So I was intrigued & clicked the link.
90 days?! Why, that's only 3 months! I've heard of schedules that divide it up into a year of reading. But three months!? Too cool to be true!
I Googled it and came across THIS schedule which actually divides it up into 88 days and gives you two days of "grace."
I started today, and the schedule goes straight through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It took me about 45 minutes to read from Genesis 1-16:16.. so I figure that it will take me about 45 minutes each day. But I have to read the Old Testament out loud, or I won't understand it.
So now my throat really hurts, it's insanely dry, and I'm guzzling water like a camel! ;] .. although camels are good at storing water, so I guess that's a bad simile! I guess each day I'll write a little something about what I've read.
I've never ever read the entire book of Genesis, so this little verse was kind of confusing (and surprising.. ?!?)
Genesis 9:20-25 -- Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japeth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will be to his brothers."
What?!
I'm confused on many different levels about this verse. Noah got drunk, got naked, and got mad that his son covered him up? I've never read or heard this story ever! Anyone have any insight on why Noah was mad, or why he was drunk in the first place? It's totally bizarre. One minute God is making a covenant with Noah, and the next verse (literally) Noah is passed out drunk and naked.
Anyway, I'm totally excited about this! Talk about 90 days of F-U-N! Anyone want to join in with me!? Annnnnyone?! Sounds like a blast to me!!! :)
One of the things about this is that Noah wasn't intentionally drunk. There isn't a record of anyone else becoming drunk off of "the vine" before so he honestly might not have known its consequences. The problem with Ham "uncovering his nakedness" is that Ham was trying to embarrass his father, rather than respect him like his other two brothers did (by not looking). Shem is blessed and goes on to be in the genealogy of Jesus (cool!) whereas Ham becomes father to the peoples of Sodom and Gomorrah.
ReplyDeleteI think it's so cool that you're reading through the OT! And out loud!! The only reason I understand some of the obscure stories is because I get some of Robert's commentaries. In which case, if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to look them up for you sometime (and let's be honest, they're questions I've had--too!)
* I meant to say one of the things SAID about this....I don't KNOW that he wasn't intentionally drunk, but commentators seem to think not.
ReplyDeleteHe really didn't know that wine made him drunk!? Very odd. Oh, and I totally see now what you mean about Ham trying to embarrass Noah... I totally missed that! I didn't get that at first when I read it.. That's why I literally have to read it out loud, or I won't understand it! Thanks, Em!
ReplyDeleteChris and I are reading through the Bible together this year. Here's what Chris' study Bible says about the passage you mentioned:
ReplyDelete"Scripture both looks favorably on wine (Num. 15:5-10; Deut. 14:26; Ps. 104:15; John 2:1-11) and soberly warns of its dangers (Is. 5:22; Prov. 21:17, 23:20, 21, 29-35; Is. 28:7), particularly the moral laxity exemplified by self-exposure (Lam. 4:21; Hab. 2:15). Nazirites (Num. 6:3-4), officiating priests (Lev. 10:9), and rulers making decisions (Prov. 31:4-5) were to abstain from it. Just as Adam, the original head of the human race, sinned through eating (Gen. 3:6), so Noah, the head of the human race after the flood, sinned through drinking. The striking parallels between Adam and Noah, and the contrast between saintly Noah before the flood (Gen. 6:8-9) and the drunken sinner after it, direct the reader to God, not man, for salvation. Self-exposure is both publicly demeaning (2 Sam. 6:16) and incompatible with living in God's presence (Ex. 20:26; Deut. 23:12-14). Gazing at another's nakedness, either in lust or scorn, is morally wrong. Ham's scornful leering at the father whom he should have revered was particularly reprehensible (Ex. 21:15, 17; Deut. 21:18-21; Mark 7:10). If it is wrong to publicize another's sin (Prov. 10:12b, 17:9), how much more a father's. The story further condemns the failure to respect one's parents. Since the curses and blessings on the three sons had their descendants in view, it is not strange that the curse was on his son, not on Ham himself (vv. 18, 22), especially since God had already blessed Ham (Gen. 9:1). As Ham, the youngest son of Noah, wronged his father, so the curse will fall on Ham's youngest son (v. 24), who shares his moral decadence (Lev. 18:3; Deut. 9:3). Nevertheless, Ham's descendants include, in addition to the Canaanites, the names of Israel's most dreaded enemies: Egypt, Philistia, Assyria, and Babylon (Gen. 10:6-13)."
Hope that helps!
well good grief!! I need that Bible!! The OT, to me, is hard to understand in a lot of places.. so I bet that a study Bible really helps!! I'm sure that I will have a question after each day!
ReplyDeleteYeah! His Bible is great! It has helped us with a lot of the "rough patches" we've come through in Genesis so far. Especially since a LOT of what happens as custom in the time of Genesis is NOT how things work in modern times. I love those moments where we can actually understand what's going on because we've been *taught* about it and we're not just reading to read. Does that make sense? Anyway, his Bible is called The Reformation Study Bible. It's a study Bible edited (the notes, anyway!) by R.C. Sproul, who is a mighty preacher in the hand of God. Here's a link to it!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.monergismbooks.com/The-Reformation-Study-Bible-ESV-2nd-Edition-w-Maps-p-18153.html
"I would like every English-speaking Christian to own and use The Reformation Study Bible . No study notes are infallible, only the Bible is. But I know of no study Bible that comes closer to the truth than this one."
ReplyDelete-John Piper, Desiring God Ministries
http://www.amazon.com/Reformation-Study-Bible-Standard-Hardcover/dp/1596381361/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263926127&sr=8-1
ReplyDeleteThat?
whooops!! I didn't see that you posted two comments :) oops!! :)
ReplyDeleteUmmm...it looks similar. The Amazon link says 2nd edition, and I can't find what edition we have. :/ Ours is the golden colored one, though, but I think the one you linked to might be a newer edition? Or maybe ours is newer? I can't tell! We just got ours in December, so who knows!
ReplyDeleteYup, the one you linked to is newer! It's from 2008, Amazon says, and ours was printed in 2005. :)
ReplyDeleteThat seems like a great idea! I just might start that. I've really been wanting to read through the whole Bible. I think I might wait and get the Reformation Study Bible first though. :-)
ReplyDeleteOur couples class at church has a schedule to read the bible through in a year...but 90 days??? That so cool!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting an ESV study bible soon; I'm really excited about it. Thanks for sharing that, Brittney. I love that it points out publicly pointing out another's sin. So often, people do that. "Christians" do that. Great point. Everyone has sinned, and it's definitely God that provides salvation--not imperfect man.
ReplyDeleteNo problem! I knew just transcribing would be easier for me than trying to put it in my own words. :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, have FUN with the ESV study Bible you get! We really enjoy the one we have. :)
wow, I missed a lot. (shocker) I'm proud of you for reading through the Bible in 90 days. Go team! :)
ReplyDelete