Character Exposed
Our character is evident through our actions.
Genesis(23) (Part of the Origins(23) series)
by Stuart Johns(25) on September 29, 2024 (Sunday Morning(32))
Character(1), Confession(3), Family(1), Gossip(1), Holiness(1)
Origins
Character Exposed
(Genesis 9:18-29)
INTRODUCTION
Which Whiskey Are We Talking About? (Part 1)
“Barry Lorch in his San Diego Union column recently told of a debate on the floor of the United States Senate about 130 years ago. The issue was whether alcohol should be sold in the territories seeking statehood. One notoriously anti-alcohol senator, who, according to one description, was so dry he was a known fire hazard, challenged one of his colleagues to state his position on alcohol.
Supposedly his colleague stood up and said this: ‘You asked me how I feel about whiskey. Well, here's how I stand on the question. If when you say whiskey you mean that Devil's brew, the poison spirit, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yes, literally takes bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man from the pinnacle of righteousness and gracious living and causes him to descend to the pit of degradation, despair, shame, and helplessness, then I am certainly against it with all my heart.’”
Source: "Blessed Are the Pure in Heart," Preaching Today, Tape No. 83.
[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1996/december/2143.html].
BODY
ME
Whiskey jug
Growing up, I was aware that in my grandparents basement was a whiskey jug with a rag stuck in the top
I never tasted any of the whiskey, but I knew it was there
When my grandfather knew that he was going to die from cancer, he asked my grandmother to make sure to dispose of the whiskey jug in the basement
He didn’t want any of the grandkids getting into it
Other vices
I have never been tempted by drugs or alcohol, but I have had family members and friends who have been
I knew who the drug dealer was in my high school, but probably everybody else did too (he never offered to sell me any drugs)
My best friend and I were offered vodka by a fellow employee after work one night, but we declined
I have struggled with other vices in my life (I am a sinner, like everyone else)
Labeled a Christian
Out of college, I worked for a mortgage corporation in south FL
The office space was wide open with half cubicles, so we could talk and work at the same time
One day the conversation centered around which church everyone attended
Each person shared the name of his or her church (Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, etc.)
I was the last person to share, but before I was able to say anything one of the other employees said, “And Stuart is a Christian!”
Judy and I attended a Southern Baptist church at the time
They noticed something different in me and I welcomed being characterized as a Christian
My guess is that they saw my actions and knew that I was a follower of Jesus Christ
WE
Every one of us has struggled or is struggling with some kind of vice
There are probably seasons in our lives where we are more tempted by those vices
And there are probably seasons in our lives where we are less tempted by those vices
Character qualities
How do people characterize us?
What adjectives would they use to “label” us?
Would they call us a Christian instead of naming the church we attend?
Noah and his family were outside the ark and on dry ground. Noah had built an altar and sacrificed some of the clean animals on it. God had blessed them and made a covenant with them, the animals, and the earth. The flood had cleansed the earth of those who were wicked and corrupt, but the flood had not cleansed sin from the hearts of Noah and his family. As we will see today, they struggled with vices of their own. Their actions showed their character (two bad and two good). This morning, we will learn from Noah and his son’s example that . . .
BIG IDEA – Our character is evident through our actions.
Let’s pray
GOD (Genesis 9:18-29)
Descendants (vv. 18-19)
We are reminded again of Noah’s sons and their names
Shem, which means “name” (middle or oldest)
Ham, which means “hot” (youngest or middle)
Japheth, which means “opened, expansion, enlargement” (oldest or middle)
Ham’s son, Canaan, is named here, which will be important as we continue this historical narrative
We have all descended from one of Noah’s sons [show “Table of Nations” map]
From Shem’s line – Hebrews, Chaldeans, Assyrians, Persians, and Syrians (the Hebrews would eventually settle in Canaan)
From Ham’s line – Canaanites, Egyptians, Philistines, Hittites, and Amorites (they settled in Canaan, Egypt, and the rest of Africa)
From Japheth’s line – Greeks, Thracians, and Scythians (they settled for the most part in Europe and Asia Minor)
PRINCIPLE #1 – We are family!
