The Ministry of Ham

[Michael Phelps]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

The past few days I have been thinking about some of the things I read, and the consistent theme of criticism that seems to pervade the communication of some.

I will be the first to agree that there are problems in the Apostolic movement, both in the pulpit and in the pew. This is true of any group, because of a little thing called humanity.

But I am repulsed by the attitude that seems to be driven to expose and highlight every flaw and vulnerability and weakness both in the Church and in the ministry. I believe this is an insidious spirit that often gets a grip on people when they have been wounded or treated unjustly.

Let us look at a few Scriptural examples of this spirit at work...



Gen 9:20 ¶ And Noah began [to be] an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:


Gen 9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.


Gen 9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.


Gen 9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid [it] upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces [were] backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.


Gen 9:24 ¶ And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.


Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed [be] Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.


Gen 9:26 And he said, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.


Gen 9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

Ham found his father naked and drunken. What was his response?

His shirt tail didn't hit his backside twice before he had gone and told his brethren.

His brothers, by contrast, walked in with a blamket with their backs to him, and covered him.

What was the result? They were blessed, and Ham's seed was cursed.

I have noticed one thing about those who constantly criticize and take upon themselves the role of "whistle-blower" to reveal every flaw they can find in their leadership: their children seem to pay the biggest price.

They grow up having been weaned on disrespect and distrust for the gift God gave the Church, and they live enslaved by their attitude and sin, because they don't trust the means God gave for sending them the message of deliverance.

How about other professional critics? How did they fare?

Sanballat was another...


Neh 2:17 ¶ Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we [are] in, how Jerusalem [lieth] waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.


Neh 2:18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for [this] good [work].


Neh 2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard [it], they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What [is] this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?


Neh 2:20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah and his men were builders.

Sanballat and his crew were scorners and critics.

Who got the good reviews in the Word? You be the judge.

David has his detractors also.


2Sa 16:5 ¶ And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.


2Sa 16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men [were] on his right hand and on his left.


2Sa 16:7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:


2Sa 16:8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man.


2Sa 16:9 ¶ Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.


2Sa 16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?


2Sa 16:11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now [may this] Benjamite [do it]? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.


2Sa 16:12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

Fast forward a few years and you will find that Shimei could not even keep himself inside the boundaries of Jerusalem when Solomon gave him mercy. He was slain.

David? His memory is still honored.

There are others...

Judas was a critic.


Mat 26:6 ¶ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,


Mat 26:7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat [at meat].


Mat 26:8 But when his disciples saw [it], they had indignation, saying, To what purpose [is] this waste?


Mat 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.


Mat 26:10 When Jesus understood [it], he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.


Mat 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.


Mat 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did [it] for my burial.


Mat 26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, [there] shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Judas thought the money could have been used for a better cause. Sort of reminds me of some that are constantly fussing about the money spent on sanctuaries of worship--they aren't the first ones to think somebody else's expression of worship was too extravagant.

The career of Judas is well known.

I could go on, but this is probably enough to make my point.

The ministries of Ham, Sanballat, Shimei, and Judas are still alive and well.

And they still bear the same fruit.

Excellent post, CS. I totally agree. David said, "Examine the bulwarks of Jerusalem". Let's look for the strengths of the church.