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Take Heed Lest You Fall
Keith Sharp
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 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.” Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 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. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 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 10:1-13).
Take a good look at yourself - your spiritual self. Are you complacent? It is so easy for God’s people, trusting in past blessings and attainments, to feel they “have it made.” (cf. Matthew 3:9)
But the failures of ancient Israel in their wandering in the wilderness are grim warnings to us of the danger of falling (1 Corinthians 10:11-12). The Lord wants us to be aware of the significance of their plight (verse 1). How is the Jewish desert journey an example for us? In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 the inspired writer reminds us five times that “all” the Hebrews received the blessings of God, even as all Christians receive “every spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ...” (Ephesians 1:3).
Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and flight into the wilderness typifies our salvation by and walk with Christ in several ways. They were in bondage to a cruel master in Egypt (Exodus 2:23), even as we were slaves to the most vicious task master of all, sin(Romans 6:16). But God selected a great leader and deliverer, Moses, to lead His people out of Egypt (Exodus 3:10), as Jesus Christ, “a Prophet like” Moses, was raised up to deliver us from sin and to lead us to freedom (Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Acts 3:19-23).
The Israelites underwent a baptism “into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” that is parallel to our baptism. Moses’ baptism was a burial, for they were surrounded by the cloud, the sea and the dry land beneath their feet (1 Corinthians 10:1-2), even as we were “buried” with Christ in baptism (Romans 6:4). In their baptism, Israel was delivered from Egyptian captivity (Exodus 14:29-30), as we were delivered from bondage to sin in baptism (Romans6:17-18,3-4).
The Hebrews’ baptism “into Moses” was the final seal of their following Moses, after which all attachment to Egypt and Pharaoh was finally broken and all allegiance to Moses was unchallenged, thus placing Israel in a new relationship to him (1 Corinthians 10:2; Exodus 14:31). Our baptism was the culminating step which placed us into Christ (Romans 6:3). The baptism of the Jewish nation was their beginning of a great journey initiated by divine call with the goal of a land of promise awaiting them (Exodus3:7-10). When we were baptized, we began a journey initiated by the Gospel call with eternal glory as its destination (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).
Having begun their journey, all Israel received marvelous blessings from God to enable them to survive the wilderness. They were given food which was “spiritual” in that, being miraculously supplied, it caused them to realize God’s care for them and to be thus spiritually strengthened (1 Corinthians 10:3). This was the manna and quail supplied by the Lord (Exodus 16:11-15). Christians have the “true bread from heaven” (John 6:32), Jesus Christ (John 6:35), from whom we receive spiritual strength when we study and follow His Word (John 6:63). This enables us to survive spiritually in our walk with the Master.
These Hebrews obtained the exalted privilege of drinking water from the very spiritual Rock, Christ, Who journeyed with them in the wilderness (1 Corinthians 10:4). Although the life-giving stream flowed forth from a physical stone at Rephidim (Exodus 17:6-7), yet Christ enabled Moses to work the miracle. Jesus supplies His disciples with “a fountain of water springing up into everlasting (John 4:13-14) in His Word.
But if most of those ancients, among all of whom Christ dwelt and all of whom He blessed, perished, how can we suppose we are safe from the same dreadful fate?
Despite the rich blessings bestowed upon all the Lord’s people of old, “with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” (1 Corinthians 10:5) Indeed, of a mighty host of 603,550 fighting men who left Egypt (Numbers 1:46), only two, Joshua and Caleb, were allowed by the Lord to rest in the beautiful land of promise (Numbers 26:63-65). Thousands upon thousands of wilderness graves bear silent yet eloquent testimony to the danger of falling from grace on the part of God’s people.
As Paul five times repeated the fact that all Israel was blessed of God, he also enumerated five sins by which the people fell. These are examples to us (1 Corinthians 10:6).
They fell by lusting “after evil things.” (verse 6) At Kibroth Hattaavah the people became dissatisfied with the manna so graciously provided by the Lord and lusted after “the fish..., the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic” which they had left behind in Egypt (Numbers 11:4-6). As the result of their complaints, “the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused”(verse 10), “and the Lord struck the people with a very great plague.”(verses 33-34) We also must beware lest we turn our attention and desires back to the sin and pleasure of the world we left behind (Philippians 3:13-14).
Israel also apostatized by idolatry and the lewd revelry which accompanied it (verse 7). When Moses went up onto the Mount to receive the Law, Aaron fashioned the people a calf of gold which they worshiped with feasting and lustful dancing. Because of this, many Israelites perished (cf. Exodus 32). Christians must not be guilty of covetousness, the greedy desire for wealth, lest we, as the Hebrews, be idolaters (Colossians 3:5).
Twenty-three thousand Jews were slain in a single day because of sexual immorality with “the women of Moab” (verse 8; Numbers 25:1-5). The Master warned His disciples, not only of the danger of sexual immorality itself, but even of the look of lust, which is adultery of the heart (Matthew 5:27-28).
Israel also fell by tempting the Lord (i.e., acting in such a way as to see how long he would bear with human stubbornness), when they “spoke against God and against Moses” (verse 9; Numbers 21:4-6) because of the hardships of the wilderness. As the result, “the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.” Christians can likewise tempt Christ by a stubborn heart of unbelief (Hebrews 3:7-13).
Finally, the Jews stumbled in that they complained (verse 10). When the ten spies brought an evil report concerning Canaan, the people believed them, rather than the faithful scouts, Joshua and Caleb. They complained against God and threatened to stone Moses. As the result, God sent a plague among them and further decreed that all those adults who left Egypt, save Joshua and Caleb, would die in the wilderness (Numbers 14). Grumbling, complaining, and bickering are sinful manifestations of ungrateful dissatisfaction with the guiding hand of God (Philippians 2:14-16). We must carefully avoid the sin of complaining by maintaining a joyful attitude of thankfulness for God’s blessings (Philippians 4:4-7).
But why recount these dreadful facts of ancient times? It is because those events are examples for us and are recorded to instruct us (verse 11).
What is the lesson we should learn? “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (verse 12) Israel could not have fallen from grace, had they never been in grace. Their tragic history in the wilderness is an unanswerable argument, based not simply on the theoretical possibility of falling from grace, but on its actual occurrence, and that by the overwhelming majority of God’s people of that time. Their frailty despite great blessings should warn us against complacency. We, though Christians, are in danger of falling, even as they were.
But, lest we despair, the apostle comforts us in the fact that God will faithfully guard us against a temptation greater than we can withstand, if we trust Him for help (verse 13).
Wherefore, dear Christian, heed the warning. We must remain “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58), until we cross the dark water of death to the shore of eternity. For those who do so, a beautiful and glorious land of promise is waiting (Hebrews 11:16). But, woe to those who turn back! “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them”(2 Peter 2:21).
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