What About Noah? (Drunk And Naked !!!)

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wordoflife (14K)

A student of God's Holy Word as well as the casual Bible reader is somewhat taken back and shocked when coming upon this particular passage in Genesis chapter 9. It is such a marked contrast of events after reading the wonderful story of the construction of the ark, the salvation of Noah and his family, and the animals when God destroyed mankind with a world-wide flood because of the wickedness and violence that man produced in it. Everything from Genesis chapter 1 until this chapter has been wonderful, educational, and comprehensible. But beginning in chapter 9, this event concerning Noah and his family appears to be extraordinary, out of place, and out of character with what we know about Noah. What we have before us is an important lesson in the knowledge of our own sinful nature and the grace of God. The key is to determine just what that lesson is.

INTRODUCTION

Every child in a Christian home has undoubtedly heard the story of Noah, the ark, and the flood and how all the animals came to Noah and entered the Ark where they were saved from the flood. Toys patterned after Noah's ark and coloring-books are often used to impress upon the child the Bible events that took place and to demonstrate how God saved Noah and placed a beautiful rainbow in the clouds which even today marks that event. Such a coloring-book serves to teach the child about God, God's creation, and various bible characters, as well as other bible events. Learning is taking place as we witness a child with crayon grasped tightly in between those small fingers and diligently trying to color only between the lines. As the child matures, the coloring-books will give way to learning by hearing, reading, interaction, and then applying this knowledge to real life issues. These learning tools equip the child for success in adulthood as a mature Christian.

In similar fashion God places within his Word a colored picture or "pictorial", if you will, to impress upon us certain truths about His nature, His grace, His love, His holiness, His glory, His mercy, His righteousness, His forgiveness, and His Salvation. The story of David and Goliath is such a "pictorial" type, if you will, in the life of David that shows us the strength and victory that is ours when we hear and act upon God's Word. These pictorial types are a pleasure to read over and over again as we learn additional facts and truths about these events and the applications that can be applied in our own Christian life each time we read them. The relationship of these Old Testament "pictorials" to the Christian life give way in the New Testament epistles to hearing, reading, and applying Bible truths to real life issues. Of course we need the Holy Spirit to guide us and teach us God's Holy Word and to take the things of Christ and make them real to us and conform us to His image.

However, there are some pictorials in God's Word that are not a pleasure to read but are necessary to show us the awfulness of sin and its consequences. Such is the story of Noah and his son Ham here in Genesis. Remember, for example, after the story of David and Goliath there comes the story of David and Bathsheba where we have adultery, murder, and the birth of an illegitimate child. God included that event within the pages of scripture so that Christians might learn about sin and its consequences in our life, the effect it has on our fellowship with God during these times, and how God feels and responds toward a Christian when we become engaged in sin. David's own response to his sin comes alive when we learn that he wrote Psalm 51 to express his repentance, his appeal to God for forgiveness, and to call God to remembrance of HIS abundant mercy in times of our failures.

This passage in Genesis chapter 9 concerning Noah and the birth of Canaan is also a "pictorial" type which God has recorded for us to reveal to us the awfulness of a particular type of sin, the product it produces, and God's feeling toward those who commit this particular sin. We will learn at the conclusion of this study that thousands of Christians commit this specific sin daily and are:

This passage in Genesis is similar in nature to the sin of David and Bathsheba in that it strips the cloak off of the sin that God wants us to see and presents the ugly side of sin and shows us the product that it produces. Sin is not a pretty picture in front of a Holy God and if we are to be holy, then we will learn from this event and see the ugliness of it and flee from it. This event in the life of Noah is not a pretty picture and is not one for general discussion with family and friends around the dinner table. Nevertheless, it is important that we study this passage to learn :

  1. The Actual Event that took place
  2. Who the Bible characters represent
  3. The interpretation of the event
  4. The application of this event in the life of a Christian

Before we elaborate on just how bleak this pictorial is, I must add that we will also see from this event the grace and faithfulness that God exhibits toward his own children even when we sin. For if we become faithless, HE remains faithful. We will also see the blessing that Christians can obtain when we learn from this particular "pictorial" and flee from practicing and promoting the sin that this event describes.

