Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread” (Numbers 21:4-5).

I can see the people thinking, "This is not what we bargained for when we came out of Egypt?" Then, after God sent posionous snakes to kill many of them for grumbling, they probably thought, "Now we're stuck. We either comply or die." This is from the people's perspective. 

On the other hand, they had been rescued from generations of grueling slavery to Egypt and from a Pharaoh who repeatedly sought to kill Jewish babies in order to stem their population growth. They were worth not much more than task animals in Egypt. God had done amazing signs and wonders to bring them out of Egypt and to destroy the very people that had subjugated them for so long. 

Yet, they thought freedom meant luxury and anarchy without accountability. They did not count on moving from an evil and selfish taskmaster, who had their ultimate destruction in mind, to a good and benevolent Taskmaster, Who had their ultimate good in mind.

Friends, God has rescued us from our bondage to sin and death so that we have become bondservants of the Lord Jesus Christ. We no longer live for sin, which ultimately ends in death, but for righteousness in Christ, culminating in eternal life. Let us, then, embrace our calling to serve the Lord, not with grumbling or complaining, but with gratitude and in earnestness, knowing that, in Christ, whatever we suffer is only temporary, for there is an eternal glory that far outweighs all our troubles (1 Corinthians 4:17). 

Then God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?” (Numbers 22:9)

Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, “Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not do anything, either small or great, contrary to the command of the Lord my God (Numbers 22:18).

Many commentators have labeled Balaam a "diviner" and, therefore, not a true prophet of God. Certainly, that is what Balak thought he was, for he was ready to give him "the fees for divination" (Numbers 22:7). Nevertheless, in the first passage above we learn that God came to Balaam and spoke to him. There is no sense of amazement on Balaam's part to receive this word from the LORD. The sense is that he is used to getting such messages from God.

What is more, later when Balak sends another delegation to him, Balaam tells them that he cannot speak anything "contrary to the command of the Lord my God". Balaam personalizes his relatioship to Yahweh (i.e. Israel's "LORD"). Would a general diviner, who connects to all the gods make such an exclusive claim to the God of Israel? Perhaps - anything for money, right? Yet, it may not have been necessary for him to do so, for there is nothing in Balak's request that demanded a word specifically from Yahweh.

I shared all this to write that while at once I leaned toward seeing Balaam as an unbelieving diviner, I now lean toward seeing him as a real prophet of God, who ultimately went astray. It appears that worldly profit clouded his judgement, and as amazing at it is, even such a supernatural knowledge and experience with God did not keep him from going down the wicked path he chose for himself.

Friends, accounts like these always make me uneasy. There is just so much in us to relate to Balaam. How many of us have come to know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, yet we still crave the things that are fleeting in this life and soon passing away. We get anxious about material things, nervous about our performance before others, and angry for things we have no business being angry about. We do not live as though eternity in paradise is just around the corner for us. We do not live unattached to this world and the affairs of this world. We speak and sing of the priority of God well enough; however, anyone observing any given day or week of our lives would paint a different picture altogether. 

My daily prayer is that God will work in me what is most glorifying to Him, but my daily practice is altogether something different. I pray, as the psalmist, "I seek You with all my heart; Do not let me stray from Your commands" (Psalm 119:10). I find myself, also as the psalmist, confessing, "I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word" (Psalm 119:25).

Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient because of the journey. The people spoke against God and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food.” (Numbers 21:4-5).

Okay, we discover that the people were hungry, thirsty, and tired of their subsistence on manna day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year. Was their experience untrue or exaggerated? Not at all. They did, indeed, hunger and thirst. They did get tired of eating the same strange food. In fact, this was by God's design. Consider the reason God brought such hardship on Israel:

You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him (Deuteronomy 8:2-6).

God allowed them to be hungry and then fed them with unusual food, so that they would not find their satisfaction in food but in God's Word.

Centuries later, Jesus would miraculously feed thousands from a paltry five loaves and two fish. The people of that time remembered their history, and how God supplied them the manna from heaven. Now, here was Jesus doing something similar. So they followed Him. But just as Israel of Moses day missed the significance of the sign, so Israel of Jesus' day also missed the point. So Jesus answered them,

"Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval" (John 6:26-27).

