What Do Your Eyes See Or Glance At? Series

Let me start by telling you an interesting and funny piece about some pastors titled, “PASTORS’ PERSONAL PROBLEMS (PPP)”

A renowned pastor in diaspora held a crusade and invited two other top preachers from two different countries. After the crusade, the three pastors shared their experiences about how God’s presence manifested during the crusade, their life experiences back home and how God uses them mightily. Then, in the course of their gist, they all agreed to tell each other their personal challenges as pastors which must be kept secret between them.

The host pastor confessed, saying “My problem is money. I steal even from church's tithe and offering. For example, I’ve already devised a perfect means to steal today’s crusade’s money. Please, pray for me.”

The second Pastor launched into his own problem of lust i.e women. “Whenever I see any woman, my desire will be to go to bed with her. In fact, I’ve slept with most of my female members. For example, I’ve slept with your wife today. Please, pray for me.”

The third pastor started crying. It took others some effort to calm him down. When forced to talk, still crying, he said “I've gone to meet powerful pastors for prayers but there hasn’t been any change since. My problem is GOSSIPING. I don’t know how to keep secrets of people. Most of our member’s secrets I have leaked out and destroyed their homes and ministries. For example, when we leave this place, everyone will hear what both of you have just told me. Please, pray for me.”

I know you must be smiling or laughing by now. That was really a serious matter. We shall be looking at what men use their eyes to see and look at; and also what they use their ears to hear, and the result. It can be so disastrous when men cannot keep secrets but are gossipers and backbiters.

Introduction

Let us consider the scriptures in Genesis 9:18-29. After the flood, Noah drank wine and became so drunk that he slept off naked. (Note: he was uncovered and lay naked IN HIS TENT).

Although Noah was uncovered and naked, he was within his house (tent) and that information should not have been made public.

Many homes have been destroyed by lack of restraint in sharing information about what they see publicly. There are things meant only for private consumption. You do not expose your secrets to a third party but keep it within your hearts.

Whatever you see should be kept to yourself. When necessary, corrections and adjustments should be made. What is that secret between you and your spouse that has now become a public knowledge?

Ham was the father of Canaan. He committed an offence which his children suffered for, for generations. In fact, the curse was such a great one.

“Ham saw the nakedness of the father, and he told his brethren.” I asked myself, and so what? But as I studied further, it occurred to me that it was way beyond what the story portends.

I strongly believe that Ham’s fault was in not taking the responsibility of covering his father’s nakedness. He could have either done it himself or at most, gone straight to Noah’s wife, who probably was the mother (as the two are one). They knew each other well enough to see each other’s nakedness. Instead, Ham told his brothers what he saw.

Adam and Eve were said to see each other’s nakedness and were not ashamed.

Noah’s wife was not dead as the scriptures had not informed us about that. The best thing would have been to inform the mother to see to the covering of her husband’s nakedness.

Consequently, when Noah woke up, he knew that Ham has exposed his nakedness even without any research. I want to believe that Ham had a particular character trait that was not explained in the Bible. We can however infer the following about the person of Ham:

In verse 22, it says, “And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without”.

a. Firstly, Noah was said to be naked in his tent/room and not outside. Where else can a man be naked, outside? Of course, NO.

So, the question is, what was Ham looking for in the chamber, tent or room of his father? What was his mission? His character and person was questionable.

b. Ham, seeing the father’s nakedness, (note, not outside but inside his room), went out and told his brothers what he had seen.

This suggests that Ham was a gossip, one who could not control his mouth. What he sees, he says. He could not keep secrets.

Amplified version says, “And Ham, the father of Canaan, glanced at and saw the nakedness of their father and told his two brothers outside”