THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18
1 Corinthians 10:1-5
1 Corinthians 9:24-27

“I would not that ye
should be ignorant.”

DO NOT BE PRESUMPTUOUS! (I)

One must not be proud or presumptuous, or he will soon find himself disapproved by God. Paul delved into the history of Israel as a warning to the Corinthian Christians. He pointed them to the generation of Israel who came out of Egypt. All of them experienced the following supernatural events:

• They were all under the cloud (1 Cor 10:1). The Lord supernaturally sent a pillar of cloud to guide them by day, and a pillar of fire by night (Exod 13:21-22).

• They all passed through the sea (1 Cor 10:1). The Lord parted the Red Sea to allow the children of Israel to escape from their Egyptian pursuers. After they crossed to the other side, He closed the sea on the pursuers to drown them (Exod 14).

• They were all baptised unto Moses (1 Cor 10:2). The term “baptised” here carries the understanding of “devoted” or consecrated. In other words, they were all devoted to Moses as their leader in their wanderings.

• They all ate the same spiritual meat. The term “spiritual” here refers to how the meat was supernaturally given to them by the power of God’s Holy Spirit (Exod 16).

• They all drank of that rock. This means that they drank the drink that was supernaturally provided for them by God. This water would follow them throughout their entire journey until they were ready to conquer the Cis-Jordan region (Num 20).

Nevertheless, despite experiencing these miracles and spiritual lessons, the children of Israel still did not exercise their faith in God but rebelled against God by refusing to attack the land of Canaan (Num 13). Because of their disobedience, those aged twenty years and above were not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Let us beware: Do not be presumptuous!

THOUGHT: Am I approved before God?
PRAYER: Father, help me be a workman approved by Thee.