【Sermon Introduction】
Everyone, we want to believe that heroes have no flaws.
We expect the great figures of the Bible to also be perfect.
However, the Bible records the failures of these champions of faith with surprising honesty.
In Genesis Chapter 9, which we open today, the unexpected behavior of the righteous man Noah is recorded.
Noah, the man of faith who saved his family and all the creatures by obediently following God during the Flood.
That very Noah became drunk with wine and lay naked in his tent.
Why does the Bible record such an embarrassing incident?
It is to teach us an important truth.
The wicked people were destroyed by the Flood.
However, human sin nature itself was not washed away by the Flood.
Even the righteous man Noah commits sin. So, what about us? Should we despair?
No, what this chapter shows us is the hope that despite human weakness, God continues to uphold the covenant of grace without change.
Today, we want to learn together about these two truths: human reality and God’s grace.
Genesis Chapter 9 is an important chapter that establishes the relationship between God and humankind in the new world after the Flood.
It can be divided into three main parts:
1.Blessing and new ordinances for Noah and his sons
2.The Noahic Covenant (Covenant of the Rainbow)
3.Noah’s failure and the curse on Canaan
Blessing and New Ordinances for Noah and His Sons (Verses 1–7)
Blessing and Command (Verse 1)
“9:1 Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.”” This is a reconfirmation of the command given to Adam at the time of creation (Genesis 1:28) and declares the reset and a new beginning of the world.
Change in the Relationship between Humans and Animals (Verses 2-3)
“9:2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, all the birds in the sky, all the creatures that move along the ground, and all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 9:3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”
Animals began to fear and dread humans, and humans were publicly permitted to eat animals as food (before the Flood, it was only plants). This is the new reality in the post-Flood world.
However, looking back at Chapter 6, it is thought that people were already eating meat under the increase of evil.
Regulation Regarding the Consumption of Blood (Verse 4)
“9:4 “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.”
A restriction is given that meat must not be eaten with its blood, which is its life. Blood symbolizes life itself. The purpose of this regulation is thought to be related to the fact that animal blood later played a central role in the atonement ritual (Leviticus 17). And it is thought to be the foreshadowing of that.
Strict Punishment and Rationale for Murder (Verses 5-7)
“9:5 And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from every human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being. 9:6 Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind. 9:7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase in it.””
God decrees that He will demand the life of anyone, animal or person, who takes a human life.
In particular, murder is strictly forbidden, and the reason is clearly given: “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind”.
This is based on the dignity of man being created in the image of God, “Imago Dei”. The sacredness of human life is emphasized. Ultimately, this leads to the achievement of redemption by Jesus Christ, the perfect man.
The Noahic Covenant (Covenant of the Rainbow) (Verses 8-17)
Content of the Covenant: The promise never again to destroy the earth by flood.
Sign of the Covenant: The rainbow is placed in the clouds as the sign of this covenant.
Universality of the Covenant: This is an unconditional covenant of grace for all humankind and all creation.
Establishment and Object of the Covenant (Verses 8-10)
“9:8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: 9:9 “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you 9:10 and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all the creatures on earth that came out of the ark with you.”” God establishes the covenant, which was foretold in 6:18, not only with Noah and his family, but also with all living creatures that came out of the ark.
Content of the Covenant (Verse 11)
“9:11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.”” This is a unilateral promise from God. This covenant shows God’s grace and patience.
Sign of the Covenant (Verses 12-17)
“9:12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 9:13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 9:14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 9:15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 9:16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” 9:17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”
The rainbow is not merely a natural phenomenon, but was established as an “official sign” that visualizes God’s promise to humanity.
The Hebrew word (Qešet קֶּשֶׁת) translated as “rainbow” is correctly translated as “battle bow”. The Lord symbolically aimed the weapon of judgment at Himself by pointing the bow toward the sky.
Systematic Theologian Sinclair B. Ferguson explains it this way:
“The word used in Genesis is not ‘rainbow,’ but ‘war bow’ (senkyū). The bow of war, the bow of battle. This depicts God firing the bow of judgment into the heavens as assurance to Noah, after the hostility has ended and a new creation has been established. ‘Now that reconciliation has been achieved, you can enjoy peace with me. Such a judgment will never again visit the earth… of course, until the final cosmic judgment that will be visited upon all people at the end of the age.’ … If you consider the rainbow to be a transformation of God’s war bow into a beautiful ornament, showing that hostility is gone and the bow has no arrow, then the arrow could only have reached God’s own heart.” The rainbow is a symbol of God’s redemptive grace and compassion. New meaning has been given to the natural world.
