Japheth's blessing: life with Shem

In Genesis 9 where Ham mocks his father Noah's nakedness, Ham is thenceforward subjected to Shem. The latter is the ancestor of Abraham. Using the traditional interpretation of Shem, Ham and Japheth, the former equates roughly to most other eastern people (Egyptians, Assyrian/Babylonians, Canaanites), and Japheth equates to the Gentiles spread further abroad, mostly to the northwest (toward Europe).

What I noticed this time around is that Noah's blessing of Japheth is that he dwell in Shem's tents. This brought to mind Amos 9:12, which James quotes in Acts 15:15-17. The tents of David will be set back up and expanded, so the Gentiles (Japheth) can live in them, too. But God's enemies (Ham) will be subdued under Shem's (Jesus') feet (Psalm 110:1).

The restored life will be one of brothers living together in harmony, and in one house. But notice that it is Shem's house. This relates to Romans 9-11, where Paul affirms that the Jewish nation (Shem) is the natural branch on the tree, the root of which is Abraham. Other branches are grafted in, just as one can live as a long-time guest in another's house. The host and owner of the house, the natural branches, ought not boast (Romans 11:18) about the privileged position he may have (Romans 1:16). He is to provide hospitality humbly and not lord it over the guest Gentile, for he has some a store of wealth to share with his guest (Romans 3:1-2). It may be his house, but it was built by Another (Hebrews 3:3-4) and given to him by grace through faith.

The guest must learn to receive without trying to earn the gift. He is in full fellowship with the host. This does not mean he is less loved by the Builder than is the host. The Gentile, the guest, is not second-class, any more than Eve was, just because she was "created for" Adam (Genesis 2:18). God simply delights in providing His creatures with relationships that involve differences, gratitude, and reciprocal expressions of humility and love.

It seems we learn more about grace with the world set up this way, rather than with everyone equal and the same.