Charles Spurgeon Commentary 1 Corinthians 10

Moreover, brethren, I would not that you should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and 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.

You see, then, dear brothers, that the possession of privileges is not everything. Paul would not have us to be ignorant that all those who were with Moses in the wilderness had privileges of a very high order. Did they not all pass through the Red Sea, and so escape from their powerful and cruel foes? Did they not all drink of water which gushed forth from the flinty rock? Were they not all fed with manna from heaven?

Yet their privileges did not save them. For while they had the five privileges mentioned in these four verses, they fell into the five great sins of which we are about to read. And so, their privileges, instead of being a blessing to them, only increased their condemnation.

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, –

Or, warnings, for just as they were overthrown in the wilderness, so may we be, notwithstanding all the gospel privileges which we enjoy, if we are not true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. If the life of Christ is not in our souls, all the privileges of the Church of God cannot save us. These things were our examples, –

Moreover, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant, that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and 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.

The history of Israel in coming out of Egypt was a very instructive type of the history of the visible Church of Christ. They were in slavery in Egypt as all men are in bondage to sin and Satan.

They were brought out of Egypt as all the redeemed are delivered by the almighty grace of God. With a high hand and an outstretched arm, the Lord brought Israel out of the house of bondage; and, by a very wonderful baptism, in the cloud and in the sea, they commenced their career as God's separated people. Then they all shared in the same spiritual ordinances: They did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink. Yet, despite all that, they were not all God's people.

They were so nominally, and visibly, but they were not all really so. And, as there was a mixed multitude that came up out of Egypt, together with the true seed of promise, so there is an alien element in every church today. Among those who have been baptized into Christ, there are still some who, while they eat the spiritual meat and drink the spiritual drink, yet despite that have not been brought into true communion with Christ, and do not in reality know the Lord.

But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

There was no evidence of faith in many of them, and without faith it is impossible to please God. Is it not a sad thing that, in a people so highly favored as they were, there should have been so large a proportion of those who had not the faith which renders men pleasing to God? So they did literally come out into the wilderness to die there, and they never entered into the rest of God.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we –

We professed Christians,– we, church-members,–

Should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

They gave way to their carnal appetites; they craved meat when God had already given them angels' food. Now, if we act like this, we cannot be pleasing to God.