I find it very solemn how the Bible continually presents us with the effects of righteousness versus the effects of conscious and willing sin. How scary that a man's simple "yes" or "no" to indulge in the momentary pleasures of the flesh can have such devastating effects. Bible characters were often defined by such things. If they were repentant, then their legacy continued, but if they did not repent, they seem to fall off the scene! Basically, a conscious choice towards righteousness will yield great Godly effects. But a conscious choice towards sin will yield an ungodly infection! Which would you prefer? A Godly EFFECT, or a sinful INFECTION? Do you want to be EFFECTED, or virally INFECTED?
A stern example of this idea is found in the life of Noah. He was a man greatly used by God; He built the ark; Him and his family were the only people saved by the flood. He was even called "a just man and perfect in his generations" (Gen 6:9). Yet, soon after, we find Noah planting a vineyard, and becoming drunk. Great sin then ensued, perpetrated by Noah's son, Ham (Gen 9:21-22). Such ungodly behavior probably never would have ensued had Noah been sober-minded. Sadly, after this incident, nothing further is recorded of Noah! The last 350 years of his life are a blank! Then he dies! Surely, Paul's words are appropriate in this case: "But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Cor 9:27). May God help us all! No experience of God's mercies in the past will deliver us from exposure to new temptations in the future. As Paul said, we must die daily.
A final example of this principle is evident in Noah's sons. By this example we see the great effect of righteous choices, and the sad infection caused by unrighteous choices, which virally spreads to all of like character. Perhaps if we really knew and believed the dramatic effects of our choices, the leaning towards righteousness wouldn't be so difficult?
The believer should take due heed to these examples, as they were written "aforetime... for our learning" (Rom 15:4).
The ungodly infection of sinful choices:
Scripture says, "And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren" (Gen 9:24-25). Some scholars believe Canaan (Ham's 4th son) to be the actual culprit, and others believe it was indeed Ham. Some believe that because Ham sinned as a son, that he was then punished in his son. Some believe otherwise. Whatever your opinion may be, the result of such willing sin is devastating nonetheless. He looked upon his father's nakedness; he chose not to honor his father; he lacked filial love. Some scholars believe that the Hebrew rendering of this phrase "looked upon" actually gives the idea of a homosexual pleasure that was involved. Such action proves the state of his heart. What awful fruit can be birthed from such a corrupt tree? What sort of bitter stream can flow from such a perverted fountain?
Sadly, generations of corporate history were virally effected by such awful choices. It seems that the character of the initial sinner was passed down from generation to generation. There obviously was no corporate repentance, and thus, the infectious seed was spread! It cannot be said that every individual descendent of Ham was cursed (as many racist commentators have tried to teach), because Moses married a Cushite (Ethiopian) woman (Numb 12:1). Surely this woman, Zipporah, was blessed by God, and was a significant part of His covenant people. But this viral infection did indeed infect those of the same ill character of Ham; those from whom true repentance was hid. First of all, Nimrod, the founder of the Babylonian empire, sprang from Ham through Cush (Gen 10:6-8). Secondly, Mizraim, the father of the Egyptians, was another of Ham's children (Gen 10:6; Ps 78:51; 105:23, 27; 106:22). The perversity of Ham's seed spread like a cancer. The awful fruit of stagnant ungodliness is obvious. Babylon and Egypt were blatant enemies of the Hebrews, and haters of the God of Israel. Furthermore, the spread of such an awful infection is evidenced by the fact that the Gibeonites (Ham's seed) became "hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation" (Josh 9:27). Concerning Ham's seed, the Scripture also records "when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute..." (Jdgs 1:28). "Tribute" here means, "a burden; forced labor". Lastly, the Bible says "And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of Israel, their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day" (1 Kgs 9:20-21). Sin is likened to a maddening virus in Scripture (Eccl 9:3). Such awful bondage is the result of a spreading, viral and sinful seed that clearly was not properly dealt with.
Who can fail to recognize the awful result of a conscious decision toward sin?! Infection, once begun, is difficult to mend. We are utterly dependent upon the blood of Jesus, which thankfully, makes all things new (2 Cor 5:17)!
The Godly effects of righteous choices:
While Ham (or Canaan?) sinfully looked upon his father's nakedness, the Bible records Shem and Japheth's righteous choice: "Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness" (Gen 9:23). Reader, let's understand that such a righteous decision yielded AMAZING fruit! Their actions too proved the state of their hearts! Of these sons Noah says "Blessed be the LORD 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" (Gen 9:26-27).
So great were these effects, that Noah's words were actually a prophetic outline sketch of the history of the coming nations! Wow! Who can fail to recognize the obvious effect of a simple righteous choice?! What must be the harvest that is reaped from such a righteous sowing? Observe:
These brothers were rewarded in the sphere of religious privileges. Their offspring were to be the recipients of a covenant relationship with God! Shem became the "father of all the children of Eber", that is, the Hebrews (Gen 10:21). Thus, in the family of Shem, the knowledge and worship of God was preserved: "And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God " (Exod 29:45). Can we think of any greater fruit? No wonder Noah broke forth into thanksgiving at the realization of this truth. He said, "Blessed be the Lord God of Shem" (Gen 9:26). Japheth too was to be blessed. He was to be enlarged (Gen 9:27), and was to receive a blessing from Shem. Surely Japheth has been enlarged; his seed were composed of the Greeks and Romans, who in their time dominated practically all of the then known world! Furthermore, Japheth also received spiritual blessing. In Romans 11, the apostle Paul, writing of the Gentiles, says "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree" (11:17).
What startling fruit (both good and bad) is evident from a simple choice! Will we allow our lusts to conceive, and bring forth death (Jas 1:15)? Or will we consciously choose to decrease in the presence of One greater (Jn 3:30)? Ask yourself today, will I strive to be righteously EFFECTED, or unrighteously INFECTED?
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