2024.03.03. Sermon Notes – In the beginning. Generational Blessings and Curses
William Akehurst, HSWC
BIG IDEA. Noah found grace in GOD’s eyes to be spared from the Flood and yet. He had the blessing of the LORD and yet spoke a curse over his own grandson that carried into generations beyond. Today we will explore those generations and submit ourselves to JESUS.
Scriptures: Genesis 9:18-28, James 3:8-10, Genesis 10:1-32, Genesis 11:1-32, Galatians 3:13-14, Colossians 2:13-14, Leviticus 26:40, Romans 5:8, Isaiah 54:17, Ephesians 6:12, John 8:32, James 5:16, 1 John 1:9, Acts 10:43, Numbers 6:24-27, 2 Samuel 7:21-29
FROM THE GREAT FLOOD TO A FARMER
Noah plants a vineyard, drank his wine until he was drunk and left himself exposed.
Ham made the discovery and told his brothers who took appropriate actions. When Noah found out what happened, he spoke a curse on Ham’s son Canaan (Noah’s Grandson), and as we look at the descendants of Canaan, we can see how that curse transcended the generations.
Additionally, Noah spoke blessing over his sons Shem and Japeth, and that “father’s blessing” also has transcended down through the generations.
Genesis 9:18-28 (NKJV)
Noah and His Sons
18 Now the sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And Ham was the father of Canaan. 19 These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.
20 And Noah began to be a farmer, and he planted a vineyard.
21 Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and became uncovered in his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23 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.
24 So Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him. 25 Then he said: “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brethren.”
26 And he said: “Blessed be the LORD, The God of Shem, And may Canaan be his servant.
27 May God enlarge Japheth, And may he dwell in the tents of Shem; And may Canaan be his servant.”
28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
29 So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.
WATCH WHAT YOU SAY – WORDS CAN IMPACT CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS
James 3:8-10 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
GENERATIONS OF NOAH
Genesis 10:1-32
Nations Descended from Noah (1 Chr. 1:5–27)
1 Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.
2 The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 3 The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.
Vs. 1-6 Japeth’s line of recognizable names Gomer, Magog, Ashenaz, and that the Gentile people were separated into their lands by language, family and nation.
6 The sons of Ham were Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. 7 The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
8 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth.
9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
11 From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah, 12 and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city).
13 Mizraim begot Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 14 Pathrusim, and Casluhim (from whom came the Philistines and Caphtorim).
15 Canaan begot Sidon his firstborn, and Heth; 16 the Jebusite, the Amorite, and the Girgashite; 17 the Hivite, the Arkite, and the Sinite; 18 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were dispersed. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; then as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. 20 These were the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands and in their nations.
Vs. 6-20 we see recognizable names of the Descendants of Ham, Cush, and Nimrod (one of the Mighty Men which reminds us of the Nephilim as described prior to the flood), Babel, Assyria, Nineveh, Philistines.
And from Ham to Canaan, all the “people-ites” and the lands of Gaza, Sodom and Gomorrah, and that the people were separated into their lands by language, family and nation.
AS WE LOOK AT CURRENT EVENTS, WE CAN SEE THAT THE DESCENDANTS OF HAM AND CANAAN HAVE CARRIED THAT CURSE SPOKEN BY NOAH THROUGHOUT THEIR GENERATIONS AND EVEN TO THIS DAY.
21 And children were born also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder. 22 The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram. 23 The sons of Aram were Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. 24 Arphaxad begot Salah, and Salah begot Eber. 25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan. 26 Joktan begot Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 27 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 28 Obal, Abimael, Sheba, 29 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling place was from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the mountain of the east. 31 These were the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, in their lands, according to their nations.
32 These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.
Vs 21-32 we recognize in vs. 25 that in the days of Peleg, the earth was divided, and that all of the descendants of Shem were separated into their lands by language, family and nation.
In the next chapter, Genesis 11:1-9. THE ACCOUNT OF THE TOWER OF BABEL SEEMS ALMOST OUT OF PLACE AS IT BREAKS BETWEEN NOAH’S SONS JAPETH AND HAM, AND THEN FOLLOWS ONCE AGAIN WITH SHEM. IT IS VERY APPARENT THAT THE TOWER OF BABEL HAPPENED DURING THE TIME OF THE DESCENDANTS OF NOAH’S SONS.
COULD IT BE THAT THIS BREAK IMPLIES THAT THE BLESSINGS PICK UP FROM SHEM?