THE COVENANT - BORN AGAIN

This story opens with the Covenant that God made with Noah, his family, and all living creatures.

Genesis 9
9 "And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you,
10 "and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth.
11 "Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."
12 And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 "I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
14 "It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud;
15 "and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16 "The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
17 And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Question: Why is a review of the Covenant so important?

The covenant is important because it is a pictorial of the new birth experience for the Christian. Noah and his family found salvation in the Ark and opened the door of that Ark to find "a new creation" if you will, where old things had passed away. The Apostle Paul makes a similar statement to us - - -

2 Cor 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

What a picture this is of the Christian's new birth portrayed on the pages of the Old Testament. for - - -

John 3
3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

In the same manner, we have obtained salvation and enter into a new relationship with God through the provision contained in a new covenant that Jesus Christ instituted. This New Covenant is premised on the events of His Death, His Burial, and His Glorious Resurrection from the grave by which he triumphed over death and sin. He invites everyone who will, to come to Him and have everlasting life through this New Covenant and to have a Hope and a future with Him throughout all eternity.

Matthew 26
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.
28 "For this is My blood of the NEW COVENANT, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Now we can draw a New Testament parallel to the fact that Noah and family are saved which is comparable to a New Testament Christian wherein we are saved by Grace through Faith. At this point, we shall consider Noah and his family belonging to God and are therefore 'saved". Therefore, this story and the lesson to be learned will be applicable to Believers only and not to the Unbelievers.

THE OBJECTIVE

Now God has a plan and purpose for saving Noah and his family - - They are to BRING FORTH FRUIT - -

Genesis 8
15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying,
16 "Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons" wives with you.
17 "Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be FRUITFUL and MULTIPLY on the earth."
18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons" wives with him.

Genesis 9:1
So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: "BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY", and fill the earth.

The son's of Noah are now on a mission from God to MULTIPLY and fill the earth.. These three young men are going to do their best to be fruit bearers and produce as much fruit (offspring) as they can. God has placed the objective before them and the race is "ON" if you will to produce fruit.

Up until this time the sons of Noah had produced "NO FRUIT" nor were they able to do so. The Pre-Covenant picture of fruit bearing by these three men doesn't exit. It is a blank page because there is no fruit bearing to show. Similarly, until a person becomes a Child of God (Born Again) through the provision of the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, they cannot produce fruit.

Now God has issued a command that they "BE FRUITFUL". This is the same command that God requires of His children, that is, we also are required to be fruitful. The fruit bearing in the Old Testament is pictured in the number of children or offspring that a family had. In the New Testament, the parallel teaching is that fruit bearing of a Christian is to result in the practice of "RIGHTEOUSNESS".

John 15
4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; for without Me you can do nothing.

How does a Child of God produce fruit? By reading, studying, and staying in the Word of God - - -

The Holy Spirit of God
works through the
Word of God,
in the
Child of God,
to conform us to the
Image of God,
that is Jesus Christ
The Son of God,
that we may manifest the
Righteousness of God,
to the praise and
Glory of God,
as children of the
Kingdom of God,
anxiously awaiting our
. . . Redemption by God . . .

Just as we discipline our children to do what is right, we oftentimes have to be prompted by God to manifest righteousness - -

Heb 12:11
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable. . . Fruit Of Righteousness

to those who have been trained by it.

The New Testament correlations we can make from the above concerning Noah and his family is - - -

  1. Noah and his family are all BELIEVERS
  2. The SON's of Noah are to bear FRUIT

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been SAVED through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

2 Corinthians 9:10
Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the FRUITS of your RIGHTEOUSNESS

Now we can begin to look at the Genesis passages in detail - - -

THE EVENT

We begin our review of this event by reading the following text in Genesis chapter 9 - - -

Genesis 9
18 Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan.
19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.
20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.
21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.
22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
23 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.
24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him.
25 Then he said: "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren."

