Shalom, my dear friends. We are going to continue with our study on the book of 1 Corinthians, a very interesting study of a letter that was written by the Apostle Shaul Paul to a local assembly in Asia Minor that had many, many problems. And yet, at the same time, the Apostle Paul can call them, this local assembly in the city of Corinth, He is calling them saints in 1 Corinthians 1, verses 1 and 2, unto the assembly, unto the Church of God, which is according to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, our Lord, both theirs and ours.

It is so important that as we study the Word of God, especially the epistles, the letters that were written by the early apostles to understand that although these letters were written to believers, yet these believers were human beings, just like you and I, who were redeemed, forgiven. and yet they had this all sinful nature that they had to deal with on an ongoing basis. And that's important for all of us to understand that we are called to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Well, we have arrived to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. And in this 10th chapter, the whole chapter 10, Paul brings to conclusion his discussion concerning things offered unto idols.

I would like to read this message today from verses 1 to verse 14 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10. and I'm reading, and if you have your Bible with you, please open the Word of God, and you will follow me as I'm reading 1 Corinthians 10, verses 1-14. Paul says, Moreover, brethren, I would note that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moshe in the cloud and in the sea and it all eat the same spiritual meat or food and it all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Mashiach, Messiah, Christ, Messiah.

But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our example to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 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. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, tempt Mashiach, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpent. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

Now all these things happen unto them, namely Israel, for an example, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he stands take heed, lest he fall. There is no temptation taketh you, but such as is common to men. 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. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. And I will stop here, beloved brothers and sisters, with the first 14 verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

And it is in this 10th chapter that the apostle Shaul Paul brings into conclusion the discussions which he began to write about already in 1 Corinthians chapter 8. You remember, in chapter 8 and verse 1, Paul said, Now concerning things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. That's how he began the discussion in this letter that he wrote to the Corinthians concerning the subject of things concerning offering to idols. And he's now bringing it into a conclusion in chapter 10. So what we really learn here, that in 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and 10, the main subject of this portion of the letter to the Corinthians is the subject of things being offered unto idols.

In fact, he's really speaking about idolatry and how idols are nothing. Idols are man-made gods and that they are nothing and that the Corinthians are to be living in such a way that they honor the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah himself. So if you remember, we have already learned from chapter 8 that knowledge must be balanced with love. In chapter 9, we have learned that authority must be balanced by discipline. And now in this chapter that we are studying, we have to learn that our experiences in our life must be balanced by caution. caution how do we live our lives as believers in the person of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah today as we live here in this world we have learned from the previous chapter in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 specifically in this whole chapter that Paul defend his right as to receive support from the believers in Corinth although he didn't demand this from them because they were led to the Messiah Yeshua Jesus by him and they are called to support the work of the Lord and in the second half of 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verses 15 to 27 Paul mentioned although the Corinthian should have supported him, but he defended his right to refuse support from the Corinthians because of their sad, sad spiritual condition.

In fact, what we have read at the end of chapter 9, beloved brothers and sisters, that Paul said to them, he says that he does what he does for the gospel's sake, that I might, he said, be partakers thereof with you. Whatever he does in preaching the message of the gospel, he does it out of the burden to please the Lord, and he does it without any seeking gain from men. So if you remember, he's looking forward to the future, because he will ultimately be receiving a reward from the Lord Jesus the Messiah in a future day and therefore he is expressing to the Corinthians and he expressed it specifically in chapter 9 that he does what he does he served the Lord Jesus the Messiah not for any benefit that he will receive from men but he wanted to honor the Lord and how wonderful he was using various expressions in the previous chapter to emphasize to the believers at Corinth that he does what he does for the sake of the gospel.