Noah’s sons were fruitful and increased in number and filled the earth
In a couple of weeks we will be looking at Genesis 10:1-32, which has been labeled, “The Table of Nations” (we will see the sons that were born to Japheth, Ham, and Shem)
Turn to another family this morning and say, “Hello, long-lost brother/sister, aunt/uncle, our cousin.”
These first two verses are transitional between the flood narrative and the rest of Noah’s life
Disgraced (vv. 20-22)
Noah was a farmer
More specifically he began to plant a vineyard (viticulture)
He not only grew grapes, but he crushed them to make juice and probably stored the juice in wineskins, which eventually became wine (viniculture)
There is not enough information given here to know whether or not viticulture and viniculture were practiced prior to the flood, but they probably were
Noah would have been the first person to grow and tend grape vines after the flood
Noah’s lapse in judgment
Noah drank too much wine and got drunk
“The Japanese have an appropriate proverb: ‘First the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, and then the drink takes the man.’” [Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Old Testament, Genesis-Deuteronomy, 57]
In his drunken state, he laid inside his tent uncovered (naked)
Our character is evident through our actions.
“While Noah’s actions may have been wrong or at least unwise, this is the only negative event in Genesis 3-11 in which God does not say a word.” [Gangel & Bramer, Holman Old Testament Commentary, Genesis, 94]
God is silent about Noah’s actions, probably because it is not the main point of this historical narrative
The author needs to keep the narrative moving in order to focus on Ham’s actions, which parallel the Fall of Adam and Eve
Biblical background concerning wine
Correct use
To cheer the heart
Deuteronomy 14:26, Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice.
Judges 9:13, “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine, which cheers both gods and men, to hold sway over the trees?’”
Psalm 104:14-15, He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate—bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.
As a sedative or for medicinal purposes
Proverbs 31:6-7, Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
1 Timothy 5:23, Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
As part of a sacrifice
Leviticus 23:12-13, On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old without defect, together with its grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil—an offering made to the Lord by fire, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering of a quarter of a hin of wine.
Deuteronomy 28:7, The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pouring out the drink offering to the Lord at the sanctuary.
Incorrect use
Proverbs 20:1, Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
Proverbs 23:19-21, Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Read Proverbs 23:29-35
Habakkuk 2:15, “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze of their naked bodies.”
Ephesians 5:18, Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
PRINCIPLE #2 – A lapse in judgment can compromise our testimony.
Noah had walked with God, was blameless in his generation, had been obedient in building and filling the ark, offered a burnt offering that was a pleasing aroma to the Lord, and had received the Lord’s blessing
In a lapse of judgement, he had gotten drunk and left himself exposed
“God has saved Noah and his family, but salvation is not the same as transformation. People of faith still fall into sin.” [Atkinson, The Bible Speaks Today, The Message of Genesis 1-11, 169]
We are just as susceptible to falling into sin as Noah was
We may have too much to drink and become drunk
We may put ourselves in a vulnerable place and participate in drug use
We may click the link on the ad that pops up and view images we shouldn’t
We may gossip about someone behind their back
We may allow our temper to get out of control and treat our loved ones incorrectly
We may not respect our parents like we should
We may not pay our taxes honestly
The list could go on and on
Our character is evident through our actions.
Our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers may be shocked to hear about our lapse in judgment and begin to question our testimony
They may not want to pursue a relationship with Jesus, because we have compromised our testimony
They may not see the need or importance of coming to church, if we act just like they do
Seeking forgiveness
1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
We should also seek the forgiveness of those we have hurt during our lapse in judgment
#1 – My Next Step Today Is To: Confess my lapse in judgment of __________ and ask the Lord and others to forgive me.
#2 – My Next Step Today Is To: Ask the Lord to strengthen and protect me from the temptation of ___________.