As stated above, the sons of Noah are depicted as being "Born Again", saved if you will, and are now capable of bearing fruit. The focus on the rest of the account will primarily be on the sons and NOT on Noah. We are not dealing with Unsaved or Unbelievers here. There is no question to their 'salvation" status for they have just arrived on the new earth which represents the NEW BIRTH experience for a Believer in Jesus Christ.

Genesis 9:18
Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan.

Ham as well as his brothers have begun to produce fruit and have several offspring. But we are told a most important fact at the very beginning: -- Ham is the father of Canaan --. We would immediately assume at this point that Ham's wife would be the mother of Canaan. Our assumption will be proven false and Ham's wife IS NOT the mother of Canaan. If Ham's wife is not the mother of this child, then the question is, "Who is Canaan's mother?" This will be determined later.

19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.

Now we know that Noah did not father any more children with his wife, because the earth will be populated by and through his three sons. The focus is now on the sons of Noah. Noah was the star attraction if you will during the construction of the Ark and during the flood. But the scene and situation changes before us and Noah will not be the focus of attention in this event. As a matter of fact, not only will Noah not be the star attraction, he will be absent while the event unfolds and the story progresses. The parallel we can now make is that we are dealing with Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who are types of "Children of God". From this point, Noah will represent God (Jesus Christ) in the story that unfolds before us.

20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.

You will remember in the New Testament, that Jesus told the story of a farmer who went to his field and began planting seeds in order to produce a crop. There were some problems not unique to all farmers, because some of the seed fell among thorns, some on the beaten pathway, some in rocky soil, and thankfully, some on good rich soil which later produced a crop, some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundredfold. The farmer in Matthew 13 was intent on producing a crop. The farmer in that story represented our Lord Jesus Christ. So Noah in this story is intent on producing a crop in his vineyard and therefore represents our Lord Jesus Christ in the sowing and reaping process.

Romans 6
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
21 What FRUIT did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your FRUIT to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, . . .

The idea that Noah drank of the wine and was "Drunk" carries with it the idea that he was not present during the course of events that will follow. Similarly, Jesus Christ is not present on earth in bodily form while his people, the Church, are producing fruit. The wine in this story speaks of "JOY" and while in this state of joy, Noah is absent from the family. He is absent because of SLEEP which was induced through the media of wine. Jesus is also portrayed as having his Joy fulfilled while He is now in Heaven - - -

Heb 12:2
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the JOY that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD.

This is where many bible students are carried away with the concept of Noah drinking wine - - Should he, or Shouldn't he -- This idea is to miss the point entirely.

The point our Lord is making here is that Noah is NOT AROUND to intervene in the following event. The event that happens in this passage is done so during the absence of Noah. Our Lord Jesus presented similar parables in The New Testament which duplicate the same fact that HE would be absent while His servants would remain behind to accomplish His work.

Matthew 21:33
"Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and WENT INTO A FAR COUNTRY . . .

Now Noah couldn't easily go into a far country, because he was already in a far country. The wine in this story prompts Noah to go to sleep and he is therefore ABSENT from the scene if you will. There are many other parables where the Lord Jesus is typified as being away from his servants (the church) while they are producing fruit - - -.

Luke 12
35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
36 "and you yourselves be like men who WAIT FOR THEIR MASTER, WHEN HE WILL RETURN from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.

Noah will return to the scene, if you will, when HE WAKES UP - - -

As Jesus is at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven and ABSENT FROM HIS SONS through death of the Cross during this present age, so in like manner - - -

Noah is Absent From His Sons while he is asleep...

