Message Heard

Message Heard

Genesis 9: 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.”

²⁶ And he said:

“Blessed be the Lord,
The God of Shem,
And may Canaan be his servant.
²⁷ May God enlarge Japheth,
And may he dwell in the tents of Shem;
And may Canaan be his servant.”

²⁸ And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. ²⁹ So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.

 

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For a while, Noah may have ignored his grandson Canaan. It seemed that Canaan was power hungry and wanted to be known. He may have influenced his father into doing some sort of initiation by challenging Noah, walking into his tent and talking about Noah’s nakedness. When Noah awoke from his drunkenness, he may have heard about what had happened. Noah talked to GOD about it.

 

My Observations:

• GOD listened to Noah and agreed with the first curse that came from a human.
• Noah’s relationship with the LORD was so strong, that he placed his problem before HIM, knowing it would be done.
• Noah did not curse or bless Ham, rather he focused on the root cause of the power struggle, namely Canaan.

 

Obtaining many followers was probably Canaan’s desire. By making his father perform a sophomoric initiation act, he may have demonstrated his influential power. But he did not know GOD would listen to Noah. A curse was placed over Canaan and those who followed him.

 

This curse would not play out for decades, so people may have laughed, just like the people who scoffed at the need for an ark. BUT GOD also heard Noah’s cry to increase Japeth’s faith in HIM and to reward Shem for his faithfulness. This was the last notable thing Noah did for the LORD. He lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood, constantly communicating with the LORD.

 

Challenge

• Why do you think GOD shares with Moses this conversation between HIM and Noah?
• Have you ever felt like someone, who clearly was against GOD, seemed to be holding you and others back from delightfully serving the LORD?
• Will you place your problem before the LORD today, knowing HE hears those who love HIM and HIS ways?