Learning from the Elders

History tends to repeat itself. Those who do not learn from history duplicate it. Life is a journey of learning and growing, the faster we do this, the faster we mature and the less we make mistakes. Whatever happens in the past, whether ours or others, can be learned from so that we don’t make the same mistake and can avoid the resulting consequences. Rather than living in arrogance, assuming we will do better, we need to examine our lives to make sure that we do.

1 Corinthians 10:5-6 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (emphasis added)

Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.

This passage is talking about the Israelites who turned away from God, worshipped an idol and engaged in horrible activities. It happened as an example to us, so that we would take warning, learn from their downfall and not repeat it. There are five lessons to be learned from this particular passage:

1 Corinthians 10:7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”

First, they committed the sin of idolatry, which is to worship anything other than the Lord God. Sitting down to eat, drink and play was actually part of the worship process. Food, alcohol and sexual activity were common pagan rituals, and with certain limits were not wrong in and of themselves, but when combined with a pagan idol, became idolatrous worship. They wanted a god they could see, so they created their own. How often do we do this? We want something, or someone, to take the blame for what has happened. We want something physical to praise, love and adore. We want something or someone to bless us. Idolatry is simply loving or desiring something more than we love or desire God, it can even be something good like a child or spouse, but the consequences are severe. These people were cursed and never allowed to enter the Promised Land, never allowed to enter God’s blessing and rest. They serve as a stark warning.

1 Corinthians 10:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day.

Immoral behavior is practically in vogue in our culture now. The idea of remaining pure until marriage is foreign to most. Yet, immorality is one of the gravest sins according to God, for all other sins a man commits is outside of the body, but sexual sins a man (or woman) commits against himself. (1 Corinthians 6:18) It is not old fashioned or unimportant. It is commanded by God, just as it is commanded to not steal or lie, and the consequences are far worse. The event reference by this verse was when one man took a foreign woman, it does not say that he married her, and had her with him in front of the whole nation. As a result a plague fell on them and 23,000 people died until one of the priests killed the man and woman, then the plague immediately stopped. God praised the priest’s zeal for God and blessed him and his family forever. Sexual sins are serious and God will not over look them.

1 Corinthians 10:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents.

Anyone who has had children knows what it means to be “tried,” to have their patience tested to the limit, to be critically appraised by offspring, to have ones goodness exploited. After the people won a great military victory, they moved to another place and immediately began to whine and accuse God and Moses of bringing them to the desert to kill them because they could see no food or water. They didn’t ask where there was food or water. They did not express gratitude for their victory. They didn’t trust that God would take care of them as He had done the entire time. They immediately fell to grumbling and malcontent. As a result, God sent poisonous snakes which bit and killed many. God is good, and questioning His goodness, accusing Him of evil, is a serious offense.

1 Corinthians 10:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

Korah and his family were jealous of the position and status of Moses and Aaron and challenged them, believing that he should have as much right as they. As a result, there was a spiritual show down of sorts in which God would choose between them. Korah, all of his family and followers and all of their belongings, tents and animals were swallowed up by the ground, obviously an act of God showing His divine judgment. Yet on the very next day, some of the people began to grumble against Moses saying that it was his fault the rebels were killed. How often do we see that now? Instead of people taking responsibility for their actions, they blame and accuse others for the consequences they suffer. In this account, almost 15,000 were killed by a plague besides those taken with Korah. We need to learn to take responsibility for what we have done wrong, and to be grateful for what we have.

These things happened as an example for them and instruction for us so that we will not repeat them.

1 Corinthians 10:12 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.

We are warned also of pride and arrogance, of thinking that we are better, of believing that we are safe because of our “sound minds”. We need to be careful that we do not fall into the same trap, for pride goes before a fall.

1 Corinthians 10:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

To have this charge repeated at the beginning and end of the passage is significant. We need to take heed and be sure that we have nothing to do with idolatry. We need to examine our hearts and lives and be sure that we really do stand firm, rather than just assuming. These examples were given so that we would not crave the things they did, so we would not crave idols, immorality, pride, status, or leisure/comforts. That is what brought their downfall, craving those things.

Do you learn from mistakes, yours and others’? Do you really stand firm, or do you just assume that you do? Has idolatry crept into your heart? What do you crave?