We read in verse 14 of chapter 9, but so that the Lord ordained the day which preached the gospel should live of the gospel he could have lived a should have lived of the gospel but the Corinthians in their condition he didn't want to receive anything because of their condition that's why he's telling he's telling them that he refused support from them because of the condition and now in the end of the book in chapter 10 he's leading to show them how important it is for them to live a godly life and he is concluding with the discussion concerning things that are offered unto idols and you notice this beloved brothers and sisters that he's

speaking to the saints at Corinth and he's presenting before them the history of the people of Israel to remind you that the people of israel came out of the land of egypt they were under the blood they were redeemed by the blood of the lamb they were a forgiven nation that came out from the land of egypt out from the land of bondage they were under the blood god passed over pasach over them every home of the hebrews that had the blood placed over the lintels and the doorposts they were forgiven and god had delivered them out of egypt on the basis of faith in him and in obedience to take the blood of an

innocent lamb without blemish and to apply this to the doorpost and the lintel of their home they were delivered they were redeemed by blood just like the corinthians are redeemed by the precious blood of the lord jesus christ of the lord yeshua hamashiach but what we do learn here in this 10th chapter a paul presenting before the corinthians his forefathers the jewish people in their history and Israel became an example to all believers today to the Corinthians and to you and I today whichever local assembly local church you belong to we can see that the things that happened historically to the to the people of God the people of Israel are also happening today to

the people of God in the church age in which we live in today and especially when we see the days in which we live in in the Laodicean days of the church age how far the church have gone from that which God have intended for the ecclesia for the called out one so Paul shows us the danger and the failure of israel and the failure of israel on their journey from from egypt to knaan is a picture of the journey of the believers from the day that we became born from above born by the spirit of god until the day that the lord takes us to heaven And Paul presents the many, many failures that

Israel had in its history to illustrate the failure that the church experienced in its history as well.

And we are called, all of us, all true believers today, called to adhere to the voice of the Lord through the history of Israel and the appeal of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians and to all churches to whom he wrote various letters in days of old. And so in the first five verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul provides the reminder of Israel's past privileges. Amazing, amazing. And you notice Paul is saying here, he used the word our fathers. He being a Jewish man, looking back into his father's history, the nation of Israel, and is now presenting these to the corinthians remember that when shaul paul wrote first corinthian there was the what he had in his hand is the tanakh the hebrew scriptures the canon of the new covenant of the new testament was in writing in fact it was being enacted and so what he really has as it as it were the word of god in his hands it's really the tanakh the hebrew scriptures and he's writing to a group of believers in the city of Corinth a group of believers that had so many problems that they sent someone to him to tell him of the condition of the Corinthians there were a local assembly that had many divisions they had immorality in their midst they had marriage a divorce issue they took each other to court they have an issue with their liberties that they had as believers some of them did not even believe in the resurrection and Paul is writing to them they had an error concerning the Lord's table they had an error concerning the spiritual gifts And they were in such a sad state spiritually, though they were saints.

And so Shaul Paul, going back to Israel's history, a chosen nation that instead of following the Lord, have constantly violated the word of God in Israel's history. And how God dealt with his own people, though they were privileged, Yet they abused their privilege as a nation, the nation of Israel. And the Corinthians, though, were privileged to be chosen by the Lord, to be part of the ecclesia of the church, yet how they abused their privileges that they have had. And the lesson is for us all, although we have accepted the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, our Lord and Savior, that doesn't give us right to carry on in our own way, to say, listen, I am a child of God, my sins are forgiven, I belong to heaven, therefore I can live my life as I please.

As Paul said to the Romans, shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid, he said. And so notice the privilege of the nation of Israel that Shaul Paul is presenting in the first five verses of first corinthians chapter 10 first of all notice in verses 1 and 2 israel's blessing from god as they cross the red sea we read moreover brethren paul is writing to the believers at corinth moreover brethren i would not yet ye should be ignorant i do not want you to be misinformed how that all notice that all our fathers all the people of israel that came out of the land of egypt all our fathers were under the cloud that cloud was a cloud that led the people of israel in the wilderness according to exodus chapter 13 which represent the protection of God of His own people of Israel.

