Blessed be the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Welcome as we study the Word of God together. Proverbs 2:10–11 (ESV) “For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.” There are four essential qualities that every believer should desire and cultivate in their walk with God: Wisdom – the God-given ability to make sound judgments and discern right from wrong. Knowledge – the understanding of divine truth and practical information rooted in God’s Word. Understanding – the deep comprehension of spiritual matters and the ability to apply them appropriately. Discernment (Discretion) – the foresight to recognize danger, avoid temptation, and choose the path of righteousness (cf. Proverbs 27:12, “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty” NIV). These four virtues do not originate from human intelligence or education but come from God alone: Proverbs 2:6 (NIV) “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Let us now consider three significant spiritual benefits of receiving wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and discernment. 1. Deliverance from the Path of Evil The first benefit is spiritual protection from wickedness and corrupt influences. Proverbs 2:12–15 (ESV) “Delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech,who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil,men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.” Evil paths are those that lead people into sin and rebellion against God. These include the moral and spiritual corruptions listed in Galatians 5:19–21: “…sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…” (ESV) Such behaviors result from a lack of divine wisdom and spiritual discernment. The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, equips the believer to resist these temptations and remain on the path of righteousness. 2. Protection from Sexual Immorality Another benefit is deliverance from the snare of sexual sin, which is one of the most common and destructive traps. Proverbs 2:16–19 (NIV) “Wisdom will save you also from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words,who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.Surely her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.” In biblical terms, the “adulterous woman” represents anyone—male or female—who engages in sexual immorality. This includes adultery, fornication, and any sexual behavior outside the bounds of biblical marriage. Consider Joseph in Genesis 39. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, Joseph fled, saying: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9, ESV) Joseph’s response was the fruit of godly wisdom and fear of the Lord. Had he lacked discernment and understanding, he could have easily fallen into sin, jeopardizing both his calling and his relationship with God. Proverbs 6:32 (ESV) affirms this: “He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself.” Wisdom and the fear of the Lord are safeguards against moral failure. 3. Guidance Toward the Path of the Righteous God’s wisdom not only protects us from sin but also guides us into a life of righteousness among godly people. Proverbs 2:20–22 (ESV) “So you will walk in the way of the good and keep to the paths of the righteous.For the upright will inhabit the land, and those with integrity will remain in it,but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.” The path of the righteous is distinct and intentional. It is not found by accident, but by divine guidance. The Holy Spirit uses wisdom and understanding to lead us into fellowship with those who live godly lives and to keep us rooted in the truth of God’s Word. Psalm 1 paints a similar picture: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked… but his delight is in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:1–2, ESV). To find and stay on this path, we need the kind of wisdom that only comes from God. How Then Can One Receive Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, and Discernment? The answer is found in Job 28:20–28, where Job contemplates the value and source of wisdom: Job 28:28 (ESV) “And he said to man, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” Wisdom is not merely intellectual—it is spiritual. It begins with the fear of the Lord, which is reverent awe, submission, and obedience to God’s will. Turning away from evil is the practical expression of true understanding. If you desire to grow in wisdom: Study the Word of God diligently Fellowship with other believers Commit to prayer, worship, and evangelism Practice obedience to God’s commands These spiritual disciplines position you to receive the fullness of God’s wisdom. Maranatha!Come, Lord Jesus!Let us continue to walk in the light of His truth.
ANSWER: This question often arises when reading Genesis 9:20–25, which records a puzzling episode in the life of Noah after the flood. The passage reads: “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.’”— Genesis 9:20–25, NIV From the text, we learn that Ham saw his father’s nakedness and exposed his shame by telling his brothers. In contrast, Shem and Japheth acted respectfully, covering their father without looking at him. When Noah awoke and discovered what had happened, he pronounced a curse—not on Ham, the one who committed the offense—but on Canaan, Ham’s son. This naturally raises a theological question: Why was Canaan cursed instead of Ham? Possible Explanations: Ham Had Already Been Blessed by GodAccording to Genesis 9:1, God had already blessed Noah and his sons after the flood: “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.'” Since Ham had received God’s blessing, it may have been spiritually inappropriate for Noah to curse someone whom God had blessed. As a result, the curse was redirected to Ham’s son, Canaan. This illustrates the principle that divine blessings are irrevocable (cf. Romans 11:29), and perhaps Noah, recognizing that, pronounced judgment where it could legally or spiritually apply. Prophetic Foreshadowing of the Canaanites’ FutureSome biblical scholars argue that Noah’s curse was prophetic in nature. Moses, the author of Genesis, was leading the Israelites toward the Promised Land, which was inhabited by Canaan’s descendants—the Canaanites. These people later became notorious for their idolatry, sexual immorality, and child sacrifice (cf. Leviticus 18:24–25). Thus, Noah’s words can be seen as a divinely inspired prophecy foretelling the downfall and subjugation of the Canaanites at the hands of Israel (cf. Deuteronomy 7:1–2). Canaan as Representative of a Corrupt LineageAlthough the text doesn’t say Canaan was present at the incident, some Jewish traditions and early commentators suggest that Canaan may have been involved or that Noah foresaw in him a legacy of corruption. In the ancient biblical worldview, a parent’s character and actions were believed to shape the destiny of their descendants (cf. Exodus 20:5). Thus, the curse on Canaan may reflect the principle of generational consequences tied to moral failure. Literary Emphasis and Intentional HighlightingThe text deliberately emphasizes that Ham was “the father of Canaan” (repeated in verses 18 and 22), suggesting that Moses wanted readers to connect Ham’s sin with the moral downfall of the Canaanite peoples. This supports the view that Canaan’s name was singled out not randomly, but as part of a larger theological narrative—one that would be fulfilled centuries later during Israel’s conquest of Canaan. The Role of Honor and Shame in the Ancient WorldIn ancient Near Eastern culture, honor and shame were central values. Ham’s act was not merely a passive mistake; it was an active dishonoring of his father, possibly mocking or gossiping about Noah’s vulnerability. In contrast, Shem and Japheth showed respect and discretion. Noah’s curse may have therefore extended to Ham’s legacy—through Canaan—as a reflection of how deeply dishonor can impact future generations. Conclusion: Noah’s curse on Canaan, though initially perplexing, aligns with broader biblical themes of generational responsibility, prophetic judgment, and divine sovereignty. It reveals how sin, especially dishonor and disrespect, can carry long-term consequences. The incident also sets the stage for understanding why the Canaanites later came under God’s judgment through Israel. Canaan’s curse was not merely personal—it was historical and theological, pointing to future events in redemptive history. Shalom.