Subject: I missed the boat. Please explain. |
Bible Note: Hey Guys, there are a few different scholarly views on the sin of Ham against his father Noah. And yes, there are scholars of excellent reputation who feel there was possibly some homosexual activity here because of the severity of the curse. For instance, in Deuteronomy 20:13-18, we get an idea of the degree of the curse's severity. In this passage we find a comparison of how Israel was to treat the nations of Canaan, versus those descended from Shem. Verse 16 shows us how Canaan was to be dealt with as a people, and I quote, "Only in the cities of these peoples that the Lord is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes". Without doubt this was a serious curse. But it would be stretching these passages beyond good exegesis to be dogmatic about this interpretation of Genesis 9:20ff. Simply put, Ham sinned against God and his father Noah, and for that, Ham's son Canaan and his descendants were cursed with great severity. Another idea that has probably not been considered, is the fact that it might not have been Ham's sin at that time, but Ham's sinfulness in general. Let me give you an example of what I mean, do you remember when Isaac asked Esau to make him a stew so he could bless him? The stew was not the cause of the blessing, it just provided the occasion for the blessing. Likewise, the same sort of situation may apply where Ham and his sin against his father is concerned. This particular sin may have just provided the occasion for Noah to curse Ham's son Canaan for Ham's sinfulness in general. But again, we cannot, and should not, be dogmatic on these points. In closing, I would suggest that there are such enormous truths surrounding these passages on the "table of nations" and how Israel's subsequent move towards the promised land would be effected by these verses in Genesis 9, that anymore than just a small amount of time spent on the exact nature of Ham's sin would be a great waste of time. Now Moses must have also seen it in a similar light or he would have explained further, but his presentation of these texts focuses on the above concerning the division of the nations, and their fate where Israel was concerned, etc... We must remember that Moses' original audience for these passages were the Israelites after the Exodus as they moved towards the land of Canaan. Ham's exact indiscretion was not important, but the curse, and the subsequent treatment of different peoples as Israel both approached and moved into Canaan would have been of enormous value to this original audience of Moses' writings. Therefore, this is probably where we should concentrate our study efforts. If you agree, throw some questions and let's study God's Word. In Christ our King, --JCP. |