How He led the people of Israel doing their wilderness journey. Amazing when you really think about it, beloved brothers and sisters. We read in verse 20 of Exodus chapter 13. And they took their journey from Sukkot. And they encamped in a town in the edge of the wilderness. Listen to It is verses 21 and 22 what the Lord have done for His earthly people of Israel. And the Lord went before them by day in the pillar of cloud to lead them the way and by night in the pillar of fire to give them light and to go by day and night. He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night from before their people.

God has chosen Israel, brought them out of the land of Egypt, and he led them all along. Pillar of cloud by day. Pillar of fire by night. That is the Shekhinah. Shekina in English, Shekina, in Greek, Skeine, in Hebrew, Shekina. That is the present manifestation of God in the midst of His people of Israel. He led them. Jehovah have led His people. What a privilege. So He says, all our fathers were under the cloud. All of them. He continued to lead them on and on throughout the journey in the wilderness, these 40 years in the wilderness until the Lord brought them into the promised land of Canaan.

But notice, not only this, not only that all our fathers, all our fathers, they were under the cloud, but also all passed through the sea. And when you really think about that sea, that the people of Israel passed through that sea, it reminds us, beloved brothers and sisters, the sea that God has assisted His people to cross the Red Sea and to come into the promised land.

and you remember what we read in Exodus chapter 14 verse 29 but the children of Israel walked upon dry land in verse 29 in the midst of the sea and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand and on their left thus the Lord saved Israel the day out of the hand of the Egyptians and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the seashore and Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians and the people feared the Lord and believed the Lord and served his servant Moshe Moses my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends listen to this God protected his people and the privilege what a nation would

walk through the sea what a nation would experience that the waters was like a wall on the left and on the right and you see what the impression that Shaul Paul want to impress upon the Corinthians and to remind them what a privileged people they are by virtue of the fact that the judgment of God upon sin that should have been fallen upon them fail upon the Messiah Yeshua Jesus himself and that they are forgiven and that they are called to remember this the many blessings that every true believer possess today in light of the finished work of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and so in verse 1 he continued and after he said

all our fathers were under the cloud all our fathers passed through the sea and notice he continues notice not some but all of them all those that came out of the land of Egypt were under the blood of course we know that there were those mixed multitude that came but he is speaking about the fathers of the nation of Israel he continually said and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea that thought of baptism it speaks of identification in other words they were all identified with Moses in the cloud and in the sea in other words they identify with God's call for Moses to lead the people of Israel out

of the land of Egypt to bring them through the wilderness journey to the promised land it's a thought of identification Israel was so blessed from God as they were protected by God and they were under the cloud went through the sea and they, according to verse 2 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10, they were all baptized in identification because we know that the word baptism lehitavel in Greek baptizo, in Hebrew tevila, it is to be put under you and I who have been baptized both by the Holy Spirit and by water, we are identifying with the person of our Lord Jesus Yeshua HaMashiach they were baptized unto Moses what Moses represent in the cloud and in

the sea it is a symbolic message that you have here of the thought of identification you see when you and I have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah we identify with him interesting that in Romans chapter 6 after Shaul Paul said to the Romans shall we continue in sin that grace may abound immediately after this he is saying know ye not that there so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized unto his death in other words we are identified with the person of Yeshua Hamashiach jesus christ we identify with him his death his burial resurrection when he died we died because we died with him symbolically although he died on our

behalf he continued now beloved brothers and sisters in verses three and four to remind the corinthian of Israel's past privileges and blessing to show them the privileges that Israel had and the privileges that the believers at Corinth have, he says in verse 3 and 4, Israel's blessing from God as they walked through the wilderness, not only before they crossed the Red Sea and in the Red Sea, but now throughout the journey in the Midbar, in the wilderness.

Paul said, and did all eat of the same spiritual food. Verse 4, and did all drink of the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them. And that rock was Christ, was the Mashiach, the Anointed, the Messiah. See, this is something amazing that we learn here from these verses. Because what we learn from these verses, although the Messiah was not born as yet into this world, also God the Son did not take human nature, was born to the virgin Miriam as yet, because here we are speaking about the days when Israel came out of the land of Egypt years ago, Some 1,500 years before the Messiah came.

