Gen. 9:22-25

Because of what verse 24 says, it appears best to cover these three verses as a whole, because there may be more here than meets the eye. It has to do with the temptations which were said to have perhaps already been much more pronounced in Canaan, things which would lead to the horrible evil of the Canaanites. It is also connected to what may have come from Noah's drunkenness.

First, we noted that Noah almost certainly did not sleep naked. Therefore, Ham had to know what happened. He almost certainly didn't just happen in on his dad and see him naked.

We see in verse 22, at least one major sin was committed - that of gossip. Ham went and told his brothers. We don't see how he told them, but it is quite plausible that it was done not only in a gossiping way but in a way that told them that he really didn't have much concern for his father. It wasn’t the concern of a son who says, “I think Dad has a problem, we need to get him help.” Indeed, as noted, this was probably the first time Noah had done this, and there is no indication that it happened again, so there was no need for them to counsel Noah and help him stay away from alcohol. This is why they likely went and covered him up, ashamed not to look at him but at what had become of him because of the drunkenness. They didn't want to embarrass Noah any more, and didn’t feel it would be an ongoing problem. It’s important to trust the Lord in knowing when to get a person help and when something can be ignored.

This brings up another point, however, that being how Noah knew what Ham had done. We considered before that Noah may have been making a spectacle of himself, talking and acting beyond foolish while drunk. It is possible that Ham accompanied him back to his tent to make sure that Noah at least passed out drunk there and not outside, which would explain why Noah knew what Ham had done. Perhaps Ham had left him uncovered, mocking him instead of covering him. This would account for Ham seeing his father's nakedness, telling his brothers, and leaving the evidence because Noah, while drunk, could have been still aware enough to know that Ham had been there and had not covered him up. It would also explain why Noah cursed Canaan, because Noah wanted to point out that Ham's youngest son would be just as much of a problem, and just as uncaring, as Ham had been.

However, there is another, darker possibility. The above speculation would still make Noah's comments prophetic. However, this idea fits nicely, too, and may tie in with the above, though it could be true even if Noah was not outside making a foolish spectacle of himself.

It has been suggested that when Ham looked upon Noah’s nakedness, it wasn’t a normal glance, but rather a leering, almost sensual in nture. If ham did this and then told Sham and Japheth, they might have had even more reason to go in backward. Once something is put into one’s mind it cn be hard to get it out, which is why Philippians 4:8 warns us to think on things which are true, honest, just, pure, etc.. If this was the case, they didn’t want to think of their father in the way Ham had mentioned. They had never thought that way about noah before, but such thoughts troubled them so much that to avoid those thoughts returning, they made sure not to look at him at all.

This would explain how Noah knew what Ham had done. He obviously woke up with a blanket over him, and knew it hadn’t been over him when he fell asleep. If he recalled that Ham gazed upon him in a lewd manner before or even recalled some things from the night before (because not all drunks forget what they did the previous evening), he would have good reason to be upset.

But, why a curse on Canaan, then? As noted before, this curse was quite probably prophetic in nature. If Ham had such thoughts, Noah recognized Canaan would, too. In fact, Canaan was old enough at this point that he likely exhibited the same traits but on a much larger scale. Remember that the Canaanites were into all sorts of wickedness, so much so they would sacrifice children to a false god and do other awful things that God warned the Israelites to have no part of.

Of course, as noted, all this is speculation, but there are good, sound reasons behind all of it that do fit with the rest of scripture. The important thing is that one know Jesus Christ as Saviour, and then earn blessings and rewards once saved by being that kind, compassionate, respectful person who will treat others in a Christlike manner. Thinking about things and focusing on the things mentioned in Philippians 4:8, and drwing near to the Lord while fleeing youthful lusts, will allow one to have the right heart so if someone like a Noah does need help for a problem such as alcoholism or anything else, they can help that person get help in a kind, respectful way.

