| Nehemiah 9:22-10:39; I Corinthians 9:19-10:13; Psalm 34:1-10; Proverbs 21:13
“Moreover brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all of our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea. All did eat the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink of that spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” (I Corinthians 10:1-5)
God is teaching us about Israel, His chosen people, and how He delivered them out of Egyptian slavery. This is always symbolic of Him delivering us out of bondage. God’s warning is this: We must never forget where we came from or who has set us free. That release and sustained victory comes only by the power of the blood of Christ and His Holy Spirit whom He has sent to live in us. (Galatians 2:20)
As He said, all of the people went through the same circumstance and all had the same exposure to Him, yet the majority did not make it to the Promised Land. Why is that? Reading this text, we see that many of God’s people took their eyes off of Him. They became idolaters by placing people and things before the Lord. (V7) Many committed fornication and 23,000 died in one day. (V8) Some tempted Christ and were destroyed by serpents. (V9) Some of them murmured and complained and were destroyed of the destroyer as they gave place to the devil. (11)
Then the Bible tells us that these scriptures were written as an example to warn us lest we should fall into the same trap. Here is what God says, “No temptation has taken you that is not common to man, but God is faithful with the temptation who will make a way of escape that you may be able to bear it thereby.” (V13) Keeping our eyes on Christ is the key. We must totally trust and depend upon Him. We must cease from our works, putting our heart and mind on Him in trust, knowing that He will make a way of escape as we look only to Him.
I don’t know what you are facing or what you are up against. Maybe in your own strength you’ve been trying to take care of it. God promises that whatever you are going through He is faithful to make a way of escape. The key to victory is letting Him take over our lives. We have no power within ourselves to make the way of escape, only He can as we give our dilemma to Him. Our only power lies in our obedience to Him.
In closing, we don’t have to stay trapped in sin unless we so choose. When we recognize that we are off, we simply need to remember what happened to the children of Israel, repent and get our eyes on Christ. He’ll guide us out directly. Don’t pass up the door of escape!
PRAYER:
God, I tried, I can’t do it! The more I try in myself, the more I fall. Here is my life and situation, I pray You will arise and move on my behalf. The battle is Your’s Lord, I am Your’s and my life is hidden in You. I trust and serve You with all of my heart. God I give You all the glory. Save me from my enemies, save me from temptation, and save me from myself. Father, set me free and I will give You all of the glory, honor and praise, in the name of Jesus. Amen. |
