Paul's Epistles - 1 Corinthians

Part 19 – Warnings from Israel's History

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Paul's letter to the church in Corinth, was addressing the things he had heard about them, including incest, adultery, over-spiritualized behaviors, wandering away from the Word of God, and an overall pride about them.

Paul has corrected the Corinthian Churches view about the division; Christ is head of the church, no one else. He also let them know that the power comes from God, and they should be humble, not conceited and over-spiritual.

He warned them not to go beyond what is written.

He addressed their pseudo-faith and spiritual activity of abstaining from intimate relations with their spouses, explaining this was the root of their immoral behavior.

He also warned them against lawsuits with other believers, saying the only reason they could not come to terms together inside the church was because of their pride and arrogance.

He instructed them to be content in their situations, so as to quench the immoral behavior that was coming from discontent, and selfish ambition. Paul warned about becoming a stumbling block to other believers if we have certain knowledge that they do not possess.

Week before last we spoke about how the church was to care for the Pastor and his family financially, also, bringing up the fact that he was free, and could marry if he chose.

Paul cleared the air, stating that even Peter, whom some denominations teach is the first Pope, the founder of their church, and yet, restrict ministers from marriage, was married himself. Many of the Apostles took their wives with them on their mission trips.

Paul will wrap up what he has said in the last few chapters about freedom in Christ, and how he chooses to use his freedom, and the need for self-discipline.

Today we will look at what warnings from Israel's history.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE I Corinthians 10:1 - 13

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. 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.

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^[c]has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

                   I.            GOD SHOWED THE ISRAELITE'S THAT SALVATION WAS COMING IN CHRIST JESUS     

a.      God had showed them all of His plans through feasts and festivals and instruction, everything was made known through foreshadowing.

                                                                         i.      Just as He did with water baptism, Passover, etc.

b.     How did He teach them during the Exodus of Christ?

                                                                         i.      The Pillar of Smoke (Smoke by day, fire by night)

1.      Was the presence of God (Foreshadow of the Holy Spirit)

2.      We have the presence of God with us as they did.

                                                                      ii.      They passed through the Red Sea

1.      This foreshadowed baptism

2.      Passing from death to life

3.      Born-Again

                                                                   iii.      They were baptized unto Moses, the Law giver

1.      We are baptized unto Christ

2.      Our Law giver

                                                                     iv.      They all ate the same spiritual meat (Manna)

1.      Bread from heaven

2.      This represents Christ (Bread from heaven)

3.      Communion

4.      Bread - "This is my body, which was broken for you, take and eat"

                                                                        v.      They drank the same Spiritual Drink

1.      Water from the smitten rock

2.      That Rock represented Christ

3.      The water from it represents the fountain of our Holy Spirit

4.      We receive the Holy Spirit through Christ Jesus

               II.            BUT GOD WAS NOT PLEASED WITH MOST OF THEM

a.      They were scattered (or overthrown) because of their rebellion, they were destroyed.

b.     All of this occurred as examples to us

                                                                         i.      To keep us from lusting evil things just as they had lusted.

                                                                      ii.      We need to learn from them, and not make the same mistakes!

c.      Paul mentions a few things

                                                                         i.      Do not be idolaters - (religion is the greatest idolatry of all) As it is written (Exodus 32:6) "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in rivalry."

1.      They were "playing" church.

2.      They eat manna or bread from heaven

3.      They drink water from the rock or Holy Spirit from Christ

a.      This is Communion

b.     or, the outward expression of the Spiritual truth that you accept the conditions of the covenant with God.

4.      And afterwards, indulge in rivalry

a.      Rivalry with whom?

b.     Against the very thing they just took communion to accept!

                                                                      ii.      Do not commit sexual immorality - in one day 23,000 of them died

1.      Numbers 25:1-9

2.      Sexually immoral behavior between the Israelite's and the Moabite women who worshiped Baal, 23,000 died of a plague in one day, 24,000 overall!

                                                                   iii.      Do not test Christ - they were killed by snakes

1.      Numbers 21:4-9 - Questioning the Word of God, specifically, the path to the Promised Land, or the Path of Salvation to reach Heaven.

⁴ They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; ⁵ they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”

⁶ Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. ⁷ The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.

Again, teaching of Salvation and the coming Christ.

                                                                     iv.      Do not grumble - they were killed by a destroying angel

1.      Refers to finding fault in the way God is doing things.

            III.            THESE ARE ALL WARNINGS FOR US!

a.       Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our warning, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

                                                                         i.      LIT. "to whom the fulfillment of the ages has arrived."

                                                                      ii.      in other words, "The Church Age"

b.     So if you think you are standing firm (addressing all believers), be careful you do not fall

                                                                         i.      Fall from what?

                                                                      ii.      What happened to those who fell during the Exodus?

                                                                   iii.      They died in their sins!

c.      No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind

                                                                         i.      Satan and the demons have limitations they must adhere to

                                                                      ii.      There is only so much they are allowed to do

                                                                   iii.      and the little they are allowed to do, can be stopped in the name of Christ.

d.     God is faithful

                                                                         i.      He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

                                                                      ii.      ALL temptation can be overcome by FAITH IN CHRIST

                                                                   iii.      which gives us the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:2)

                                                                     iv.      But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure!

1.      Endure? Endure until the end!

CONCLUSION

God showed the Israelite's the path, lead by the Presence of God, baptized into Moses (type of Christ) and the Law, with communion through Manna (bread from heaven) and water from the rock, (Holy Spirit from Christ) there would be Salvation.

There were those who took this communion, or accepted the covenant with God for Salvation, but lived in rivalry against God.

Those who chose to live in sin, and did not repent or change their way, died in their sin.

These warnings are for us today, as the Church age, to ensure we do not make the same mistake.

No temptation that comes is greater than faith in Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

No temptation that comes can overtake us, if we keep our faith in Christ, there will always be an escape from any temptation.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!