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!!!
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