First Corinthians 10 Part 3 Paul Uses Pictures Of Christ From Old Testament

Paul is using his knowledge as a well trained Jew to connect Old Testament pictures with New Testament realities.

He is doing this to show the Corinthians about the dangers of having all spiritual blessings in Christ, but living immorally.

Each Christian must learn to understand and apply God's truth in our lives.

James 1:19-22  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20)  For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. 21)  Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22)  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 

The Corinthians were not ignorant of Divine truth from God but they were ignorant of the application of these truths. This is the same problem Christians will always face in each generation.

We cannot be content to hear the Word of God preached or to read our Bible. We must understand what God is saying to us in order to make the application of His truth in our lives. 

Corinthian Christians were ignorant of how they should apply or live by God's Word. 

1 Corinthians 10:1-2  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2)  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 

We studied about the cloud and the pillar of fire as indicators of God's presence, provision and protection. The pillar of fire and the cloud were a reference point for God's redeemed people. 

They were wonderful pictures of Christ's redeeming work for us. 

The people were baptized unto Moses and we looked at the contrast between baptism by immersion in water and the baptism of the Spirit of God into the body of Christ. 

Water baptism connects with making a public profession of our new faith in Christ, an outward testimony that God has changed us at the heart level. 

This is commonly called "believers baptism."  It is reserved for those who have been regenerated by the Spirit of God. 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit happens when He regenerates our heart and makes us a new creation in Christ. Old things pass away and we begin walking in newness of life. 

Manna each morning and water from a rock point to Jesus Christ. 

1 Corinthians 10:3-4  And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4)  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 

Paul refers to the manna that God provided faithfully to feed His people for forty years. He calls it spiritual meat. 

Deuteronomy 8:3  And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. 

God gave the Hebrews water from a rock in the wilderness that Paul calls a spiritual drink.

Later, when a new generation prepared to enter the promised land, Moses reminded them about the manna. 

Thus, Moses makes the comparison that manna is like the Word of God. Both came down from heaven. Both were miraculously provided by God. Both had God as their source. Both sustain life. 

Manna is different in that it sustained physical life. 

The Word of God from heaven is different in that it imparts and sustains spiritual life. 

God fed them with manna in order to teach the people that they cannot live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

John's gospel presents the Lord Jesus Christ with these words. He is the Word of God who created all things and He is God! 

Thus, Christ connects with manna as a type of the Word of God from heaven, and He brings eternal life to all who believe. 

The apostle used the word "spiritual" because these two things point to Christ and are types of Christ.

The manna is called spiritual meat because it was provided by Jehovah supernaturally. 

The manna on which the Hebrews fed was a type of Christ crucified, that holy bread which came down from heaven, which whoever eats this bread shall live forever.

Manna from heaven pictures Christ sent from heaven to give eternal life to those who believe.

John 6:31-35  Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32)  Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. 33)  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34)  Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35)  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 

Jesus just fed the five thousand and then taught about manna as a picture of Christ. Jesus reminded the Jews that the bread from heaven (manna) actually was sent by His Father, not by Moses.

Here is the application of manna as a type of Christ. Jesus Christ is the true bread from heaven. He came down to earth as a babe born in a manger, in order to save mankind from sin (See Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus Christ came to suffer and die in our place, after perfectly keeping God's law. He then rose from the grave to prove that death has no claim in Him, and that all who believe on Him shall receive eternal life (See John 3:15-18).

Faith in Jesus Christ is how we eat this bread from heaven and receive eternal life. 

John 6:47-51  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48) I am that bread of life. 49)  Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50)  This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51)  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 

Jesus made it clear that He is the bread of life. Manna that the Hebrews ate each day had only a temporary benefit. The people who ate manna in the Old Testament still died.

Jesus is the perfect bread from heaven (manna). All who eat this bread offered by Jesus will receive eternal life. 

How were they to eat this bread? Those who believe on Christ have everlasting life. It is having repentant faith in Jesus Christ. That is the manna from heaven that brings eternal life. 

1 Corinthians 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 

Paul then introduces another type of Christ, this Rock that supplied water for the Hebrews during forty years of wandering in the wilderness. 

