This Is Deep

After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard. One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers. Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked. [Genesis 9.20-23]

Obviously, this is not the whole story. Essentially, Ham looked upon his father's nakedness and Shem and Japheth would and did not.

As the story goes, Noah cursed Ham for what he had done.

Interestingly enough, as the genealogies of the three sons of Noah are detailed, the descendants of Ham are pretty much all those nations and peoples who would become enemies of Israel - many of them known for their sexual perversions. Furthermore, the descendants of Ham became the founders of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities known (and later annihilated) for homosexuality and all kinds of sexual debauchery.

How does Ham's view of Noah's nakedness relate to Adam and Eve's view of nakedness after they sinned? There is obviously something hidden from immediate perception as we consider this question.

I wonder if there is a clue in the writings of the Apostle Paul when he speaks about the human body as it reveals the Body of Christ?

And the [human body] parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. [Romans 12.23-25]

If we can extract anything from Paul here, it would be that human genitalia ranks low for honor and dignity and, therefore must be hidden (not seen by others). It is probably worth considering that in so 'hiding' these parts, harmony is promoted within the body. What??

Is that why Adam and Eve felt ashamed then - because they saw (or realized) this once they ate the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Did the knowledge of good and evil cause them to suddenly be able to rate their own bodies (that beforehand were all just considered they way things are ...without shame)?

How does this make sense then, since God originally made these "less honorable" parts? Why did the knowledge of good and evil cause shame for the human reproductive organs? Was that the real goal of Satan - to deceive man into rating himself (as a slap in God's face since God created the whole human body)? We must remember that God's creation of man received God's "good!" stamp of approval along with everything else He created.

Is it any wonder that Satan would cause shame about the very body parts necessary to procreate God's "good" creation? Oh, this is deep! Is it any wonder then that Satan would pervert the meaning of these body parts? Is it any wonder then that sexual "sin" has been a big problem for man all through history?

Well, another day with more questions than answers! But I feel like God is trying to reveal something important - something helpful to understand. I will keep paying attention!

Father, Your Word is so very amazing! Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to understand all that Your Spirit is saying to me!