Sin Against the Character of God - Genesis 8-11

 Genesis 9:22-26 (ESV)

22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. 23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness. 24 When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan;

a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem;

and let Canaan be his servant.

The story of Noah and his son Ham shows us that the flood might have wiped out all those who sinned so grievously against God, but it not wipe out the natural sin in man’s heart.  The text above is very clear as to what happened to Noah after the flood.   The wine he made eventually became a substance he would abuse.  In his drunken state, his middle child (Ham) “saw the nakedness” of his father and, apparently, went to inform his brothers.   This “offense” does not seem to be that egregious to us for Noah to curse Ham’s son, Canaan.    Many people have suggested that Ham did something sexual against his father while Noah was in a drunken state.  Or, that he had sexual relationships with his mother, while Noah slept off his bender.    But, since the “solution” to the problem was for his brothers to simply walk backwards and cover their father’s nakedness, the sin of Ham was simply that of dishonoring his father.  Remember, God will eventually provide a commandment, through Moses, to “honor your father and mother and it would be well with you.”   The flood might have wiped out the earth but it did not change the character of God.  God’s character does not change.   Before the flood, after the flood, before the giving of the Law or after the giving of the Law, God’s character is the same.   Ham’s bragging, making fun of, and/or despising his father’s nakedness was all that was necessary for him to dishonor God’s character.   God holds all men responsible to live according to His character.

One additional point about this text is important to note.  When reading this section we have to remember it was written by Moses.  The entire Torah (first five books of the Bible) is Moses’ last words to the nation of Israel who are about to enter the land of “Canaan” and take control of it.  The above story is another reason, if not THE reason, that God was about to destroy Canaan and give the land to Israel.   The book of Genesis is the “beginning” of all things.   Moses, by including the above story is telling Israel (and us) the necessity to have Canaan become the servants of Israel.   Chapter ten and 11 of this book tell us how Noah’s family tree came to Abraham, who would be the father of Israel.   Canaan would become of the father of the Canaanites.   So, the above story has greater implications than just Noah and his boys.   Sinning against the character of God has greater implications than we think.    God would take Ham’s sin and treat it as the sin it is, despite what man thinks about it.   Living in opposition to God’s character has consequences far greater than we want to admit or recognize.