bles8ed (Gen. xxii. 18). 2. The exaltatwn of Shein. "Dle~sed be Jehovah, the Elohim of Shem," &c., in which description was the promise of II threefold exalta.tion. (1) To S?tJn·ernacy iii tM Chu.rck, ns being possessed of the knowledge of the true relig·ion, as being en'riched with the fulness of blessing that is in Jehovah Elohim, BB being- the Divinely-appointed medium tl1rough which the first promise of the woman's seed was to be fulfilled, and he wns to come whose name should be above every name. (2) To dominion in tlte ,corld. In virtue of the religious ascendancy eonferred upon him, Shem was to be possessed of power to influence other nations for good, and in particular to receive into his service, for education ns well as for 11ssistance, the descendants of Cannan. (3) To ,•e,wwii tlii-ouglwut all time. .As mueh as this perhaps is hinted at in the name Shem; and to this day the glory which encircled the Shemitic nations of antiquity has not faded, but continues to shine down the eenturies with undiminished lustre. 3. TM enlargement of Japlieth. "God shall enlarge Japhetb, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem, and Canaan shall be his servant." .A promise of-1. Territorial expansion. While the Shemite tribes should remain in a manner concentrated in the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates, the Japhethites should spread themselves abroad westward as the pioneers of civilisa- tion. 2. Spi,ritual enruhment, by being broug·ht ultimately to share in the religious privileges and blessings of the Shemites-a prediction which has been abundantly fulfille<l by the admission of the Gentiles to the Christian Church. 3. .Civilising influence. .As Canaan wns subjected to Shem in order, while he served, to· be instructed in the faith of his master, so does he seem to have been placed beneath the sway of Ja~1heth, that .Tnpheth might lead him forth to a participation of the pecnlia.r blessings w]!ich he has been commissioned to bestow upon the other nations of foe earth. HOMILIES BY VARIOUS .AUTHORS. Vers. 18-29.-The threefold distribution of tlie human race-into the Shemitic, Hamitic, and Japhetic families. The fall of Noah was through wine; not, indeed, a forbidden product of the earth, but, like the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good end evil, representing a tremendous responsibiliiy. I. Tm;: FERTILITY OF SIN. It was out of drunkenness that the widespread curse of the Hamitic nations came forth. And the drunkenness is closely connected with other sins-(1) shameful degradation both of f<'-tlier and son, (2) alienation .of brethren, and (3) human slavery. What a picture of the forthcoming· results· of intemperance and self-indulgence I 11. THE CONTRAST IlETWEEN THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE IN THEIR WORKING ou·r. Noah's prediction of the blessing on Shem and Japheth and the curse upon Ham may be taken as nn outline of the religious history of the world. ,L The Shemitic races are the source of religious light to the rest. "Blessed be tlie Lord God of Shem." "Jelwvali," the Shemitic revelation, is the foundation of all other. 2. The Japltetic races are the great colonisers and populators of the world, overflowing their own boundaries, dwelling in the tents of Shern, both as inquirers after Shemitic light and in friendly co-operation with Shemitic civilisation. 3. The Hamitic races are serv- ants of servants unto their brethren, paitly by their degradation, but partly also by their achievements. The Plicenician, Assyrian, Egyptian, Ethiopian, and Canaa.nitish races, although by no means always in a lower/olitual state than the rest of the world, have yet been subdued by Japhetic an Shemitic conquerors, and hnnded down their wealth and acquirements to the Northern, Western, alld Enstern world. III. THE RENOVATION OF THE EARTH UNDE.B THE NEW COVENANT. .After the Flood Noali lived the half week of centuries, and thus laid firmly the foundations of a new earth. Yet, prolonged as was that life of him who had "found grace in the eiJes of the Lord," it came to an end at last. lie died. The one became the tliree. 1. The blessing /uzn-ded on. The type of rest and comfort was spread through the redeemed earth. And from l1enceforth we have to deal not with the small beginnings of the rescued race, but with the vast multitude of human beings. 2. New sphere of trial. under the light of the new covenant again the new race were placed upon their trial tl1at again the redeeming mercy of him who willeth not the death of bis creatures may be made :manifest in the midst of the teeming earth, with its threefold liu.maiiity, apreading ea~tward, westward, northward, and southward.-R. OS. X, 1-32,) THE BOOK OF GENESIS. 166 ------- -------- --------------------
PART II.
TllE POST-DILUVI.A.N .A.GE OF THE WORLD. CH. X. 1-XI. 26.
FROM THE DELUGE TO THE CALL OF ABRAM.