#31 "Naked" Genesis 9

Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated. And Noah began to be a  farmer, and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father's nakedness. So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. Then he said: "Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants he shall be to his brethren." And he said: "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem; and may Canaan be his servant." And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died. Genesis 9:18-28 NKJV

It notes here that Ham was the father of Canaan. The Canaanites would settle the land that God would later give to Israel, the sons of Shem. 

Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them - the children of Israel. Joshua 1:2 NKJV

We are also told in vs. 20 that Noah becomes a farmer, plants a vineyard, and then gets drunk off the wine from his vineyard. He became uncovered in his tent and it is not clarified as to whether from drunkenness or from someone uncovering him. It says that Ham, his youngest son, saw his nakedness and told his two brothers. I use to think this was possibly a sexual encounter, because why else would Noah be so mad? But I don't think it was, and I think it has more to do with something my generation no longer understands. 

Adam and Eve were naked in the garden before the fall; nakedness was not sin, but rather sin entered the world and nakedness became subject to it. When my children were little, it was difficult to keep clothes on them, and we did not indoctrinate them one way or the other. We simply clothed them. They hit a certain age though where they all the sudden wanted to be covered up, and started asking for a towel or running to their room to get dressed behind closed doors. It was instinctual, and no doubt developed in response to a sinful world. Being clothed is the response to the eyes of other sinners, to being judged or treated like an object. It does not have the power to stop these things completely for man is persistent in sin and he has elevated the form of man and worshiped it, rather than worshiping the creator and being conformed to His image. I don't want to make this too long, and there will be plenty of instances in the books ahead that show man's obsession with the body, but I think here we see something else.

Ham walked in on his father's nakedness and belittled him. He went to his brothers to gossip, and he took pleasure in his father's embarrassment. Look at the righteous man of God, lying naked on the floor, but they would not, and they would cover their father instead of mocking him. They loved and respected the father that God gave them, the father who spoke to God and had them build the ark of their earthly redemption. Noah didn't just curse his son; he cursed one who chose a different path. One who took pleasure in seeing his father humiliated. How many times do we take pleasure and point fingers at the sins of others? Do we not have enough to attend to in ourselves? 

But I say to you everyone that looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:28ESV

Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4 NKJV