Chapter 10—When Languages Were Changed
This chapter is based on
Genesis 9:25-27
;
11:1-9
.
To repeople the desolate earth God had preserved but one family,
the household of Noah. To him He declared, “Thee have I seen
righteous before Me in this generation.”
Genesis 7:1
. Yet in the three
sons of Noah—Shem, Ham, and Japheth—were foreshadowed the
character of their posterity.
Noah, speaking by divine inspiration, foretold the history of the
three great races to spring from these fathers of mankind. Tracing
the descendants of Ham through the son rather than the father, He
declared, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto
his brethren.” The unnatural crime of Ham revealed the vileness of his
character. These evil characteristics were perpetuated in Canaan and
his posterity.
On the other hand, the reverence manifested by Shem and Japheth
for divine statutes promised a brighter future for their descendants.
Concerning these sons it was declared, “Blessed be Jehovah, God of
Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. God shall enlarge Japheth, and
he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.”
The line of Shem was to be that of the chosen people. From him would
descend Abraham, and the people of Israel, through whom Christ
was to come. And Japheth “shall dwell in the tents of Shem.” In the
blessings of the gospel the descendants of Japheth were especially to
share.
The posterity of Canaan descended to the most degrading forms of
heathenism. Though the prophetic curse had doomed them to slavery,
God bore with their corruption until they passed the limits of divine
[70]
forbearance. Then they became bondmen to the descendants of Shem
and Japheth.
The prophecy of Noah did not fix the character and destiny of
his sons. But it showed what would be the result of the course they
had chosen and the character they had developed. As a rule, children
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