Before the Lord Jesus was born here into this world. Before God the Son took union, humanity, and entered into this world in order to pay as men for the sin of this world. Some 1,500 years since the coming of the Messiah, we learn here from these verses that the rock. Out of which Israel drank water typify and presented before us that this is none else but the Messiah, Mashiach himself, Christ, Christos, Mashiach, Messiah. And so he said all of them ate of the same spiritual food, spiritual meat, spiritual food. This is the bread that came down from heaven. You remember the manna in Exodus 16, these 17 verses, how the special bread from heaven came down to feed the children of Israel who were hungry in the wilderness.

God took care of his own people in the wilderness. The privilege that Israel have had, beloved brothers and sisters, and Paul presented this before them. After they were murmuring. After they were complaining. Then we find that the Lord said unto Moses. I will rain bread from heaven. Exodus 16 and verse 4. And the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day. That I may prove them whether they will walk in my law or no. God provided for Israel bread from heaven. In a supernatural way. Imagine my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends. I trust that you believe God's word. This is not only a story.

These are an events that took place in Israel's history. The ten plagues that fell upon the land of Egypt. The passing over of the angel of death over every home of the Hebrews who had the blood of the Lamb placed upon the doorposts and lindels. The crossing through the Red Sea in a miraculous way when the waters on the left and on the right stood as walls and Israel went through dry shod. The meeting of the need of the people of Israel with manna, bread from heaven.

and not only that Paul said and all also drank of the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Mashiach, Messiah Christ the anointed one this is fascinating as we read beloved brothers and sisters of that amazing provision of the water out of the rock sometimes we sing in Israel and Moses hid the rock and out of it came water, maim maim chayim living water and that came out of the rock and that rock is none other person but the one that came from heaven, the Messiah the Messiah himself, our blessed Lord Jesus in Exodus 17 and in Numbers 21 we have a record of the

provision of the Lord for water out of the rock for the people of Israel and the first time Moses was commanded to smite the rock but the second time Moses was commanded to speak only to the rock because the rock was already smitten once and the rock is a picture and a type of our Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah who will only die once we read in Exodus chapter 17 beloved brothers and sisters we read and all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of sin and their journey according to the commandment of the Lord and they pitched in Rephidim and there was no water for the people to drink the

people chided with Moses give us water they murmured against Moses and Moses cried unto the Lord and notice what the Lord is saying to Moses the Lord said unto Moses go on before the people and take with thee the elders of Israel and thy rod wherewith thou smote the river take in in thine hand and go this is verse 5 of Exodus chapter 17 and behold I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb and thou shalt smite the rock and there shall come water out of it that the people may drink and Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel and listen and he called the name of that

place Massah and Merivah because of the chiding of the children of Israel and because they have tempted the Lord saying he is the Lord among us or not the rock the rock that rock was Selah, Tzur, in Hebrew the word Tzur, large rock that Moses smotted, that rock was the Mashiach, the Messiah, in a picture, in a type, it's representing the Messiah.

You remember what Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, said to Simon Peter in Matthew chapter 16, upon this rock I will build my assembly. Israel, the nation, as a nation, were called by the Lord, by Jehovah, the Son, that rock, the stone which the builders rejected, became the head of the corner. here we have that amazing rock sadly numbers chapter 20 another period of time in Israel's history on the journey in the wilderness Israel again wanted to drink and God said to Moses this time to speak to the rock but sadly Moses in anger because of the rebellious of his people instead of speaking to the rock he smitten the rock again and because of this God did not allow Moshe to enter into the promised land why because in a picture symbolically that rock was the Mashiach the Messiah and the Messiah will be sweetened only once it represents his death he died once so many died in Israel's history but when the Messiah came once and for all he died never to repeat this anymore because God was satisfied with the person of our Lord Jesus, our Lord Yeshua the Messiah who was the holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.

