Man Retained the Sinful Nature

Genesis 9:18-29

God had just destroyed all life off the earth except for Noah’s family and the animals who were with him because of man’s wickedness. Noah and his family were spared because they pleased God. All of the genetic pool except that of Noah’s sons and their wives had been wiped out as a result of sin. Noah and his three sons, along with the animals they had protected would have to repopulate the earth.

“And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.” (Genesis 9:18-19)

DNA analysis has enabled researchers to state that all modern species of dogs originated with a single pair, probably in northern Africa. While almost no other species has been so thoroughly researched, most seem to generally indicate the same thing. Humans are less clear. Noah brough t only one pair of dogs, but there were eight humans. While all his sons shared Noah and his wife’s genetic heritage, His son’s wives did not. While all their descendants would share a majority of genetic traits. There would be some differences. Many of the similarities and differences in modern humans are explained by The fact that unlike dogs, our genetic history goes back farther that at of dogs, with Noah’s sons wives bringing genetic material dating back to Adam and Eve. It is exactly what the laws of genetics would lead us to expect from the biblical description.

“And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.” (Genesis 9:20-21)

Genesis 6:8-9 states, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” Undoubtedly, the making of wine had been discovered before the flood. While scripture never forbids the use of fermented wine, it warns that fermented wine leads to sin. Proverbs 23:31-33 warns, “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things."

Noah was a man who pleased God, yet he himself was just a susceptible to it’s effects as anyone else. Alcohol affects one’s perceptions and mental functions, even in small quantities. As a result, Noah was less conscious of what he was doing and he exposed himself when he drank. In doing so, he exposed others to temptation.

“And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.” (Genesis 9:22)

Ham saw what hids father had done. He could have just covered his father and kept his mouth shut. Noah would have known he’d been seen and might have stopped. Instead, Ham couldn’t wait to tell on his Dad. Noah had done wrong, and Ham was excited about it, much as people today are thrilled by dirty talk or sexual activity even though they don’t do it themselves. Ephesians 5:11-12 instructs, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” Instead drunkenness or sexual sin is treated as a joke. Proverbs 14:9 warns, “Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.” Many times even those who know it is wrong sit and enjoy movies about such wickedness, or even emulate them, as Romans 1:32 describes. “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.”

“And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.” (Genesis 9:23)

Shem and Ham recognized Noah’s behavior as shameful and tried to prevent others being tempted, including themselves. A psychology professor told his students they would never be able to effectively deal with drug addicts unless they tried it themselves. Almost the entire class tried them with the idea of helping others and became addicted themselves. Shem and Japheth fled temptation themselves.

“And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.” (Genesis 9:24)

We are constantly told that drunks do not know what is going on, yet unless they completely pass out they can nearly always remember at least some of the details. Noah knew the mockery and disrespect Ham had shown when he woke up.

“And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.” (Genesis 9:25)

As a result of Ham’s disrespect for his father, his son Canaan was cursed. It would result in his being a slave to the others. For many years various groups held this curse as justification for enslaving the blacks. Canaan was the father of the groups who settled Canaan, the land that was later given to Israel. They do not appear to have been black. None of Ham’s other children were cursed, although some of them are black. The language of the Ethiopians is Semetic or of the family of Shem, and the blacks of India, are genetically linked to Japheth rather than Ham. The dark skin does not appear to have anything to do with the curse. It does appear that most of Ham’s descendants moved to the south.

“And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.” (Genesis 9:26)

The Semetic peoples would follow the path of Seths family more than the other people, with the Jews being chosen as God’s special people because of their progenitor’s faith in God. The Canaanites would be forced to serve the Semetic peoples. Semetic groups frequently ruled over Canaan. They filled parts of Asia and the area of Northern Africa. Many of the great empires originated with Shem’s descendants.

“God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.” (Genesis 9:27)

Japhath’s descendants tended to move predominantly to the north, It was somewhat later that the Canaanites were subjected to their power under Roman domination. They filled most of the European continent and India and are known as Indo-Europeans.

“And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.” (Genesis 9:28-29)

The human race was firmly re-established by the time of Noah’s death, and he had had time to make sure all his descendants knew the story of the flood. All the ancient races originated with one of his sons, and it is not surprising that the stories of the flood have been passed down in almost every culture. They were not just adopting a story from another culture, but passing down part of their own heritage.

Noah was still alive until about seventeen years before God called Abram to leave Haran to go to Canaan.