Genesis 11:1-9
The Tower of Babel
1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”
5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.
In vs. 7. Notice the word “Us”. “Come let ‘Us’ go down and confuse their language”. Just as GOD created man in “Our” image. This “Us” refers to the “Divine Council” as referenced in Psalms and other portions of scriptures. But that’s for another time.
GOD SAW THAT MAN WAS GETTING OUT OF HAND ONCE MORE. AND HE REDIRECTED THEM BY FORMING THE NATIONS SEPARATED BY LANGUAGE. THERE’S A BIGGER PICTURE HERE. IMAGINE EVERYONE TALKING TOGETHER AND UNDERSTANDING ONE ANOTHER, AND THEN SUDDENLY, CONVERSATIONS BECAME GIBBERISH, OR “BABBLING”, AND THE PEOPLE THEN GATHERED TOGETHER WITH OTHERS THAT HEARD AND SPOKE THE SAME LANGUAGE. THIS HAD TO BE QUITE A RUDE AWAKENING. BUT WHAT COULD THEY DO…SO THEY GATHERED BY LANGUAGE AND BECAME NATIONS.
THE BLESSING CONTINUES…
Genesis 11:10-32
Shem’s Descendants (1 Chr. 1:17–27; Luke 3:34–36)
10 This is the genealogy of Shem: Shem was one hundred years old, and begot Arphaxad two years after the flood. 11 After he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
12 Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah. 13 After he begot Salah, Arphaxad lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.
14 Salah lived thirty years, and begot Eber. 15 After he begot Eber, Salah lived four hundred and three years, and begot sons and daughters.
16 Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot Peleg. 17 After he begot Peleg, Eber lived four hundred and thirty years, and begot sons and daughters.
18 Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. 19 After he begot Reu, Peleg lived two hundred and nine years, and begot sons and daughters.
20 Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug. 21 After he begot Serug, Reu lived two hundred and seven years, and begot sons and daughters.
22 Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. 23 After he begot Nahor, Serug lived two hundred years, and begot sons and daughters.
24 Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot Terah. 25 After he begot Terah, Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years, and begot sons and daughters.
26 Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
Terah’s Descendants
27 This is the genealogy of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot. 28 And Haran died before his father Terah in his native land, in Ur of the Chaldeans. 29 Then Abram and Nahor took wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and the father of Iscah. 30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
31 And Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out with them from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to the land of Canaan; and they came to Haran and dwelt there. 32 So the days of Terah were two hundred and five years, and Terah died in Haran.
Vs. 10-32 After the account of the Tower of Babel, it is as though we come back to Shem because this is where the blessing continues.
WE WILL PICK UP FROM ABRAM AND THAT BLESSING NEXT TIME.
BUT TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS IDEA OF GENERATIONAL CURSES.
JESUS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE AND EVEN BECAME THAT CURSE HIMSELF SO THAT THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM WOULD BE PASSED DOWN TO US TODAY!
Galatians 3:13-14
13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
WE AS GENTILES IN CHRIST JESUS RECEIVE THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM AND THE PROMISE OF THE SPIRIT THROUGH FAITH! THAT IS GREAT AND EXCITING NEWS!
JESUS “NAILED IT" – THE CURSE FROM THE FIRST SIN TO THE CROSS
Colossians 2:13-14
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
BREAKING THE CURSE IS TO CONFESS OUR SIN AND ASK FOR GOD’S FORGIVENESS THROUGH JESUS AND THE WORK OF THE CROSS.
Leviticus 26:40-42
40 ‘But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, with their unfaithfulness in which they were unfaithful to Me, and that they also have walked contrary to Me,
41 and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies;
if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt—
42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and My covenant with Isaac and My covenant with Abraham I will remember; I will remember the land.
JESUS TOOK THE CURSE UPON HIMSELF-DYING FOR OUR SIN
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST YOU WILL PROSPER, EVEN THE CURSES OF THE TONGUE ARE DESTROYED BY THE POWER OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.
UNDERSTAND THAT ITS NOT A PHYSICAL BATTLE WE FACE, IT IS SPIRITUAL
Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
AND TO KNOW THIS TRUTH GIVES WAY TO FREEDOM THROUGH JESUS
John 8:32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
CONFESSION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL, AND PRAYER CHANGES THINGS.
James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
CONFESSION LEADS TO FORGIVENESS AND PRODUCES CLEANSING
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
ALL IN THE MATCHLESS MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS. WE ARE MADE WHOLE AGAIN.