Noah’s drunkenness and nakedness happened in the privacy of his tent, but his lapse in judgment would not remain private for very long
Ham’s offense
Noah’s youngest son, Ham, entered his father’s tent and saw his father’s compromised condition
We don’t know the circumstances behind why Ham entered his father’s tent
We don’t know if he entered when he knew he wasn’t supposed to or whether he entered because he was concerned that his father did not respond when he called out to him
None of those details are provided for us
All we know is that Ham entered his father’s tent and saw something he shouldn’t have
Ham dealt with two sins
Disrespecting his father
“The Hebrew rāʾâ here means ‘to look at (searchingly)” (Song 1:6; 6:11b), not a harmless or accidental seeing.” [Waltke, Genesis: A Commentary, 149]
Ham lingered and perhaps stared at his father’s nakedness
Ham took delight in seeing his father’s compromised condition
He not only took delight in what he saw, but he shared what he saw with his two brothers
Gossiping about his father
“Not content with finding pleasure himself in his father’s shame … he just proclaimed his disgraceful pleasure to his brethren, and thus exhibited his shameless sensuality.” [Keil & Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, Volume 1, The Pentateuch, 98]
We are not told if Ham encouraged his brothers to go into their father’s tent to see their father’s disgraceful condition
PRINCIPLE #3 – Gossiping is wrong.
Biblical background
Proverbs 17:9, He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
Proverbs 18:8, The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.
Proverbs 20:19, A gossip betrays a confidence, so avoid a man who talks too much.
Proverbs 26:20, Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
Ephesians 4:29, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
James 1:26, If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.
#3 – My Next Step Today Is To: Examine my speech to make sure I am not gossiping and if I am, stop and confess that before the Lord.
Our character is evident through our actions. (Ham’s actions showed disrespect for his father, Noah)
“How people respond to the sin and embarrassment of others is an indication of their character.” [Wiersbe, 57]
Ham should have covered up his father’s nakedness or immediately left the tent and kept his mouth shut
Instead he disrespected his father’s character and tried to get his brothers to join in
“In the ancient world insulting one’s parents was a serious matter that warranted the extreme penalty of death.” [Mathews, The New American Commentary, Vol. 1A, Genesis 1-11:26, 420]
Ham dealt with the sin of disrespecting his father’s condition and then telling his brothers about it
Shem and Japheth did not join Ham in his sin, but rather defended their father’s character
Defended (v. 23)
Shem and Japheth did what Ham should have done
They showed respect for their father by covering up his nakedness without looking upon it
They walked into the tent backwards and averted their eyes while they took the garment on their shoulders and covered up their father
PRINCIPLE #4 – “Respect for our parents is always appropriate.” [Gangel & Bramer, 97]
Biblical background
Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
Matthew, 19:17, 19, “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” . . . ‘honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’
Matthew 15:4, For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’
Proverbs 30:17, “The eye that mocks a father, that scorns obedience to a mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.”
20 Ways To Honor Your Father and Mother (Bret Eckelberry) [https://www.focusonthefamily.com/live-it-post/honor-your-father-and-mother/]
Tell them you love them
Show appreciation
Do a chore for your parents
Show love to your siblings
Plan a family game night or adventure
Take an interest in their hobbies
Listen to their stories
Share your stories with them
Ask them for their opinion
Tell the truth
Don’t talk back
Speak well of your parents
Ask about their day
Organize a family Bible study
Research your genealogy
Compliment your parents
Serve others with them
Be aware of your reactions
Be teachable
Plan time with your parents
#4 – My Next Step Today Is To: Honor and respect my parent(s) by _____________. (if your parents are no longer living, consider sharing a story with a friend or family member that honors your parents)
Our character is evident through our actions. (Shem and Japheth’s actions showed respect and honor for their father, Noah)
What we see next is Noah’s reaction to his son's actions
Declared (vv. 24-27)
When Noah sobered up and woke up he learned what Ham had done to him (disrespected him and gossiped about him) and what Shem and Japheth did for him (covered his disgrace without looking upon it)
Cursed
Noah cursed Ham’s son, Canaan
These are the only recorded words of Noah in Scripture
“Cursing a person’s son is a most powerful way of cursing the person. It means cursing the future of his line.” [Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Pentateuch, Genesis, 170]
The curse focused on Canaan and his descendants being the lowest of slaves to Shem and Japheth’s descendants
