1 Corinthians 10:1-13 - Part B

You see a big God. You see, little man, but if you have a little God UCB management problems.

So I said on many occasions, difficulty must always be measured by the capacity of the agent doing the work is difficult for you regarding the situation changes every day have the choice to trust in God, or to become beautiful with all that's wrong in the world today on connect with Skip Skip Sears wives vital to note the noise of the world and Conan on God's promises first. If you want to stay up-to-date on the latest from his ministry from Skip to follow Skip on Facebook, twitter and Instagram find announcements and great encouragement from Skip basket height at Skip HBI TC IG here at connect with get I think incredible stories about how God is encouraging people around the world and the stories are only possible because if you get to this ministry all over the world to the good news of Jesus and keep these messages you have on please consider getting help more people connect with God and grow in their faith. Just visit.com/connectwithskip.com/Downey can call 800-9200 92. First Corinthians chapter 10 as we dive into her study with Skip man, all that was necessary that spiritual food that God to sustain life. Their feet wouldn't swell so they could maintain homeostasis could be vital and and live well during those 40 years, man was also interesting because it says they could grind it in their grinders they could beat it in their mortars, they could make it in thereof.

And so it had interesting properties so I don't know if Mrs. Moses wrote a book of thousand one ways to prepare manna with all sorts of recipes, but no doubt there was banana bread or mint manicotti would be 100. There would be manna soufflé all sorts of different varieties that you could do it and I told you before that one of the Scripture say that it tasted like wafers baked with honey. That's why say when I eat a Krispy Kreme doughnut I think. Oh yeah, this is man-to-man hot. Now manna must've tasted like I do get caught up on the matter thing I do love okay so so God provided that the same spiritual food. They drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank of the spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ. It's an interesting Scripture we know in the Old Testament the water was a problem when you're in the desert.

Sources of water for 2 million people would be an issue in the complaint. On one occasion we don't have enough water fumigation and we know that Moses was told to go up to to the rock and hit it with this staff and outflow water enough water was to have a lot of subterranean pressure to bring water to the 2 million souls plus livestock and and to nourish the later on. Moses was told to speak to that rock. He got mad misrepresent the Lord. Indeed, it must, we bring water out of this rock, you know the story, but according to Paul, he says now that rock was Christ. There's a lot of ways to look at data most people look at that in a spiritual kind of the way they spiritualize the text a little bit saying that, spiritually speaking, Christ is the living water.

The satisfiers of the soul and all that. Best that's true and perhaps that is in Paul's mind, let me suggest another possibility there was a Jewish legend that persisted and Paul would have been aware of the legend and the legend, the Jewish legend was is that the rock in the wilderness that Moses struck the Brockport water actually appeared wherever the children of Israel would camp so they Pulled up Move miles away. The be there. There was that same rock that would provide water for the and so it just sort of followed them.

It was a Jewish legend that Barack followed them wherever they went. Now that's just a legend and I don't necessary believe that to be true could be true but there's a Jewish legend. It could be that Paul was aware of the legend and he said you know you're right. Knowing about the legend, knowing what they believe there was a rock that followed you, but that rock was in a literal rock that rock was the person of Christ who sustained you during the wilderness march and it could be here that the idea is that they at that time under Moses were anticipating the coming of the Messiah. We know that Moses predicted another would come that was like him in the New Testament identifies that other profit as being the Messiah. So that was introduced by Moses to wait for the coming of Messiah. So under Moses.

The children of Israel anticipated the coming of Messiah, the rock of their salvation. And it's interesting that Jesus at Caesarea Philippi did say to his disciples, standing before this huge rock in Caesarea Philippi, he said upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it, and he used the Greek quartet and pet means a massive stone and the word that is used here in the Greek language for Barack that followed them was Christ is the same word pet that massive brought a course in Matthew 16 when Jesus brought this truth up. He was speaking about the massive confession of belief that he was the son of God, because Peter and said I know you are you are the Christ, the son of the living God.

Flesh and blood and reveal this you Peter. My father who is in heaven. And I see you are Peter Petross, a tiny little pebble, but upon this pet this massive stone of your confession of who I am all build my church on that all build my church on that elbow.

My people, and that so they drank from the St. they drank the same spiritual drink drink the drank from that spiritual Rock that followed them that rock was Christ but now they have this incredible liberty. They have a newfound freedom.

They're not slaves in Egypt, where they can do with this liberty but with most of them God was not well pleased for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. As I mentioned only two of the 2 million or so survived Joshua and Caleb, why did they survive faith.

They applied the promises of God to their lives and they mixed the promises with faith and the test of that faith took place in numbers 13, when Moses sent 12 emissaries to spy out the land, and they spidered out. They looked at it the came back in the broader report in the 12 spies told the children of Israel. What they found in the new land they got a given. And this is what they said no they brought back these two guys about this huge pile of grapes that was so large it took two men to carry them between their shoulders.

