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1. Of what fact did Paul want the Corinthian brothers not to be ignorant? (1a) After the Exodus, what blessings did God give all the Israelites, and what spiritual meanings did Paul see in these things? (1b--4) Nevertheless, what horrible thing happened to those who did not please God? (5; Nu14:29,33,35) 2. Read verse 6. How did Paul apply the historical lesson of the Israelites to us? Specifically, what four evil things should we not do? (7--10) What three consequences did the Israelites suffer? Why did God deal with testing him and grumbling as severely as with idolatry and sexual immorality? 3. Why were these things written down? (11) Who did Paul address in verse 12? What warning should all Christians always take to heart? Read verse 13. When tempted, why should we not make excuses? How does God help us overcome? In the time of temptation, why is it important to know that God is faithful? 4. Based on the history of Israel, what strong admonishment did Paul give the Corinthians? (14) What two participations does Paul mention here? (16--20) Why must we not do both? (17, 21--22) In light of this, why should we not participate in ungodly celebrations today? 5. What problem regarding freedom did Paul point out? (23) How then should we use our freedom? (24) What freedom in Christ did Paul mention? (25--27) When should this freedom be curbed? (28--30; cf. Ro14:1--6,14--15) 6. Read verse 31. In all things, what should our primary purpose be? Why is it so important to live for the glory of God in all we do? How did Paul apply this principle to their situation? (32--33) How did Christ set a good example in this? (cf.Ro15:1--4) How must we?

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In chapters 8-10, Paul deals with the Corinthians’ question about food sacrificed to idols. We have learned to restrict our freedom in love to build up others and Paul’s own example of this. He struggled to beat his body and make it his slave so as to make himself a salve to everyone so that he might save some. In today’s passage Paul goes deeper in regard to idols and handles the matter of idolatry in light of Israel’s history. He gives a strong warning not to follow their example. He urges to flee from idolatry and do all for the glory of God. Idolatry is a product of self-love. The whole matter is whether we indulge in self-love and live for ourselves or enter into God’s love and God-loving and live for the glory of God. We can say that living for the glory of God is the fundamental and supreme teaching of the Bible and is the prevention from idolatry and all other spiritual diseases, and the solution of all the matters in life. Through this study may we newly set our life direction to live for the glory of God. First, warning from Israels example (10:1-13). Verse 1 says, “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.” Paul is writing this part after mentioning his struggle not to be disqualified for the prize. Disqualification is a painful word to hear. Now he is talking about the historical event of the Israelites after Exodus and before entering the Promised Land. This is a painful story of most of the Israelites being disqualified from entering the land of God’s promise. Paul did not want the Corinthian believers to be ignorant or unaware of this history of the Israelites. In speaking to the Corinthians he even said, “our forefathers” meaning he recognized the Corinthians as new Israelites. The cloud was the means of divine protection and guidance at the time of the Exodus (Ex. 13:21-22), when the people passed through the sea (Ex. 14:21-22). After saying, “our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea, he continued, he said, “They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” Baptism is a New Testament concept, and its equivalent in the Old Testament is circumcision. Paul used this for the Old Testament event. And here Moses is thought of a type of Christ. Their baptism into Moses was passing through the tunnel of cloud and the sea of waters. So by saying that they were all baptized into Moses, it is likely that Paul wants readers to know that the New Testament believers are related to the Old Testament people of Israelites, not separated, in the realm of faith. Then Paul says in verses 3 and 4, “They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” For 40 years in the desert, they ate manna that rained down from heaven. Its spiritual meaning was that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Dt 8:3). And in an impossible situation God made water gush out of a rock through Moses at the beginning and end of the wilderness wanderings (Ex 17:17; Nu 20:2-13). And Paul said of the rock as the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and then directly related that rock to Christ. In this way, Paul expressed that the Israelites experienced Christ. Thus Paul again connected the New Testament believers to Gods people in the Old Testament. And Paul intentionally repeat the word “all” 5 times in the original Greek. Now the point of saying all this is this in verse 5, “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.” The expression “scattered over the desert” instead of “died” was to stress that it was Gods punishment. And the phrase, “most of them” was an understatement. Actually all except two men, Joshua and Caleb, among 600,000 were destroyed in the desert. This was really a dreadful event. It is easy to think that this terrible event had no part with New Testament believers, claiming that the New Testament time is the time of grace. Anyone who thinks so is greatly mistaken. That’s why Paul intentionally related the New Testament believers to the Israelites in the Old Testament, saying “our forefathers, “baptized into Moses” and “that rock was Christ.” Then he straightforwardly says in verse 6, “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” Why did most of the Israelites perish in the desert? It was because they did evil things. So he forbids four evil things for us New Testament believers not to do in verses 7-10. “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 pagan revelry. We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test the Lord as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.” The first one, “do not be idolaters”, is related to the event of the Israelites’ making a golden calf while Moses was on the Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments written in Exodus 32:2-6. They said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” The second one, “We should not commit sexual immorality”, is linked to the event of the Israelites being seduced by Moabite women and indulging in sexual immorality with the women (Num. 25:1-9). The third one, “We should not test the LORD”, is related to the event of the Israelites growing impatient on the way from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea and speaking against God and against Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; the snakes bit the people and many Israelites died” (Num. 21:4-6). And the fourth one, “Do not grumble” is connected most likely to the event of the whole community of