But you notice that how many times in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 Paul is reminding the Corinthians that all our fathers were under the cloud. All passed through the sea. All were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea all did eat of that spiritual food all did drink of that spiritual drink for they drank of the spiritual rock which followed them and that rock was Messiah was Christos was Christ was the anointed the Mashiach but now notice that all the privileges that they have had all the experiences that they have enjoyed during the wilderness all the protection and the provisions of God for them sadly in verse 5 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 Paul says but with many not with all but with many of them God was not pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness many from among the people of Israel who were under the blood who were redeemed by the blood who was saved and forgiven and delivered out of the land of egypt but in their walk here in the wilderness they were not pleasing the lord in fact the very fact that god have allowed our forefathers israel to be in the wilderness for 40 years it is in order that the older generation who complain against the Lord might simply die physically in the wilderness and not will enter into the promised land.

And they serve to be a picture of the discipline of God upon His very own people, even today. Even today, beloved brothers and sisters, One might be a child of God, but yet God does discipline His people. Later on, we will read in the very same book of 1 Corinthians, in chapter 11, where Paul writing to the believers, and he will tell them later on concerning the abuse in the Lord's table. He says, he will say to them that some of them were really fallen asleep. For this cause, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. They died physically, though they were forgiven, they are saved, they're gone to heaven, but God did not allow them to remain here upon the face of this earth.

In 1 John 5, we read, there is a sin unto death. The sin unto death, the physical death of a believer that God removed him or her out of this world because of certain sin that they have committed and not judge it, and God knows it. And God removed them out of this world, out of this sin. They go to heaven because they are forgiven, they are children of God, they are saints, they belong to the Lord Jesus, they believe on Him, but they lived in such a way that God had to remove them out of this sin. In fact, Moses had sinned a sin unto death when he smitten the rock.

And because of that, Moses had to die in the wilderness. Though he was a saint of God from among the people of Israel. The same thing with Aaron. They both have committed a sin that brought them physical death. And they were removed from this world to be taken to God. God, who is wise, who knows the hearts of each and every one of his own people, sometimes has to take someone away. And that's why notice what we read in verse 5. But with many of them God was not pleased, for they were, notice that, overthrown. Overthrown in the wilderness. That expression, overthrown in the wilderness, means that they simply died.

physically died though they were they belong to God they were redeemed they were believers but they were taken out of this scene to heaven to God so they will not continue to rebel against him here in this world there are so many verses that we can learn concerning the fact that God is removing some out of this scene because of their disobedience we know very well of the events that took place in the early days of the assembly of the church and how in the fifth chapter of the book of Acts we learn about Hanania and Shaphira Ananias and Sapphira who lie to the holy spirit of god who were part of the assembly of

the church of the early days and because they lies concerning the price that they have sold their possession in the early days they both of them died peter said unto her how is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the spirit of the lord behold the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door and shall carry thee out then fell she down straightway at his feet and yielded up the spirit and the young man came in and found her dead and carried her forth buried her and her husband this is in act chapter 5 the first 11 verses.

So God removed people because God is holy. And beloved brothers and sisters, sometime when we are not pausing and considering the many privileges that the Lord had blessed us with, and we are abusing these, we will lose out.

Therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul is saying to the Corinthians in the first five verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 he reminds the Corinthians of Israel's privileges to point to them of their own privileges as saints and yet how often times they abuse these privileges as saints of God they've already enumerated them all the problems that they've had since the first chapter of the letter that he wrote Divisions Immorality Taking each other to court Divorces Idolatry He already have numbered this Now in chapter 10 He is coming to a conclusion With the whole subject Or discussion concerning idolatry and notice now in verses 6 to 14 of this portion beloved brothers and sisters that we

are studying together of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 in verses 6 to 14 the lesson that he is applying now Israel failure served to be a lesson to all believers although Israel were the chosen people of God although all those who truly believe in Israel belong to the Lord they are forgiven yet because of their life here when they fail in their life under the law under the instruction that God had given them in the Torah and the whole counsel that he had given his people, his earthly people either through the prophets and the judges and the kings and the priests and all those that gave them guidance to them as a nation, they served to

be a lesson to the believers in the church age.

