Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (NIV)
Warnings From Israel’s History
10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
If you think that you’ve got it all together, why do you become vulnerable? (see verse 12)
The ancient Israelites were your chosen people. You showed them Your mighty hands through miraculous works. The ancient Israelites lacked faith and behaved unfaithfully. The spiritual advantages of the Israelites did not save them from the consequences of their unfaithfulness. They took their spiritual advantages for granted and by their evil behavior tried to seize control from You by doing it their way, assuming that their eternal destiny was secure. When You finally had enough You gave them what they grumbled about, to die in the wilderness. They say history repeats itself, and I see many parallels in today’s culture. You have blessed this nation “under God”. We have seen miraculous works that has built and preserved this nation over 200 years. We need to heed this warning! We can’t be so naïve and self-confident to assume that we cannot fall. We are just as capable of messing it up as they were. If we keep rebelling from You we are at risk that you will have enough of the wickedness and leave us to our own evil existence “without God”. Please Lord, forgive us and help us to humbly turn back to You. Show us a way out of this terrible season of hatred and evil and bring about a revival as a faithful nation again. This is true for me personally as well. I am not exempt. I could fall flat on my face as easily as anyone else. Self-confidence is useless. Help me to instead cultivate a God-confidence. Help me to avoid falling into temptation of putting my desires before You. Help me to worship and serve you, and you alone. Amen