The phrase "drank of the wine" typifies the joy he has of his Salvation. Though it says he "was drunk", it is not here referring to his being given to wine as we find in other scriptures. He is simply overcome with JOY. Before the Holy Spirit came to indwell believers, wine typified the infilling of the spirit when used in a positive sense. Of course in the Old Testament we find the opposite true when they were given to wine and committed acts of unrighteousness. This is where the comparison ends. The Old Testament context determines whether being filled with wine was GOOD or BAD - - -

TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK

A lot is made of the issue of Noah becoming drunk with wine even to the point of accusing him of committing sin. The fact is that there was NO SIN of any type committed by Noah in this regard. We know this for two reasons.

  1. There is no Biblical record that he sinned or repented of sin.
  2. God declares that Noah was a righteous man - - - Eze 14:14

WINE - FOR THE GOOD

Ecclesiastes 9:7
Go, eat your bread with joy, And DRINK YOUR WINE with a MERRY HEART; For God has already accepted your works.

Amos 9:14
I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; They shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and DRINK WINE from them; They shall also make gardens and eat fruit from them.

But with the indwelling Holy Spirit in the Believer's life, we are not to pursue that course of being filled to excess of wine. The New Testament does not condemn wine drinking or any other kind of alcoholic drink, contrary to some Church teaching, but admonishes us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. How do you do that? (Let the Word of Christ dwell in you RICHLY)

Ephesians 5:18
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

WINE - FOR THE BAD

Isaiah 28 (To the Leader of Israel)
7 But they also have erred through wine, And through intoxicating drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, They are swallowed up by wine, They are out of the way through intoxicating drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filth; No place is clean.

THE NAKEDNESS OF NOAH

Now we will look at the issue of nakedness which is at the center of this passage - - -

21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent.

Now we know that Noah will be absent during this particular time and we pick up the rest of the verse where Noah is uncovered in his tent. We will know EXACTLY what the term "Uncovered" or "The Nakedness" means when we get to the next verse.

22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, . . .

The phrase "nakedness of his father" is referring to Noah's wife, which is Ham's OWN mother ! ! ! This is explained to us in the Old Testament as follows - -

Leviticus 18
6 "None of you shall approach anyone who is near of kin to him, to uncover his nakedness: I am the LORD.
7 "The NAKEDNESS of your FATHER or the nakedness of your MOTHER you shall not uncover. She is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness.
8 The NAKEDNESS of your FATHER's WIFE you shall not uncover; it is your FATHER's NAKEDNESS.

Now we know that the remainder of this event will center around Ham and his own birth mother, that is, Noah's wife. Its going to be pretty difficult to miss what is happening here, for - - -

NOAH's WIFE will be the MOTHER of Canaan ! ! !

Many Bible expositors as well as myself had considered that since Noah's wife is not mentioned by name and her genealogy not given, that surely the woman involved here must be Ham's STEPMOTHER. The idea that it could be his own birth mother is hideous and incomprehensible. But this is exactly what God is saying. Now we know what sin has been committed - - - Ham will produce fruit and father a child by Noah's wife. This is a picture of the sin IN THE FLESH, if you will, but we must bring this sin to light through the Holy Spirit and allow the New Testament to describe to us what is happening IN THE SPIRIT - - -

Since Ham will father an illegitimate child (Canaan) by Noah's wife, we know that Noah will be innocent in this regard because Noah was absent throughout the duration of the event and we are actually dealing with what will be called - - -

THE SIN OF HAM

Now we can surmise that the drunkenness of Noah, that period by in which Noah was asleep, lasted for about one year and maybe much longer. Was he literally asleep during this time? Probably not, for the Bible doesn't say and the exact time period is inconsequential to the point of the story. We can only conclude that this unknown time period typifies that Noah was absent from his sons.