Did the church learn the lesson? Look at the history of the church, now some 2,000 years. No wonder God gave instruction not only through Paul, but also through Peter and John. And you remember what we have, the seven letters that were written to the seven churches of Asia Minor in the book of Revelation in chapter 2 and chapter 3. Listen to the last church of the Laodicean in which we live in today. And unto the angel of the church of the Lord to see and write these things, say is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. This is Revelation 3 and verse 14.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou art cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. I counsel thee, buy of me gold tried in fire, that thou mayest be rich, and a white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye self, that thou mayest see.

The Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah said, as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous, therefore, and repent. My dear friend and dear brothers and sisters, there is far more and greater responsibility to the believers in the present age of the church age. Under the grace of God. For the church. Because Israel under the law had failed. And sadly the church, the ecclesia, the assembly under the grace of God had failed. And therefore God is appealing to all of us. We have all failed. and we need the grace of God so looking at the privileges of the nation of Israel 1 Corinthians 10 verses 1 to 5 shows us and pointing to the privileges that you and I who are believers today who are part of the ecclesia today the privileges that we have and yet the failure of Israel shows us our own failure today and so in verses 6 to 14 listen the failure of the nation of Israel became an example and revealed before us the failure of the people of God of the church in this present day and so in verses 6-14 listen to what we read now all these things were our example whatever happened to Paul's forefathers served to be an example to the people to whom Paul served and ministered the word of God now all these things were our example why today in 10th verse 6 that we and now notice Paul because although his fathers the Jewish people the people of Israel had these many privileges and also many much failure in days of all now he is speaking about himself and the believers to whom he writes whether it is the Corinthian in this context or all other true believers to whom He's ministered.

And He's saying to them, now all these things were our example to the intent that we should not, and then He gives us a list, that we should not lust after evil things as they also lasted. Neither be ye idolaters as some of them, verse 7, as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and they rose up to play. In verse 8, neither let us commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one day 3 and 20,000. Verse 9, neither let us tempt Messiah, Mashiach, Christ, as some of them also tempted and they were destroyed of the serpent. Verse 10, neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured.

and were destroyed of the destroyers. Now remember, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, Paul is presenting Israel's failure and showing that what happened to Israel in their wilderness journey became an example for believers today in our wilderness journey. Now you see, Paul is comparing apples with apples. Paul does not write this letter to unbelievers. He does not write this Corinthian letter to some people who were not born of the Spirit of God. He doesn't write it to unbelievers who rejected Christ, who rejected the Messiah. He doesn't write this to unbelievers. He's writing to believers. And as we have already mentioned, according to chapter 1, he's writing to believers who are saints, set apart.

with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, of Yeshua the Messiah, our Lord, both theirs and ours.

So he's writing to believers with the possibility to stumble and to fall into sin and disobedience and are liable to receive the disciplinary action of God because God the Father Abba, the Father deal with his sons and daughters and so you notice in these verse 6 to 10 that we should not lust that we should not be idolaters that we should not commit sexual immorality that we should not tempt the Messiah that we should not murmur isn't it amazing when you look at what happening in our life each and every one of us have to search our own hearts to ask are we lusting are we being idolaters are we practicing sexual immorality are we

tempting God tempting the Messiah tempting Christ are we murmuring are we complaining and you have this list from Israel's history that are found lasting in Numbers chapter 25 idolatry in Exodus 32 sexual immorality in Numbers 25 tempting the messiah in exodus 17 murmuring against god in exodus 16 and on and on and on and every one of us who is a believer in the lord yeshua jesus the messiah we may very well ask ourselves concerning these beloved brothers and sisters because it is so easy for us to stumble and to fall in fact the whole condition the spiritual condition of the believers at Corinth were exactly this there was lusting and there was an idolatry

and there was sexual immorality and there was tempting the Messiah and there was murmuring existing in the local assembly in Corinth but Paul wanted to draw them away from that he wanted them that they will live for the Lord and that they will serve the Lord and therefore he is Showing to them, look at the privileges that you have, just like Israel have had as a nation.