In the blessing section, Noah again mentioned the future subjugation of Canaan by both Shem and Japheth’s descendants
“…according to many parts of the Old Testament, the Canaanites are one of the greatest sources of temptation to the people of God. The sexual perversions of the Canaanites, often associated with their religious drunken orgies, were held up to the people of God as behaviors to avoid. ‘You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan,’ says Leviticus 18:3—and then follows a list of sexual malpractices which are not consistent with the life of the people of Yahweh.” [Atkinson, 167-70]
The future generations of Canaan were not subjugated because of Ham’s sin, but because they sinned like Ham [Mathews, 422]
“The Canaanites were partly exterminated, and partly subjects to the lowest form of slavery, by the Israelites, who belonged to the family of Shem; and those who still remained were reduced by Solomon to the same condition (1 Kings 9:20, 21). The Phoenicians, along with the Carthaginians and the Egyptians, who all belonged to the family of Canaan, were subjected by the Japhetic Persians, Macedonians, and the Romans; …” [Keil & Delitzsch, 100]
Blessed
Noah blessed the God of Shem
Noah recognized that any blessing Shem would receive would come from God
His invocation for Shem did not have any magical powers that would determine the fate of future generations
His prayer was that God would bless Shem because he acted with honor and respect during his lapse in judgment
Noah also prayed to God for Japheth
That God would extend his territory
It appeared as though God answered that prayer
The descendants of Japheth did extend their territory, reaching as far as Asia Minor and Europe
That Japheth would live in the tents of Shem
God’s blessing would come through Shem’s line, but Japheth could benefit from the blessing
“God is the God of Shem and the descendants of Japheth would find God ‘in the tents of Shem.’ Israel was chosen by God to be a ‘light to the Gentiles’ (Isa. 42:6; 49:6), for ‘salvation is of the Jews’ (John 4:22).” [Wiersbe, 59]
PRINCIPLE #5 – “God blesses those who are living holy lives.” [Marc Webb’s sermon on Genesis 9:18-29]
That is what Shem and Japheth experienced
Abraham came from Shem’s line and we know the covenant people of God, the Israelites, came through Abraham, which brought about the Messiah, Jesus Christ
Japheth’s line, generally speaking, were the Gentiles and they benefited from the coming of the Messiah
I have experienced that in my life
As I look back over my life, I can see God’s hand of protection and guidance
As I have been obedience to Him and tried to live a holy life, I have experienced His blessing
How about you?
Have you been trying to live a holy life?
Have you experienced God’s blessing as a result?
If you haven’t been living a holy life, it’s not too late – you can take that step today
#5 – My Next Step Today Is To: Begin to live a holy life through the power of the Holy Spirit, so I can experience God’s blessing.
Experiencing God’s blessing does not mean you will be free from hardship and persecution
You will be able to experience joy even in the midst of difficulty, because you are living for the Lord and not yourself
We now come the end of Noah’s account (toledot)
Death (vv. 28-29)
This completes the pattern that was started in the account of Adam’s line
This was the genealogical pattern we talked about in Genesis 5
Name of the individual
Their age when they became a father
Name of their son
How long they lived after having their son
They had other sons and daughters
Total number of years they lived
The individual died
In Genesis 5:32 we saw points “a,” “b,” and “c”
In Genesis 9:28-29 we see a modification of point “d” and points “f” and “g” (point “e” is omitted)
YOU
What lapse in judgment do you need to ask the Lord and others to forgive you of?
What temptation do you need to ask the Lord for strength and protection from?
Do you need to examine your speech to make sure you are not gossiping and if you are gossiping, are you willing to stop and confess that before the Lord?
How can you honor and respect your parent(s) today?
Are you ready to begin living a holy life through the power of the Holy Spirit, so you can experience God’s blessing?
WE
What lapse in judgment do we need to ask the Lord and others for forgiveness?
What temptation do we need to ask the Lord to strengthen and protect us from?
Are we gossiping as a body of believers?
CONCLUSION
Let’s return now to the second part of the debate on the United States Senate floor from 130 years ago about, which whiskey
Which Whiskey Are We Talking About? (Part 2)
“‘But if, when you say whiskey, you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in an old man's footsteps on a frosty morning; if you mean the drink whose sale puts, I'm told, millions of dollars into our treasury which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, or blind or deaf or dumb, our pitifully aged, and our infirm, to build highways and hospitals and schools, then I am certainly in favor of it. This is my stand, and I will not compromise.’”
Maybe he was running for president.
Source: "Blessed Are the Pure in Heart," Preaching Today, Tape No. 83.
[https://www.preachingtoday.com/illustrations/1996/december/2143.html].
