CHURCH OF WILDERNESS.(1Corinthians 10)

In comparing the history of children of Israelites, passed things are written for our benefit (admonishment) children of Israel are called as church of wilderness.God from the beginning was seeking the company or fellowship of man, Angels are not created in his image God himself created man in his image (Gen 1:26) Sin separated God and Man. ( The first Man Adam)

1.God sought another man by name Enoch he pleased God by faith.Enoch’s life pleased God (Heb 11:5) So only God took Enoch to his eternal home, faith is the only means to please God. 2. God called another Man Noah.(Gen 6th chapter). God saved his family;,God had intimate relationship with Noah. 4.Abraham also pleased God ,and God spoke to Abraham. God made him father of nations. Then comes the  great Israelites (Issach, Jacob, 12 TRIBES). They went to Egypt to bondage and God delivered them by blood of lamb. So these were called as (Congregation in wilderness) (Acts 7:38.) Paul mentions about them in (1Corinthians 10th chapter). Very clearly we can call it as church of wilderness. Paul incorporates five things of Israelites in this chapter.
1.Passed by Red sea.
2 Walked under the cloud. (Exodus 13:21)
3. Baptized by water.
4 .They ate spiritual food.
5. Drank the spiritual water.


These five things shows the presence of God with Israelites walking under the cloud  as a covering to them, It denotes the presence of God with Israelites covering them as  pillar of cloud and pillar of fire. (Exodus 13:21). Protecting them. Lord was in this cloud day and night. Lord was leading the church of wilderness.
1.Passed red sea when dividing into two while people crossed on the dry land. And also they were baptized in that water under the leadership of  Moses.Did all eat that spiritual food (Psalms 78:25-28). (Angelic food). Did all drink that spiritual water from the rock? The rock was Jesus Christ. Rock was immobile Christ  who was following them, they had various  Spiritual experiences. But what happened to them? While  they were experiencing that  rich spiritual prosperity. Church of wilderness (Israelites) they hurted God.
(1 Cor 10:5) many of them were not well pleased with the Gods provision.So what did they do? (Numbers 14:27) They murmured against God each and every time because there misbehavior they were thrown in wilderness. Now How ARE WE? WE HAVE BETTER BAPTISM THAN CHURCH OF WILDERNESS. We are living under better covenant. Why did they fall?

1 They were lustful
 2 They were not satisfied with what God gave them.
3. They were Idolaters.
4. They were fornicators.
 5. They were Murmurs.

1.They were lustful: - Many times we are not content with what we have (1 Tim 6:6) After what did they lust? They lusted after flesh (Numbers 11:4) Sometimes we are also not content with things, which God has given us. We too grumble on life, on God.What happened to them when they lusted after the flesh? (Psalms 106:15)In Gods will there are two  wills
1 .Perfect will.
2. Permissible will.
His perfect will was to feed them with angelic food,The manna .But they grumbled then he gave them meat but they got lean in souls.We must ask in Gods perfect will he provides us what we need (James 4:1-3.) God consumed them, with plagues and leanness (Numbers 11:33) God sent a plaque and consumed them Psalms (78:30-31)

2. They were not satisfied with what God gave them.:- By this passage we learn by our forefathers ,we should be satisfied with what God Gives. They became idolaters (1Cor 10:7)(Ex. 32:6).

3.They were Idolaters. (Ex32:8)When Moses was on mount Sinai they worshiped a molten image a lifeless image and called it to be their God who brought them out of Egypt. Anything in our lives more than God is an idol. We also make a quick God according to our needs. God extremely hates idol worshipping. in all circumstances we should learn to wait on the Lord. We should not haste like Israelites to make some image and bow to it. They did not wait for the return of Moses.

4. They were fornicators: (1 Corinthians 10:8) In wilderness journey God met their fornication, with punishment. God met there every need they did not use the spiritual privileges which God gave them (Number 25: 1&9.) God gave them punishment for there fornication he slayed 24,000 men because of there sin.(1 Cor 10:9) Temptators. Because they were not satisfied with what god has provided (Num 21:5-6.)

5.They murmured: (1Cor 10:10)(Numbers 4:2)

God tells us the Israelites "put Him to the test" in the wilderness.

  1. Tried His patience at Rephidim over lack of water.
  2. Tried His patience at Mt. Sinai by building Golden Calf.
  3. Tried His patience at Kadesh - balked at taking Promised Land.

In Christian lives we many times murmur we have to come to an experience to rejoice in Lord Jesus Christ. (Num14: 14)opposite to being thankful is "MURMUR"God do not like his children murmuring or grumbling..

We are told in Hebrews11: 3 and 4 that if we have a faith that can persevere through this world's hardships and pain, our rest will be superior to the Israelites' rest in Canaan. Will the rest be worth the pain? YES!

  1. In order to enter, we're told to beware the evil, unbelieving heart (Hebrew 3:12), that will lead us to fall away from living God.
  2. We're told to hold fast our confidence firm to the end, verse 14.
  3. Verse 13, EXHORT one another daily - TODAY - sense of urgency - that none will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
    1. EXHORTATION = ENCOURAGING LANGUAGE.
      We need encouragement to get through the pains, or deals of this life.
What is our spiritual condition? They lived before Christ was crucified, we are living after Christ was crucified. Are we not under a better covenant? (1Cor 10:11) Even after 2000 years are we  still  in the same way as the children of Israelites, as the church of wilderness ?or are we transformed into  church of  a new bride waiting to meet our heavenly bridegroom Our Lord Jesus Christ. How are we today? God blessed us in many ways let us count our blessings and be thankful to God.

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