Continuation of God’s Plan and the Serpents Opposition
Genesis 9:20–29 (NASB95)
20Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard. 21He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. 22Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. 23But Shem and Japheth took a 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. 24When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. 25So he said, “Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.” 26He also said, “Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant. 27“May God enlarge Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.” 28Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. 29So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.
Noah’s story after the flood takes a dramatic turn with his drunkenness and the response of his sons. Noah, described as a man of the soil, plants a vineyard and becomes drunk, lying uncovered in his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, sees his father’s nakedness and tells his brothers, while Shem and Japheth respectfully cover Noah without looking. This contrast reveals more than a family dispute; it exposes a deep spiritual reality.
Ham’s disrespect is not merely a social offense but a continuation of the rebellion introduced by the serpent in Genesis 3:15. Ham’s actions align him with the "seed of the serpent," those who oppose God’s chosen line. His failure to honor his father violates sacred cultural and moral duties, echoing the enmity between the serpent and the woman’s offspring. The curse Noah pronounces on Canaan, Ham’s son, extends this rebellion into future generations, marking Ham’s line as opposed to God’s redemptive plan.
In contrast, Shem receives a blessing that highlights God’s election. Noah blesses the LORD, the God of Shem, signaling that Shem’s descendants will carry forward God’s covenant promises. Shem’s line is chosen to be the vessel through which God will continue His redemptive work, culminating in the Messiah. This blessing sets Shem apart as the ancestor of Abraham, Israel, and ultimately Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of God’s promise to crush the serpent’s head.
The narrative sets up a clear division: Ham represents the continuation of the serpent’s seed, marked by rebellion and curse, while Shem embodies the line of blessing and divine election. This division foreshadows the ongoing spiritual and historical conflict between the forces of evil and God’s people.
The church today must recognize its role through which God’s redemptive purposes continue. Like Shem, believers are called to honor God and uphold His covenant. The story warns against attitudes and actions that oppose God’s holiness and mission, as seen in Ham’s disrespect. The church also serves as a spiritual mediator in a broken world, standing against the forces of rebellion and proclaiming the victory of Christ, the true seed of the woman. Let us embrace our calling to live faithfully, knowing we are part of God’s ongoing plan to restore creation and defeat the power of sin.