Baptism of Moses

1 Corinthians  10:1  Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the fact that all of our ancestors who left Egypt were under the cloud. They all went through the sea, 2 and they all were immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food. 4  and drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that went with them. That rock was the Messiah. 5  But God wasn't pleased with most of those people, and so they were struck down in the wilderness. 6  Now their experiences serve as examples for us so that we won't set our hearts on evil as they did. 7  Let's stop being idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to play." 8  Let's stop sinning sexually, as some of them were doing, and on a single day 23,000 fell dead. 9  Let's stop putting the Lord to the test, as some of them were doing, and were destroyed by snakes. 10  You must stop complaining, as some of them were doing, and were annihilated by the destroyer. 11  These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down as a warning for us in whom the culmination of the ages has been attained

I have always been fascinated by the above passage that forms part of St. Paul’s first letter to Corinthians. It is amazing in its concision and striking in its presentation.  Paul wrote this to his Corinthian church lest they form communion with idolaters, and find security in their sinful activities. Paul sets before them an example from Israelites’ past, what were the great privileges the refugees fleeing from generations of Egyptian slavery enjoyed as God traveled with them, and how the rebellious and stiff-necked among them abused their privileges and were subjected to grievous punishments.

Judaism was Christianity under a veil, wrapped up in types and dark hints. The Gospel was preached to the children of Israel, in their legal rituals and sacrifices. And the providence of God towards them, and what happened to them in spite of these privileges, should be warnings to us.

1. Their deliverance from Egypt: Our forefathers (writes Paul) - the ancestors of us Jews - were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea. They were all under the divine covering and conduct. The cloud served for both purposes: it sometimes contracted itself into a cloudy pillar, shining on one side to show them their way, dark on the other to hide them from their pursuing enemies; and sometimes spread itself over them as a mighty canopy, to defend them from the burning sun in the sandy desert. They were miraculously conducted through the Red Sea, where the pursuing Egyptians were drowned: it was a lane to them, but a grave to the enemies, being a type of our redemption by Christ, who saves us by conquering and destroying His enemies and ours. They were very dear to God, and much in His favor, when He would work such miracles for their deliverance, and take them so immediately under His guidance and protection.

2. They had sacraments like ours. They were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea (v. 2), or into Moses, that is, brought under obligation to Moses’ law and covenant, as we are by baptism under the Christian law and covenant. It was to them a typical baptism. They did all eat of the same spiritual meat, and drink of the same spiritual drink, that we do. The manna on which they fed was a type of Christ crucified, the bread, which came down from heaven, which whoever eats, shall live forever. Their drink was a stream fetched from a rock, which followed them in all their journeying in the wilderness; and this rock was Christ, that is, in type and figure. He is the rock on which the Christian church is built. All believers drink, and are refreshed out of the streams that flow from Him.

Now all the Jews did eat of this meat, and drink of this rock, called here a spiritual rock, because it typified spiritual things. These were great privileges. One would think that this should have saved them; that all who ate of that spiritual meat, and drank of that spiritual drink, should have been holy and acceptable to God. Yet it was otherwise: God was not pleased with many of them and they were struck down in the desert.

Men may enjoy various great spiritual privileges in this world, and yet come short of eternal life. Many of those who were baptized into Moses in the cloud and sea had their faith of His divine commission confirmed by these miracles, but were yet struck down in the wilderness, and never saw the Promised Land. Let none presume upon their great privileges as “Christians” or profession of the truth; these will not secure them heavenly happiness, nor save them from judgments here on earth.

3. Their faults and punishments: Their sins and plagues are recorded as an example to us, a warning against similar sins, if we want to escape such punishments. We must not do as they did, lest we suffer as they suffered. A verse by verse study of this amazing passage is revealing:

(1) Verse 6 - He warns us against greed - inordinate desires after carnal objects - not to lust after evil things, as they lusted.  They were not starved. God fed them with manna, the food angels ate, but they were soon satiated with this and longed for flesh. The story is told in Numbers 11. They had food for their need, but not content with this, they wanted meat for their lusts. Carnal desires get inflamed by indulgence. We must be constantly on vigil and check them in their first rise. Once we give them room they take over and soon a downward spiral starts.

(2) Verse 7 – Against idolatry, wrong priority: Many of them became victims to idolatry, lured through contact with the gentiles.  We today, have our own versions of idols. Anything we love more than God, anything we prioritize above God, is idolatry. Greed is idolatry, says Ephesians 5:5. “No immoral or impure person or anyone who is greedy (that is an idolater) has an inheritance in the kingdom of God” scriptures warn us. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to play”. Entertainment beyond a certain point can be idolatry. Jesus said in Matthew  10:37 ‘’The one who loves his father or mother more than me isn't worthy of me, and the one who loves a son or daughter more than me isn't worthy of me. Luke 10:27 says “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. Jesus wanted us to  first seek the kingdom of God and its righteousness. Anything that goes against this edict is idolatry.  Greed to make money, to gain possessions, desire to gain fame through political power, indulgence in immoral sexual activities etc fall under this category.

(3) Verse 8 - He cautions against fornication – a heady mixture of sex and worship - a sin to which the inhabitants of Corinth were in a particular manner addicted. Ritual prostitution during worship was common there. It is through this practice the Moabite king, with the guidance of Balaam, trapped men of Israel (Numbers 25). It is the same sin that tempted Corinthians 1850 years later. Today (another 1960 years after Paul) we see Hinduism with its ‘devadasi’ system and its ‘godmen’ deceive public and rationalize sexual corruption. Sexual perversion and abortion is tolerated today even in churches, particularly of western nations. St. Paul’s warning applies to all generations. Is it not amazing how the Bible is proved as the book for all times?

(4) Verse 9 - He warns us against tempting Christ or provoking Him to jealousy, as some of them did, and were destroyed of serpents (v. 22). Christ was with the church in the wilderness; He was the angel of the covenant, who went before them. But he was greatly grieved and provoked by them in many ways: They spoke against Him and Moses, why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in the desert? For which reason God sent fiery serpents among them (Num. 21:5, 6), by which many of them were bitten fatally.

(5) Verse 10 - He warns them against murmuring grumbling, complaining, rebelliousness, ungratefulness. Phillip. 2:14 says ‘’do everything without complaining or arguing’’. You must stop complaining, as some of them were doing, and were annihilated by the destroyer. People believed false reports, shunned good advice, rebelled against God and against His servants, tried to kill their leaders who had served them sincerely and planned to go back to Egypt. Murmuring against divine disposals and commands is a sin that greatly provokes, especially when it grows to lead to apostasy, and a revolt against Him and His good ways.  Let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28, 29). It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God! (Hebrews 10:31).   It is necessary for Himself to establish His sovereignty; God won’t allow Himself to be fooled.

 All these things happened to them as examples and were written for our admonition. Not only the laws and ordinances of the Jews, but the providences of God towards them, were typical. Their sins against God, and backslidings from Him, were typical of the infidelity of many under the New Testament. God’s judgments on them were types of spiritual judgments projected now. Their exclusion from the earthly Canaan typified the exclusion of many under the Gospel out of the heavenly Canaan, for their unbelief. Their history was written, to be a standing monitor to the church, even under the last and most perfect dispensation. Nothing in scripture is written in vain. God had wise and gracious purposes towards us in leaving the Jewish History upon record for us and it is our wisdom and duty to receive instruction from it.