1
Corinthians 10:1-14
“1 Moreover, brethren, I would
not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under
the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3
And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
4
And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
5
But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were
overthrown in the wilderness.
6
Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust
after evil things, as they also lusted.
7
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The
people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and
fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were
destroyed of serpents.
10
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed
of the destroyer.
11
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are
written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
12
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye
are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.
14
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.”
There
are multiple quotes about history repeating itself because we don't
learn from or we forget the mistakes of those before us? Notice Paul
says twice that the things of the past that are written in the Old
Testament are examples for us. Examples we are not to repeat. We are
to study these examples and learn from them. Not repeat them. And
yet, today many, and yes many of God's own people, will follow after
the ways of the world rather than God's commandments. Notice that
last verse. “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.”
The greatest sin of the Nation of Israel recorded in the Old
Testament was idolatry. They followed after the false gods of Egypt
and then after the nations God removed from before them in the
Promised Land and eventually from the neighboring kingdoms.
Look
around us today. Are we not seeing the same thing in our nation
today? In the Churches? In the homes of God's people?
In
the days of the Prophet Jeremiah he recorded seeing alters or places
of worship to false gods on every street in Jerusalem. Jeremiah tells
of how the Priest in God's House, the Temple, were excepting
sacrifices to Baal and other false gods on the alters meant for the
worship of God and only God. Jeremiah
5:31
“The
prophets prophesy falsely, and
the
priests bear rule by their means; and my people
love
to
have
it
so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?”
In
our text verses the Apostle Paul warned of the same thing. Because of
false doctrine taught by false prophets we think the things the Old
Testament teaches for examples are not for us but only for the Jews.
Then why does Paul tell it to the Church in Corinth? The Corinthian
Church was predominately Gentile. The examples given in the Old and
New Testaments are for all of God's people for all time.
This
is why I encourage you to study history. Learn from the examples of
our Forefathers. Don't follow after the mistakes and sins made by
those in the past. But rather learn from their examples and follow
God. Yes, we live in a very wicked world, but we are commanded to
follow Christ not the world.
Praise
ye the Lord!!!