And look at how you relate to this. How you fail to give thanks to God, and instead of enjoying as an assembly of believers that are redeemed and forgiven, enjoy the Lord, what happening in your midst is not pleasing to God. And you notice, beloved brothers and sisters, as Paul continues on, after he mentioned from verse 6 to verse 10, this list of lusting and idolatry and sexual immorality and tempting the Messiah and murmuring and on and on. And he is once again in verse 11 emphasizing that Israel's history served for believers today to be an admonition by God for his people today. It says in verse 11, now all these things happen unto them, namely Israel, for an example.

And they are written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the age are come. Paul elsewhere, there he said to them in Romans chapter 15 and verse 4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. You know what it is very sad when believers today who read the history of Israel pointing to Israel's failure, assuming that they are better. Beloved brothers and sisters, the history of our people of Israel were not written in order to put Israel down and to exalt oneself. The people of Israel's history were written for us and recorded by God through the Hebrew prophets for the benefit of believers in every generation and that the believers in the generation in the church age might learn from that and say God how wonderful you have led your people of Israel and how we also are not better and we need your grace and help to help us as well today sadly in church history much have been spoken against Israel who gave us the word of God instead of praying for Israel's restoration and learning from the mistake that happened in Israel's history to apply this to ourselves today.

And as I mentioned earlier the church has far greater responsibility under grace than Israel had under the law. While Israel was anticipating the Messiah to come, you and I who are believers today have already the Messiah who has already came. While Israel did not have the complete canon of Scripture, the believers today have the whole canon of Scripture, both the Tanakh and the Brit HaChadasha, the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Covenant. While the people of Israel did not have the Holy Spirit of God indwelling each and every one of them, But came upon them for a service and ministry. True believers in the church age have the Holy Spirit of God indwelling every believer.

Greater privileges the church has and greater responsibility. That's why there remains a day of grace for the nation of Israel when God will restore Israel, the nation, to himself. Once the tribulation will come to an end. and a nation will be born in a day. And so the challenge is tremendous. And so in verse 11, Paul is saying to the Corinthians, Israel history served to be an admonition for us. All these things happened unto them, Israel, for an example. They are written down for our admonition, to admonish you, to admonish me, to admonish us, to admonish believers today.

upon whom the end of the age are come the end of the world are come we live in the last days specifically the last days of the church age and these lessons in Israel history supposed to admonish us to convict us to show us the condition of our own hearts wherefore Paul is saying in verse 12 each believer today can fall like Israel fail many have failed in days of old and therefore he says wherefore let him the thing that his standards take heed him or her who think that they are standing oh no I'm never going to do what they did I'm far better than them no be careful he said wherefore let him

the thing that his standards take heed lest he fall beloved brothers and sisters how much failure happened in the life of God's people today and how much we need all to be careful to say Lord God be merciful to me a sinner I cannot stand on my own I need your help day by day we need God's grace to walk every day with him every day it's the grace of God that allows us to walk with him because we are so quickly falling and stumbling That's why we need to walk in the power of the Spirit of God and not in the power of the flesh.

Galatians 5, 16, Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. We cannot do it on our own because we are still having this all sin nature. And with this sin nature we cannot please God. That's why we need to walk in the light of the new divine nature that we have. That the Spirit of God can lead us and guide us.