At this point we can make the following parallel relationships between Noah and our Lord Jesus Christ - - -

  1. Noah Head of His Family => Jesus Christ HEAD of HIS CHURCH
  2. Noah in state of Joy => Jesus Christ in Glory in Heaven
  3. Noah absent from sons => Jesus Christ absent from HIS SONS

NAKEDNESS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Now we know what the nakedness in this Old Testament passage is being referred to. The question before us is, "what does the New Testament have to say about this?". We know exactly where to look when we arrive at the Apostle Paul's first epistle to the newly founded Church at Corinth and he addresses the Church members as follows - - -

1 Cor 5:1
It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality (Fornication) among you,
and such sexual immorality (Fornication) as is

not even named among the gentiles

--that - -

a man has his FATHER's WIFE ! ! !

Wow!!! The Apostle Paul has restated the issue in Genesis chapter 9 for us in the New Testament. Now we know that we will be looking at the spiritual implications of this issue in the context by which he writes.

The gentiles are represented in scripture as heathens, wicked, and godless people and will commit every sin in the book. This sin, however, is one that is not contained in THEIR list of "things to do". The fact is, Ham has his Father's wife which is his own mother in THE FLESH. The woman involved in this event, therefore, is his own BIRTH MOTHER, which is Noah's wife, and this woman will give birth to a son name Canaan - - - The sin before us is one of FORNICATION and is pictured in the Old Testament in this passage in a SEXUAL SENSE where a man fathers a child by his own birth mother. God intends to show pictorially what a terrible sin this is by presenting this account to us in the pages of scripture.

Remember, Ham's intention is TO PRODUCE FRUIT - - -

The fruit bearing that Ham is engaging is repulsive and God is making sure that we understand the awfulness of this sin. Now we know for sure that the issue here is one of fornication and will be referred to as - - -

THE SIN OF HAM

Is there a practical application for us here? You can be assured there is, because many Christians are committing this sin today with intent of producing fruit.

This sin of Fornication is common in our Churches more so today than at any other time in church history and the Apostle Paul encountered it for the first time at the Church at Corinth. The apostle Paul gives this sin a name, "FORNICATION", so that we will know what to call it.

The sin of FORNICATION is stated in the New Testament in a SENSUAL SENSE with the same implication as a man who father's a child by his own birth mother. Needless to say, the sin committed by Christians is of a hideous nature which not only God hates, but even the Gentiles would agree. This a good size mistake that is hard to overlook especially when even the heathen can point it out to you... Rest assured they on occasion point this out to Christians every chance they get - - -

We refer to this sin as "Spiritual Fornication" in order to differentiate it from the physical act of fornication. Now let's consider for a moment the results of this sin as viewed from Noah's perspective. This will parallel the view that our Lord Jesus has - - -

  1. What is Noah (Jesus Christ) going to THINK about this when he finds out what Ham has done?
  2. What is Noah (Jesus Christ) going to SAY about this when he finds out what Ham has done?
  3. What is Noah (Jesus Christ) going to DO about this when he finds out what Ham has done?

The answers to the above questions will be determined as we proceed. However, we already know what God has to say about this sin under "The Law of Moses" where He says - - -

Leviticus 20:11
"The man who lies with his father's wife has UNCOVERED HIS FATHER's NAKEDNESS; both of them shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.

Deuteronomy 27:20
"CURSED IS THE ONE who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's bed." And all the people shall say, "Amen!"

Isaiah 57
8 Also behind the doors and their posts You have set up your remembrance; For you have UNCOVERED YOURSELF TO THOSE OTHER THAN ME, And have gone up to them; You have enlarged your bed And made a covenant with them; You have loved their bed, Where you saw their nudity.

Ezekiel 22 (NKJV)
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 "Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations!
3 "Then say, "Thus says the Lord GOD: "The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself.
4 "You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries.
5 "Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult.
6 "Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.
7 "In you they have made light of father and mother; in your midst they have oppressed the stranger; in you they have mistreated the fatherless and the widow.
8 "You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.
9 "In you are men who slander to cause bloodshed; in you are those who eat on the mountains; in your midst they COMMIT LEWDNESS.
10 "In you men UNCOVER THEIR FATHER's NAKEDNESS; in you they violate women who are set apart during their impurity.

