The Meaning Of Life

18 The sons of Noah who came 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 them the whole earth was populated.

Everyone descended from Noah. The flood destroyed everyone except for Noah and his family. I’ve heard others talk that the story of Adam and Eve was just a story about one group of people on earth, but this script tells me that isn’t true. This scripture is to the point, “From them the whole earth was populated.” I’m not a scholar, but I think that is very simple and to the point.

20 Now Noah, a man of the soil, proceededa to plant a vineyard. 21 But when he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.

Even though Noah was a “man of God”, he was not without sin. Everyone on earth has sinned, even Noah, even David, even Paul, even Isaiah, everyone. Everyone except the earthly Jesus; He, in his human form walking the earth, was without sin.

Now I don’t condone drunkenness. I’ve been there myself, back when I drifted away from God and didn’t think I needed him in my life, I did my share of social drinking. In fact, let’s cut to the chase, I did my share of social drunkenness. But if I were Noah, had just worked my tail off building this humongous ship, was stuck in it for a year with my family, and stuck in it for a year with the sounds of wild animals and the smell of urine and feces, I would probably have a drink myself. The Bible doesn’t indicate whether Noah was a drunkard before the flood, so it may very well have been the ordeal he went through that made him take a nip, a big nip.

23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment and placed it across their shoulders, and walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned away so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.

I’ve known alcoholics; they’re usually not happy unless they’re drinking. They can be verbally abusive to anyone, especially their own family, and unfortunately, some resort to physical violence. The Bible doesn’t say, but I assume Noah was embarrassed by his drunkenness, embarrassed that his son’s had to cover him up, and he lashed out, more mad at himself than he was his own sons. But that is just an assumption of mine, the Bible doesn’t elaborate, and I believe if it was that important, the Bible would have expounded more. I believe the purpose of the backstory was to relate how the land of Canaan became cursed.

24 When Noah awoke from his drunkenness and learned what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!

A servant of servants

shall he be to his brothers.”

Shem’s Blessing and Noah’s Death

26 He also declared:

“Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem!

May Canaan be the servant of Shem.

27 May God expand the territory of Japheth;b

may he dwell in the tents of Shem,

and may Canaan be his servant.”

28 After the flood, Noah lived 350 years. 29 So Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.

There are many times in the Bible when a patriarch blesses or curses something, and it usually comes to pass. Did these “men of God” have the power to bless or to curse? Isaac gave blessings to Jacob, thinking it was Esau, and his blessing was carried out, even though that was not his intention. The Bible doesn’t say, but it seems apparent that God blesses his faithful with the ability to pass on blessings and curses.

Father in Heaven, thank you for your blessings. Thank you for sharing your Gospel which means “Good Word”, thank you for giving us your Word that tells us how we should live our lives and how to have a personal relationship with You. Maybe gain wisdom and knowledge from reading Your Word. Amen.