NOAH WAS UNCOVERED
Genesis 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. 23 And 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.
Genesis 9:24 ¶ And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. 27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
Genesis 9:28 ¶ And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. 29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.
No portion of scripture is of any private interpretation. (2 Peter 1:20). That is, no single verse is there just to exclusively set forth the subject of its content. Here is what the Person of The Word reveals concerning the written word. Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, Therefore there shall never be any true understanding of the scriptures given but only as the Holy Spirit reveals Christ in them! For of himself, our Saviour states, they (the scriptures) are they which testify of me. (John 5:39).
So to find our Lord, who is spirit (John 4:24), we do not satisfy ourselves that our text is only to be used to preach against alcoholism or immodesty, but is rather given us to seek our Lord at the time of his drinking the cup which the Father gave him at the time of his crucifixion.
The name Noah means “rest.” And our Lord states, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew11:28, 29. Christ is the believers Sabbath rest! Also we read in the first verse of our text that Noah was an husbandman. And it could not be clearer stated than in John 15:1, I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
And where do we find Noah uncovered? It is stated in verse 21 above, that it was within his tent. And the Hebrew word translated tent, is the exact same word translated tabernacle. Exodus 26:9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle. For as Noah was seen to be uncovered in his tent, so the revelation of Christ is begun to be ‘uncovered’ for us to look upon in the tabernacle of Israel!
For that is where the Lord God said that he would meet with Israel! Exodus 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee. 22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. For in John 1:14 we read, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (or ‘tabernacled’) among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And to have seen the Lord Jesus is to have seen the Father. For he is the fulness of the godhead bodily! John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Also Noah, being a husbandman who plants, is then in the likeness of God. For the Lord God is the very first Husbandman who ‘plants’ all the vegetation on earth on the third day of creation. Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. But Noah was also like another husbandman before him. For in Genesis 4:2 we read, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
And the Lord Jesus Christ is both very God, and very man! John 10:30 I and my Father are one. Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
The redeemed believers are also brought into the spirit of their Heavenly Husbandman in their oneness with him. 1Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. James 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 1 John 4:17 …because as he is, so are we in this world.
Then we read the activity of the husbandman. …and he planted a vineyard: And so did the Lord! Isaiah 5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Consider in the New Testament that which is spoken of the Lord: Matthew 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
1 Corinthians 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
Both the Person of the Word, and the words of his mouth are spoken of in the terms of husbandry. Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isaiah 55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
But what of the matter of Noah being made drunk? When a man is drunk on alcohol, his mind and entire personality are changed. And there is not a created being on earth that has the slightest awareness of that which happened to the blessed Lord Jesus as he gave himself to be, for the first time, separated from his Father. Nor do we have ability to perceive just what occurred to him in the hour given to the powers of darkness. Luke 22:53 …but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
No human soul has ever experienced the horror of the Lord’s afflictions! Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. 11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. 13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. 16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. 18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
But consider that which we can know of the dregs that were placed to the holy lips of the eternal Son of God. Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. 42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. John 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
The true believers – but not the religiously educated church attender – are, without fail, given to experience but a small portion of these sufferings. Philippines 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
But as the Apostle Paul rightly states, all our afflictions are comparatively light in regards to the Lord’s. 2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
Make no mistake about it, dear Reader. Everyone – every single soul in the human race – shall taste of these dregs at the holy and righteous hand of the Lord God! Jeremiah 25:27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. 28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. 29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts. 30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
Some shall drink for the spirit of the cleansing of sanctification, but the rest for damnation! 1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep, (or are dead).
The world, even the realm of religion, has not a clue as to the Spirit’s work within the heart’s of His people. They have, and always shall, be in error on this matter! Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
Acts 2:13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 14 ¶ But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
For the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, in His affect within the believer is compared to the affect that excess of wine causes. Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Pastor Gene Breed
October 29, 2015
