1 Corinthians 10:1

1 Corinthians 10:1 says, Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;  Paul said that he didn't want the people to fail to understand that Christ was and is the only way to salvation.  The Jews looked to the Law of Moses to bring them into a right relationship with God, but Paul said that there was more to it than just trying to find justification through the Law.  We today may seek to find God through rituals, but even if we find physical satisfaction, we will not find spiritual happiness and security.  Only by putting our faith in Christ can we find the assurance of salvation.  Verse two adds, And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;  The people who followed Moses were delivered from bondage by passing through the Red Sea, and were protected by a sheltering cloud.  These were physical things that they could look back on as being spiritual gifts from God, but that was not what saved them.   We may view things today as being God's sign of our being right in our spiritual life, but if anything does not come through the gospel of Christ, it cannot save us.  Verse three continues, And did all eat the same spiritual meat;  Paul said that the people following Moses ate of the same spiritual meat.  They looked to Moses to keep them in a right relationship with God, but also to meet their physical needs.  Moses looked to God to provide for them, and gave God the glory.  We need to realize that God still meets our needs today, and always give Him the glory.  Verse four states, And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.  Paul was still speaking of the Israelites in the desert.  He said they all drank from the same spiritual Rock, and that Rock was Jesus.  We may divide the Bible into the Old and New Testament, but God is the same in both.  Jesus Christ did not die just for those who came after Him, but for all people of all time who put their faith in God.  God is not divided nor limited by time.  Paul said in the wilderness that Jesus was with the Israelites spiritually.  God was there to meet their physical needs, but more importantly to meet their spiritual needs.  They only had to have faith in God, as we do today.  Verse five adds, But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.  Paul reminded them that God was not pleased with all those who called themselves his people, because even after deliverance and being sustained in the wilderness, many had their faith overcome by their desire for more.  It would be a sad commentary for Christians today to know that God is not well pleased with us.  Verse six continues, Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Paul told the Christians at Corinth that they should learn from the example of the Israelites in the desert.  God had delivered and would sustain those Christians at Corinth, so the needed to remain obedient to His leadership.  We, as followers of Christ today, need to likewise learn from their example.  We are not to lust after evil things but rest secure in the provisions of God.  Verse seven says, 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.  Paul said not all those brought out of Egypt were faithful to God.  They accepted God's provisions, but then went away to play, or find pleasure in the things of this world.  Verse eight adds, Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.  Sexual temptation was very real in Corinth, with idols to fertility gods being worshipped there.  Paul reminded the Christians at Corinth that they were to avoid the temptation to join in such activity.  We today need to heed the same warning and not let any idol lead us away from God.  Verse nine continues, Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.  I believe that Paul was reminding them that they were to worship God alone through a sincere faith in Him.  Those who still looked to idols even as they professed to be God's people were struck down by serpents.  We today must truly follow God through faith if we are indeed His people.  Verse ten states, Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.  Many of the Israelites in the desert were not satisfied with God's provision for them, and they murmured against God.  Paul warned the Christians at Corinth, and all followers of Christ today, that we should be content with God's provisions in life, and not murmur or complain about God.  The Israelites had food, drink, and even shelter from the heat, but they were not satisfied.  If we today simply have our physical needs met by God, we should never murmur and complain because we don't have more.  Verse eleven adds, Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.  Paul said what happened in the desert was to be an example to Christians, and we should understand the admonition against sin.  This example will remain to the end of the world.  God will never be mocked or even murmured against without a penalty to be paid.  We must live being satisfied with what God blesses us with.