INTEGRITY, A DISPOSABLE ITEM?

Genesis 9:18-29
Bob Bonner
October 10, 2004

“Integrity” is defined by Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary as “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.”

The first sign that one lives without morals is that one lives without integrity. It is truly sad, that integrity has become a devalued or disposable item. Integrity is violated daily in marital relationships. It is almost unheard of in schools when you refer to taking exams without cheating. Integrity is continually compromised in politics, without a thought or desire as to whether or not one should try to recover integrity. Whether you are referring to local politics or past Presidents of the United States or in our news agencies, integrity at times, appears to be non-existent. People live their lives as though they believe that “As long as I get my bit of fame and my pleasures or my goals met, the means by which I grasp these things does not matter, I’m even willing to sacrifice my integrity.”

Whether we talk about written or electronic media, many of the most popular news commentators and interviewers possess integrity, however there are many others who do not. This past week I received a long distance phone call from a friend who writes articles for his local newspaper. His article deals with the error that Dan Rather made in his most recent attack on the character of the President of the United States. The point of my friend’s article will be to reveal one more example of the press’s lack of integrity, in this case Dan Rather’s, for not taking personal responsibility for his wrong doing or misstatements. In addition, he will outline how an individual of integrity correctly deals with a wrong doing on his part, which up to this point, Dan has not tried to do. Dan Rather has a history, a well documented pattern of acting as though he is above the moral ethics to which many in the media attempt to adhere. It’s as though he can say whatever he wants, regardless of if it is true or accurate.

This morning we are going to see an example of those who respond to a difficult situation with integrity, and one who does not. Further, we will see why it is so important for the individual as well as for his or her family, to hold up integrity as a valuable, indispensable attribute for our lives.

As we continue our study of Genesis, we come to the middle of Genesis 9. By the time we reach the end of this chapter, we already see a downward moral and spiritual trend in this generation of “the second chance” or “the new beginning.” This is the first generation to follow after the Flood. At the end of chapter 8 we begin with Noah and his first act after the Flood, that of worship, an act of righteousness. But by the time we reach the end of chapter 9, this same righteous man, Noah, is found lying drunk and naked in his tent, with his grandson Canaan being cursed.

The shocking point of these immediate days following the Flood, is that just one harvest period after the Flood, somewhere between one and three years is all that has passed. In this brief period of time, we find the members of this new age bringing with them the evil ways of previous generations who were killed by the Flood. Some have said that Noah’s drunkenness was an accident. Dr. Henry Morris excuses Noah’s drunkenness on the basis that weather conditions were different and that Noah didn’t know what he was doing. Morris, as well as others, mentions that this was the first case of drunkenness in the history of man.

However, in Matthew 24:38 Jesus tells us differently. He tells us that “drinking” a term used synonymously with drunkenness, not just drinking water or wine, but drunkenness was a sinful lifestyle pattern prior to the Flood. Noah’s was not the first case of Biblically recorded drunkenness. Noah was well aware of what he was doing when he got drunk. Warren Wiersbe correctly explains that Noah, “...was a seasoned saint, over 600 years old, and not a young prodigal, that fell into this sin and shame.” Make no mistake about Noah. He knew better.

The purpose of this section of scripture is not just to highlight an application of integrity but also to portray the characteristics of the three branches of the human race in its infancy. When we come to chapters 10 & 11, we will see how the characteristics of Noah’s three sons, Shem, Japheth and Ham define and reveal the characteristics of the three branches of the human race. We see the characteristics of these races in the way Noah discerns the character traits of his three sons as they individually battle the evil that surrounds them. These characteristics of the three branches of the human race are revealed in the heart of the passage, in verses 24-27, in Noah’s curse and blessing of his own three sons.

This passage begins with a prologue that introduces the family members of the ancestors of the entire human race, in verses 18-19. “Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem and Ham and Japheth; and Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah, and from these the whole earth was populated.”