That was the fruit of the land is evidence of the blessing of God and so they brought the fruit out and the 10 spies said well as you can see the land is indeed good and abundant that the Lord has given us, but the cities are huge and fortified, and the people are pretty tall. The sons of antic are there there in Norman's and we are grasshoppers in their sight. Joshua and Caleb came forward and said let us go in at once and take that land, for we are well able to take in the 10 dissenters that know we can take it there's you it's Joshua Caleb said their bread for us food for us. Easy Pickens big targets easy to hit Medicine. Let's go for, but the people of Israel listened not to the joyful hopeful report to him and gloom, fearful report and so because they chose to believe that God is it really okay to die in the wilderness and the wandered around for 40 years and that entire generation perish except for those two, Joshua and Caleb.

Not much is change today.

You put your ear to the ground. You read the news you listen to the news you look at your twitter feed nurse basically the voices that are hopeful and things are getting better in great numbers, emotional and horrible doom and gloom just get worse and you just have to decide who you listen to and is a believer, you should listen to the promises of God. There sure and filled with hope but with most of them God was not well pleased something about these these giants of the zombies cities with the fortified walls and towers and all that all 12 of them saw the same things.

It's not like Joshua and Caleb were in a restaurant, drinking a Diet Coke when the Giants walked by only the 10 saw them. They also same thing that the same experience was a shared experience but the reports were so different. Why because of the way they measured. They measured the circumstance, the situation attended by the Giants that they saw the two Joshua and Caleb measured the situation by the giant God. They couldn't see Joshua and Caleb saw a big God, you see a big God. You see little men. But if you have a little God you see big men and big problems. So I said on many occasions, difficulty must always be measured by the capacity of the agent doing the work. This is difficult. Yeah, it's pretty, pretty difficult for you or for me, but regarding the situation. Everything changes game changer.

Their bread for us. No problem. Let's take them but their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Now these things verse six point poking along sorry. Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted in the book of numbers it says they came to a place and they had intense cravings, intense cravings for leaks and garlic's and onions and meet the flesh pots. They're called in the Old Testament the flex or the in the King James called the meat the flesh parts of Egypt. The parts that were served up with just an enormous portions of meat they missed all that God was giving them.

I believe all the protein all of items all the minerals all the nutrients in the manner but it says they set our soul loads this Brad from heaven that you and I would love to see Manna would we not, I'd love to go out and see Manna, but I suppose if you're seeing Manna every day for 40 years.

It might get a little bit old but that's her only choice you're pretty stoked to have some yeah Amanda Berger but they lusted or they craved we shouldn't do that. Verse seven and do not become idolaters, as were some of them as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to Plano is introducing something that is Artie introduced and that is idolatry. Okay, so when the Corinthian's ask is it okay for us to eat meat that has been sacrificed to an idol.

It's because Corinth was filled with worship systems and temples of gods and goddesses everywhere. All of social life was involved in the religious affairs of the Greek gods, so if there was a political rally if there was a business meeting.

If there was any kind of social function, it always involved some sort of sacrifice of a pagan god or goddess was part and parcel of the life of Corinth and some of the believers.

Ours are struggling with.

Can I eat meat from those places are what about people who see me eating that kind of stuff so the idea of idolatry is being introduced from the children of Israel into the situation, but we shouldn't become idolaters of some of them as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. So what did they do with their liberty. They sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play now when they rose up. The play is not there when it rose up to play a game of golf or chess or checkers.

They rose up to play and party sensually and that was when Moses was up on that mountain receiving the Decalogue, the 10 Commandments from the Lord, and he came down and he heard them partying and got to get down quickly. These people of Artie turned aside so he gets. Moses comes down with the 10 Commandments.

You know how it goes and there's Erin. And when Moses was up there.

They said you know Moses that there a long time and always become a guide, you know. They said Aaron get we want to, you know we want we want out some visible representation representation of God. So Erin took an offering. Got all their jewelry gold and threw it into the fire and then he made a golden calf, but he told Moses. Here's the here's the excuse he said to Moses was yeah well it was really weird.

I took their goal and I chucked it into the fire and out came the staff must've been a really powerful fire to have an automatic idol maker inside of it is out pop this false idol that they worship just Aleem excuse. It was Billy Sunday the evangelist to set an excuse is just the skin of her reasons stuffed with ally and that's what happened with them in the wilderness and Erin telling Moses was the skin of a reason stuffed with ally.

The people sat down to eat and drink and they rose up the play.