Jesus would go on to say that He was the bread that came down from heaven, and that if they wanted to receive eternal life, they would have to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Those who heard this were offended and said to each other, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat." How? Jesus was the Lord. He could do and ask anything He wanted. After many of the disciples left on account of this  'hard saying" from Jesus, Jesus then turned to the Twelve and asked if they wanted to leave too. Peter answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life, and we have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God." This was the proper response. If Jesus, who is the Holy One of God, said "Jump," they should have asked, "How high?" If He said to them, "Eat my flesh," they should have asked, "Which part shall we eat first?" The point was to trust and obey. 

Why did Israel have to suffer the forty years in the wilderness? God wanted them to trust Him and obey Him in spite of their circumstances. He did not want them to honor and obey Him just when times were "good," but also when times were "hard." Even the Lord Jesus is said to have "learned obedience from the things which He suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). In our suffering, God is exalted. This is why Paul also wrote,

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

God wants us to understand that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). We must realize that God is not our great Benefactor in the sky. He is God! He is not beholden to us for anything. He is God! He does not need us. He is God! Therefore, as those who do need God, as those who are beholden to Him, and as those whose existence and eternal outcome depends upon Him, there is only one proper response regardless of reason or circumstance: to worship.

Friends, let us, therefore, worship the Lord together, for He alone is worthy!

We read in Numbers 21:2,

Then the people of Israel made this vow to the LORD: “If you will hand these people over to us, we will completely destroy all their towns.

Do you find this interesting? The Israelites prayed that if God would let them defeat these Canaanites, they would do so completely. Huh?! Why didn't they say, something like, "If you give us victory, we will give you all the praise" or "if you give us victory, we will offer you a great sacrifice and offering" or "If you give us victory, we will obey You"?

But they do say all of these things, and it is captured in the expression, "We will compltely destroy all their towns." Sometimes it is a good idea to look at the footnotes supplied in your Bibles. For instance, in the New Living Translation, which I am presently reading, I find this note on this verse:

The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the LORD, either by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in 21:3.

In other words, the Israelites were promising to make an offering of these Canaanites and their towns to the LORD. They understood that God was against the Canaanites, for He had already prophesied judgment against them and had commanded Israel to wipe them out (Exodus 34:11-12; Deuteronomy 7:1-5; 20:16-18). The sentiment is well-captured in Deuteronomy 7:2, 

When the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally.

The Hebrew language conveys the idea of a "whole burnt offering." These Canaanites were to be such an offering to the LORD. Nothing was to be left or perserved. And this is what Israel promises to obey if God would grant them victory over the Canaanites. In fact, after their victory, they rename the location "Hormah" (Numbers 21:3), which in Hebrew means "dedicated [to God] for destruction."

The importance of this complete destruction is underscored in the Book of Judges, which is an account of the aftermath of their military campaigns against the Cananaanites, which are documented in the Book of Joshua. They did not drive out all the nations in Canaan and so the Israelites, as God warned, became ensnared by them to commit immorality and idolatry against the LORD. 

Even after this time, when Israel is given its first monarch, King Saul, he too failed to keep this critical command to completely destroy their enemies in the land. God commanded Saul to totally destroy the Amalekites:

Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy all that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys (1 Samuel 15:3).

But Saul did not totally destroy them. He preserved the life of the king and the best of the cattle and sheep. Samuel came to him with this rebuke:

Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD? (1 Samuel 15:19).

Listen to Saul's response and rationalization:

"But I did obey the LORD,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal" (1 Samuel 15:20-21).

There's not even a "but." Saul simply says that he "completely destroyed the Amalekites and..." Apparently completely destroy meant something different to Saul than to God. But notice that what counts is not what Saul thought but what God thought . Samuel saw right through Saul's rationalizing and pronounced God's verdict:

Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices 
   as much as in obeying the LORD? 
To obey is better than sacrifice, 
   and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 
For rebellion is like the sin of divination, 
   and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. 
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, 
   he has rejected you as king (1 Samuel 15:22-23).

I highlight this significant incident with Saul because while Samuel argues that obedience is better than burnt offerings and sacrifices, Saul actually failed in both. The complete destruction of the Amalekites carried the same kind of sacrificial connotation as we discover in Numbers 21:1-3 with respect to the Canaanites in the Negev. The complete destruction of the Amalekites were to be a sacrifice of destruction to the LORD. Incomplete destruction would be like Nadab and Abihu offering "unaurthorized fire," or like others who were destroyed because they did not follow the proper procedures God commanded for offerings and sacrifices. 

Today, we face the same kind of compromise and rationalization of biblical truth that ancient Israel practiced in their day. Saul rationalized by defending his actions and his motive and highlighted how he at least "mostly obeyed."