And, I’ll close this post by noting a couple of places where one can turn or where one can refer someone else for Christ-centered help with any kind of addiction, whether to alcohol, drugs, or even those youthful lusts. “Reformers Unanimous is a wonderful ministry in a number of churches in the United States, and they may have help on their website in addition to locations of churches and treatment centers. There is an online ministry with lessons and I believe counselors to e-mail with at settingcaptivesfree.org. And, there is a community of Online Missionaries who can help with addictions if you go to Jesus2020.com and fill out the form. Someone like Noah doesn’t seem to have had a major problem, but others do, and it shouldn’t be ignored, because those who do have addictions greatly harm others through their actions and/or inactions.

Gen. 9:20-21

Noah planted a vineyard. It is worth mentioning that's he would have known a lot about cultivating fruits and vegetables from before, because people were vegetarians, even if he probably only began to do this after the Flood, as the Bible says he began to be a husbandman. After so much work building the ark, these skills were no longer needed. Many times, especially in this advanced technological era, we develop skills that are not needed later in our lives.

It is important to remember that God takes care of us and will guide us in the right way if we just trust and follow Him. It may or may not have been God's plan for him to simply turn to farming, but it is never God's plan to fall into sin. Rather, He lovingly guides us away, always providing a way of escape, as 1 Corinthians 10 : 13 says, but He gives us freedom to choose His perfect, loving plan or not.

It is almost certain that Noah wasn't a drinker before, because he was perfect in his generations. Even if that is taken to mean that he had no Nephilim DNA, which we mentioned before is possible, he still found favor in the sight of God and therefore would not have been likely to take to the sin of drunkenness. A little doubt is present because, after all, David was a man after God's own heart and he had some serious sin problems when he lusted after Bathsheba. But, even if Noah had gotten drunk once or twice that certainly wasn't a common thing.

And, again, he likely hadn't. He was too busy building the Ark and trying to plead with people to be saved. When our minds are focused on the work of the Lord, the devil will fight us, of course, but having something to fill our minds with which is Godly – just as those things Philippians 4:8 tells us to focus on – it eliminates a big area the devil can use to infiltrate, that being an idle mind. Remember that it was when he couldn’t sleep that David went out on his roof and saw Bathsheba, instead of praying and finding some way to possibly serve the Lord by helping others as King. And, when the King of Persia in Esther couldn’t sleep, he had his chronicler read back the events of several months (because the king likely figured hearing such dull monotony would help him get to sleep) and thus the king was reminded of something he’d neglected, that being rewarding Mordecai for saving his life.

Either way, Noah knew the properties of grapes and how they fermented and became usable in alcoholic beverages. He had likely been privy to many sins which resulted from drunkenness in the world before the Flood.

So, why did Noah do it? Carelessness? Or, something else? We don't know, but enough is known of things such as survivor's guilt that he could possibly have been thinking about how sad it was that so many refused to trust in God, even as the flood waters were going up.

If this was the case, the proper solution was not to get drunk, but to pour out His heart to God and seek God's peace and comfort. Looking at the Psalms, we see many times when David felt depressed and he called on the Lord. it is amazing how many of the  Psalms start out with David so down in the dumps and end with him praising the Lord. God has a way of giving peace in the midst of anything.

Once Noah got drunk, he passed out naked. We could speculate as to what happened in a few areas.

For instance, did he act really dumb beforehand, so Ham was just waiting to see what would happen? That's unknown, but it is possible that God recorded this in Scripture because He wished to show how easily He forgets the sins of His saints, those of us who have trusted Christ as Savior. God removes our sins as far as the east is from the west, and we are promised that He will remember them no more. However, the main point here is that he would have acted in some improper way. Wine is a mocker, the Bible warns against its use - or any alcohol - because God knows it's addictive and destructive effects. Families are ripped apart, Money rightfully earned to bless the person is wasted, and people are mistreated because of the effects of it. All the ads would entice people to buy orange juice, milk, or any other product if they were made for that product.

His nakedness was not necessarily part of this, however. First, we would need to know if it was normal for him to not wear clothes while sleeping. We're not told the tradition the way we are in other circumstances later in the Bible, but if Noah was consistently naked sleeping, it would not have been a strange thing for Ham to enter and notice it later. Therefore, it is likely that he didn't sleep naked.