First Corinthians 10 Part 5 Old Testament Examples Are Meant To Help Us Honor God

1 Corinthians 10:1-5  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; 3)  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. 5)  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

So far in this chapter, Paul has used Old Testament pictures of Christ and baptism to illustrate his teaching about idolatry.

What does idolatry look like in 2024? A simple definition is that idolatry is anything or anyone that takes a higher priority in my life than the priority I have for God.

Many Corinthian Christians came to Christ from a background of pagan idolatry and immorality. Paul had to teach them right from wrong concerning the things of God.

In our last post, we noted that unbelief was the primary reason why God overthrew a generation of adults in the book of Numbers. 

The entire congregation of Israel wandered in the wilderness for forty years until the unbelieving ones died off.

Paul is going to expose more of that generation's idolatry and use it as a warning for the church.

We can learn from the mistakes of the Hebrew people.

1 Corinthians 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 

The apostles and our Lord Jesus Christ had the highest regard for the Old Testament scriptures. 

We are told that the Old Testament serves to give us hope, encouragement and examples for the churches (See Romans 15:4). 

In them we find good examples to pattern our lives after, and we find bad examples showing sins we must avoid.

We are told that Christ's church, this glorious, living body of believers, is built upon an immovable foundation of the prophets (Old Testament revelation) and the Apostles (New Testament revelation). (See Ephesians 2:20).

Paul speaks of times when Israel lusted in the Old Testament because he is going to teach us by using negative examples of what we must not do.

The Hebrews lusted after idols and fell into drunkenness and immorality.

1 Corinthians 10:7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 

Below is the example Paul is referring to in his letter to the church at Corinth. The Hebrews became idolaters, drunkards and given to immorality all in one day!

Exodus 32:1-8  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2)  And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3)  And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4)  And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5)  And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. 6)  And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play. 7)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 8)  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 

Here is an example of Israel's lusts that led them to idolatry. 

As we read these verses, we must remember that by this time they witnessed the utter destruction of the Egyptians by the heavy hand of Jehovah.

They crossed the Red Sea on dry land and watched as God drowned Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea.

They came to a place where the water was not safe to drink and saw Moses cast a tree into it as God healed the waters.

Jehovah supplied all the people with manna, the bread of heaven each morning. 

He provided abundant water out of the Rock. 

God strengthened them so that they defeated Amalek under Joshua's leadership.

They reached Mount Sinai where they witnessed the presence of God on display. 

A dark cloud descended, accompanied by thunder and lightning. The trumpet of the Lord sounded with an extremely loud blast. The mount quaked and God answered Moses with an audible voice.

At this point, Moses and Joshua went up to receive the Ten Commandments, and Aaron was in charge of the people.

Moses and Joshua communed with Jehovah for many days and the people grew impatient.

This is why Paul warns us about the dangers of idolatry. 

The Hebrews demanded that Aaron should make them some gods like the ones they were exposed to in Egypt. They were exposed to polytheism, idolatry and immorality for 400 years.

Thus, lacking patience to wait for Moses and forgetting all about the mighty hand of God to redeem them, they demanded idols to worship.

Following the pattern of pagan practices that the Corinthians were saved out of, they ate meat offered to idols, they became drunk and committed fornication.

The Hebrews wanted to be slaves in Egypt instead of serving God.

1 Corinthians 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 

Israel was guilty of lusting as a nation many times, but the text below is the example that Paul wants us to see. 

Numbers 11:4-10  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 5)  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 6)  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. 7)  And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium. 8)  And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. 9)  And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it. 10)  Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased. 

This is another example of Israel lusting in the Old Testament. They wept and recalled the "good food" they ate in Egypt, the leeks, onions, garlic, cucumbers, melons and fish. 

How sad that they forgot how oppressive slavery was. They forgot the severe treatment and persecution they endured by the taskmasters. 

Instead, they were consumed with fleshly lusts. They would rather return to Egypt and be slaves with no rights instead of walking in newness of life with Jehovah.

Fleshly lusts lead to immorality and idolatry. 

1 Corinthians 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 

Paul highlights yet another failure of the Hebrew people. 

Even though God gave them the Ten Commandments which specifically forbid idolatry, they lusted for idolatry at every opportunity.

As a result of God judging their sins, more than twenty three thousand people died in one day. 

God is holy and just, He must judge sin and they paid a price for rejecting the One, True God and pursuing man made gods. 

Numbers 25:1-3  And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. 2)  And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. 3)  And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. 

Baal was a general name for “lord,” and Peor for a “mount” in Moab. The real name of the idol was Chemosh, and his rites of worship were celebrated by gross perversion. 

In participating in this festival the Israelites committed the double offense of idolatry and immorality.

Their sins invoked the wrath of God and judgment.

Numbers 25:4-9  And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel. 5)  And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor. 6)  And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 7)  And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 8)  And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. 9)  And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. 

Those who committed these sins were to be killed so that the congregation could be pure for the LORD.

The sins of murmuring and complaining were judged by God.

1 Corinthians 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 

Another example of Israel's failure is set before us by the apostle Paul.

This concerns the sin of speaking against God and His chosen mediator, Moses. The people did not keep their eyes upon the LORD and this is why they were discouraged. 

Let us take heed and make sure we set our affections on the things above where Christ is enthroned at the Father's right hand.

The people did not love God who redeemed them out of slavery. They did not appreciate his daily provision for their needs. 

They were ungrateful for the pillar of fire and the cloud by night and day, symbols of His presence, protection and provision.

Numbers 21:4-9  And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 5)  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 6)  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 7)  Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 8)  And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9)  And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 

Constant murmuring, complaining and talking bad about Jehovah brought judgment upon the Hebrew people.

He sent "fiery serpents" among them and many people died from their venom. The people confessed that they had sinned and prayed for Moses to intercede for them with Jehovah.

What is of great interest to us is the solution God gave them. Moses was to make a brass serpent and put it on a tall post. 

Any Israelite who was bitten by the fiery serpent was instructed to look to the brass serpent on the post and they would not die.

The record indicates that each person who was bitten and looked on the brass serpent, did live and not die.

Jesus referred to this event as a picture of His redeeming work on the cross (See John 3:10-15; 12:29-33).

Those who rebel against God will suffer the consequences.

1 Corinthians 10:10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 

There are several instances of severe judgment falling upon the Hebrews for their sins, but the following one will serve as an example for us. 

Numbers 16:41-48  But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD. 42)  And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43)  And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation. 44)  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 45)  Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. 46)  And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun. 47)  And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48)  And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 

A man named Korah led a rebellion and sought to intrude into the priests office that God appointed for Aaron. This sin was judged and as a result, the Hebrews were ready to kill Moses and Aaron.

At that moment the glory of the LORD came and rested upon the tabernacle. Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron that He would judge the people for their sins.

A plague went out like the plague that killed the Egyptians' firstborn children. Scripture does not tell us how many people died in this account, but the plague was stopped by the quick actions of Moses and Aaron.

Learn from Israel's mistakes and heed the warnings from God. 

1 Corinthians 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

This is where Paul leads us. He gave all of these historical events to show us that we must avoid the sins of idolatry and immorality.

The apostle, guided by the Holy Spirit, tells us that all of these things that happened to the Hebrews, serve as warnings to the church.

We must guard against sinning with our mouths as they did when they murmured and complained.

We must guard against idolatry and immorality.

We must look to the Lord for the strength and His mighty help to live these truths out.

Our God is a holy God and a consuming fire. Yet, He is also loving and compassionate. 

May we praise the Father for giving us hope through the atoning work of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Bob