wherefore let him the thinkers his standards take heed lest he fall he continued Paul in verse 13 to remind us of the faithfulness of God God is faithful to his own people who are tested as they walk here in this wilderness Paul says in verse 13 of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 there is no temptation or no test no testing taking you Corinthian or you believers wherever you are but such as is common to man every trial every testing that we experience every day it is common to man other people are going through this testing just like you and I believers as well as unbelievers no testing there is no testing taking you but such as

is common unto men but listen God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tested above that ye are able but he will with that testing also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it sometimes it's very difficult beloved brothers and sisters to go through these experiences in life that all of us are experiencing we are being tested and remember that all believers have these three enemies the first enemy is Satan himself the God of this world blinded the mind of them that believe not he is the one that is the accuser of the brethren then we have the world and its system that denies God this system in

this world this evil world that seeking to draw God's people after him and then the greatest of our enemies is the old sin nature the flesh and these three enemies are opposing the believers from walking with the Lord but God is faithful God allows his people to go through this testing and he want his people to trust him as he wanted Israel to trust him he wanted Israel to follow after him as he want you and I today to follow after him he want him to love him and to live for him here in this world and now Israel what does the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God

to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Deuteronomy 10 and verse 12 to keep his commandment the commandment of the Lord which I command thee this day for thy good in verse 16 he says circumcise therefore the forcing of thy heart this is Deuteronomy 10 verses 12 to verse 16 beloved brothers and sisters we all are called to have the circumcision of our hearts and the circumcision of our hearts is simply recognizing ourselves dead with Christ, with the Messiah that's not easy to practice because the flesh is so sinful Paul wrote elsewhere in Colossians chapter 3 since

ye then verse 1 be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth with the Messiah sitting on the right hand of God set your affection on things above and not the things on the earth for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ when the Mashiach who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

And he says in Colossians chapter 3 and verse 5, Put to death, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth, such as fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desires and covetous which is idolatry. You see, the Colossians, like the Corinthians, all have the same problem as Israel had in days of old. They're all sin nature that we all have. But the Lord, with the help of the Spirit of God, is willing to draw His people after Himself. And so as we get to the end of this passage, in 1 Corinthians 10, verses 1 to 14, here Paul encouraged the Corinthians concerning the faithfulness of God. In verse 12 he said, wherefore let him the things he stand take heed lest he fall in verse 13 he said there is no temptation no test taking you by such as is common unto men but God is faithful he will not suffer you to be tested above that ye are able but with will with the temptation or with the testing also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it then notice remember Paul is coming to an end of the discussion concerning idolatry then he said to them in verse 14 and with that we will conclude with this message wherefore my dearly beloved flee from idolatry you see the Corinthians who initially were idolaters but forgiven they became believers in the true and living God and in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach they became born of the Spirit they became set apart to God they became saints and yet he charged them wherefore my dearly beloved flee from idolatry in fact the scripture teaches us In 1 John chapter 5 and verse 21 apparently not only the Corinthians had this issue because when Yochanan wrote in 1 John chapter 5 to whom he wrote he says little children 1 John 5 21 keep yourselves from idols.

He is saying in 1 John 5 and verse 21 and you notice this expression here beloved brothers and sisters in conclusion the word for flee dearly beloved he said to them flee from idolatry flee from idolatry in 1st Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 18 he has already told them flee fornication in this verse of 14 of 1st Corinthians chapter 10 he's saying to the Corinthian flee idolatry to Timothy he will say later on in 1 Timothy 6 and verse 11 flee these things the things that dishonor God the things that draw you away from God in his second epistle to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2 and verse 22 he will say to Timothy Timothy flee useful lust and then James said to the believers to whom he wrote Jacob, James he's saying to them that we are called to resist the devil not to flee from the devil but to resist the devil and then he will flee from you James chapter 4 and verse 7.

Flee fornication. Flee idolatry. Flee these things. Flee youthful lust. And resist the devil. And the devil will flee from you. What an amazing portion of Scripture Shaul Paul is writing to the Corinthians. Beloved brothers and sisters, may the Lord help us with this as we learn together from the Word of God confessing our weakness learning from Israel's history applying it to our life and seeing how much more responsible believers in the church age have towards God far greater accountability and responsibility than Israel the nation had in days of old so may the Lord help us and bless us as we continue together with the study of the letter to the Corinthians which Apostle Paul have written some years ago beloved friend, dear brothers and sisters may the Lord bless you and encourage you and lead you on as you seek to walk with the Lord until the next time God bless you Shalom Shalom