The following is an outline of a talk I give to black college and university students:
Introduction
I wish that there was never a need for something like a Black History Month. I kind of agree with Morgan Freeman. I wish race did not matter, that everyone would understand that Black History is really American history. Can you explain to me why I am ashamed of slavery when it was not my fault? And please tell me why I am always relieved when I find out that the person who committed some sort of heinous crime is not black? Further, why do I always cringe when I hear an inarticulate black person on TV, and why is it always the brothers and sisters that Jay Leno picks on in his “Jay Walk” segments on the Tonight Show?
I wish that there was no need to give a talk like this.
But here I am, and there you are.
Let me take you back to where we were: Hear this quote from Genovese’s, Roll Jordan Roll
“Massa, may I ask, you something?”
“Ask what you please.”
“Can you ‘splain how it happened in the fust place, that the white folks got the start of the black folks, so as to make dem slaves and do all de work?”
The younger helper, fearing the white man’s wrath, broke in:
“Uncle Pete, it’s no use talking. ‘It’s fo ‘ordained. The Bible tells you that. The Lord fo’ordained the Nigger to work, and the white man to boss.”
“Dat’s so. Dat’s. so. But if dat’s so, then God’s no fair man!
Is God no fair man, as Uncle Pete suggests? Were black people foreordained to work and to be slaves, and white people to be their masters? Is that so? Does the Bible confirm that black people were to be nothing more than slaves? Where does this argument come from and is it actually true?
I. The Table of Nations in Genesis 10. Three sons of Noah, Japheth, Ham, and Shem. Japheth is traditionally known as the progenitor of European people; Ham of African people, and Shem of Middle Eastern and Asiatic people.
II. “The Land of Ham.” 1Chron. 4:40; Psa 105:23; 27; 106:22
III. How do we know that these people were black? The meaning of Ham = “hot”, or “burnt” and Cush.”black”
Genesis 10:6-20 (New International Version)
6 The sons of Ham:
Cush, Mizraim, Put and Canaan.
7 The sons of Cush:
Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah and Sabteca.
The sons of Raamah:
Sheba and Dedan.
8 Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.” 10 The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Akkad and Calneh, in Shinar. 11 From that land he went to Assyria, where he built Nineveh, Rehoboth Ir, Calah 12 and Resen, which is between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.
13 Mizraim was the father of
the Ludites, Anamites, Lehabites, Naphtuhites, 14 Pathrusites, Casluhites (from whom the Philistines came) and Caphtorites.
15 Canaan was the father of
Sidon his firstborn, [f] and of the Hittites, 16 Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, 17 Hivites, Arkites, Sinites, 18 Arvadites, Zemarites and Hamathites.
Later the Canaanite clans scattered 19 and the borders of Canaan reached from Sidon toward Gerar as far as Gaza, and then toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.
20 These are the sons of Ham by their clans and languages, in their territories and nations.
IV. Sons of Ham: Havilah and Cush in Gen. 10:6 & 7 and the possible connection to Gen. 2:10-13: A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is the Pishon; it winds through the entire land of Havilah, where there is gold. (The gold of that land is good; aromatic resin and onyx are also there.) The name of the second river is the Gihon; it winds through the entire land of Cush.. Was Adam an African, and hence Noah and his family African too? No one argues that humanity has its genesis, pun intended, in Africa, so it is quite probable that Adam was African, and by extension, so was Noah and his family.
V. The Curse of Ham/Canaan Gen. 9:18-27. First, the curse is not on Ham, it is on Canaan. Second, Ham had other sons (we will look at this in a moment), and they did not participate in the curse. Third, Canaan was the progenitor of the land of Canaan, also known as the promised land, the land flowing with milk and honey. This was the land that the Israelites eventually took over after leaving Egypt and passing through the Red Sea and wandering around the desert for 40 years. Surely the curse of Canaan has to see its fulfillment with the children of Israel conquering Canaan. Further, the Greeks were seen as descendants of the Canaanites by the Jews. (interview with Hillel Rabbi at Oberlin College)
VI. The first civilizations, Gen 10:8-12 (Cush); 13-14 (Egypt); 15-20 (Canaan).
VII. It is from Nimrod, son of Cush, who founded the land of Babel, the same Babel where a tower was built (Gen. 11:1-9) to reach “the heavens”. The scripture reads that God eventually comes down, confounds their language and scatters them over the face of the earth so that they will not be one, and hence, be able to do anything they wish (I will come back to this).
