The rock that followed them – Part 7

According to 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Christ was the Rock that followed the children of Israel in their 40 years journey in the wilderness. They shared the same baptism, ate the same food and drank the same water, but they never knew Christ as the Rock. Not surprising, they erred and stumbled many times over. In 1 Corinthians 10 verse 5 we read this sad commentary about Israel, “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” (I Corinthians 10:5 NKJV).‬

According to Paul, their mistakes are meant to serve for our learning so that we too may not end up the same way they did. Every generation carry in them the DNA of their forebears and tend to repeat the mistakes of their forebears, unless they consciously resist it. What was the undoing of this generation? They lusted after evil things. The lust after evil is the sin of every generation, Paul forewarned us in 2 Timothy 3:1-4, that evil would increase in alarming proportions in the endtime. Knowing how widespread evil would be in the world, Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13 NKJV). Again, before His departed from the earth He prayed to the Father, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one (John 17:15 NKJV).‬

They became idolaters. They prevailed on Aaron to make idols for them, which they worshiped. Those who spend their time on eating and drinking will ultimately end up in one form of idolatry or another. God came short of wiping off that generation due to idolatry (Exod.32:9-11).

They equally committed sexual immorality. At Moab, they fell victim to harlotry for which 23, 000 perished in a single day. Our generation is no less guilty of the same sin. Nothing is as pervasive as sexual immorality in our age. This has been heightened by the social media. But for grace, this generation deserve being judged like Sodom and Gomorrah.

Israel tempted God at Massah and Meribah when they contended with Moses over water (Exod.17:2,7). The Psalmist wrote, “How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, And grieved Him in the desert! Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy” (Psalms 78:40-42 NKJV). We are as guilty as Israel was in the wilderness. Many a time we have provoked God and tempted Him. But for Jesus Who symbolises the serpent, which was held up for the healing of the people (John 3:14).

If there was any thing Israel was known for in the wilderness it was their penchant for complaints. They complained at the slightest inconvenience. Of this the Psalmist wrote, “Yes, they spoke against God: They said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?…Therefore the LORD heard this and was furious; So a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also came up against Israel” (Psalms 78:19-21 NKJV). In this age of free speech, let us be careful how we stretch our liberty against God.‬

Paul concludes his warning to us on this note, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (I Corinthians 10:12 NKJV). Let us be aware the same Rock is following us. Contact:pastoracukachi@gmail.com‬