Israelites grumbling against Moses and Aaron and so against God after hearing the bad report of ten spies who had gone out to explore the land of Canaan. At that time God said to Moses and Aaron, “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. So tell them, “…in this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. Not one of you will enter the land…except Caleb…and Joshua…” (Num. 14:26-30). In Numbers 16, Korah, a descendant of Levi and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite me, well-known community leaders. They were against the LORD grumbling against Moses and Aaron. Then the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up. They went down alive into the realm of the dead. Here the notable expression is “as some of them were” or “as some of them did.” Paul had written in verse 6, “God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert” and here, “some of them.” This implies the influence of “some of them” that spread to most of the community of God’s people. Then Paul says in verse 11, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” Here Paul makes it crystal clear that the events were warnings for us, the believers in the New Testament, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. We must see their terrible examples and take the warnings. The author of Hebrews speaks of the same thing, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that on one will fall by following their example of disobedience” (Heb. 4:11). We must fight against our culture of sexual immorality and our grumbling spirit, even a hint of it, watching out for such influences upon God’s community. The Israelites of old experienced redemption, baptism and Gods continuous help. But when they did evil things with their hearts set on all these spiritual impurities, nearly all of them perished in the wilderness. It may be that some of the Corinthians felt that their baptism and their use of Holy Communion guaranteed their final salvation, no matter what they did. Paul warns them that this is not so. Paul says in verse 12, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” We should not be deceived by the false security that “I believe in Jesus, so everything will be okay regardless of how I live.” Then Paul says in verse 13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 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 stand up under it.” This verse teaches us how to fight a spiritual battle. You should never think that my case or situation is special and that God has not provided a way out at this time, and then seek a human solution. There is always a way out when we turn and look up to him, for he is our faithful God. He is not just the God who is righteous and so punishes. His delight is not punishing and killing people. He is our loving and faithful God, who warns us and disciplines us, and provides a way out for his people. Temptations and trials come time and again. However, we should remember that our God is faithful and he provides us a way out without fail. He wants us to come to him and listen to him especially at the time of adversity. He is faithful through his promises and he wants us to hold on to his words of promise with full trust in him and his good purpose. We can stand up under any temptation and trial when we see God’s providing a way out and follow it. Second, from idolatry to the glory of God (10:14-11:1). Then Paul says in verse 14, “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” Now Paul specifically points out idolatry, which can encompass sexual immorality, testing the Lord and grumbling. Idolatry is to worship something else rather than God. The fundamental sin of the Israelites was abandoning and forsaking the LORD God and turning to other gods. Idolatry stems from self-worship, self-love. As we studied in 2 Timothy, in the last days people become more and more lovers of themselves and lovers of pleasures and lovers of money, rather than lovers of God. The slogans of our culture are, “Love yourself”, “Have fun,” and enjoy your life and be happy.” Most people pursue money and their own happiness. All these can be idolatry. Paul said in 6:18, “Flee from sexual immorality.” Now Paul says here, “Flee from idolatry.” Again these are related. The idolatry can be the fundamental and greatest temptation that tries to seize us. But God’s command is “flee” more than “depart.” It is running away to the opposite direction. God provides us a way out, but as for us we must do our part, that is, flee. Again, seizing and fleeing show that it is a spiritual battle, invisible but real. Fleeing should be our spiritual habit through practice, as fire drill is to be practiced. Those who neglect fire drill will face real fire. In the same way those who think, “I did not flee today, I was okay,” will suddenly face inescapable horrible consequences. And Paul says in verse 15, “I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say.” He believes that what he says makes sense to the Corinthian Christians. In verses 16-17, Paul says about the meaning of sharing the cup of thanksgiving and of breaking the bread of one loaf. It is a participation in the blood of Christ and in the body of Christ as those who received the grace of forgiveness of sins through Christ’s blood and so now belong to Christ as one body. As for the people of Israel, their eating the sacrifices means to participate in the altar. So the Corinthians had to know that the sacrifices of pagans were offered to demons, not to God. Definitely, Paul did not want them to be participants with demons, since they were participants with Christ. So he says in verse21, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” In chapter 9:22, he said, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” This was Paul’s flexibility regarding non-essential issues. However, about the essential things he was inflexible. He said, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” Some Corinthians tried to participate in Christian fellowship and at the same time, idol feasts. However, idol feasts lead to demon worship. There can be no compromise with the devil. There are so many parties and festivals in our society. We cannot just participate in them recklessly. We really need discernment and clearly know who I am, where I am, with whom I am, why I am there, and whether I influence them or am influenced by them. James 4:4 says, “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” We should keep in mind that our God is a jealous God and our Lord is a jealous Lord. So Paul says here in verse 22, “Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” Our Lord is a gracious Lord who gave his body and blood on the cross for our sins. But we should not forget that he is a jealous Lord. He wants us to solely love him. Paul was very clear about this and said in 1 Corinthians 16:22, “If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on him.” Spiritual adultery grieves him. More than that it is opposing him and since he is the strongest, it is the way of destruction and complete ruin. We need to watch our spiritual adultery which is also related to idolatry.

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