As mentioned, Moses is the author of these words, and at the time he wrote these words, the children of Israel were preparing to enter into the promise land, which also has another name, the Land of Canaan. Hence, Moses gave specific reference as to whom the father of Canaan was, Ham, so that the Israelites would understand and be reminded about what kind of cursed people the Canaanites were and why God was going to displace them with His children the Israelites.

The God of the Jews has often been accused of irrationally going in and killing innocent people in the land of Canaan, displacing them in order to give the property over to the Israelis. What people either don’t know or disregard, is that these were some of the most evil, immoral people on the planet at that time. God’s purpose in establishing Israel in the land was to cause others to see His righteousness by the way He dealt with Israel, hoping to send a message to the rest of the nations that He was the one and only true God, and that he would bless them, as He was blessing Israel, if people would only come to Him and entrust their lives to Him.

Now, let’s take a closer look at Noah and this sad event in his life. We read in verses 20-21, “Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.”

Apparently, Noah went inside his tent, maybe it was warm in the tent. He began drinking and as he did, either the wine or the heat in the tent made him feel hot. So, with his inhibitions weakened by the wine, he didn’t mind the thought of being seen naked, and took off his clothes. Understand, someone coming into his tent was no less unexpected or any less uncommon than a child walking into his parent’s open-door bedroom to talk with mom or dad. So, it was not a typical thing for Noah to chill out at home, naked. After some time passed, the wine took its full affect, and Noah passed out drunk.

Keep in mind the context. For more than 120 years, Noah had lived as a saint amidst the most evil generation of the human race until our own. Having stood strong against the attacks of evil men and their put downs, he remained courageously faithful to the Lord. But then, thinking he was safe from sin, living amongst believers, he let his guard down. Then boom! Failure.

I’ve been to Christian retreats where believers were genuinely seeking the Lord, thinking they were in a safe place, free from attacks from the evil one, only to discover that gossip, bitterness and sexual immorality was alive and well in the camp. Just because Christian men and women get together for a fishing trip or a New Year’s Eve party, does not mean that we are safe from sin. Learn the lesson from Noah.

The scriptures remind us that we have an enemy. The Apostle Peter, who was quite familiar with personal failure warns, “Be sober. Be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour.” [1 Peter 5:8] And sure enough, he found Noah.

It’s difficult to avoid the biblical and modern world relationship between drunkenness and nakedness. Biblically, we read in Habakkuk 2:15 and Lamentations 4:21 these words: “Woe to you who make your neighbors drink, who mix in your venom even to make them drunk so as to look on their nakedness!” Or, “Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz; but the cup will come around to you as well, you will become drunk and make yourself naked.”

Although we can see the relationship between drunkenness and nakedness, it is still hard for many of us to understand and appreciate the modesty and discretion of privacy called for in ancient morality. Inside marriage, nakedness is a wonderful thing. It is a beautiful picture of being open, honest, vulnerable and trusting. However, from the very beginning in the Old Testament nakedness, outside of marriage was a thing of shame for fallen humankind. To be exposed meant to be unprotected, to see someone uncovered was to bring dishonor and to gain advantage for potential exploitation.

In the next two verses, we see the responses of the three sons. We read in verse 22, “Ham, the father of Canaan, saw [literally “gazed at” or “studied”, not just a glancing look] the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.” The idea here is that Ham took delight or satisfaction in looking at his father’s nakedness. It was not the quick glance of a pre-adolescent child curious to understand the facts of life. This was a deliberate examination of his naked father’s body. Quite possibly, there is a hint of homosexual tendencies resident in Ham. If not homosexuality, it is clear from the text that some form of sexual perversion is indicated either in thought or in act. When the text states that Ham “told his two brothers,” the literal Hebrew is “he told his two brothers with delight”. Ham apparently thought that his brothers would share in his satisfaction so he sought them out to tell them the savory news.

Ham’s going out to tell his brothers, without covering his father, revealed his heart. It aggravated that which was already a bad situation. Noah’s drunkenness and Ham’s response to it provides graphic evidence that, despite the outward judgment and cleansing of the Flood, in the heart and soul of humans there was still sin and rebellion against God and all that is decent. In addition, it is obvious that Satan was still going to be at work in the post Flood world.

