Miracles - 1 Corinthians 10:1-12

I’m back almost two weeks later than I had planned because while on vacation I got thrown off a horse and was injured significantly enough that I had to miss a week of work. I feel a little bit better, but I’m still pretty sore and it’s been a very interesting experience where I learned a lot about myself and who I really am deep down. Interestingly, my situation and reaction to being injured helped me gain some insight into what Paul is saying to the Corinthians.

Just like Jesus, Paul uses the scriptures to teach lessons to the people. Paul reminds the people “that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea.” Here Paul references when the ancient Israelites left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea on dry ground after it had been separated by Moses. This miracle is prominent in the minds of believers, but the article from gospeldoctrine.com says, “some may have forgotten that God very literally led the children of Israel along every step of their journey through Sinai. During the day, there was a cloud over the tabernacle of Moses. When the cloud moved, the people would break camp and follow it. When the cloud stayed still, the Israelites would keep their camp in that location. Hereby, the Israelites were literally led by the hand of God through the wilderness.” 

As a comparison, Paul likened the ancient Israelites walking through the Red Sea on dry ground to baptism, and being led by a “cloud” as having the gift of the Holy Ghost. Just like we’ve been baptized and so had their Israelite forefathers, and Paul is pointing out that we are all part of the same gospel, worshiping the same God, even if it is in different ways, i.e. law of Moses vs. Christianity. Ancient Israel, primitive Christianity and the Latter-day gospel “were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”

Everything in the law of Moses pointed to Christ, and even though the ancient Israelites struggled to see it, we can look to the ancient Americas where those who followed the law were able to understand and look forward to Christ’s coming, as demonstrated in the Book of Mormon. The mention of “spiritual meat” and “spiritual drink” can be compared to the sacrament, which is a saving ordinance. All believers throughout human history have all had the same gospel, “and that Rock was Christ.” It is all been about Jesus the whole time, even if some people were required to keep the Law of Moses, salvation has always come through the same means, the atonement of Jesus Christ.

So even though the message has always been the same, and behavior required of the saints has been similar, Paul notes that in the case of ancient Israel, “with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” He wasn’t displeased with them because they lost some battle in the desert, He was displeased with them because, as the IM points out, “when Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, the Lord blessed them with numerous miracles. Nonetheless, many murmured, lusted after evil things, and committed serious sins. Paul admonished the Corinthian Saints not to follow these poor examples.”

This was a part that spoke powerfully to me because I have been blessed with so much, yet when I got hurt, I so easily became angry and bitter about my situation. This is when I realized that despair was a serious temptation for me. It’s not necessarily just depression, which I do have and am treated for, and it’s not just feeling down, but my default emotion is bitterness and hostility to God. That’s one of my main personal temptations and that’s ok, I can manage it just like I manage all my others temptations and everyone else has their own demons too. 

Temptations and feelings of negativity and a desire to act contrary to God’s law are all part of the basic human experience, and we all have to find our own ways to deal with them. Paul points out some of the ways ancient Israel rejected God despite their blessings was to “lust after evil things” and they were “idolaters” and they would “commit fornication” and they would “murmur.” Murmuring is a tough one, because complaining is so inherently human and it’s a major problem for me. I think one of the things that I need to do better is surround myself with positive and uplifting things. I used to listen to motivational and interesting books all the time and listen to the Ensign and conference talks while driving to and from work. I think one of my goals for the New Year will be go back to surrounding myself with good things.

All the scriptures are written “for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition,” not just for Paul’s day for but ours as well. Interestingly Paul seemed to know that we would have his words because the JST of verse 11 says, “and they were written for our admonition also, and for an admonition for those upon whom the end of the world shall come.” These words are not just for those who are wallowing in deep and serious sin, but also as a warning “wherefore let him that thinketh he standest take heed lest he fall.” I felt this personally because while I don’t necessarily engage in the serious sin Paul mentions, I definitely have my own character defects that I need to work on.