ARE YOU GETTING THE MESSAGE?

For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness.     1 Corinthians. 10:1-5

Twenty-five men crowded into a small room hoping to get one available telegraph job. One could hear the Morse code in the background as they waited to be interviewed. While waiting, one man told of his ability to decipher quicker than anyone else. Still another spoke of his 25 years of experience. A third man mentioned that he did not have the skills that the others had, but he was related to the station master so he was sure to get the job. Suddenly, a man stood, walked to the door, turned the knob and went in. Soon he came out and announced that he had been hired. That whole time the morse code was inviting them to come in. They were not paying attention.              

Something like that happened to Israel. God led them out of Egypt having vanquished the country without a fight they saw the cloud of God's presence by day, the pillar of fire at night. Crossing the Red Sea in safety, that same Red Sea destroyed Egypt’s mighty chariot army. When the food ran out, God gave them miracle manna. When the water ran out, they drank from the rock which pointed to Christ. When Moses was on the mountain, the people fell into idolatry. Later having to circumnavigate the land of Edom, the people became rebellious against Moses and God (Num. 21:5-9). They even bemoaned having ever left Egypt. God sent a fiery serpent plague among them, and the only cure was to look at the serpent on the pole, a type of Christ (Jn. 3:14-16).

Paul's point in reciting this was to remind the Corinthians that missing the message from God and falling into idolatry has happened to many people who should know better. We likewise are cut from the same cloth. Can we be so close to the things of God and still miss their import? God is faithful and provides a way of escape if we pay attention (1 Cor. 10:13).  God still speaks to those who listen. 

Russ Simpson