The sign of the Noahic Covenant is an evangelical sign of God’s redemption and mercy in Christ. “54:9 “To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you. 54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:9–10)
Noah’s Failure and the Curse on Canaan (Verses 18-29)
“9:18 The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham is the father of Canaan.) 9:19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from them came the people who populated the whole earth.”
Noah’s Degradation (Verses 20-21)
“9:20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 9:21 When he drank some of the wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.
Noah, who came out of the ark, became a farmer and planted a vineyard. He drank wine, became drunk, and lay naked inside his tent. This is a tragic depiction showing that even the righteous man Noah is not freed from the nature of sin (human sinfulness).
Ham’s Action and the Curse on Canaan (Verses 22-25)
“9:22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. 9:23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness. 9:24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 9:25 he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.””
This passage is difficult to interpret. It is a complex and much-debated passage, but it contains important lessons. Reading this passage superficially, it looks like Noah cursed Ham out of anger. However, the story is not that simple.
The author, Moses, intentionally records that it was Canaan, Ham’s son, who was cursed, not Ham himself. Ham’s action was a pre-hint of the actions his descendants, the Canaanites, would take in the future.
What was the difference between Ham and his two brothers?
Ham saw his father’s nakedness, but Shem and Japheth turned their faces and tried not to see their father’s nakedness. At first glance, it seems like simply a difference between “seeing or not seeing,” but the Hebrew verb for “to see” used here has the nuance of ‘to observe intently’. In other words, when Ham saw his father’s shameful state, he might have stared intently, instead of quickly turning his face away. Behind this attitude, a heart of ‘mockery’ and ‘contempt’ for his father is expressed.
・Disrespect to Father
In ancient Israel, honoring one’s parents is one of the Ten Commandments. To see a parent’s weakness and tell others about it is a serious disrespect.
Blessing on Shem and Japheth (Verses 26-27) “9:26 He also said, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. 9:27 May God extend Japheth; may he live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.””
Noah blesses Shem and Japheth, and prophesies the prosperity of their descendants and that God will dwell among the descendants of Shem (the later Israel and the lineage of salvation).
Noah’s Death (Verses 28-29)
“9:28 After the flood Noah lived 350 years. 9:29 Altogether, Noah lived 950 years, and then he died.””
With this, Noah’s life ends.
Summary: The Universality of Sin and Lessons from Failure
Even the righteous man Noah committed failure due to drunkenness and sin within the family.
This shows the necessity for even the saved to continue fighting the temptation of sin.
Application:
Covering Failure: In contrast to Ham’s contemptuous attitude, Shem and Japheth’s love and respect show the attitude a believer should have. We should not judge the mistakes or weaknesses of others, but rather cover them with love and strive for restoration.
“I Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.””
Self-Awareness: Like Noah, we must be aware that we can fall into sin from self-satisfaction or carelessness even after achieving great works, and we must always walk humbly.
This chapter profoundly teaches about God’s grace and human responsibility, and the ethical foundation in family and society.
【Invitation】
Beloved everyone, and those who joined online today.
Reading today’s passage, we might have been surprised.
Noah’s drunkenness and shameful exposure, Ham’s irreverent attitude, and the curse on Canaan
This historical fact shows that sin affects across generations.
However, God has opened the way of repentance and forgiveness for us.
What kind of “chain” do you want to break?
Family wounds?
Habitual sins?
Today, let’s be honest before God and lay down that burden.
God has the power to recreate you anew.
The Bible says this:
“2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!””
Please recall what the Word taught us today.
Even the righteous man Noah sinned.
Human weakness remained even in the new world.
Nevertheless, God continues to keep the covenant.
God’s love is greater than your failure.
God’s grace is deeper than your sin.
God’s covenant will never change, despite your weakness, forever.
Won’t you accept this love of God today?
Won’t you also enter into this covenant of grace?
Please respond to God’s invitation.
A new life, a new hope, a new journey awaits you.
Let’s acknowledge your weakness before God and pray.
Say, “God, I am weak. I need your help”.
Please open your heart now and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.
(Allow for a moment of quiet, prayerful time)
We entrust your life to God and pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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