Hidden Sin Revealed

He drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.

Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.

But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness.

When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.

So he said,

"Cursed be Canaan;

A servant of servants

He shall be to his brothers."

Genesis 9:21-25

I'm reading this scripture and I stop to meditate on what sin Ham committed to his father, Noah. Why was seeing your father's nakedness such a huge sin? I looked around and some say that seeing your father naked was an abomination. He shouldn't have made a big deal about it but instead he broadcast it to everyone, like gossip or mocking his nakedness. Others say that looking at "the nakedness of his father" had to do with having sexual relations with his father's wife (Leviticus 20:11). Another view pointed to Ham taking advantage of Noah's drunkenness to perform some sexual acts. The word "see" is used instead of "uncover" (Lev 18:6-9;20:11,17-21; Ezekiel 16:36-37) and it means to have sexual relations (Victor Hamilton. The Book of Genesis, p.322). Whatever the details of this sin is the fact remains that because of Ham's actions, his son Canaan suffered the consequences (and ultimately Ham and all the descendants).

I'm not sure what the motive behind all this was but what I'm getting from this passage today is hidden sin. Noah didn't know what happened but sin was eventually revealed through Ham's two other brothers. If no sexual act was committed, did Ham feel like he was innocent? Did he feel that mocking/disgracing his father was nothing to be concerned about? Does sin have to be about an active performance or a passive one? The first scenario had Ham doing nothing other speaking about it yet he was cursed. God is teaching me that passivity can be just as detrimental to our obedience as acting incorrectly. I need to hear God's voice clearly before I can ever obey Him properly.

Father God, please help me to hear You clearly. I ask, and plead all the time but I'm unfaithful with what You've given me. Help me to break free of this stronghold that eats away at my faith. Help me to rebuke anything that's not from Your Mighty Spirit so that I can live a life of appreciation and love. Thank You for already winning, You are victorious! In the wonderful name of Christ Jesus I pray, Amen!