Instead of listing the many ways in which people and leaders today compromise and rationalize disobedience to biblical truth, I will just encourage you to think for yourselves about certain things:

Has anyone tried to undermine discussion of biblical truth by accusing participants of inciting "disunity"?

Has anyone discouraged obedience to the biblical command to "correct and rebuke" by equating this with "negativity" or something akin to an unloving attitude?

Has anyone elevated church traditions over biblical teaching?

Has anyone chosen to emphasize "what works" over "what's right"?

Has anyone used labels like "hypocrite" and expressions like "Don't judge me" based on cultural definitions rather than biblical understandings of these?

Has anyone tried to invoke an experience or a teaching outside the realm of biblical context?

I have not named any names, nor have I specified any teaching or situation. But I think that if you think about these things, you will perceive these irregularities all around you. Even as I look just over the landscape of "Chistendom," I see these irregularities multiplying both in depth and breadth, all to the detriment of true faith. 

What I'm talking about are matters of obedience, even complete obedience and accurate obedience, so true obedience. Instead our compromises and rationalizations threaten to undermine both the purity and integrity of our faith. As Paul warned Timothy, "Be sober-minded and alert."

Friends,
If you have not logged into DailyQt.org, I have new reason for you to do it. Now, members who log in can share their Prayer Requests with our DailyQT Community. You can also encourage one another by letting each other know you are praying for them. This feature now completes the three major things that I feel constitute a good Quiet Time, namely, Bible Meditation, Bible Memorization, and Prayer.

A brief comment on Numbers 22:20-22. To break it down,

• God told Balaam to go with the men of Moab (verse 20)
• Balaam went with the men of Moab (verse 21)
• God was angry Balaam went with the men of Moab (verse 22)

Does anyone else find this peculiar? Since God told Balaam to go, why was God angry? We recently had a similar thing occur in the matter of the people's complaint about not having meat to eat. They complained. God provided them meat. And as they were eating the meat from God, God struck them down with a plague (cf. Numbers 11:33). Since God gave them the meat, why did He strike them down?

Let us understand that God is sometimes angry in what He permits. He permitted Balaam to go with the men of Moab, but God was not happy with it. God permitted the people to have meat, but He was not happy with them. Balaam was eager to go as the people were eager to eat, even though they should have known better. Rather than seeking God's pleasure, they sought their own. God permits many things also in our lives we well. Let these two incidents be instructive for us and teach us to humble ourselves before the LORD and seek His honor.

Numbers 21:4-9 contains one of the many incidents where Israelites spoke about God & Moses. When they complained the lack of food & water & the horrible manna God sent poisonous snakes that fatally bit many of the people. When the Israelites realized what was going on they asked Moses to pray that God would remove the snakes. God had Moses make a bronze replica of the snake & when they looked at it they would be healed. I decided to check a little deeper about the bronze snake. It's power came from God, but it required an act of faith to look at the bronze image & trust that God would heal them. Just as the serpent bites resulted from God's wrath, He provided deliverance thru His own gracious will.

When Hezekiah became king of Judah in 715 BC, the Israelites had begun using Moses' bronze serpent as an idol (see Kings 18 1-4). They had probably kept the image the image as a reminder of God's power, even as they kept other artifacts from the wilderness period (cp. Duet 10:5; Heb 9:4-5), but they began worshipping it as another deity, so it had to be destroyed like other pagan shrines and sacred pillars.

Jesus referred to the bronze snake (John 3:14-15) to predict the manner of his execution: He would be "lifted up" on the cross just as Moses had lifted up the snake on a pole (John 8:28; 12:32-34). The metal image of a snake offered an antidote to injected venom, but those who look at the cross and accept God's sacrifice lay claim to an eternal promise (John 3:14-1)). The Lord sent the serpents to punish Israel because they complained about the manna God had sent them in the wilderness (21:4-9). Jesus referred to himself as the "true bread from Heaven," the manna that provides for His people (John 6:32-40).

At length, I see some cheerful story of the Israelites, which, somewhat in my heart, muffles the clamor of the whining Israelites and eases the pain from incessant frustration of disobedience: Victory after victory against their enemies.  I wish the life of every christian would be like that!  However, I know that there are seasons for everything as seen in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."  I could only imagine how sweet the victories in the battles would've been for them after all those years of God's discipline in the wilderness.  Who would enjoy toils and labors?  Nobody! But the hope, which is blessed assurance for the chosen, strengthens us with yearning for the glory at the end as we see in Hebrews, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."  Whatever we go through each day, let us not lose the sight of heavenly light beaming through the storm because the Lord already achieved the victory for us.  

