When I read the chapter it first brought back many memories of hearing the Noah story and the rainbow. How many times have I taught this story to children? Never did I remember the ending and the curse being handed out. We only think of the flood and then Gods promise.
After reading this last night I wondered about those last verses. I was shocked that Noah would be drunk! He was such a man of God, that would not have been something I would have thought he would do. Then when the son walked in on him and immediately left to get his brothers. I wasn't thinking that he was gossiping, my thought was that he was embarrassed and ashamed for his father and went to get help. Then he gets cursed for it!
I agree that Noah took his anger of himself out on Ham. I think the poor boy didn't know what to do seeing his dad in that state. I bet he learned his lesson!
I've been in ministry long enough to know that we are all saints and sinners. At my very first church where I was learning to be a youth director, a couple of guys taught the teens in Sunday School. One of them traveled a lot for business. He was always sober (it appeared) on Sunday mornings. He was in church every week. But when he flew out on Monday and returned on Friday, he worked hard and drank hard. His wife was left to care for their 3 daughters all on her own. I did his middle daughter's wedding several years ago. He's still a strong man of God AND struggles with alcoholism. As I said, we're all saints and sinners, doing our best to honor God with our lives.
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