In this chapter we continue to learn about Noah and his sons after the flood.
Verses 1-7
God told Noah and his sons to have children and repopulate the earth.
Verses 2-3 is similar to the Covenant God gave Adam in Genesis 1:26 & 28 when he gave man dominion over all the animals. But in these verses it’s a bit more forceful using the words in verse 2 that animals are going to have fear and dread of man. God did that for the animals preservation. It’s a God given fear. Verse 3 God gives the animals to us for food. Before this man ate plants.
God told them not to eat meat that contained blood. Blood was to be respected because it gave life to humans and to animals.
In verse 6 murder was forbidden and a serious crime because God made humans in His image. This is where capital punishment originated.
Verses 8-17
God’s Covenant (a promise) to all people is in verses 8-9 I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you.
We are all descendants of either Shem, Ham and Japheth, Noah’s three sons.
God promised never to flood the earth again and destroy every living creature.
Noah is not Jewish. The Jewish people will not begin for hundreds of years in the future. This Covenant is given before the Law of Moses and this Covenant is in effect for all time and for all generations. Verse 16 says, everlasting Covenant. In verse 17, The sign of this Covenant is a rainbow.
Verses 18-29
Noah became drunk on the wine and lay naked in his tent. Ham saw his father naked and told his two brothers. Shem and Japheth took a garment and covered their father without looking at him.
Noah woke up realizing what his son Ham did and cursed Ham’s son Canaan. The ancient Hebrew says that Ham “told with delight” what he saw undermining his authority as a man from God.
He said that Ham’s offspring would be servants to his brother’s offspring. He blessed Japheth and Shem for covering him up.
Noah’s son Shem will become the ancestor to the Jewish nation. The Jewish people will come from Shem. Shem is a follower of God.
Ham will live a life of evil and it will get worse because he had seen the wickedness of those before the flood.
I have a difficult time watching the news because it is a reminder of the corruption and evil of this world. We always say or think that the corruption and evil of this world is getting worse but according to these scriptures it has always been this way since the beginning of time. God doesn’t have to watch the news to see what is going on in this world because He can see it all. God’s Covenant with Noah shows his mercy and grace all these thousands of years. Instead of obliterating this evil world God extends love and forgiveness to all who will take it. Now that is Amazing Grace!
