Articles
Why Do We Only Have One Thing Noah Spoke?
The only occurrence we have of Noah speaking is when he pronounces a curse and blessings on his sons Ham, Shem and Japheth. These were given based on how they handled Noah’s drunken stupor when he lay uncovered, naked in his tent. This account is found in Gen 9: 22-27.
“And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said, 'Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.' He also said, 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant. May God enlarge Japheth, and let him dwell in the tents of Shem, and let Canaan be his servant.' ”
Although verses 25-27 represent the only recorded statement of Noah, he obviously made other statements, after all, he lived 950 years (Gen 9:28). More directly, we are told in 2Pe 2:5; “If He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly”. Noah is called a herald or preacher of righteousness. Thus, we know that he proclaimed the truth of God to the people of his day. Why then do we not have some of this preaching preserved in the Bible?
‘Why’ questions are typically difficult to answer because the question requires us to understand the underlying reasons or motivations of the one providing the information, in this case God. God speaking to Isaiah says in Isa 55:8-9; “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” So, unless the reasons are revealed by God for His actions it is obvious we will not be able to totally figure out the reasons. We do not even have everything that Jesus said or did revealed in the scriptures, as noted in John 20:30-31; “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Thus, we have enough of what Jesus did and said to believe in Him as God’s Son.
In the same way in the wisdom of God we have some of what the children of Israel did in the Bible (I Cor 10:1-10) that as Paul says in 1Cor 10:11; “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” These things were recorded for our instruction that we might not become arrogant (I Cor 10:12) thinking we can’t fall and that we may be tempted to sin just like they were, but that God promises a way of escape (I Cor 10:13). Finally, Peter points out in 2 Pe 1:3 that: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence”.
Although very little of what Noah said is revealed, we do have his example of how it is possible to live a life acceptable to God even when everyone around you is wicked (Gen 6:5-8, 9-13) and the example of his faith in and obedience to God in building the ark (Gen 6:22). Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that God has determined what has been revealed to be sufficient for us to live a godly, righteous life in His sight and in the end have eternal life.