But the following behavior of Shem and Japheth reveals that human beings, while living amidst an evil generation, can still choose to walk with God and to honor God with their lives.

Verse 23, “But Shem and Japheth took a [literally “the”] garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness”.

Shem and Japheth acted to preserve the honor of their father by covering his nakedness, while not looking at him. Note that they did not take “a garment”, but more accurately the Hebrew states, that they took “the garment.” In other words, in contrast to Ham’s action, which was not just to tell about his father’s condition, but to bring out the evidence, “the garment” that Noah apparently laid to the side of his resting place, Shem and Japheth took the same garment back in and covered up their Dad. By doing so, they fulfilled the heart of the 9th commandment, “thought shall not bear false witness.” “To bear false witness” means more that to not lie about someone in court or to not lie in general. Rather, at the heart of the 9th commandment is the oriental thought of helping a person save face, even when they do something wrong. It is what the Apostle Peter refers to when he exhorts us, in 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” Unless it is absolutely necessary, as in a court room situation, or in a counseling situation, we are to protect other’s reputations, by not needlessly gossiping about or pointing out others failures.

These two brothers wanted to protect their Dad’s reputation, wanted to honor him even though he had blown it, so the text clearly states that they took deliberate steps not to even accidentally glace at their father’s nakedness. The details of this short section dramatize these brothers’s sensitivity to righteousness against Ham’s evil heart. And as a result of honoring their father, they won the approval and blessing of not only their earthly father, but their Heavenly Father as well.

Look at Noah’s response to his three sons, related to their individual actions. We read in verse 24, “When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.” How Noah knew what had happened, we don’t know. But he found out somehow. Verse 25, “So he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.’” Slavery is the curse of Canaan.

Three times, here in verse 25, and later in verses 26 and 27, the curse is clearly aimed at Noah’s grandson, Canaan, not his son, Ham, who actually did the evil deed. Why would God do that? Does this not seem unfair? Absolutely this would be unfair, if that is all that took place. Understand that elsewhere in the Torah, God clearly states that He does not punish children for their parent’s mistakes.

I would suggest that somehow Canaan was personally involved in his father’s sin for a several reasons. First, by Noah stating what he did three times about Canaan suggests that somehow Canaan was involved in this. Secondly, it is interesting that none of Ham’s other children were cursed as was Canaan. How is it that they missed this direct curse? Admittedly I am speculating here, but maybe Canaan’s sexual perversions were having an affect on Ham. You can be sure of one thing: God never punishes children for their parent’s sin, and that’s why the other sons of Ham were not cursed.

By the way, the name “Ham” has an uncertain derivation. But it is possible that it comes from a word meaning “Hot” as an expression referring to one’s sexuality.

Noah’s use of the Hebrew superlative expression, “servant of servants” declared that Ham’s family line through Canaan would find itself in abject slavery to his relatives.

By “slavery” it means a certain loss of freedom, different than what any other races would feel. All races have experienced slavery, but a unique experience of slavery fell upon Canaan’s race. That loss of freedom could refer to actual slavery, living subserviently to others and/or being enslaved as in a sinful addiction to such things as pornography or substance abuse.

What’s really interesting is later in history, God warns the Israelites who are about to enter into the Promise Land, in Leviticus 18:2-23, that the Canaanites were wicked people. They were enslaved by all forms of perversion. Perversions even had crept into their spiritual lives. Throughout these verses in Leviticus, there is a lengthy listing of the vile practices of the Canaanites that can’t help but bring to mind the violation of Ham. Included in those verses, “nakedness” is mentioned twenty-four times revealing that the Canaanites as a culture were a people enslaved by their sexuality. No Hebrew about to enter the land of Canaan could read this story about Ham and Noah without making the connection to the Canaanites who inhabited their promise land.

