The Wilderness Wanderings

‘Types and Shadows’ #2

Introduction: 1 Cor. 10:1-15

Joseph and I are alternating our presentations on “Types and Shadows.” A summary of some of the things we have said so far are these: 1) There are many types in the Old Testament that point to spiritual and eternal things in the New Covenant. Just as there are many letters on a type- writer or printing press, there are many types that make up the complete picture of the Gospel and our redemption. 2) If someone today continues to practice something that it clearly a type or shadow of the OT, like the Sabbath Day, then they are missing out on the most important part. A shadow is just that, a shadow; it is not the real thing, but an image of it. “The Law was a shadow of good things to come, but not the very image.” (Heb. 10:1.) 3) Types and shadows were used and are used of God to bring men to Christ, so that we might understand more clearly spiritual things.

In the Corinthian text, Paul admonishes us not to do the things that the children of Israel did during their wilderness wanderings. Paul said that these things were tupoi, or types, for us that we should not lust after evil things. The word, type, occurs twice in verse 6 and 11. The KJV and NIV use the word, examples. They committed idolatry and adultery. They murmured against Moses, Aaron and even God. Twenty three thousand fell in one day. Many were bitten by fiery serpents in the wilderness. The Hebrew writer said that they could not enter the promise land due to unbelief. (Heb. 3:19.)

Many Bible students and scholars have recognized that Israel’s experience from Egyptian bondage to freedom in the Promise Land is like ours spiritually. We are freed from the bondage of sin when we are baptized unto the leadership of Jesus Christ, just as they were baptized in the cloud and in the sea. We often sing songs about crossing Jordan; that is, dying and entering into heaven. Even though, we should note that there are no passages that use ‘crossing Jordan’ as a type of death into heaven. This is one of the pitfalls of this topic. Origen, 300 AD, from the Alexandrian School, is known for his extreme views of making metaphors out of just about everything. He read more into the parables than one should, making every detail represent something spiritual. However, the broad outline of the Law of Moses and Israel’s experiences do serve as a shadow of spiritual things in the New Covenant. Hebrews 10:1 says broadly that the law was a shadow of things to come and not the very image.

Just a few weeks after leaving Egypt, the Israelites were given the Law of Moses on Mount Sinai. We too have been given a Covenant from God. It was given from another mountain, Jerusalem. (Isaiah 2:2.) The two significant places for the Jews were Sinai and Jerusalem. The two for Christians are Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem. (Heb. 12.) Those are some of the physical boundaries of these types and shadows. The point that Paul and other writers make has to do with our moral, ethical and spiritual behavior. We should flee idolatry as well. We have been given a way of escape when we are tempted so that we might not tempt God by our disobedience. (10:12-13.)

Note these parallels between the Wilderness Wanderings of Israel and our lives today.

God Provided for Them

This forty-year period of the first part of Israel’s life with God outside of Egypt demonstrates well the providence of God. We, like them, are living under difficult circumstances. Man brings a lot of misery upon himself. Israel could have reached the Promised Land in about six weeks had they been faithful to God and Moses. But they murmured and God allowed them to wander until the first generation died. We could make it so much easier if we just learned to follow God’s way. Forty years is about one’s life span in that day. Their wanderings, even in regard to time, could represent one’s life on earth.

What did God provide for them? He provided enough food (manna and quails) and water and clothing. The Bible says that the feet of the older men and women did not swell during their journeys. (Nehemiah 9:21.)

All the commandments which I command thee this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or not. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. (Deut. 8:1-5.)

Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not. (Nehemiah 9:21.)

God provided them leaders, Moses and Aaron. God provides leaders for us to help us make it to heaven. We have parents to guide us and shepherds at church as well. How foolish to disregard their advise and encouragement. We should not murmur against them as the Israelites did.

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” (Eph. 3:20.) “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19.) “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:32-33.)

God Punished the Rebellious

“But with many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” (1 Cor. 10:5.) “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” (1 Cor. 10:8.) “Now all these things happened unto them for examples (here is the word, type), and they are written for our admonition, upon the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Cor. 10:11-12.)

We often look upon these punishments in the Old Testament, which most often involved physical death, as being crude and extreme. Yet the New Testament says that our punishment will be more severe.

“He that despised Moses’ Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:28-29.)

The wages of sin is still death. (Rom. 6:23.) The physical death of the Old Testament serves as a type of the spiritual death and separation from God for those under the New Covenant. Ours is more severe. We have the advantage of all that has gone on before. This is Paul’s point in this text, 1 Corinthians 10. These things were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come. (10:11.)

Our world has not learned the lesson from all these examples and types that have gone before us. Our generation does not believe seriously that God will punish all disobedience. However, the Bible says that He will. We ought to learn from biblical history.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4.)

God Provides the Way of Escape

God not only provides for man physically with food, water and clothing, but He also provides all that we need spiritually in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Phil. 4:19, Eph. 3:20.) Here is that significant passage by Paul to the Corinthians.

“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:12-13.)

The Israelites were committing two grievous sins as named here, idolatry and fornication. Why are these two named together? In the Old Testament worship of Baal-peor, the worshippers often committed fornication as a part of their worship to the false gods. This practice continued even to the New Testament period. Man often tempts God with his sinfulness and rebellion. But Paul adds that God gives us a way of escape from temptation. We will be tempted just like people have been over the centuries, with the same kinds of sins. Will we fall prey to them, or will we escape? God will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear. That is a significant promise from God. In this whole story concerning the Israelites, what can help us to keep from falling into sin and rebellion against God? Here are some suggestions.

Remember that it won’t be long until we reach the Promise Land. It seems to me that the Israelites took their eyes off the goal. The pressing difficulties of the moment kept them from seeing ahead. The long forty years of wandering was unnecessary. They could have reached the Promise Land in a much shorter time if they just obeyed and kept on marching. So also with us. This will help us to overcome many of our temptations in life.

Look around at what is happening. It seems that man is blind and not able to see. Three thousand died at Mount Sinai for their disobedience. (Exodus 32:28.) Have you noticed that three thousand were saved when the church was established, but three thousand died when the Law was given. The Law along with sin brings death. The Gospel brings life. A little while latter many Israelites died from the bites of the serpents. On another occasion 24,000 died. Would that not be enough to impress the others to listen to Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb?

Look for the way of escape. It is important that God has promised this way. This does not mean that we will always take it and or recognize it. The point is not that we can live a sinless life, but that we can so live a life that is pleasing to God without outright rebellion and sinfulness.

I asked our elders for some keys for dealing with temptation. These are some of their answers. I wanted to give them an opportunity to tell us what they have found effective in their own experiences of life in overcoming temptations. One gave this key—“I pray about the situation and talk to others. . . . The most important thing that I do is ask myself what Christ would do in this situation.” (Philip Vivas) This key is looking for the way of escape from temptation provided by the Lord, praying and seeking the wisdom of others who are spiritual.

Another one gave this key—“First, there is the choice that you make at the actual time of the temptation. Second, there is the preparation done before you are tempted. It is our failures in the preparation stage that makes it more difficult for us to resist our temptations. Preparing ahead of time provides us with the tools to help us overcome the temptations.” (Jim Russell) This is an important key. What have you decided beforehand? Have you determined that you will resist the temptation to disobey God?

Another one of our elders wrote this key—“When tempted to do something wrong stop and think how you would feel if your mother, father, husband, wife or children knew what you were doing. How ashamed you would be if they found out. Worse still God does see and know.” (Billy Harper)

Another elder wrote—“Always remember that we are strangers and pilgrims in this world; seeking our real Homeland, that city whose builder and maker is God.” (Melvin Jones)