Yes — a person's testimony can be destroyed by a serious fall into sin, as Noah's drunkenness so clearly demonstrates.
Noah, a man who found grace in God's eyes and survived the flood, planted a vineyard, drank wine, and became so drunk that he was uncovered in his tent (Genesis 9:20-21). Les Feldick points out that from that moment Scripture is silent about Noah: "You never hear another word about Noah. He drops off the scene." According to Les, Noah did not lose his salvation, but he lost his testimony.
Genesis 9:20-21 — This is the exact event — Noah's drunkenness — that Les Feldick says destroyed Noah's testimony.
Genesis 9:20-24 records the event. After the flood, "Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent." Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, walked backward, and covered their father without seeing him. When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his younger son had done to him.
Les Feldick teaches that even a man of faith — one who found grace in God's eyes and survived the flood — could be overcome by alcohol. He says Noah "must have been drunken to the place of having passed out" and lay uncovered in his tent. Les emphasizes that God does not gloss over or cover up the failures of His choicest servants, including Abraham, David, Moses, and Noah. After this drunken episode, Les observes, "You never hear another word about Noah. He drops off the scene." His conclusion is clear: "I don't think he lost his salvation, but he lost his testimony."
No, according to Les Feldick. He says plainly, "Now I don't think he lost his salvation, but he lost his testimony." The distinction is important: a believer's standing before God can remain secure even when his witness or influence among men is destroyed.
Les points out that God doesn't gloss over or cover up the failures of His servants. "Even His choicest servants, such as Abraham, David, Moses, when they failed, God still puts it out there in front of us." In Noah's case, the text shows him planting a vineyard, making wine, and then being overcome by it.
Ham saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers. Shem and Japheth then took a garment, laid it on their shoulders, walked backward, and covered Noah. When Noah woke up, he "knew what his younger son had done unto him." As Les notes, from that point on, "You never hear another word about Noah."
Les teaches that the first recorded instance of alcohol use appears in this account. Before the flood, he suggests, there was evidently no fermentation and no mention of alcohol or drunkenness. After the flood, Noah planted a vineyard, and alcohol overcame him: "Even this great man Noah, a man of faith, a man who found grace in God's eyes, a man who survived the judgment of the flood, and yet alcohol got to him."
Post-Flood Setting
Les sets the stage by noting that before the flood there appears to have been no fermentation, and after the flood Noah plants a vineyard — the setting in which his test with alcohol comes.
Noah's Lost Testimony
Les directly answers the question: Noah built a vineyard, drank wine, got drunk, and never appears again in the account — he lost his testimony, not his salvation.
Alcohol Overcomes Noah
Les shows that even a man who found grace and survived the flood could be brought down by alcohol: Noah drank until he passed out and lay uncovered in his tent.
God Records the Failure
Les notes that Scripture doesn't hide Noah's failure. This is the first recorded use of alcohol, and it shows what one drunken episode did to the man.
Something More Drastic
Les speculates that something more than simply seeing nakedness took place, based on the word 'knew' — but the key point remains that the drunken episode triggered the whole catastrophe.
Why God Established Capital Punishment | Genesis 9 Explained
Now, I think most people realize I don't like that word, but sometimes we have to use it for lack of a better one. But as a result, then, of no civil law per se, no government to maintain law and order, and no system of worship to really maintain a relationship with God, we find that by the time you get to Genesis chapter 6, the earth is filled with violence. It's corrupt. It's rotten to the core.
The Family's Response
Shem and Japheth covered their drunken father, and Noah woke and 'knew what his younger son had done unto him' — showing the fallout from the drunkenness that destroyed his testimony.
What the Bible Really Says About the Prodigal Son
The first thing they see is ninety and nine sheep laying safely in the fold, but one is out there alone. Now that makes good preaching. I remember a long time ago a preacher was in my class and we had taught the Flood. You know how I teach the Flood. It was an instantaneous cataclysmic event as everything just burst. You know he came up and said, "...
Genesis 9:20: And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
It identifies Noah's new post-flood occupation and the planting that led to the wine.
Genesis 9:21: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
This is the direct action that Les identifies as the cause of Noah's lost testimony.
Genesis 9:22: And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
This shows the immediate consequence of Noah's drunkenness.
Genesis 9:23: And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.
This records the brothers' respectful response and highlights the shame of Noah's condition.
Genesis 9:24: And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
Noah's awakening reveals the consequence of the drunken episode and sets up the curse on Canaan.
No. Les Feldick says plainly, "I don't think he lost his salvation, but he lost his testimony." A believer can lose his influence and usefulness even though his salvation remains secure.
Because he was the great man of faith who had found grace and survived the flood. After he drank the wine and became drunk, the Scripture falls silent about him. Les says he drops off the scene, which shows how a serious failure can silence a witness.
No. Les points out that God does not gloss over or cover up the failures of His choicest servants — Abraham, David, Moses, and Noah are all examples. Their failures are recorded so we can learn from them.
Les suggests there was evidently no fermentation and no mention of alcohol or drunkenness before the flood. The first indication of alcohol use in the account is Noah's vineyard, and the text shows what it did to him.
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