These are two sublime prophecies, worthy of close attention. They have significance in our time, though they were grossly garbled by the Jews. The Jews observe that Ham is cursed thrice; this fact they wrest to the glory of their own nation, promising themselves worldly dominion.
| V. | HAM CURSED; SHEM AND JAPHETH BLESSED. | |||
| A. | THE CURSE PRONOUNCED UPON HAM [174-188]. | |||
| 1. | Why Ham was thrice cursed [174]. | |||
| * | Disrespect of parents, pastors and authority signs of approaching misfortune [175]. | |||
| 2. | Way Ham disregarded the curse [176]. | |||
| 3. | Why Ham disregarded the curse [177-178]. | |||
| 4. | Ham's temporal prosperity continued with his curse [179-181]. | |||
| * | Faith alone grasps God's threatenings and promises [180-181]. | |||
| * | Reason God postpones punishment and reward [181-182]. | |||
| * | The Papal Church is not the true Church [183]. | |||
| * | Believers have comfort in their tribulations [184-185]. | |||
| * | The pious have their kingdom here in faith [186]. | |||
| 5. | From this curse it is clear Noah was enlightened by the Holy Spirit [187]. | |||
| * | Were all Ham's descendents cursed? [188]. | |||
| B. | BLESSING PRONOUNCED UPON SHEM [189-191]. | |||
| 1. | This is an exceedingly great blessing [189]. | |||
| 2. | Why is it clothed in praise to God [190]. | |||
| 3. | This blessing proves that Noah possessed a precious light [191]. | |||
| C. | BLESSING PRONOUNCED UPON JAPHETH [192-224]. | |||
| 1. | Why the form of Japheth's blessing differed from that of Shem's [192]. | |||
| 2. | Herein lies a special secret [193]. | |||
| 3. | The Jews' false interpretation of this blessing [194]. | |||
| 4. | Relation of these two blessings to each other [195]. | |||
| * | The Jews' false notion about Shem's blessing [196]. | |||
| 5. | The order in which these blessings are enjoyed [197-198]. | |||
| * | The form God's Church takes in this world [199]. | |||
| * | Divine promises and threatenings to be understood in a spiritual sense [199-200]. | |||
| * | Ham and Cain resemble one another in their positions and works [201]. | |||
| * | The Turk and the Pope. | |||
| a. | What strengthens them in their opposition to the true Church [202]. | |||
| * | How a Christian should conduct himself in times of misfortunes [203]. | |||
| b. | The power and advantages of the Turk and Pope of no avail [204]. | |||
| c. | Attitude of Church members to their pride [205-206]. | |||
| * | Why Ham's name was not mentioned when he was cursed [207-208]. | |||
| 6. | The word dilatet the Latins use in explaining Japheth's blessing [209-210]. | |||
| a. | It is not in harmony with the Hebrew [209-210]. | |||
| b. | Why all Latin interpreters use it [211]. | |||
| c. | It does not fully express the sense of the Holy Spirit [212]. | |||
| d. | What explanation should be given here [213-215]. | |||
| 7. | All descendents of Japheth partake of this blessing through the Gospel [216-217]. | |||
| 8. | Translations of Latin interpreters of this blessing are to be harmonized with the original text [218-219]. | |||
| * | Ham's name [220-221]. | |||
| a. | Its meaning and reason his parents gave it to him [220]. | |||
| b. | The hope of his parents in this name disappointed [221]. | |||
| 9. | It is ascribed to this promise that Germany in these last days received the light of the Gospel [222]. | |||
| * | Abraham had Noah as his teacher [223]. | |||
| * | The temporal prosperity of Ham's family, and their wickedness [224]. | |||
V. HAM CURSED; SHEM AND JAPHETH BLESSED.
A. The Curse Pronounced Upon Ham.
174. But there is another reason for this repeatedly uttered curse. God cannot forget such great irreverence toward parents, nor does he suffer it to go unpunished. He requires that parents and rulers be regarded with reverence. He requires that elders be honored, commanding that one shall rise up before a hoary head (Lev 19, 32). And, speaking of ministers of the Word, he says, "He that despiseth you, despiseth me" (Mt 10, 40; Lk 10, 16).
175. Hence disobedience of parents is a sure indication that curse and disaster are close at hand. Likewise is contempt of ministers and of rulers punished. When the people of the primitive world began to deride the patriarchs and to hold their authority in contempt, the flood followed. When, among the people of Judah, the child began to behave himself proudly against the old man, as Isaiah has it (ch 3, 5), Jerusalem was laid waste and Judah went down. Such corruption of morals is a certain sign of impending evil. We justly fear for Germany a like fate when we look upon the prevailing disrespect for authority.
176. Let us, however, bear witness of a practice to which both Holy Writ and our experience testify. Because God delays the threatened punishment he is mocked and considered a liar. In this practice we should see the seal, as it were, to every prophecy. Ham hears that he is accursed; but inasmuch as the curse does not go into immediate effect, he securely despises and derides the same.