In contrast to this curse, we now read about God’s blessing of Shem in verse 26, “He also said, “Blessed be the Lord [Yahweh], The God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant.” In Hebrew, there is a word play taking place in this blessing. The word “Shem” actually means “Name.” Hence, the intended reading of this verse is, “Blessed be the Lord [Yahweh], the God of Name...” In other words, God makes a name for Himself, through the righteous living and character of Shem. It is through Shem that God raises up Abraham and the nation of Israel. It is through Israel that God makes a name for Himself. Furthermore, it signifies that Shem would ascribe his good fortune to Yahweh, for Shem’s advantage would be his personal intimate relationship with God.

To summarize this blessing, I would put it this way: Shem was blessed to be a master over Canaan, enjoying intimate fellowship with God.

Some say that certain people have a “better line to God” than others do. There is some truth to that. In some cases, i.e. Shem, that was true. But he only had that intimate access, that closeness and blessing from the Lord, because he sought out God. That same closeness is available to all who seek to know or walk with God. There is no such thing as a first or second class Christian. Just those who genuinely seek to walk with Him and those who pay lip service to the fact.

Of Japheth, we read in verse 27, “May God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.”

Again, there is another word play here in Japheth’s name. “Japheth” means “to make large” or “to enlarge”. Hence, the blessing is “May God enlarge he who is already enlarged, let him dwell in the tents of Shem...” Japheth’s family was already large by this time, and apparently taking up much space, but dwelling peaceably among the tents of his brother Shem. But now, Japheth would be blessed with an even larger family, but no conflict would occur with his relatives due to lace of space. They would live peaceably. Hence, the blessing of Japheth was to be master over Canaan, growing in numbers, living peaceably with his brothers.

The last two verses of this chapter are an epilogue, the closing statement on Noah’s life. It’s not the final statement. That comes in Hebrews 11:7 in the well known Hall of Faith chapter. However, you would have hoped that there would have been some word of praise, some great eulogy to this man who had walked by faith, obeyed God and did what was right, so we might be alive today. But nothing significant is mentioned here. In the absence of much being said here, the silence is deafening about Noah’s failure. The fact that he is mentioned in the Hall of Faith causes me to presume that, in spite of his failure, Noah did one day return as a man of integrity, although scarred. We read, “Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years and he died.”

Where does this leave us this morning? With two applications, that fall under the good news bad news theme. Let’s begin with the bad news and then end on the good news.

From the beginning of Genesis, more specifically following the Fall, the following has been true, but no better demonstrated in detail than right here with Noah and his sons. Noah’s son Ham and Canaan demonstrate that those who live in defiance of God’s directives, those who wink at sin, giving full expression to the evil in their hearts, forfeit the blessings of bounty, dominion, and rest. Instead, they inherit enslavement.

And that enslavement can come in many forms. It can be poverty, addictions, and limitations on our lives due to poor or immoral decisions. Such was the case for an entire race, the Canaanites, who are now extinct.

On the other hand, here is the good news. For those to whom integrity means a lot, we see that God’s blessings belong to those who act with integrity. God wants to honor those who walk with Him in integrity. As we move into chapters 10-11, we see that God’s blessing focuses on Shem and his descendants while they lived amidst a world abounding in evil. Integrity doesn’t mean you do not or can never make mistakes. Integrity means that you are honest, and humble enough that when you do wrong, you take responsibility for it, all of it, and determine not do it again. Integrity means that you make any reparations necessary to clean up as much damage as you caused.

Are you living as one who holds integrity as a high priority? Are you honoring your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the small things, so that no one can bring shame upon the name of Christ because of your less than honest actions? How has your slander and gossip been? Have you stretched or cut short the truth? Have you been cheating? When you make a commitment to do something or be somewhere, do you follow through? Do you have wandering eyes or allow illegitimate fantasy to run wild in your mind? Are you carrying around bitterness and an unforgiving heart? Do you need to seek forgiveness and reconcile a broken relationship? Integrity is not disposable. Integrity is the foundational attribute or character quality necessary for you to fulfill your calling to be a witness for Christ.

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