The Origins of Race
Adam, the first man, was formed by God of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7; Psalm 103:14), more narrowly from clay (Job 33:6). The name Adam is supposedly akin to Edom meaning something red in color (Genesis 25:25, 30). Perhaps this is a hint that the first man’s (and woman, made from Adam’s rib—Genesis 2:22) skin color was red.
Strictly using dates in the Bible, the flood was around 1,656 years after Adam’s creation. If true that one’s skin color varies depending upon genetic and environmental differences (Song of Solomon 1:5-6), these differences likely existed before the flood and potentially passed through the flood via Noah’s daughters-in-law. Regardless, only eight souls entered the ark (1 Peter 3:20): Noah and his wife, Japheth (the origin of lighter skinned people), Shem (the father of those of medium skin color), Ham (the source of those of darker skin tone), and their wives (Genesis 7:13). Any differences existing stem from the eight souls that entered the ark.
Upon the family’s departure from the ark, Noah planted a vineyard and became an husbandman (Genesis 9:18-20). He drank of the wine until he was drunken and uncovered in his tent (Genesis 9:21). Ham went in and saw his father’s nakedness (Genesis 9:22). When Shem and Japheth knew it, they went in backward and covered him (Genesis 9:23). When Noah awoke and knew what Ham had done, he said, “Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren” (Genesis 9:25). Sadly, this passage is the source of much of the racial undertones prevalent throughout our history, including the exclusion of certain racial intermarriage (see Genesis 9:27). However, it was CANAAN that was cursed and not HAM. Ham had other sons (Cush, Mizraim, and Phut) that were not part of this curse (Genesis 10:6). Canaan, however, is the origin of many of the names/groups that inhabited the land of promise when God called the Israelites to separate from and destroy them (Genesis 10:15-19). In short, the Lord DID NOT curse all people of darker skin!!!
Not much more than 100 years later, another life-changing event took place. The whole earth was of one language and speech (Genesis 11:1) and the people journeyed from the area close to modern-day Turkey to a plain in the land of Shinar (this is in Babylon—see Daniel 1:2) (Genesis 11:2). The people wanted to build a tower (Genesis 11:3-4) and, yet, in their pride and rebellion, the Lord was forced to confound their language (Genesis 11:5-6) and scatter them (Genesis 11:8-9). Japheth and his offspring went toward Europe (Genesis 10:5). Ham and his family split between Mesopotamia, the western coast of Arabia (modern Israel), and Africa (Genesis 10:6-20). Shem and his family went to Arabia and some eventually made their way to Asia (Genesis 10:21-31).
A Misconstrued Warning
According to scripture, God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:26). Why? “That they should seek the Lord” and “might…find him, though he be not far from every one of us” (Acts 17:27). When considered in its context, it is obvious this is not simply a New Testament truth, but a recollection of man’s history up to the present moment.
It is ultimately in that spirit that the Old Testament is filled with ample warnings concerning the people of God mingling with other nations who served other gods.
Abraham asked his servant to find a wife for Isaac from the land of his kindred and commanded, “thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell” (Genesis 24:1-9, especially Genesis 24:3). Then, Isaac and Rebekah were concerned Jacob might “take a wife of the daughters of Heth” (Genesis 27:46) or “of Canaan” (Genesis 28:1, 6).
As Israel prepared to enter the promised land (Exodus 34:11-12), God warned of intermarriage (Exodus 34:16) because His people might be lured to worship Canaan’s false gods (Exodus 34:13-15). Later, God spoke of the same subject (Deuteronomy 7:1-2) and warned, “Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee” (Deuteronomy 7:3-4).
In the days of the judges, “Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. And...Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves” (Judges 3:5-7).
Later, King Solomon “loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hitttites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love” (1 Kings 11:1-3). Eventually, Solomon went after “Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:5) and built “an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab…and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon” (1 Kings 11:7). Then, in the days of Ezra, it was said, “The people of Israel…have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands” (Ezra 9:1-2).
A Call to Segregation
The warning of intermingling and intermarrying with unbelieving heathen is not constrained to the Old Testament. In fact, it is the same warning set forth in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. As the scripture declares, believers are NOT to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. Why? Yoking yields fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness, light and darkness, Christ and Belial, He that believeth and an infidel, and the temple of God with idols; and this improper fellowship would hinder the fellowship God desires to have with His people (2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 2 Corinthians 7:1).
Today, as always, the admonition is to divide or segregate from those of different creeds not different colors. The Bible does not condemn interracial marriages or multiracial churches. In fact, the concept of a white church, a black church, or an oriental church to the exclusion of others is unbiblical at its core. Rather, the scripture, Old and New Testaments, warn us not to mingle with those who worship other gods or no God at all. Therefore, segregation is only biblical if it is based upon creed and not color of skin.