So they were eating food sacrificed to an idol. You get the connection. The idol of the golden calf in the wilderness, nor let us commit sexual immorality as some of them did and in one day 23,000 fell no work work work. He's picking out different portions of the wilderness wanderings and showing that the children of Israel who had liberty squander their liberty so a numbers chapter 25, 23, 24, 25, you know that area. That's when they lick the son of zip or called for bail him to come and curse the children of Israel, so bailing comes from Mesopotamia comes to a place called bail pay or looks over the encampments of Israel. The tense of Israel and sees God's people and begins to bless them and basically say these are God's people gods bless them their awesome look at that. Check it out and Bailey just get support and he says I called you here to curse the children of Israel. Your blessing them as he said how can I curse what God is. Bless and so this happened a few diabetics it will go from this rigid person over there and he goes over the ridge blesses them over there that didn't work over that ridge in cursive over the goes of it.

Bless them again. So when Bailey is at his limit and so upset with Belo and Zeno go home, get out of here, you're not worth anything bail and said well I can't curse the ones God has blessed but you could do something they like you could have the Moabite women, your women go into the camp of Israel were the Israelite men are the soldiers the front line at the back of a possible battle go into their demand would get those women who are idol worshipers and introduce them to your worship system. Another worship system as they would come on to a guy in offer sexual favors.

That's how the gods of the Canaanites and goddesses were worship. They would often engage in a procreative act. They would bring out the little idol. It would say a prayer to it and so what Bailey was saying is look if if you tempt them sensually, sexually and then bring in the idolatrous thing you don't have to have me curse them.

God himself will curse you bring a curse that don't bring a curse on themselves.

If you introduce that kind of idolatry. So that was the idea behind what Bailey them did to the children of Israel so that is exactly what happened and when that happened on that day they started dropping like flies.

This 23,000 fell in one day know some of you who know your Bibles go no intimates pipe.

I've actually read Numbers 25 and it doesn't say that it's is 24,000 fell and so what you have your people to seek there's a discrepancy in the Bible. There are so many discrepancies in the Bible there's always contradiction they love the stuff, but every time they do that they did their digging a hole for themselves and they try to do that because of the argument. First of all Paul the apostle, a Jewish rabbi knew the text of Scripture that's plain and simple you think it was like an idiot not all I forgot to add that I hadn't read it recently so you know I'm just rounding up the number know he said here. Listen 23,000 fell in one day. Do you want to be brilliant to figure this out 24,000 died in the entire place on one day alone, 23,000 and a total of another thousand 24,000.Paul's point is 23,000 died. This judgment was swift and it happened in one day, nor let us tempt Christ as some of them also attempted and were destroyed by serpents in the that that is yet a difference for this numbers chapter 21. The people were complaining. You know will bring us water, bring us food our soul hates this horrible junkie manna. I'm tired of the manna bread and manicotti and I'm tired of it done and so the Lord allowed serpents to crawl through the camp and the encampment of Israel by people and they died from the service as a judgment upon their attitude but you know the rest of the story. Moses cried out to God, God said, you know, Mo, you can cure this plague if you take a serpent of brass serpent make one at a brush really quickly to shape under Skippy's breath shape it acerbic tack it up on this whole lift up the pole until people look at the brass serpent anybody who looks at that serpent will be healed. Just look at a serpent to be healed so Moses didn't put up with you guys look all the people looked and they were healed, but I'm sure there were people on the other side of the encampment of Islam is a mile and 1/2 away. The whole gamut of that many people thought I'm in a wok or half a mile. Veronica walked a half-mile across the gaps. Somebody said look at a brass serpent and I'm to be healed. That's the stupidest nonscientific thing I've ever hurt the science says only medicine you will will cure you Moses said look at a brass serpent.

He's denying the science it was unscientific. It was illogical, but it worked so whoever looked by me was healed that concludes a text message from the series expound first going right now we want to share about a resource that will help strengthen your trust in God's will and you can live with greater confidence and peace length. His heart and then we as a harsh but accurate philosophy.

Listen to this general encouragement.

But, that's right, in the most difficult circumstances God can intervene as he did for Joseph Jim into the resurrection of Jesus here Skip I think the fact there may not be two more hopeful words than these two words but God because they point us to the great interrupter, the one who can powerfully and graciously interrupt our live with his plans and change our lives forever help you understand some of the Bible's most profound moment. You can have more hope for change in your life.*It's 10 message teaching series are thanks $35 and more today to help connect more people to the only one can radically change your life that God CD collection to get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer four, 892 1880 11:52 tomorrow.

Skip Heitzigs of shares how you can counter complaining with gratitude so you can experience God's richest blessings know, here's the miracles of the wilderness and the covering of the cloud water from the log parting seeing the manna from heaven. All of this forgotten in a single drive and so it talks about in Romans that they complained, neither were they so start counting blessings