Title: Genesis 9:18-29
Contents <Text> Genesis 9:18-29
<Meditation>
1. People spread throughout the land through Noah and his three sons who came out of the ark. Noah started farming and planted vines. He made wine with grapes from the harvest and drank wine. He got drunk and was naked at home. Ham, the second son, sees this, and tells his brothers his father's transgression. Because of Noah's drunken incident, Ham is cursed and Shem and Japheth are blessed.
Here we come to realize that even the righteous can make mistakes if they do not watch and pray. It also shows that depending on how you deal with the mistakes or faults of others, you can be cursed or blessed.
Alcohol was the cause of Noah's mistake. Therefore, Christians should avoid doing or doing anything that could lead them to sin. Unholy words, games, occupations, and hobbies, these things degenerate Christians and lead them into sin.
The text is not intended to address Noah's mistakes, but rather focuses on the reactions of his children.
2. What is Ham's fault?
It is a sin to see and not to do. Not only that, he went out and talked to his brothers about his father's wrongdoings and slandered them.
James 4:17 says, “Therefore, if a man knows how to do good and does not do it, it is sin.”
I am speaking.
Noah and Ham are rich. Even so, the fact that you have sinned is that you are closer, so you can neglect it more and you are more likely to make a mistake.
Therefore, the closer you are, the more polite you should be. The closest people are the couple. A couple who talk to each other respectfully and treat each other with all manners would be the best couple.
In this way, God has given us a loving family so that we can learn to love God and others by loving each other. This is because it is difficult to expect polite behavior outside of family members if you do not know how to be polite. Isn't that what the Korean proverb means, 'Leaks in the house leak outside the gourd'?
Therefore, faith must be accompanied by works. Specifically, you need to check how you treat your spouse, your parents, and your children.
3. Shem and Japheth are worthy of praise for hearing Ham's words without seeing them, believing them and doing good.
So here is what the resurrected Lord said to Thomas.
“Jesus said to him, “Do you believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and believe” (John 20:29).
People are good at seeing and criticizing other people's faults, but they don't seem to see good deeds very well.
To like to see faults is a sin in itself and not love.
As a result, Shem and Japheth were men of deeds who had faith.
Ham was a hypocrite with a formalistic faith without works.
Through their deeds, Shem and Abed became great and were blessed. But Ham, without deeds, was cursed and became the servant of his brothers.
Ham, who became a native of Canaan, was eventually conquered by Israel and put into slavery (Joshua 9:22-23).
Shem and Japheth conquered Ham's descendants and made them slaves, and especially the Greeks and Romans, descendants of Japheth, had the greatest prosperity in history.
When we see that blessings and curses have been made historically, it shows that the word of God recorded in the Bible will surely come true, and that the truth of reaping what you sow has been proven.
<Prayer>
Heavenly Father, we have often committed sins that we did not know and did not commit. Forgive me and help me not to stand in the position of sinning even though I know now let us walk by faith
Help me to cover the faults of my brothers and neighbours and become a Christian who walks in love. Even between God's family who allowed us to have family and brothers and parents, we lacked love for each other. Help us to build a blessed family by serving and loving one another.
I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
(Written by: Kim Soon-sik)