Acts 10:43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.
PRAYER TO BREAK GENERATIONAL CURSES
CALL UPON THE LORD TO BREAK GENERATIONAL CURSES. (adapted)
Heavenly FATHER,
We praise YOUR HOLY NAME. For goodness, grace and love define YOU and YOU have given us the right to call YOU our ABBA FATHER by the POWER of HOLY SPIRIT in us. YOU are the ONE TRUE, TRIUNE, GOD, glory be to YOU for who we are and all YOU have made. As our Creator and Author, YOU know the mountains of sin that stare us down here on earth. The curse of sin Adam and Eve ushered in is still ravaging the earth and every human being in it. Yet, from the very beginning of time, YOU made a WAY for us to experience freedom from the death warranted for the sin we cannot avoid.
JESUS, YOU are the ONLY WAY, the ONLY TRUTH, and the ONLY LIFE.
JESUS, YOU freed us from every sin, curse, hex, and chain when YOU took on the cross. YOU literally NAILED these things to that Cross, and Buried them in YOUR Death, and Rose again afresh and clean from that heavy burden of sin and disease. YOU know how we feel and YOU faithfully walk alongside us. HOLY SPIRIT, our Comforter, we are grateful that YOU live in every CHRIST Follower and make us to be SPIRIT filled believers. Thank YOU that our salvation in YOU, O LORD, breaks generational curses. In CHRIST, the power of sin and death no longer holds us.
FATHER GOD, when we forget our freedom and shelve our peace, remind us of who and WHOSE we are. YOU have given us a purpose that is unique, and beyond all we can ever ask for or imagine. YOU know us better than we know ourselves. Our hearts cry out in murmurs that only HOLY SPIRIT can translate to heaven. Lead us to the TRUTH of YOUR WORD, complete with explanation and answer. May we bravely and boldly come to YOU for clarification, and have ears to hear YOUR answers and a mind to receive YOUR Wisdom and Understanding. From the very first WORD of Scripture to the last, we believe YOUR divinely inspired WORD to be the only rock-solid TRUTH. Help us to build the foundation of our lives upon YOU and YOUR WORD. Each day, help us as we armor up to face the world. May our eyes, our hearts, our ears, and our very being turn to YOU, over and over and over again.
Generational curses are no match for the Power of the ONE TRUE GOD. At YOUR NAME O LORD, the Enemy must flee. YOU are mighty to save, faithful, and abounding in love for YOUR family. In CHRIST, we are no longer who we were without YOU, but now in YOU, are adopted into YOUR family. We become workers for the Kingdom of GOD and look forward to eternity in Heaven. JESUS, the hope of YOUR return to right all wrongs and relieve all pain lifts our countenance and reminds us how loved we are. Thank YOU for loving us for who we are, where we are right now. We meet YOU here in this place today, FATHER GOD, and know undoubtedly that nothing this world can throw at us is more powerful than YOU. No person, principality nor thing, can stop the plan that YOU have for our lives. YOU tell us not to worry. Increase our trust in YOU. In a world throwing us curveballs and deception …keep us alert and always focused on YOU and YOUR TRUTH.
(TOGETHER)
JESUS, YOU came for all of us, and YOU chose us. Forgive us for our sins and soften our hearts to YOUR WORD.
We believe in YOU, JESUS and that YOU took upon YOURSELF, our sins, sicknesses and diseases.
Thank YOU for embracing us when we thought curses and sins would kill us. We believe and stand on the promise that YOU break every curse upon our lives and our family for generations past, present and future. Continue to rescue us from the pain of this world and give us YOUR Peace and Shalom.
Savior, Redeemer, Comforter, LORD GOD... We love YOU.
Protect us from the tendencies and strongholds of sin with which we struggle. Help us to name them, look at them head-on, and do the work to turn from them to YOU.
We lift the burden and weight of them up to YOU.
We know YOU are able to crush our enemy and sustain us through unbearable circumstances.
The temporary pain of this world will one day pass, but JESUS, our Savior, YOU reign forever.
Humbled are we to call YOU Savior, LORD, and friend.
In JESUS’ name, Amen.
Conclusion:
Receive the FATHER’s Blessing today.
Numbers 6:24-27 (NKJV)
24 “The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’
27 “So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
2 Samuel 7:21-29 (NKJV)
21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them.
22 Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?
24 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.
25 “Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.
26 So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.
27 For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.
28 “And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.
29 Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”
Be Blessed and Be a Blessing,
Bill