VIII. Moses’ Cushite wife. Was Zipporah the same woman? Num. 12:1; Ex 2:16-21
IX. David & Bathsheba Bath = daughter Sheba = Descendant of Ham, Solomon was the son of both of them.
X. Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. According to Yamauchi’s Africa and the Bible Sheba was most certainly located in Southwest Arabia, but this does not necessarily render the descendants as non-black. Ethiopic tradition has the Queen of Sheba in Ethiopia, but this does not square with recent scholarship.
XI. Solomon’s wives and concubines (700 wives and 300 concubines). Many were of Canaanite heritage, and one wife was the daughter of a pharaoh.
XII. Africa and Prophets: Isaiah 18:1-2; Is. 20:5; Nah.3:9; Zeph. 3:10
XIII. Psalm 68:31 Envoys will come from Egypt: Cush will submit herself to God.
Part Two. The New Testament Witness
I. Is Jesus a Black Man? Rev. 1:12-1512I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,”[b]dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
II. The Genealogy of Jesus: Rahab, Boaz, Bathsheba, Solomon in Mark 1 and Luke 3
III. Simeon from Cyrene, the bearer of the Cross of Christ: Mt 27:32; Mk 15:21; Lk 23:26
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
IV. Acts 2: 10, Africans at the founding of the church.
V. Acts 8:27-39. The first Gentile convert, the Ethiopian Eunuch.
Acts 11: 20 & Acts 13; Acts 11:26 The first “Christ Ones”, and the Beloved Community. The Tower of Babel reversed.
The Church in Antioch
19Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.
22News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.
25 The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.
1In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
Conclusion:
Acts 2: A New Unity and a Redeemed Humanity
I mentioned above how in Genesis 11 God knocked down the Tower of Babel (probably a “Ziggurat” a sort of temple that wss probably used for astrological and astronomical purposes by the ancient Chaldeans) and scattered humanity and confounded their language. Here in Acts 2, we see the reverse of this curse. Humanity is now coming back together from all the known parts of the world. They were Jews and Jewish proselytes from Europe, Africa, and Asia. The “tongues of fire” more than likely represent a common language that all people everywhere can understand.
Racism is the worst kind of sin because it runs directly counter of God’s vision for humanity. We are to be a reconciled, Christ-centered people, who find our identity in the one who hung on a tree on a ugly hill two millenia ago.
We should be able to celebrate diversity, because God does, and He made us different and diverse, because He is too big to be contained by just one kind of race, ethnicity, gender, or nation.
i would like to know more about this article and the black history.
Ngonidzashe,
Let me know exactly what you want and I will see if I can help you on your way.
You said: “Acts 8:27-39. The first Gentile convert, the Ethiopian Eunuch.”
Ethiopians were not Gentiles. Gentiles are Greeks Romans and all the other decendents of Japhath. Paul is the apostal of Gentiles and he only speaks to European Nations. Show me where in the bible anyone other than Europeans are called Gentiles.
Check out Gen 10:
1] Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
[2] The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
[3] And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
[4] And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
[5] By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
Note these were the isles of the Gentiles. AKA Isles of Japhath AKA Isles of Europeans.
Hi Christian,
I have to respectfully disagree with you. Any non-Jew is a Gentile. The actual Hebrew term for Gentile is “goyim” which simply means “foreign nation”. Certainly Egypt and Ethiopia would be regarded as “foreign nations” or goyim.
Look at this in Ephesians 2:
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
A few comments, yes, Paul was writing to men and women who were by and large European, but notice that Paul only recognizes two kinds of people, Jews and Gentiles. Again, any person who could not trace their ancestry through Abraham and Sarah was considered goyim. This would especially be true of the Canaanites too, who were descendants of Ham.
Finally, we see this in Neh. 5:8 “As far as possible, we have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles.” The “Gentiles” in question would have been the Babylonians, who were either descendants of Shem (just like the Hebrews) or Cush, whose son Nimrod founded Babylon (Gen. 10: 9-12).
