Prophecies About Noah’s Family

Genesis 9:20–29
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Noah lived faithfully for over 600 years but then fell into sin. Noah began to be as man of the soil or it may convey the idea that Noah would be considered a farmer (v. 20). The passage goes on to say that Noah plant­ed a vineyard and then Noah drank of the wine (v. 21). This is the first mention of the word wine in the Bible, how­ever, it was not the first occasion of drinking (see Matthew 24:38) so Noah must have known the effect of drinking. Noah was drunken and  perhaps from becoming warm caused by the wine, he uncovered himself in his tent (v. 22). Noah was a seasoned saint, over 600 years old, and not a young prodigal, that fell into this sin and shame.

Apparently Ham stumbled onto his father’s nakedness by accident. Seeing his father drunk and naked destroyed his respect and relationship with his father and instead it caused a mockery to be made. Ham then went out and reported this to his brothers (v. 22). They returned to their father and covered him and laid a garment upon their shoulders and went backwards to cover their father and their faces were backwards so they saw not their father’s nakedness (v. 23). When Noah awakens he knew what his younger son had done unto him and pronounces a curse on Ham’s family which becomes the Canaanites (vv. 24-25). Canaan, Ham’s son becomes a servant to Shem and Japheth (vv. 26-27). Canaanites are to be servants of the Israelites.

Noah lived 350 years after the flood (v. 28). He actually lived a total of 950 years before he died (v. 29). The entire history of the world from the creation to the flood was no less than 1656 years.

Application

In Genesis 3:21 the Lord God made coats of skins and clothed Adam and  Eve after  they had sinned. Here in Genesis 9:23 Shem and Japheth cover Noah without seeing him and are blessed. In Mark 5:15 Jesus healed the Demoniac man and he was then clothed and in his right mind. Even the very primitive areas where the Gospel is preached and people are saved they see the need to cover themselves. In  Romans 4:7 we read “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins covered.” I am so thankful that the Lord has clothed me with His righteousness.