“Lessons From The Past!”(I Cor.10:1-11).
One of the lessons of history is that we learn from past happenings especially against groups of people. Through the collective suffering of others in the past, we are able to pay attention to the warning signs and help to stall it not to happen again.
Lessons from the past serves as yardstick for the present. We learn from the errors of the past in order to correct the present and secure a better future.
Paul says we should borrow a leaf from Israel’s history. “They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.”
Even so, “God was not pleased with most of them” and so they died in the wilderness.
“These things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.”
Paul singles out some of Israel’s disobedience during the Exodus.
- They were idolaters as they made and worshipped the golden calf, and engaged in a ritual meal (Ex 32:1-6).
- They engaged in sexual practices associated with the worship of the Baal of Peor. God was angry and killed about 23,000 of them (Num.25:1-9).
- Some of them put the Lord to the test and were killed by snakes.
- Some of them were noted for grumbling against God and Moses. They were killed by the destroying angel(Num.16:41&46-50).
The message to us is that “we should not be like ‘those’ some of them!”
My people say if you want to shave a monkey to give it beauty, you must first tie its hands, lest it scratches you.
God was doing a good thing to bring the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. But some of them kept disobeying him.
Paul says what happened to them should be a lesson to us.
In his words: “These things happened to them as examples and we’re written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come.”
Unlike in the exodus period, we are now living in the time when the Christ has been fully made known. As we wait for the fullness of time when he will come again, let us guide our feet away from evil. Let the errors of the past teach us a lesson for our today. Remember: “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope”(Rom.25:4).
Like Israel of old in bondage, God has heard our cry and is leading us in our exodus. That is God’s show of mercy! Let us not do what would anger him and cause him to scatter our bones in the desert.
Wait upon the LORD with patient obedience, and one day we shall enter our Promise Land; even as we sing, “Land of promise…”
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit inspire us to learn positive lessons from the past to impact our present. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Prayer point: Pray for a proper understanding of the study of history.
Rev Babila Fochang.