Moment of Meditation: Canaan (Genesis 10:6)

The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. Genesis 10:6 “Cursed be Canaan,” is the first mention of Canaan in the Scriptures. His descendants are to be the servants of his brothers and cousins’ descendants. Generations later Noah, as God brings Israel out of Egypt, God promises them the land of Canaan. He commands the Israelites to annihilate the Canaanites. Unfortunately, Israel does not fulfill this commandment from God. The remaining Canaanites would be a thorn in Israel’s side for most of their history as a nation. The Canaanites show us that God will use our own sins to discipline us. The Canaanites were God’s instrument of discipline in the Promised Land. We receive the consequences of our sins sometimes as our sins are committed against us. We betray, and we are betrayed. We lie, and we are lied to. You might call it poetic justice, but God uses it to call you to repentance. Amen.