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Genesis 9-10 – Not Everything Is As It Will Always Be
Genealogies are hard to read, but diligence delivers surprising, even spiritual lessons. For example, “Not everything is as it will always be”. That is both positive and negative. Learning not all of life is summed up in the present is powerful. That is a lesson we can profit from concerning the family heritage of two of Noah’s sons, Shem and Ham.
After Ham embarrassed and disrespected his father – who had gotten drunk – Noah pronounces a “curse” on Ham’s son named Canaan (Genesis 9:24-27). Due to etiological reasons, the emphasis moves from Ham to his youngest son Canaan (Genesis 10:6) for the benefit of the readers. Here is where a historical sidenote is helpful. We know Moses wrote Genesis. The readers are the Israelites. When is this written and presumably read? Israel is on their way from slavery to possess the Promised Land. The descendants of Shem are marching towards the homeland of the descendants of Ham.
• Lesson #1 – Ham’s disrespect of his father leads to Noah’s prophetically pronouncing that the land and nation promise for Israel, long before God ever makes that promise to Abraham. God’s promises are planned long before they are given (Ephesians 1:3-4).
Before going further, notice that Ham not only fathered Canaan (i.e., the name of the Promised Land), his second born son also became a nation’s namesake, Egypt (10:6). Egypt fathered Casluhim from whom the Philistines arose (10:13). The firstborn son of Ham, Cush (10:6) had the same result. The nation Cush, also known as Nubia, became at time connected to Egypt, and would comprise “Upper Egypt”, even ruling at times (i.e., “the black” Pharaohs instead of “red” Pharaohs). Cush fathered Nimrod who started a kingdom named Babylon (10:10). After that, Nimrod went to Assyria and built Nineveh (10:11).
What do Ham’s descendants, Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, and even the Philistines have in common? All four at various times within Israel’s history, enslaved or ruled over them. All these names are prophetically given right after Noah prophesied that Ham’s descendants would be slaves to Shem’s descendants, the Israelites. We have hindsight, while God had prophetic-sight.
• Lesson #2 – Shem’s descendants, the Israelites, will disrespect their Father time and again. God (Isaiah 1:2) will now make them slaves to the even more peoples than were slaves to Israel.
The next time you are wondering where God’s Promises are in your life, remember God’s promises are true, and “Not everything is as it will always be”. God’s promises can be received and rejected. Learn the lessons of this genealogy.
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