your own.
Because of one transgression by Ham (father of Canaan), an entire line on the family tree is condemned to servitude. Actually, what was going on right here was not so much a punishment as an understanding of the heart of the man. Two things are in play here and the most obvious is the sexual sin. To go speak of his father’s nakedness rather than to cover it, exposed Ham for the kind of sin that was present in him. Indeed, this was the very sin that was present in the World that caused God to destroy it in the first place. But the curse is more of a prophetic pronouncement about how the sin of Ham and Canaan will eventually be manifest in their descendants. In fact, the Canaanites became known as a sexually and religiously degraded people.
Let me take a few minutes to address some bad teaching that is out there however, about the descendants of Ham.
There is a doctrine circulating, and has for some time now, been circulating that says that the descendants of Ham were what we know today as Africans, and that this explains why the Africans were sold as slaves.
This is called the “Hamitic Theory” and is often taught as Biblical truth, but in reality the theory comes from an eisegetical interpretation of the text. Eisegetical is a term Bible scholars use to talk about how a conclusion is made about Bible text. An eisegetical interpretation is one that comes out of reading a specific agenda into the Bible text rather than to allow the text to speak for itself which is an exegetical text. So now, the next time you hear someone talking about the exegesis of something you know to what they are referring.
But let’s get back to the Hamitic theory and find out why it can’t be called Biblical truth. First of all let’s try to find out where that comes from.
There is a passage of scripture that talks about the table of nations in Genesis 10:1-32. You can go ahead and read it there but we won’t take the time to look at it. Some proponents of the Hamitic theory point to that and say look the Hamitic tribes were scattered into Africa, therefore there is proof that the Africans were condemned to be slaves! But let’s read the scripture very carefully here.
The curse is not to all the descendants of Ham, just a very specific line of his family tree. Who is cursed? Look at verse 25! Who is it? Right! Canaan is the one who is cursed! It is only Canaan because he is the son who according to scripture participated in his father’s sin. And Canaan’s sons settled in what is known as Palestine – not Africa! In fact, Cush – another one of Ham’s sons – who is generally regarded by fundamentalist Christians and Orthodox Jews as the father of the African people; but there is nothing in the Scriptures which indicate that the curse which was pronounced against Ham and Canaan devolved on Cush. The Bible is quite specific as to the direction the curse was to take insofar as Ham’s descendants were concerned: it was to fall on Canaan and his progeny - and the certainty that it did not fall on Cush is indicated by the fact that Nimrod, one of Cush’s sons, became the most powerful man of his time - and hardly could it be said of him that he was a "servant of servants" to his brethren, which most decidedly would have happened if one takes these verses literally, which of course, is one of our founding principles here at New Song.
The truth is, there is nothing in the Scriptures which in any way indicates that Cush and his descendants were cursed; on the contrary, there is much which argues the opposite: specifically that the African people were a peculiar treasure unto the Lord and enjoyed a very special relationship with Him. Psalm 68:31 says that Ethiopia (i.e., Africa) “stretched out her hands to God” (and that God, as a result, embraced her in a very close and peculiar way); and Psalm 87:4 lists Ethiopia (Africa) as a peculiar treasure unto God, a people who “know” Him and worship Him in a manner that is due particular recognition: “I shall mention ... Ethiopia among those who know Me.” Finally, the great care with which the Lord specifically commissioned the Gospel to Africa has no parallel to any other people in the Scripture outside the Jews. (Think of Acts 8:27-40 where Philip is specifically sent to the Ethiopian eunuch to teach him the Gospel).
History itself would also show that this theory is false. Slavery as we know it as seen through the prism of our own soiled history would seem to involve only those that came from Africa, however this has not always been the case. The white man, did not go to Africa to catch himself some slaves and bring them back to Europe and North America. The truth is that many of those black slaves were sold into slavery by other black people. This type of slavery was begun by some of the African states which had laws concerning the sale of prisoners of war. These particular laws existed even before the first slave traders from Portugal arrived. But slavery predates these African laws, and is not exclusive to Africans.
Here in North America there was a great deal of slave trade amongst the Aztec people. They frequently bought and sold the peoples that they had vanquished in battle as well.
Throughout Europe, and even in the Bible we see where people would often sell themselves into slavery to pay off their debt.
So while you might find the theory in some Study Bibles and bible commentaries (like Matthew Henry) remember that neither scripture nor history supports it, and in fact this theory gives wings to racism and should be rejected by right thinking Christians on scriptural, historical and moral grounds.