³¹ Therefore I wail over Moab,
   for all Moab I cry out,
   I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth.
³² I weep for you, as Jazer weeps,
   you vines of Sibmah...

⁴⁷ “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab
   in days to come,” declares the LORD.

I had not realized until now that God had plans for other OT nations, not just Israel. I had always thought that Israel was instructed to destroy all the nations they encountered on their way to Canaan occupation. Because of Moab's family ties to Abraham, it was the LORD's intention to give them an inheritance of land. Even the geneology of Jesus has a Moabite-Ruth. However, the Scriptures later talk about Moab's pride and arrogance as well as their fear of Israel in this section which results in their downfall.  

 Like Moab there are so many people today that don't realize that God has a plan to bless them. Instead of relying of the Lord, we take matters into our own hands. What is the "Balaam" in our life that we fall back on? When we do this, does God weep for us?

I was taught the Moab was the son of Lot, Midian was the son of Abraham, Balak was a Moabite and Balaam was a Edomite, a decendant of Esau, a son of Issac. 

Balaam was a genuine prophet of God until he finally betrayed Israel for reward.  It is evident that he became a soothsayer after Jehovah left him because of his sin.

Yujin responds... Everything sounds good except there is some question as to the origin of Balaam. The only association I can see to Edom is a similar expression "Bela son of Beor" found in Genesis 36:32. Now, this may just be incidental. Bela was the first king of Edom. Balaam was a diviner. Even though their fathers are both called "Beor," this does not mean they share the same father, only similar names. However, this may indicate that Balaam was from a similar region, where that name is popular. However, the Biblical record is pretty clear that Balaam was an Aramean from Mesopotamea (Aram Naharaim, Deut 23:4; cf. Num 23:6). Now, it is hard to know whether Balaam was a genuine prophet of God. There is nothing good said of him. In the OT he is never called a prophet of God but only one who practiced divination, which is forbidden by the Law. There is no clear evidence of a turn from being a true prophet of God to a false one. And while familiar with Yahweh of Israel, he is probably like the witch of Endor, which Saul approached to summon Samuel from the dead. Balaam then is not much different than the donkey God used to teach Balaam a lesson.

Yujin (hope this is the right forum for this), You reponded to Chad's comment (yesterday's reading) saying "They did not give credit to God but tried to take credit for it themselves"

I am reading The Screwtape letters, by C.S Lewis, and he pointed out two thing, that we error when we focus on 'what happens to us rather than what we do,' and when we focus on 'getting results' (poor wording - coming from memory).

How wrong is it to say that ALL results and outcomes are in God's hands?  We may pray right, but whether they happen or not is His.  We may do good things, but if they are counted rightesous is under his provision.  I may have a great business  plan, but whether is succeeds or not is his decision.  I may eat healthy and exercise, but he allows the disease or refuses it.

Can you take 'All outcomes are are decided by God,' too far? (Even the qualifying that God 'allows' things to happen is a something based on His decision) If so, then it is a believer's sole obligation to, as C.S. Lews might want to put it, 'not focus on what happens, but what we do?'

Yujin responds... Proverbs 16:1 says, "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue. " Again, in verse 4, "The LORD works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster. " And again in verse 9, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps. " These verses seem to validate your perspective and that of C.S. Lewis. He is right in that we ought to focus on right plans and right actions rather than being anxious over right results.

Numbers 21

5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

 As I read this, I found it to sting me.

 I use to think that Israelites were evil, forgetful, or just selfish.  Didn’t they just witness Canaanites being delivered into their hands?  Most of them must still remember the red sea, even if not that, they see miracles on a regular basis.  But.. complaints kept coming.  Over something simple as food.  Didn’t they get in trouble because of food only couple chapters ago?  Not only are they seeing miracles, but they are walking with God. Pillar of cloud and fire.. Yet the complaint.  How could they? 

But then in later New Testament, we see doubts by some of Spiritual Giants as well.  Of all people John the Baptist doubts Jesus (Matt 11:2-3) after hearing God’s Audible Voice (Matt 3:17).  Even the disciples doubted after crucifixion of Jesus.

 It appears to me that, we are all going to doubt and forget the wonders and grace He provided.  Yet knowing this.. Jesus still died for us. 

