These Things Became Our Examples

1 Corinthians 10:1-15
1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
3 all ate the same spiritual food,
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;
9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;
10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say.

In the journey from the land of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land, most of the people of God perished in the wilderness.

In the above scriptural passage, the apostle Paul exhorted us to remember what happened to the Israelites in the desert. They followed Moses, a man chosen by God to deliver them out of Egypt, and to lead them to the land that God promised. They were all under the protection of the cloud. They were living daily in the Presence of God. The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light. All of them passed safely through the Red Sea. In the cloud and in the sea, they were all baptized into Moses.

All of them ate the same spiritual bread or manna, and drank the same spiritual drink. They drank from the Spiritual Rock that went with them; and that Rock was Christ Himself. The Lord was with them throughout the whole journey. They had the same spiritual food and drink. They had the same Rock of Salvation. But God was not pleased with most of them. Thus their dead bodies were scattered over the desert.

Now these things became our examples, warning us not to desire evil things, as they did, nor to worship idols, as some of them did.

The Bible told us that the people sat down at a feast but they turned it into an orgy of excessive drinking and immoral sexual activities. We must not be guilty of sexual immorality, as some of them were. And in one day, 23,000 of them died. We must not put the Lord to the test, as some of them did. Some of them were killed by snakes. We must not complain, as some of them did, and they were destroyed by the Angel of Death.

All these things happened to them in the past serve as examples for all of us today. They were written down as warnings for us. For we now live in a time when the end is about to come.

If we think we are standing firm, we need to be careful that we do not become conceited and boast of our own wisdom and strength. If we do so, we may fall as a result. Every test that we have experienced is the same that applies to all people. But God is faithful in keeping His promises. He will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability to remain firm. At the time when we are put to the test, He will give us the strength to endure it, and will also provide us with a way of escape.

Therefore, let us turn away from the worship of idols including celebrity pastors, enigmatic preachers, enticing prophets and errant apostles. Let us wise up and search our own hearts. Let us check diligently whether we have been faithful to God or not. Let us examine whether we serve God or mammon. God knows what is in our hearts.

Hebrews 3:1-19
The Son Was Faithful
1 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,
2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house.
3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.
4 For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God.
5 And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward,
6 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.

Be Faithful
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
13 but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
15 while it is said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Failure of the Wilderness Wanderers
16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses?
17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Now we have a Shepherd named Jesus Christ who is much greater than Moses. We have been called by God to be His people too! Jesus is our High Priest of the faith we now believe. Jesus was faithful to God, who chose Him to do His work, just as Moses was faithful in his work in God's house.

A man who builds a house receives more honor than the house itself. In the same way, Jesus is worthy of much greater honor than Moses. Every house, of course, is built by someone. And God is the One who has built all things. Moses was faithful in God's house as a servant, and he spoke of the things that God would do in the future. But Christ is faithful as the Son in charge of God's house. Moses was a servant of God, and Jesus is the Son! We are His house if we keep our faith, growing in courage and confidence of the hope we have in Christ.

God promises a blessed rest for His people. Thus when the Holy Spirit speaks to us or when we hear God's voice today, let us not be stiff-necked and stubborn, as the Israelites were. They rebelled against God that day in the desert when they put God to the test.

God Himself testified against His people. In the wilderness, they put God to the test and tried Him. Although they were in His presence day and night for 40 years, and saw what He did faithfully for them, yet they chose to disobey Him. They rebelled against God. God was angry with those stiff-necked and stubborn people. They were unfaithful and refused to obey His commandments. God was angry and made a solemn promise that they would never enter the land where He would have given them rest!

Thus let us be careful that none of us have a heart so evil and unbelieving that we will turn away from the Living God. In order that none of us be deceived by sin and become stubborn, we must help one another every day, as long as we still have today. Tomorrow may be too late!

For we are all partners with Christ if we hold firmly to the faith we have at the beginning. We must be faithful to God, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in us will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

When we hear God's voice today, let us not be stubborn, as the Israelites were when they rebelled against God. Let us not procrastinate another day to obey God as our hearts can become hardened against God today. Who were the people who heard God's voice and rebelled against him? All those who were led out of Egypt by Moses. With whom was God angry for forty years? With His people who sinned and fell down dead in the desert.

God made a solemn promise that they would never enter the land where He would have given them rest. Whom was God against? Those who rebelled against His holy commandments. Thus we can now see clearly that they were not able to enter the land, because they did not believe God and what He said.

These things became our examples. Imagine ourselves as some of those that went out of Egypt. What will we do if we are to go round and round in the desert for 40 years? Will we complain against God? Will we rebel against Him? Will we choose to return to Egypt and serve other gods? Or will we be thankful? Will we trust and obey God?

In many places in the world today, there are lockdowns and isolation laws in place to minimize the spread of COVID-19. People are made to stay home mandatorily over extensive periods of time. Almost all of the regular activities, including work, shopping, travel, leisure, church services, social life and dining, have been disrupted. Some have broken out and rebelled against the authorities in their countries. Some have caused massive troubles in such turbulent times. But what will we do? Will we obey the new rules and regulations laid down by the government or health authorities? Will we trust God? Will we be thankful? Will we be faithful to Him? Will we still be a true Christian having a good testimony and witness before God and man? Or will we join the rebellious ones and complain everyday?

In a time of crisis and uncertainty, we can either grow in our faith in Christ or we can groan everyday and depart from knowing Him. We can either increase in courage and confidence in the hope that we have in Christ or increase in discouragement and disbelief that we become people without hope. Going through the same journey and same storm, some will be still and know that He is God and in full control of the whole situation while others will be restless and grumble all the way! Will we go astray in our hearts? Or will we know His ways? Christ is with us throughout the whole journey! But some may still not know His ways!

Revelation 22:14-15
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

In the final chapter of the last book in the Bible, only those who do His commandments have the right to enter in through the gates of the City of God, and to eat the fruit from the Tree of Life. Yes, doers of the Word, not hearers only! Those who have strayed away from God, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, and all those who love to lie and live the lies, are not allowed to enter in.

Romans 2:13
for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;

James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

He who is faithful to God and endures to the end will be saved. Yes, he who overcomes and keeps His Works until the end will receive a reward!

Matthew 10:22
And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.
But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Revelation 2:26
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

These things were written for us to wise up as we now enter into a time when the end is about to come.

Written on: 3 May 2020