I agree with what Christy Holmes said that the descendants of Ham and Shem were not called Gentiles. There are 12 tribes that were in the land of Israel. The southern tribe was called Judah and from here they were called Jews.
When GOD led the Israelites out of Egypt they were 600,000 men not including women and children. These were a mixture of Ham and Shem’s descendants.
Only the family of Japheth is called Gentiles because they migrated to the coast places like Europe, China, Russia. JESUS told the disciples not to go to the Gentiles which was saved for the Apostle Paul to carry the gospel to them in Rome, Turkey, Spain and other European places.
It is true that there are eponymous place names that the Tribes of Ham and Shem share (Cush and Sheba to name two). And it is also true that the term “Jews” comes from Judah (and the term “Hebrew, comes from “Eber”). However, when we get to the NT, “Jew” is a term meant for any person who is a descendant of Jacob (Israel). And in the NT, you would have to have Ethiopia regarded as among the Goyim (nations) or Gentiles. So again, I respectfully disagree.
The reason the tribes Ham and Shem share names such as Cush and Sheba is because they intermarried. Remember Abraham socialized with Africans or Hamitic people. He left his people and basically went into Africa. Show me where Ethiopia is regarded as a Gentile Nation. What about the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch, ACTS 8:27. He his not considered a Gentile, he even has the Torah which he reads from (He speaks and reads Hebrew). Why didn’t the apostle of the Gentiles go to Africa, because they were not Gentiles and already had the word of GOD.
You Said. “Finally, we see this in Neh. 5:8 “As far as possible, we have bought back our Jewish brothers who were sold to the Gentiles.” The “Gentiles” in question would have been the Babylonians, who were either descendants of Shem (just like the Hebrews) or Cush, whose son Nimrod founded Babylon (Gen. 10: 9-12).”
The Gentiles in question would be the Babylonians who were descendents of Elam and Madia, Madia is a son of Japheth who is European. Nimrod was the first ruler of Babylon but African/Hamitic people were eventually pushed South by the combination of Semitic and Japhetic People. You can still see that today where most of North Africa is occupied by Semitic and Japhetic people.
Also the New Testament talks allot about Gentiles being uncircumcised. It is well known that Africans have always practiced circumcision.
All I ask is that you tell me where the King James Bible refers to Hamitic people as Gentiles or even implies it. In conclusion I will quote the first verse in the Bible where the Term Gentile is used. Take note of GENESIS 10:5.
Genesis 10
[1] Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
[2] The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
[3] And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
[4] And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
[5] By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
The Ethiopian Eunuch was either Jewish or a Jewish proselyte. We even have Jewish converts who were European in Acts 2:
5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism).
Plus, you cite one passage which is rather ambiguous. The point is this, the word Gentile refers to any non-Jew, it is not only applied to those of the Japhetic lineage. Again, all the name means is “nations”. Any non-Jew would be considered a Gentile. Cushites are not Jewish, and hence are Gentiles.
Further, why does it have to be the King James Bible? It is a notoriously bad translation. It would be much better to refer to either the NAS or the RSV.
The history of God’s people what a pleasure, to finnaly read it in this year 2007. Keep up the good work may God forever bless this site. Than you
The book of Amos 9 : 7 will put everything to rest…Bless!!!!
Actually, it doesn’t, it is ambiguous at best.
christian bluffy-holmes
you so convincing me, could you please send me more materials to read about gentiles, my email is zozoemma@yahoo.co.uk
God bless you.
“The point is this, the word Gentile refers to any non-Jew, it is not only applied to those of the Japhetic lineage.”
Show me once where the term Gentile is applied to Hamitic people. I might of only gave you one example but atleast I did that much. I agree that Jews or Israelites are amongst all the nations in the world and I honestly believe that we are all God’s Children whether Gentile or not.
“Further, why does it have to be the King James Bible? It is a notoriously bad translation. It would be much better to refer to either the NAS or the RSV.”
The main reason I use only the King James Bible is the issue over the term Gentile. I don’t think it is defined correctly by the mainstream (NAS/RSV) but I do think it was used correctly in the King James Bible. I will admit that I am not that familiar with the NAS or the RSV but I do know that they do not use the word Gentile in the same way as the KJV.