Someone said, “who knew Israelites in the desert was foreshadow of us today?”  Instead of looking at it as a historical story of foolish Israelites, I think we need to realize that we are so often like this.  Victory one day then grumbling the day after.  And realizing this, we need to be reminded of His Grace in the Cross and continually give thanks.

Jeremy asked... Maybe I have missed something big in previous readings.  Is Balaam a priest?  He seems to respect and fear God.  Was Balak under the impression that God would work against his own people?  Or maybe he thought the Israelites were not really God's people but only claimed to be?

I responded... Balaam is what is called a "diviner." He is likely not an Israelite and so certainly not a priest/Levite. His fear of God is likely on the same level as his fear of other "gods." However, he has likely heard about the Hebrew God, and perhaps through this and other incidents, developed a deeper reverence for Him. However, it does not appear that he becomes a believer. Even though God uses him to bless rather than curse Israel, we are later told that Balaam is the instigator of Israel's corruption by the Midianite women that led to thousands of Israel being destroyed by God (cf. Numbers 31:16). He is repeatedly referred to in hindsight as a wicked person (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11; Rev 2:14).

John shared...Reading this story about the snakes, reminds me of the parallel between the bronze serpent on the pole and CHRIST on the cross. those who look to the CHRIST, will be saved from their sins just as Israelites who look to the serpent would be saved form the snake bites. In John 3:14-16, JESUS says "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

Yujin commented: Amen, John! Isn't it remarkable that there was no penance that they had to do. All they had to do was look and believe. What a beautiful picture of Christian faith?! We just need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Marsha asked... What is the Book of the Wars of the Lord? So, Balaam was an Israelite?  or just a believer in the Lord God?

Yujin's response: From what I could discover, the Book of the Wars of the Lord, is a non-canonical (not inspired by God) book referenced in the Bible (Numbers 21:14-15) that may be either a collection of victory ballads or perhaps a prose of ancient near eastern military history.

As the Israelites are entering into the land of the Canaanites they pray to God for victory (Num 21:2-3) "If you will deliver these people into our hands, we will totally destroy their cities." The LORD listened to Israel's plea and gave the Canaanites over to them. They completely destroyed them and their towns;". Interestingly what we see is that the much of Gods promise, from the Covenant with Abraham to the covenant with Moses are being fulfilled.  Back in (Gen 15:18-20) God promised Abraham that to his descendants he would deliver the land of the Canaanites, Amorites, etc.  Then again in (Exo:17) God promises Moses that he will bring them to the land of the Canaanites, Amorites, and later (Exo 23:23) he says that "I will destroy them completely".
 
There are many interesting things going on in here.  Firstly, in the covenant with Moses God says 'He' will deliver the Israelites and destroy the Canaanites - earlier (Num 14:44-45) when the Israelites attacked the Amalikites and Canaanites they were defeated because God was not with them (God alone would be the deliver).  In (Num 21) we see that the Israelites pray that if God will be with them, they will destroy the Canaanites completely (exactly as foretold to Moses years earlier). When God stands with them they are victorious, and more importantly the covenant is fulfilled. 
 
Another fascinating aspect was God's vengeance against the Amorites, Canaanites, Jebusites, and many others. We know that these tribes were sexually immoral and idol worshippers, but there was also something else. As it turns out these were the descendants of Noah's son Ham, who committed an immoral act and Noah cursed Ham's descendants.  So it appears that the immoral sin of Ham was passed to his son Canaan and all their descendants.  Note that in Exo 20:4-6 God says that he will punish men's sin (in context of Idol worshippers) to the 3rd and 4th generation.

Yujin responded...

Excellent research, brother Bill! Everything is fulfilled according to God's decree. Now, on the matter of the Canaanites, it is true that these nations are likely the descendants of Ham, but it does not follow that their destruction is on account of the sin of Ham in Noah's day. More than 3 or 4 generations have passed since then. And the decree of generational punishment does not happen until the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20; Deut 5). Also, it is not clear that what Noah pronounced was from God. It was certainly a curse made by Noah. Furthermore, at different points in history the descendants of Shem (Hebrews/Semites), Jepheth and Ham were all slaves of each other as well as rulers over each other. It is true that the Canaanites were destroyed because of their immorality and idolatry, but it is not too clear that this can be linked to Noah's curse in Genesis 9. Now, there does seem to be something to be said for generational sinning, such that the sin of Ham seems to be carried mimicked in great part by the generations that followed, particularly by those of the line of his son Canaan. But there are different perspectives on this, so let me know if you discover anything more.