[Drake]

"Igzy) "Those verses give no evidence that God backed the curse.

I'm not saying the curse had no effect. Certainly it did. Words are powerful. Unfortunately especially negative ones.

But still the fact that Noah's curse had impact and effect is no evidence that God approved of or backed the curse. It may simply be a stark warning to watch what we say (Matt 12:36). "


Igzy, you are making a case for deputy authority. I know you will flip out at the very thought of that but stay with me.

If, as you suggest, God did not approve of the curse Noah issued on Canaan, He allowed it to take effect nonetheless. On what basis would God allow it to be fulfilled? You've already argued that what Noah did was unkind, hurtful to his grandson, done in a fog of hangover stupor, embarrassed about being found in a compromising situation he lashed out at little Canaanito (whose only fault may have been a nasty habit of double dipping in the hummus or whatever mischievous things little boys did in Mesopotamia).

Let's pretend for the moment that you and Noah are just alike in character and judgement per your own comparison. Let's also assume for the moment that you know as much about Canaan as Noah did at the time and he was unjustified in cursing Canaan. Then Canaan's brothers charge off and build the mega empires of Egypt and Babylon and some 900 years later when Joshua conquers the land of Canaan we see Canaan descendents inducted into forced labor. That, you argue, is because Noah in a moment of indiscretion said something he should not have and words have impact and God had nothing to do with any of that.

Seriously?

Or, is it more plausible that Noah issued a curse to Canaan because he knew something about Canaan that you don't or God inspired Noah because in His foreknowledge He saw that the Canaanites would become polluted with the Amorites, the race of giants, and established in the land of promise? After all, extermination edicts of entire communities were issued by God for that very reason (Numbers 13) in the land of Canaan. Though we are discussing the curse of Canaan we cannot forget the blessing of Shem and Japheth in the same breath. In fact, the whole course of human destiny was set in place by Noah's curse and blessings. It seems obvious that if Noah issued a curse in a "fog of hangover" , he in the very same breath issued blessings too. God fulfilled the curse of Canaan and the blessing to Shem and is and will fulfill the blessing of Japheth. I think it is more likely that Noah having already proven himself a faithful servant, God entrusted him yet again with the destiny of mankind even though it was a mistake on Noah's part that facilitated it. The evidence is in the fulfillment and course of history that ensued. The case for deputy authority is strengthened if God had nothing to do with the curse or blessings yet allowed them to set the whole course of human history.

Drake