Some weeks ago I did a question concerning the nations and made mention that the European peoples came through the line of Noah's son Japheth. Many wanted more information.
All remember the story of Noah's drunkenness on this side of the Flood. A critical event took place before his three sons (Ham, Shem, Japheth) as Noah lay sprawled out naked before them. His son Ham apparently looked at his father's situation with much glee and disrespect (Gen. 9:21-23). Because of this sin, Noah used of God made a prediction that Ham's far-off son, Canaan, would be cursed and become a slave people to the children of Shem, who in turn would be the core people from which the Jews, the redemptive nation, came (vv. 25-26).
However, God would "enlarge" ("make wide") and bless Noah's son Japheth (v. 27). And in a historic context, but also with a metaphoric sense, Japheth would "dwell in the tents of Shem," i.e. be blessed by what would happen in God's providence with Shem. (The Jewish people would be known as the S[h]emites!)
This is a very broad, wide, and far-encompassing prophecy with an expansive sweep. But the point that is made is clearly understood by all commentators.
The name Japheth means in Hebrew May he have space. His sons as seen in the Genesis Table of Nations (Gen. 10) would be: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. These names clearly point to Japheth as having been the progenitor of the Indo-European peoples who lived to the north and west of Israel. (Holman Dictionary) This is agreed to by almost all scholarly historians. In other words, the European peoples, descendants of Japheth would be most blessed by Shem. And this blessing would come through Christianity which had its most concentrated influence on Europe.
Early on the gospel was taken to Africa and to India, but these two continents basically rejected the truth. The message of salvation through Christ failed to make a permanent and deep impact with the peoples of these regions of the world.
The orthodox Jewish rabbis on Genesis 9:26-27 write:
"The God of Shem." The meaning is, Blessed be the God who will, in the days to come, keep His promise to the descendants of Shem—the Israelites—the promise to give unto them the land of Canaan for a possession, and to be their God and their Guide.
Japheth is the progenitor of the Indo-European or Aryan peoples, receives the blessing of worldly prosperity and widespread dominion, but he was to dwell "in the tents of Shem," Friendly relations should subsist between the Semitic and Japhetic races. This is the first of the universal forecasts in Scripture of the day when enmity between nations will be forgotten, and they will unite in acknowledgment of the God of Israel. (Soncino Commentary, Genesis)
Stigers writes:
The fact [is] that the Japhethite nations have been the major beneficiaries of the Gospel in the last two millennia. From these [European] nations, millions have been brought into the house of God through believing in the resurrected Christ. Their widespread [influence on] the globe is referred to in the words "God will enlarge (lit., make wide) Japheth. That the Gospel is meant is the thought to be preferred. (Commentary)
Leupold adds:
For in reality, [Shem's] descendants, the Indo-Europeans or Aryans, do spread out over vast stretches of territory from India across all Europe and of a later date over the Western Hemisphere. (Commentary)
Unger summarizes:
[In 9:27] the use of the generic name of God, Elohim, implies that the proper name of Jehovah "was the particular property of the Shemites." The Japhetic line is predicted to enjoy not only expansion in temporal possessions, but spiritual blessing as well. … Christianity has had great outreach upon the Japhetic peoples of Europe and America. (Commentary)
While it is true that "God so loves the world" (John 3:16), the fact is that He has not sent the gospel equally to all of the nations. Salvation is His own prerogative by which He blesses some but not all. All stand equal before Him as equal in their sins! The Lord gave the entire world over to its sinfulness to do what it wishes (Rom. 1:24, 26, 28). He then applies salvation to whomever He wills (Eph. 1:3-12). God is in charge of His own history!
But it must be remembered, those of us who are "Japhethites" can not boast as if we are better than others. In God's providence we were blessed in a very personal way by the revelation of salvation in Christ, that was first predicted in a wide sweep in the prophecy of Genesis 9. Also, those who are not of the descendants of Japheth must also be thankful that salvation came to them. All stand guilty before God; and all who know Him through Christ stand blessed under His marvelous grace!
The fact still stands, coming from the Genesis 9 prophecy, that more of the Japhethite descendants have been blessed and have come to Christ than from any other part of the world!