He calls it a spiritual rock and tells us that it followed them all those years. The idea is not that the rock moved from place to place. 

Rather, it is a picture of Christ, and as such it refers to Jehovah following them each step of their pilgrimage, tenderly caring for them and supplying their needs. 

Fresh, abundant water from God for Israel in the wilderness pictures Christ and the Holy Spirit.

Exodus 17:3-6  And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?  4) And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me. 5) And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go. 6) Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. 

The other type of Christ that Paul wrote about is the water that came out of a rock. Here is the first text where this is mentioned. 

The people and all their herds and flocks had an intense need for water. They were murmuring and rebelling against Moses over the lack of fresh water. 

Jehovah's solution? He told Moses to take his rod and go to a certain rock located on mount Horeb.

There, Jehovah said he would stand before Moses and that Moses was to smite the rock. God promised that water would come out of the rock.

Moses did so and water did indeed flow out of the rock in copious amounts. 

Jehovah stood before Moses in front of that rock, though invisible to human eyes. Jehovah was then symbolically struck by Moses rod, and the life giving waters gushed out. 

What does this picture? It pictures Jesus Christ on the cross of calvary, smitten for our sins, but bringing eternal life when He rose from the dead. 

The Holy Spirit's ministry with the Word in our heart is like rivers of living water. 

John 7:37-39  In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. 38)  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39)  (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) 

See how thirsty souls that come to Christ, shall be made to drink. Those who thirst for God's salvation and come to Christ will have rivers of living water flowing from Him into us.

John tells us that Jesus spoke of the future ministry of the spirit of God at Pentecost and after. 

Thus, the living waters refer to the washing of regeneration, receiving a new heart and a new spirit from God. It refers to receiving eternal life through Christ.

Israel drank of the rock that followed them, the streams of water followed to supply their physical needs. 

A believer in Christ drinks of a rock that we are connected with, for we are in Christ. He is a well of living water bringing spiritual life into our previously dead soul (See John 4:14). 

Provision is made not only for our present satisfaction, but for our continual comfort. The living water is water that flows and comes out under pressure like at a natural spring.

The graces and gifts of the Spirit are compared to living water because they are the active quickening principles of spiritual life. They are the earnest of our future inheritance. 

The graces and gifts of God's Spirit flow plentifully and constantly as a river filled with spring rains. 

His graces and gifts flowing in us push aside our doubts and fears so that we might love and serve God.  

These flow out of his belly, or metaphorically, out of our heart which is the subject of the Spirit's working and the seat of His government (See Proverbs 4:23). 

Their drink was a stream gushing from a rock which followed them in all their wilderness journeyings. This life sustaining rock was Christ, that is, in type and figure. 

He is the rock on which the Christian church is built; and of the streams that issue from Him all believers drink, and are refreshed. 

Are your standing on the rock, Jesus Christ?

2 Samuel 22:31-32  As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him. 32)  For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God? 

King David wrote this passage and he makes it clear that Jehovah is the One, True God of heaven. 

He alone is the Rock of ages cleft for us, and Jehovah standing in front of the rock struck by Moses pictures this truth vividly. 

Christ Jesus, the Son of God was smitten for our sins on the cross. He suffered, bled, died and was buried as our sinless substitute, our Passover Lamb.

He rose from the dead and gives eternal life to all who hear and heed His gospel. 

What are you trusting in today? Money, health, pleasure and experiences will not save your soul or draw you near to God. 

Jesus says "Come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Repent of your sins, turn to Christ for salvation and be regenerated by God's Spirit.

We are not guaranteed tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation. All who call upon the Lord shall be saved.

Psalm 78:15-16  He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. 16)  He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. 

God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. He seeks to supply for our needs today just as He did in the Old Testament.

Our spiritual need of salvation from sin has been supplied by the perfect, atoning work of Jesus Christ. 

God sends His own Spirit to live in us bringing living waters of graces and gifts for serving God. 

Let us meditate on these beautiful pictures of Christ, and praise God for giving us such a glorious Lord and Savior.

Bob