Gen 9:19 | KingComments | STEP | The sons of Noah are named because they are the germ of the new earth. Out of them humanity develops in three directions. From them descend all future generations and peoples. One people is named by name: the Canaanites, of whom Ham is the father. The earth has been cleansed, but man has not changed. After the blessing there is the failing of Noah. So it has always gone in the history of man. We see it with Adam in the beginning and here with Noah. Later we see it after establishing the priesthood the sons of Aaron fail ( ) and after appointing a king, king Saul, he fails (1 Samuel 9-31). It has been not different with the church (Revelation 2-3). Noah, who has been given authority over creation, has no authority over himself. He uses the blessing of the earth for his own enjoyment, the blessing takes possession of him. Isn’t that what often happens, also with us Christians? Love of drink drags the former preacher of righteousness ( ) into the mud. Noah cannot handle the wealth of the new earth. He indulges in it and so his nakedness becomes public. It is like with the church of Laodicéa. She also finds herself so great and blessed. But blessing apart from God, blessing that is abused for one’s own pleasure, results in nakedness. Therefore the Lord Jesus says to that church: ‘You are naked’ ( ). Noah’s sin is the reason for Ham’s failure. That is a serious lesson for every father. Ham ridicules his father to his brothers. That is clear from the context. It is not a question of justifying Noah’s sin – that cannot be justified – but for the son, his father’s failure should not be a reason to mock him. This is an important principle at a time when parental authority is often undermined. Parents are not perfect, they make mistakes. Yet the Scriptures say: “Honor your father and mother” ( ). The other two sons treat their failing, naked father with the necessary respect. Not only do they not want to see the nakedness themselves, but they also make sure that no one else sees it. They use the garment as it were as a garment of love they throw over their father’s lack, something that is an example to us in our dealings with the evil of others ( ).