1 Corinthian (Class Version)

Chapter 10

1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.

2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.

3 They all ate the same spiritual food

4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.

7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry."

8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.

9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.

10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.

11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!

13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Paul uses another illustration to continue to make his point about avoiding anything that will hinder the Believer from living the life that God has called him to live - what's the illustration?

Israel out of Egypt and wandering in the desert – the illustration is a negative example

What are the descriptions that Paul gives about Israel coming out of Egypt and wandering in the desert?

1st they were under the cloud and passed through the sea, 2nd they were baptized into Moses, 3rd they ate and drank "spiritual" food provided from a rock that was Christ

What do these things mean?

Paul names these things because they relate to the life of the Believer;

1. They experienced God's presence (the cloud) and His miraculous power to deliver them (through the Red Sea) – in Christ we experience God's presence and His miraculous power to deliver us from sin, judgment, and Satan.

2. As Moses led them out of Egypt they went into the Red Sea and came out alive – Jesus leads out of darkness which is why we are baptized into Him – we go into the water as a symbol of death (the death of the sin nature) and we come out again symbolizing the birth of the new spiritual nature.

3. Christ Himself followed them through the wilderness miraculously providing for their needs – Christ is the Rock in our lives that never leaves us or forsakes us and He miraculously provides for our needs

Paul's point in all of this: Israel was blessed in many ways, and so are you (Corinthian Believers, but also applies to all Believers) But remember that this example is negative

How does it become negative?

Even though they were so blessed, most of them died in the wilderness. Paul then gives four specific examples of things that they did and the consequences for those things