This month is designated as African American History month: a time when we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans to the world. Those contributions have been varied and have no bounds. From science to math, from history to philosophy, from the great Pyramids of Egypt to the Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies, African Americans have contributed in unique and meaningful ways.African Americans have received notable recognition for their push for civil rights, social change, their athleticism, and for our rich musical heritage. Yet, very few are aware of the deep roots of our biblical heritage.
During the early history of America and biblical history, the role of “people of color” is well documented and firmly established. Our presence and acquaintance with God did not begin on slave ships or plantations.
As with all mankind, Black lineage begins with Adam whose name also reflect the fact that he was a person of color created in the image and likeness of God. And although this extraordinary heritage has its roots in Adam, it really begins to unfold through Noah.
Noah is the builder of the ark which saved him, his wife, three sons and their wives from the great flood recorded in Genesis chapters 7 and 8. Following this castatrophic event, it was the expressed duty of Noah’s sons to replenish the earth. “And God blessed Noah and his sons and said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” “And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth. These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread (repopulated).”
Shem was the oldest of Noah’s sons and is the ancestor of the people of the ancient near east and the Hebrews. The Medians, the Greeks, Romans, Russians, and Gauls are descendants of Japheth. Ham whose name translated from the Hebrew means ‘hot, heated, or black” had four sons: Cush, Mizraim, Put, and Canaan. Cush was the progenitor of the Ethiopian people; Mizraim was the progenitor of the Egyptian people; Put was the progenitor Libyian, and Canaan was the progenitor of the Canaanites.
Out of the sons of Noah comes the whole of humanity; everyone is represented in them-red and yellow, black and white. We, African Americans, should be proud of our ancient biblical heritage and should seek to better understand our presence in the Bible.
The following is a limited but rather impressive list of Black people in the Bible.
Nimrod was the descendent of Cush, grandson of Ham. He became the Father of the greatest empires in the Bible, the Assyrian and the Babylonian.
Zipporah was the wife of Moses. She was of Cushite descent, (Ethiopian) and the daughter of Jethro.
Asenath was the Egyptian wife of Joseph, given to him by the Pharaoh. Asenath bore Joseph two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh who became leaders of Jewish tribes.
Hagar was the Egyptian handmaiden of Sarai, wife of Abraham. Hagar served as Abraham’s concubine, and she became the mother of his first son, Ishmael.
Queen of Sheba, also known as the Queen of the South was an Egyptian queen who traveled to Jerusalem to see the riches of Solomon and to inquire of his wisdom.
In the New Testament canon, the presence of Blacks is also evident. There were two black men, Simeon and Luciu, who served as leaders in the early church. Simeon is also called Black (Niger), and Lucius was from Cyrene. Cyrene was a city on the coast of North Africa. Acts 13:1-3, identifies Simeon and Lucius as prophets and teachers who assisted in the ordination of Barnabas and Saul.
The Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8:27-39 was the minister of the treasury under Candace, Queen of Ethiopia. He has been credited with the spread of Christianity in Ethiopia and the founding of the Coptic Church in Africa.
Simon of Cyrene who was enlisted to carry the cross of Jesus Christ was also of African descent. And he was the father of Alexander and Rufus who were members in the early church
African Americans’ biblical heritage consists of far more than the sorrow songs of slavery. We have a glorious, rich, and unique position in Bible history which reaches back to the Garden of Eden.
Hopefully, by knowing the richness of our history enshrined in the biblical record it will awaken in all of us a healthy degree of pride and a greater understanding of people of color in the Bible.