1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.
Paul gives the Corinthians a warning from Israel’s history which is recorded in the Old Testament during the time of Moses once they fled from Egypt. He reminds them that God was with the Israelites when he parted the red sea, and also via a cloud which guided their journey.
Exodus 13:21 “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.”
Exodus 14:22 “and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.”
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 in the wilderness.
In following Moses they had all been figuratively “baptized” when they went through the sea and in the cloud. Essentially this means that they accepted Moses as their leader, whilst also having the Lord Jesus with them throughout the whole ordeal spiritually guiding them. This wasn’t the John baptism or the Holy Spirit baptism that is mentioned in the New Testament because baptisms of that kind had no existed yet until John came preaching in the wilderness.
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 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 Christ, 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 culmination 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 overtaken you except what is common to mankind. 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 endure it.
However, none of the Israelites from that generation never saw the promised land due to their defiance, grumbling, and rejection of God at certain times during their walk. It was only Joshua son of Nun, Caleb, and the next generation of Israelites who saw the promised land God had promised Abraham. Therefore, Paul warns the Christians in Corinth to continue to abide in Christ and to do what He says, to stand firm in their faith, and when it comes to temptation to set their eyes on God, so that they too can see their heavenly place.
Paul also reveals to them that there is no temptation that they will experience that God hasn’t been able to overcome and provide a way for them to endure such things and reject evil. God himself provides that escape for the Christians, just as Christ had accompanied Israel out of Egypt and provided a way for them.
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Filed under: 1 Corinthians, Apostle Paul, Bible study, Christianity, corinthians, God, Jesus, New Testament, Paul, Scripture, warning from israels history
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