The Lord is pretty clear about what He thinks about this sin which is committed in the flesh...

THE NAKEDNESS OF NOAH

We now know what transpired between Ham and Noah's wife, but what does the event where Ham has fathered a child (Canaan) by Noah's wife" represent? Just what is this NAKEDNESS that has so captured our attention and puzzled us with no apparent New Testament parallel?

The answer to that is found in the following - - -

1 Cor 11
6 For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.
7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but . . .

* * * Woman Is The "glory" Of Man * * *

Now we know what this event is all about and what God is telling us. The nakedness of Noah represents - - -

THE GLORY OF GOD

The interaction between Ham and Noah's wife represents a Christian attempting to produce fruit by utilizing the GLORY of GOD which is forbidden. For God Himself declares - - -

Isaiah 42:8
I am the LORD,
that is My name; And
My Glory
I will not give to another.

22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

Ham has seen and INTERACTED with the GLORY of Noah. Ham has done that which is detestable in order to gain an advantage over his brothers. Ham as well as his two brothers were commanded to "Bear Fruit" and it was Ham's intent to produce MORE FRUIT (offspring) than that of his brothers.

Ham has told his brothers Shem and Japheth and is boasting in the fact of what he has done. He also is suggesting and encouraging them to do the same. You must remember that Ham's objective is "Fruit Bearing" and this is an opportunity to do just that and exceed the fruit bearing of his two brothers. You will notice that the involvement of Noah's wife during this event e is completely without mention. This is so the focus is entirely, solely, and exclusively upon Ham and this particular sin. God is showing us that Ham's sin nature is the same as ours and we Christians do the same thing in the spiritual sense once the realization and understanding of this passage is given to us.

At this point we have no idea of whether Noah's wife was passive, aggressive, suggestive, encouraging, or perhaps even a victim. We are left with no idea. This is because we are looking at only half of the story if you will. Noah's wife remains draped in secrecy during this event and remains nameless, faceless, and without character. God, however, in the New Testament, will tell us the other side of this story and give us all the vivid details of what this woman is like and her involvement throughout this event. The Apostle Paul as well as other New Testament writers will describe her character and her actions and present her attributes in living color. Most astonishing is the fact that and our Lord Jesus will even identify her for us and TELL US HER NAME ! ! ! But this is a study for another time.

23 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.

The good news is that Shem and Japheth are not going to join Ham in his act of fornication. The brothers will cover the SIN if you will. The relationship that Ham has with Noah's wife is going on while Noah (typified as the Lord Jesus Christ) is away. The brothers are aware of what is happening and decide not to join Ham in this endeavor. The 'sIN OF HAM" will remain with Ham and the two brothers will remain innocent in this regard. We know this to be true because they did not look upon the nakedness of Noah, but turned their faces away.

The issue of the garment is quite significant and reveals to us that the brothers will - - -

  1. Carry the garment on their own shoulders
  2. Cover the nakedness of their father
  3. Turn their faces away from this event

The garment in this story has two representations. The garment represents - - -

LOVE and PERSEVERANCE

The first aspect is quite easy to understand for we know that the brothers (represented here as fellow Christians) will show LOVE toward their brother. They will not issue any type of judgment toward him whatsoever. In a practical sense, you would expect the brothers to take Ham out behind the barn and have a meeting with him there. Ham would be lucky to return to the dinner table alive and in one piece...

So this first aspect of the garment is love and this love is used to COVER THE TRANSGRESSION if you will. This is the idea behind, "Love Covers a Multitude of Sins".

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up strife, But LOVE COVERS all sins.

