Bible reading in one year: Ps. 123, 124 & 125; 1 Cor 10: 1-16
“For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the Sea ……… Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 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” -1 Cor 10: 1-7 (NKJV).
The Israelites had experienced God’s grace (i.e., God’s undeserved favour, love, help and enablement) in their rescue and mass departure from Egypt. They had been liberated from slavery and sustained by God in the desert. In this way, they had actually experienced care and provision from Christ according to verses 3 & 4.
After all these spiritual blessings, however, they failed to trust God; and an entire generation was condemned to wander and die in the desert. They lost their inheritance and failed to reach the promised land.
Paul’s point is this: just as God did not tolerate Israel’s faithlessness and rebellion, so will He not tolerate the sin of believers under the New Covenant. God’s terrible judgement on the disobedient Israelites serve as an example and a warning for those under the New Covenant not to defy God by desiring evil things or going their rebellious ways. Paul warns Corinthians that if they repeat Israel’s unfaithfulness, they too will receive God’s judgement and fail to enter the “promised land” of Heaven.
Good morning
Pastor Lawrence Chiazor