A. WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE
Grandfather – Noah –Sinned
Father – Ham – Gossiped
Grandson – Canaan – laughed
“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’” (Gen. 9:20-25).
1. Godly. What is known about Noah? “Noah was a just man and perfect . . . and Noah walked with God” (Gen. 6:9).
2. Warned of judgment. Why did Noah build an ark? “By faith Noah being divinely warned of things not yet seen moved with godly fear, prepared an ark . . . by which he condemned the world” (Heb. 11:7).
3. Carpenter. What was Noah’s occupation? “God said to Noah . . . make yourself an ark of gopher wood” (Gen. 6:14).
4. Preacher. How did Noah warn the world? “Noah . . . a preacher of righteousness” (II Peter 2:5).
5. Drinking. What sins did Jesus mention Noah preached against?” As the days of Noah were, so also will be the coming of the Son of Man . . . drinking . . . until the day Noah entered the ark” (Matt. 24:37-38).
6. Satan worship. What were other sins the people committed? (Gen. 6:1-13).
7. God called. When did Noah enter the ark? “The Lord said to Noah, ‘Come thou and all thy house into the ark’” (Gen. 7:1). He was 600 years old (Gen. 8:13).
8. A farmer. What was Noah’s new occupation after the flood? “Noah began to be a husbandman, and planted a vineyard” (9:20).
9. What was Noah’s threefold sin? “He (Noah) drank of the wine, and was drunken, and he was uncovered within the tent” (Gen. 9:21).
a. Drunken. He preached against it.
b. Exposure. He uncovered himself, i.e., gulah (reflective)
c. Lack of role model.
10. How did Noah know? “Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him” (9:24).
a. Special revelation.
b. Inquiry. He asked or was told.
c. Memory. A drunk man remembers some things.
B. WHAT WAS THE SIN OF HAM AND CANAAN?
1. Seeing only. “Ham, the father of Canaan saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren” (Gen. 9:22). What went with seeing?
a. Lust.
b. Mockery.
c. Rejection of father’s authority to His God. (Morris)
d. Not covering, i.e., showing disrespect.
2. Not seeing. “Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; . . . . and saw not their father’s nakedness” (Gen. 9:23).
3. Why curse Canaan?
a. Youngest. Ham was the youngest son of Noah, and Canaan youngest son of Ham (Gen. 10:6).
b. Divine curse. This was not an “angry” grandfather. Since only God could know the future, Noah spoke by God’s revelation. God cursed Canaan for what he did, and what He was to become.
c. Noah recognized a rebellious attitude and perverse lust. Noah/God saw a weakness in Canaan and knew it would be perpetuated.
d. Third generation always suffers the most, “cursed be Canaan, a servant of servants, shall he be to his brethren” (Gen. 9:25).
4. When was the curse carried out?
a. The Canaanites become a lustful people. God describes them “uncovered the nakedness” (Lev. 18:3ff).
b. The curse was carried out when Joshua and Israel conquered the Canaanites (Joshua 11-12).
C. WHAT LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED ABOUT SINNING GRANDPARENTS
1. You never get too old to quit sinning.
2. You can fall at your greatest strength. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (I Cor. 10:12).
3. Your fall can hurt your family. “Cursed be Canaan.”
4. Your fall can come after God has greatly used you. Noah, Elijah, Peter, Paul, Uriah, David.
5. Just because you have done a lot for God, doesn’t mean He will overlook your sin in old age.
6. The careless root of sin in a grandfather or father (lust or rebellion) can have disastrous results in grandchildren.
7. Drunkenness is not a private sin, nor is it something God overlooks.
8. The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the child of God should be modest.
a. Applies to all ages.
b. Applies to sexual exposure.
c. Applies to sexual viewing, i.e., lust.
9. Hitherto repressed lust and sexual fantasies will surface when given the opportunity.
D. WHAT GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDCHILDREN NEED TO KNOW
1. God provides victory. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (I Cor. 10:13).
2. God lives in your body. “He who commits sexual immorality, sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you . . . you are not your own” (I Cor. 6:18-19).
3. Old age sin will disqualify you. “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (I Cor. 9:27).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
All PBC lessons are available online at trbc.org/pbc. Go to www.Hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
Dr. Towns’ web address is www.elmertowns.com.
