Noah made a mistake and had a failure. When Noah woke up, he did not make a confession. He immediately cursed the one that exposed his nakedness (9:22, 24-25). When I was young, I was somewhat unhappy with Noah about this. I said, "Noah, don't you realize that you were wrong? You should have confessed to God and then confessed to Ham, the son who saw your nakedness exposed. Instead of confessing, you cursed." I was really bothered. Noah cursed the exposing one and blessed the covering ones. He cursed whomever was not for him and blessed whomever was for him. Probably some of you have also had a problem with this portion of the Word. Maybe you do not understand why this happened.
Spiritually speaking, it was easy for a person like Noah to be humble and to confess. Do you not think that this is easy? But it would be very difficult for one who has failed and has been exposed to curse and to bless. Noah was the father of the family and the leader of mankind. Everyone looked to him. He failed and was exposed. He could have been humble, confessed, and admitted that he had failed. However, since God had established him as the leader, he had to speak, not according to his convictions, but according to God's government. Which is easier to do—to be humble and confess, or to speak according to God's government? It is easy for anyone to be humble, admit the failure, and confess it. But if Noah had been like that, what would have become of God's government on this earth? What about his descendants? What about God's economy, God's administration? It would have been all right for Noah to make such a confession, but it would have meant the ruin of God's government on earth. Besides Noah, who could have represented God to speak in a governmental way? No one but Noah could have done that work. It was difficult for Noah, as one who had failed, to represent God by speaking governmentally. While he was speaking in such a way, his conscience might have troubled him and the Devil might have accused his conscience, saying, "How can you speak this way, since you have had such a failure?" Sometimes when the leaders in the church fell into this kind of situation, they gave up and did not say anything. So, there was no divine government.
Do not judge Noah according to the human concept. In God's government, Noah was a good example. Though he failed, he was still so strong to represent God in speaking governmentally. It was difficult for Noah to do that. Do not look at Noah from his side, from the side of his failure. You must look at the situation from the side of the government of God. Undoubtedly Noah was wrong. He was loose, careless, drunken, and naked. Nevertheless, we must look at Noah from the perspective of God's government.
What should we do when the leader is wrong? This matter affects God's government. There are two things here: the divine government and the human failure. If we are going to understand this portion of the divine Word, we must see what is the divine government. It is not merely a matter of human failure. Whether the leader is right or wrong, God's government has to be taken care of. Ham, who exposed Noah's nakedness, neglected God's government. To expose a leader's failure is to be involved with the divine government. We all must see this. Suppose Noah was not the leader and not God's deputy authority on earth. Then what people did when he failed would not have been so serious. Whatever they did would not have affected God's government or involved them with God's governmental dealing. But Noah was the leader, and God's deputy authority on earth. What should be our attitude towards such a leader's failure? This involves us in God's governmental dealings. Moses was wrong in marrying an Ethiopian woman (Num. 12:1). Miriam spoke against him and suffered the curse of leprosy (Num. 12:10). She was cursed because she neglected God's government and touched God's deputy authority in a negative way.
Why does the Bible say strongly that whoever despises or dishonors his parents shall be cursed? (Deut. 27:16, Heb.). Because this involves God's government. God is a God of order, a God with His government. If you look at God's creation, you will see that everything is in good order. This order is related to God's government. In God's universal government, the parents are God's authority over the children. When children dishonor their parents, they are rebellious against God's government. They dishonor the deputy authority of God on earth. When they do this, they receive a curse. David was seriously wrong in killing Uriah and taking his wife. His son, Absalom, rebelled against him and suffered the curse of death (2 Sam. 15:10; 18:14-15). Today, so many young people despise and dishonor their parents and miss God's blessing as a result. Look at the way they live and act—it is just like the lower animals. They have missed the blessing that God destined for mankind. Why have they missed God's blessing? Because they have been cursed for dishonoring their parents. The Bible says clearly that the one who honors his parents will receive the blessing of long life (Eph. 6:2-3). Young people, if you honor your parents, you will be blessed with a long life, living normally. You will know how to be wise and how to behave. You will know what is the right way to have a normal life. You will not be under the curse, living like the lower animals. To have a wrong way of living is a sign of the curse.
Why was Ham cursed? Because he touched God's authority and became involved with God's government. Noah was wrong. But, as far as Ham was concerned, he should have considered his position and God's government. The failure of the leader always becomes a test to us. Are we truly under God's government? If we are, we shall be blessed. If not, we shall lose the blessing. Noah's failure was a test to his sons. From the same test, one received a curse and two received a blessing. Whether you receive a curse or a blessing from such a test depends on how you involve yourself with God's government. Although Noah's failure was bad, it was a good opportunity for Shem and Japheth to receive the blessing.