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right of the first-born, he prays that God would persuade him in a
friendly manner, first, not to envy his brother this honor, nor to be
dissatisfied that this privilege was taken from him and given to his
brother. Furthermore, because this matter touches the person of
Japheth only, God includes his entire offspring in the blessing.
Though the promise was given to Shem alone, yet God does not shut out
from it the offspring of Japheth, but speaks to them lovingly through
the Gospel, that they may also become _jepheth_, being persuaded by
the Word of the Gospel. This is a divine persuasion, coming from the
Holy Spirit; not from the flesh, nor from the world, nor from Satan,
but holy and quickening. This expression is used by Paul in Gal 1, 10,
where he says, "Am I now persuading men or God?" And Gal 3, 1, "Who
did bewitch you that ye should not obey the truth?"--that ye do not
agree to the truth, that ye do not permit yourselves to be persuaded
by that which is true?

215. Viewing the name Japheth in this case, it signifies a person of
the kind which we call guileless, who believes readily, permitting
himself to be easily persuaded of a matter, who does not dispute or
cling to his own ideas but submits his mind to the Lord and rests upon
his Word, remaining a learner, not desiring to be master over the
words and works of God.

Hence it is a touching prayer which is here recorded, that God might
persuade Japheth; that is, that he might speak fondly with him. Noah
prays that, though God does not speak to Japheth on the basis of a
promise, as he does with Shem, yet he would speak with him on the
basis of grace and divine goodness.

216. This prayer of Noah foresees the spread of the Gospel throughout
the whole world. Shem is the stem. From his posterity Christ was born.
The Church is of the Jews, who had patriarchs, prophets, and kings.
And yet God here shows Noah that also the wretched Gentiles were to
dwell in the tents of Shem; that is, they were to come into that
heritage of the saints which the Son of God brought into this
world--forgiveness of sins, the Holy Spirit, and everlasting life. He
prophesies clearly that also Japheth will hear the sweet message of
the Gospel as his name suggests; so that, though he have not the same
title as Shem, who was set to be the stem from which Christ was to
spring, yet he should have the persuader, namely the Gospel.

217. It was Paul through whom this prophecy was fulfilled. H