Genesis 9:20-25

20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded [a] to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father’s nakedness.  24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,   ”Cursed be Canaan!  The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.”

1) Durnkenness – An area of sin.

2) Nakedness – Exposed to others but sometimes unable to recognize this sin in ourselves.

3) Ham – Represents the one who tells others, gossips about the weaknesses of others.

4) Shem and Japheth – Represent grace and what Christ did for us when He covered our sins, our nakedness.

5) Garment – Represent prayer covering.

6) “Their faces were turned the other way” – Represents we are to fix our eyes on Jesus and not on the sin.

7) “Walked in backward” – An act demonstrating humility and love for their father, true care and compassion for him.

Luke 12:3 “Accordingly whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.”

Whisper: Psithuristes-“A Whisperer” occurs in Rom. 1:29 in an evil sense, used as a secret slander, gossip.

The principle impressed on my heart that I believe God revealed to me was that when a weakness or sin of a leader is exposed, He would ask me to:

1.  Avoid the temptation of Ham- and not whisper of their shortcomings to others.

2.  I am to cover him with a blanket of prayer.

3.  I am to turn my face away from the area that has been exposed and to fix my eyes on the Lord Jesus.

(*Note: Allow those in authority over the leader to deal with the issue, not to use this as an opportunity for gossip)
1993
Carrie George