Romans 4:7
"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose SINS ARE COVERED;

1 Peter 4
8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "LOVE will COVER a MULTITUDE of SINS."

We learn three things from the above verses that with respect to the two brothers, which typifies fellow Christians, that they - - -

  1. Refused to produce fruit in the manner of Ham
  2. Did not impute sin to their brother Ham
  3. Did not enact judgment upon their brother

OLD TESTAMENT - NEW TESTAMENT - CORRELATIONS

Now we know what the lesson is all about and that the issue before is one of Glory. God's Glory to be specific. Now we can draw the appropriate correlations from the "Picture" we have in the Old Testament and the "Instruction" we have in the New Testament - - -

24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him.

Noah awakens and returns to the scene if you will. Herein typifies the return of our Lord Jesus Christ to REWARD each of His Servants according to his works. Noah has returned and he will reward Ham for the "WORK" he has done as well as the brothers for what they have done. In similar fashion, Jesus Christ will reward us for "Works" we have done while in the body..

1 Cor 3
11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
13 each one's WORK will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is.
14 If anyone's WORK which he has built on it endures, he will receive a REWARD.

Well, just what did Ham do to Noah? - - - - Ham produced fruit wrongfully - - - Will Ham receive a REWARD for this?

The new world which they find themselves in after leaving the ark has now been contaminated by sin in similar fashion to the Garden of Eden in which sin did not originally exist. Now this new world and specifically the children of Ham through Canaan will suffer the consequences of Ham's sin. The sin has been exposed - - -

* * * Ham Has Fathered a Child by Noah's Wife ! * * *

Ham has attempted to perform the will of the Lord, to be fruitful and multiply in an immoral and wicked way in order to be fruitful and multiply. This event is recorded for us so that we may see the "Picture" and end result that this sin has caused. The product and end result of Ham's work that he has intended to accomplish for his own purpose will be CURSED - - -

25 Then he said: "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren."

Noah here is acting as a placeholder for Jesus Christ in the fact that he has the God given right and authority to exercise judgment in this case. The result of Ham's sin will be cursed. The brothers did not and were not to render judgment upon Ham. Noah's grandson, Canaan, and all of Canaan's offspring will be cursed. The Israelites will enter the Land of Canaan some centuries later with instructions from God to kill every man, woman, and child who are descendants of Canaan.

With the story and events before us, what application does this have for the Christian? The answer to that question is found in 1 Corinthians 5 where we see the parallel - - -

1 Corinthians 5:1 (KJV)
It is reported commonly that there is FORNICATION among you, and such FORNICATION as is not so much as NAMED AMONG THE GENTILES, that One Should Have HIS FATHER's WIFE.

Now we know that the sin of Ham is actually a picture of 'spiritual Fornication" acted out in the flesh. Although Ham literally had his Father's wife, does this man in 1 Corinthians LITERALLY have his Father's wife". Of course not, it is a metaphor and references the events we have just studied.

The FORNICATION that is occurring here is SENSUAL and not SEXUAL. However, this sin appears to the Lord as well as to the Apostle Paul as a hideous, incomprehensible sin. Just what is the sin, and aren't the Church members going to do something about it?

Now the parallel is put before us. But just what is the FORNICATION that is being described? Is it LITERAL: FORNICATION ? Is it a sin of a sexual nature? The answer is "NO" as we shall see from the context - - -

The phrase "puffed up" has to do with KNOWLEDGE that this Church has or at least thinks that they have and they are actually PROUD of the fact.

1 Corinthians 8:1 (NKJV)
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge PUFFS up, but love edifies.

3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this DEED,

The FORNICATION that is occurring by one man in the Church "Appears" to the Apostle Paul as a hideous and incomprehensible sin and is the exact sin that Ham committed way back in the book of Genesis. It is the Apostle Paul who makes the correlation and provides the link between the sexual and the sensual - the works of the flesh versus the works of the Spirit. Paul as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ has not only the obligation to CORRECT unsound doctrine (Spiritual Fornication) through encouragement and preaching, but he also has the POWER to do something about.

