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1 Corinthians 10:6-11
The stories of the Israelites along their journey through the desert is a historical account of the chosen people of God to be the example to the world of the rewards for showing obedience to God and also the penalties for showing disobedience to God. The Apostle Paul teaches that these things happened for examples so that everyone who reads of them would know of the evils to shun in our walk with God – to be obedient to Him. Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 10:6-11 (NKJV), “6Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7And 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” [Exodus 32:6]. 8Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell [Numbers 25]; 9nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents [Numbers 21:4-9]; 10nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer [Numbers 13-14/possibly in relation to the destroyer as described in Exodus 12:23]. 11Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
This is an example of the disobedience of the Israelites to God and the punishment given so that we would not follow in the same ways but learn from them.
It is amazing how these things continue to plague humanity: idolatry, sexual immorality, and putting God to the test through our complaining about everything that does go according to “our” plan. We must continually remind ourselves that it is not “our” plan that we are seeking in Christ for our lives, but “His” plan. God’s blessings come to us for being obedient to Him and following where and how “He” leads us.
Dear LORD,
Please help us to learn from the lessons You have provided for us in the Bible. But also, please help us to realize that we must first open the Bible and read it before we can apply it’s lessons in our lives. We must read Your Word before we can realize and understand what You are trying to teach us in our lives in relation to Your great plan of salvation for humanity that You have personalized for each of us to apply in our own lives. Please let it be so LORD. In Jesus name I pray, amen.