So let’s get back to Noah and what is happening here. We know about the sexual sin that has just occurred, but what about this particular sin did Noah find so distressing that he cursed one of his grand kids, and why did God endorse it?
Ham sought to usurp the authority of his father by pointing out his errors and mocking him. History’s hall of shame is replete with various ones who went down this road: Aaron and Miriam (Numbers 12:1-15), Korah (Numbers 16) and Absalom (2 Samuel 15) followed in this sin. Each met with calamitous endings depending on their heart attitude. IF they were repentant then they were spared, but if not then they were destroyed.
Do we do that today in the church? Absolutely!
Consider the words of Paul when he talks about unrepentant sinners in the congregation.
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Wait a second! I thought we were supposed to be forgiving. We are supposed to forgive each other 490 times a day why is he saying people should be handed over to have their flesh destroyed? Good question! Look at what preceded this incident with the brothers.
Noah and his family express their thanks to God by making sacrificial offerings to him. God responds by making a promise to Noah. Look at what is contained within that promise.
“While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
With these words, God has established the principle of sowing and reaping which says, you get what you plant. You don’t grow apple trees from planting strawberry seeds, you only get apples. Simple right? Well let’s take that to the next Biblical step.
See if you can tell me what principle this is:
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Bingo! Sowing and reaping again. This time talking about a very different kind of seed, but the principle remains. So why is this important to our story?
Well because God had just destroyed the entire earth because of the sin of the people, and here were the very same sins manifesting themselves again. God had to deal with this right away. The sin is not just a sexual sin as we have discussed it goes further than that, it goes to a very dire spiritual cancer.
Noah knew this, and like any good farmer he had to separate the bad seed out and sow only the good seed. God knew it too and knew that Noah had to deal with it decisively because He had just established the principle of sowing and reaping. If you sow bad seed, what kind of fruit do you get? Let’s look back at our passage in 1 Corinthians, how does that one finish up?
Make no mistake. Here at New Song, we embrace the grace of God wholeheartedly! We know that God’s grace is sufficient and that we are all deserving of wrath, but instead He gives us His love. But where there is leaven in the lump, we will cut it out and get rid of it before we allow it to contaminate the entire congregation!
Where the sin of Canaan, or Miriam and Aaron, or Korah or Absalom is present – the disdain of the authority of God – it will be dealt with swiftly. Where there is sexual perversion then we are scripturally required to isolate those who are part of it. How many times have you seen churches fall because of a big sex scandal? It’s not new, in fact Paul goes on to rebuke the Corinthians for some weird and perverted approval that was tacitly given in their case and says:
Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Here he turns to the yeast metaphor, but it is the same isn’t it? Our leaven – the leaven that we spread, and the seed that we sow should be sincerity and truth.
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
We shall what? That’s right - REAP!
But pastor you don’t get it! I’ve been reaping good stuff, I’ve been reaping this patiently and I still do not see the fruit! I am beginning to think this is all some kind of lie.
I understand your frustration. Believe me, but when does that passage ssay you will reap? IN DUE SEASON! But even then it’s conditional: IF WE DO NOT LOSE HEART!
Does doing the right thing take patience? You bet it does!
Is it hard? You bet it is!
Does it cost? EVERYTHING!
In fact, consider Shem look how long that seed took to grow.
This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah. After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Salah lived thirty years, and begot Eber. After he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters. Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot Peleg. After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters. Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters. Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug. After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters. Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot Terah. After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters. Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Look who comes into the picture! Our next hero of the faith- Abraham! But how long did it take for that seed from Shem to sprout? 294 years!
Make no mistake, sin takes root fast and springs up quickly but the end of it is death and destruction. The process for righteousness to take root takes much patience, but its fruit is worth the wait.
If God has made you a promise and you’ve kept your end of the bargain I want to encourage you do not grow weary today! Trust God to be true to His word.
If you have a spouse who is not yet serving Jesus, keep praying. Keep believing – persevere! Have a child for whom you’ve been praying? Keep it up!
Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Saints, let us guard ourselves from sin, the sin of complacency, the sin of mockery and exposing our fathers, our brothers and our sisters. Let us take to heart the promise of God that we shall reap what we sow, and understand that we reap both good and bad, based upon what we sow.
Finally, understand that bad seed sprouts quickly – refuse the temptation to take a shortcut just because it’s faster and understand that good seed takes time. Don’t lose patience and you will be greatly rewarded by your Father in heaven.