Separate Topic: Leviticus 18 and the Curse of Ham (Canaan)
Do you believe Leviticus 18 explains the phrase to “uncover your father’s nakedness”?
Hope to see a new blog or discussion board from you
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THE ROOT
Thank you for such a fascinating article; may we reference your words in our documentary entitled “The African Genesis? We appreciate your wisdom and have something to add…the untold story about THE ROOT and/or the origins or source of the geneology of the vine and its fruit. There is a key that has been found that unlocks the truth about the African Genesis…they have known more about us that we have known about ourselves before, during and after the time known as “slavery”. As early as 1910 they found secrets that prove that the ancient people of the bible were of African descent, and that Ethiopia is the Garden of Eden. Unless you went to a prestigious university and majored in archeology or religion, you probably is not aware of the text in the bible that link the bible to Africa in very ancient times…there are words, that most people may know, but they have not yet made the link, …their students of higher learning have studied these truths and have hiddened it from the masses either because of scholastic racism and historical bias…this so called secret is the core secret of so called secret societies. We can show you many things in the first 5 books of Genesis that link Genesis to ancient times in African history…which is the source of biblical wisdom , in fact…ancient ethioipia/kush/egypt…were once one land…in fact the entire continent of Africa was once known as Kush or Ethiopia…which included all that land they call Sudan today where the ancient Holy City exists…the City of God. They have made sure you would not know this…we have seen many of their so called secrets which are nothing more that details about OUR SPIRITUAL LEGACY, that they do not want us to know…they have stollen our spiritual legacy but we have been given the key to open the door and reveal it to those who can receive. We have proof also video and photographs…and the beauty of all is that THE RIVER in Genesis 2:13 called Ghion is located in the highlands of ancient Kush, known as Ethiopia today, and THAT RIVER IS STILL CALLED GHION UNTIL THIS VERY DAY….THERE IS A GREAT MYSTERY IN THE LAND OF ETHIPIA THAT HAS BEEN KEPT FROM US…THE REST OF THE STORY ABOUT THE GHION, WHICH IS ALSO THE SOURCE OF THE NILE AND ITS LINK TO THE ANCIENT CITY HAS YET TO BE TOLD…THIS RIVER IS MYSTERIOUS AND IS ALSO THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, BUT FROM SATALLITE PHOTOGRAPHS, THIS GREAT MYSTERIOUS RIVER HAS NO VISIBLE SOURCE AND IT IS LOCATED 7,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND FLOWSS UPWARDS! It is good toknow the bible as you have been tought…but today…since we now have been educated and can think for ourselvees…we must connect the dots and learn the truth about that which has been purpousfully hidden from us; your wonderful treatise on the African Presence in the Bible rejuvenated my spirit because the question you raised about an unfair god, was the very same question we asked the minister at the Calvery Southern Baptist Church, where we were baptised in 1949 at 15 months old; and every since that time until now, we have yearned to know the answer and finally one day…by the Grace of God…God did give us The Key…and every since that time until now, by the Grace of God we have been taken to the mountains in ancient Ethiopia and seen many mysterious and sacred things including the Sceptre, the Throne, The Crown that belong to the royal family of Ethiopia who traces theri blood line back to the days of the African Genesis including the bible and the history that preceeded the writing of the book of books as we k ow it today. And when we went to Judah, in 2004, we returned happy and sad…happy because it was a mysterious journey of a life time and sad when we saw polution in the ancient Holy Places…we also saw miracles in the desert and traveled on the Ghion by boat to ancient monastaries…and much more…all so that we can share this most fascinating story…freely. Do you know that the Ethiopian calendar, which is the same as the ancient Egyptian calendar, and differs from the Gregorian calendar by 7 years…so according to the ancient African Calendar, our Year 2000 will end on this coming September 11, 2008. Happy New Year Believers…may you receive our truth in the manner in which it was written…with love to our people from the heart!
Respectfully,
Wolatta Selassie Haile Selassie
mysticblackwoman@sbcglobal.net
http://www.rootsinternational.net