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To DELIVER SUCH AN ONE UNTO SATAN for the DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul is commanding that the Church do something about this person who is a "Believer", is 'saved:, but is committing, preaching, and practicing the sin called - - 'spiritual Fornication" . He must be delivered to Satan to stop the spread of this activity. The scenario that Paul envisions is the same as occurred in James chapter 5. The elders of the Church had pronounced judgment upon a man in their midst who was committing a sin worthy of judgment. The man did not repent and fell under THE JUDGMENT of the Elders of the Church and was dying. He later realizes his predicament and calls for the Elders of the Church to accept his repentance and be healed. (Refer to Bible Topic Study- James Chapter 5)

Meanwhile, back to our context, the Apostle Paul will now link the sin of Fornication with the Glory of God in the following

6 Your GLORYING is not good. Know ye not that a little LEAVEN LEAVENETH the whole lump?

The glory mentioned above does not just refer to boasting, but has to do with the supernatural. Leaven refers to the unchecked spread of Signs, Wonders, and Miracles in the Church through deception which is the wrongful interaction of a Christian with the GLORY OF GOD through signs, wonders, and miracles. Remember the passage "Beware of the LEAVEN of the Pharisees". Do you remember what the LEAVEN was that our Lord was referring to?

John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His GLORY, the GLORY as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

What Glory did Jesus reveal? Jesus revealed his Heavenly nature through wisdom, love, knowledge, and by performing MIRACLES by the POWER of GOD. This is what the Apostle Paul is referring to.

7 PURGE out therefore the old LEAVEN, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are UNLEAVENED. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us

The fact that He was our Passover typifies the fact that He placed His Glory (via Power) aside and went to the Cross. He was confronted, handcuffed, beaten, and spit upon as if He was completely POWERLESS ! ! ! You will remember that He said when He was arrested, that He had 12 legions of angels at his command to intervene if HE SO DESIRED - - - All He had to do was ask the Father for them and it would have been all over - - - The sin that this person is committing in which the Church is so proud, is that this person is apparently executing SIGNS, WONDERS, and MIRACLES via the GLORY of CHRIST. The Church couldn't be more pleased - - - The Apostle Paul will address these issues with them in chapters 12 and 14 of this same book of 1 Corinthians. He will also charge SOME of them with FALSIFYING the gifts of the spirit.

8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old LEAVEN, neither with the LEAVEN of malice and WICKEDNESS; but with the UNLEAVENED bread of sincerity and TRUTH.

Remember Jesus told his disciples to BEWARE of the LEAVEN of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and later that of Herod. What was the Leaven? The teaching concerning their request to SEE SIGNS ! ! ! Well this same problem has arrived in the Church.

9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with FORNICATORS:

The Fornicators as you learned in our previous Bible Topic Studies on Adultery and Fornication is that in the Spirit - - -

SPIRITUAL FORNICATION

is the seeking of

SIGNS WONDERS and MIRACLES

by

BELIEVERS

10 Yet not altogether with the FORNICATORS of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

The Apostle Paul again clarifies that the Fornication he is talking about has Nothing to do with SEXUAL sins.

11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a BROTHER be a FORNICATOR, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

The phrase "Not To Eat" is Paul's warning not to sit under the same teaching that these Fornicators are sitting under when it comes participating in the Glory of God through Signs, Wonders, and Miracles. Jesus said, This is why he says - - -

John 6:53
Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you EAT the flesh of the Son of Man and DRINK His blood, you have no life in you.

The Apostle Paul issues, not a suggestion, but a command to all Christians intent on obeying the commandment of our Lord, and that is - - -

1 Corinthians 6:18
FLEE FORNICATION ! ! !
Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth FORNICATION sinneth against his own body.

Christians who interact with the Glory of Christ and believe, promote, and practice Signs, Wonders, and Miracles, are portrayed in the New Testament as committing (Spiritual) Fornication. Such Christians receive the rebuke of our Lord Jesus Christ for committing this sin (Spiritual Fornication) as He addresses His children in - -

- - THE CHURCH AT THYATIRA - -

Edited: November 2023