JUST AS ISRAEL, JUST AS CHRISTIANS By Michael Harley
Old Testament Examples
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[i], 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.”[a] 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[b] 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. (1 Corinthians 10: 1 – 12)
In the preceding verses, Paul, is speaking to Christians “brethren” and is using the nation of Israel “all our fathers,” to illustrate a point – that just as ALL the nation of Israel was called out of Egypt to a promised land (Earthly), and through disobedience “most of them” fell short of the goal of their calling and failed to enter the land of Israel; All Christians have been called out of the world to a promised land (Heavenly), and though disobedience can fall short of the goal of their calling and fail to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The whole nation of Israel, when called out of Egypt, was saved (But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. Jude 5). ALL the nation of Israel was saved; just as save as ALL Christians are saved. Only saved individuals can eat “spiritual food” or drink “spiritual drink.” Not only did ALL the nation of Israel drink “spiritual drink” but they drank of “that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ”. But…
“But with most of them God was not well pleased…” God called the nation of Israel out of Egypt for a purpose – to move into a promised land – the land of Israel. Once they were in the promised land they were to be a “A kingdom of priests and a Holy Nation” (Exodus 19:6), and through them “all the families of the earth (Gen12:3) were to be blessed.
ALL the nation of Israel was called out of Egypt to a promised land, but through disobedience to God’s commands “most of them” “were scattered in the wilderness,” short of the goal or purpose for which they had been called. For they lusted “after evil things, “committed “sexual immorality, “tempted “Christ,”, and “complained.”
“now these things became our (Christians) examples”. Examples” is used twice in the preceding verses. The Greek word for “examples” is tupos, meaning, example, ensample, pattern, or exact replica. Thus, the same thing that happened to the nation of Israel can and will happen to Christians. Christians cannot lose their present salvation, which is obtained without merit, “it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph.2:8,9), but Christians can lose their future salvation, salvation iinto the kingdom of Heaven.
Christians have been called to a heavenly promised land – the Kingdom of Heaven- and Christian s through disobedience can fall short of this goal “therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1). Christians have been warned of this fact in the preceding verses “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” and throughout the New Testament.
The Kingdom of heaven is like… For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:2,4).
VERSE REFERENCE FOR THE PRECEDING MESSAGE ARE:
- 1 Corinthians 10: 1 – 12 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.”[a] 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[b] 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.
- Jude 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
- Exodus 19:6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
- Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
- Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
- Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.
[i] τύπος (tupos, 5179), -ου, ὁ, (τύπτω), fr. [Aeschyl. and] Hdt. down;
- the mark of a stroke or blow; print: τῶν ἥλων, Jn. xx. 25a, 25b [where L T Tr mrg. τόπον], (Athen. 13 p. 585 c. τοὺς τύπους τῶν πληγῶν ἰδοῦσα).
- a figure formed by a blow or impression; hence univ. a figure, image: of the images of the gods, Acts vii. 43 (Amos v. 26; Joseph. antt. 1, 19, 11; 15, 9, 5). [Cf. κύριοι τύπος θεοῦ, Barn. ep. 19, 7; “Teaching” 4, 11.]
- form: διδαχῆς, i. e. the teaching which embodies the sum and substance of religion and represents it to the mind, Ro. vi. 17; i. q. manner of writing, the contents and form of a letter, Acts xxiii. 25 (3 Macc. iii. 30).
- an example;
α. in the technical sense, viz. the pattern in conformity to which a thing must be made: Acts vii. 44; Heb. viii. 5, (Ex. xxv. 40).
β. in an ethical sense, a dissuasive example, pattern of warning: plur. of ruinous events which serve as admonitions or warnings to others, 1 Co. x. 6, 11 R G; an example to be imitated: of men worthy of imitation, Phil. iii. 17; with a gen. of the pers. to whom the example is offered, 1 Tim. iv. 12; 1 Pet. v. 3; τύπον ἑαυτὸν διδόναι τινί, 2 Th. iii. 9; γενέσθαι τύπον [τύπους R L mrg. WH mrg.; cf. W. § 27, 1 note] τινί, 1 Th. i. 7; παρέχεσθαι ἑαυτὸν τύπον καλῶν ἔργων, to show one’s self an example of good works, Tit. ii. 7.
γ. in a doctrinal sense, a type i. e. a person or thing prefiguring a future (Messianic) person or thing: in this sense Adam is called τύπος τοῦ μέλλοντος sc. Ἀδάμ, i. e. of Jesus Christ, each of the two having exercised a pre-eminent influence upon the human race (the former destructive, the latter saving), Ro. v. 14. From https://thebible.org/gt/index