1. Twice in this passage, the apostle Paul tells us that "all these things happened unto them for ensamples (examples)" (I Cor.10:11; cf. vs. 6).
2. The word "ensample" or "example" means type; all these things happened unto them for types: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
3. In other words, these O.T. pilgrims had the types or shadows; whereas we N.T. pilgrims have the real thing.
4. Now, in emphasizing the typical, we should never lose sight of the fact that these incidents really took place. "Now all these things happened…" (vs. 11).
5. A true type was something designed by God to teach us a lesson – "and they are written for our admonition" (vs. 11). Today, I would like to draw out three great types from this passage in I Corinthians: the cloud (vs. 1), the baptism unto Moses (vs. 2), and "that spiritual Rock that followed them" (vs. 4).
6. We will compare these types with their antitypes by referring to the OT. When we speak of an antitype, we are referring to the substance, which is always better than the shadow.
7. I suppose it would be good to stop at this point and define the word "type": Types are emblems, designed by God to represent and prefigure some great and good things to come.
8. W.G. Moorehead, one of the editors of the Scofield Bible, wrote this: "Types are pictures, object lessons, by which God taught His people concerning His grace and saving power" (ISBE).
9. "A type is a person, or thing in the Bible which in the foreknowledge of God was designed to represent or prefigure some person, thing, or event that should appear in the future" (Carl Harwood, Handbook of Bible Types and Symbols, cited by Donald K. Campbell, Bib Sac, No. 447).

1. THE MOVING CLOUD (vs. 1).

1. Let me start off by saying that the moving cloud represented God’s guidance (cf. Ex.13:21,22).
2. The cloud was the symbol and the evidence of God’s presence – when the cloud moved, they moved.
3. Likewise today, when God moves, we had better move. My pastor, Rod Bell, had the privilege, early in his ministry, to work under the late Pastor Harold Sightler, a great old-fashioned Baptist preacher. He once asked Dr. Sightler the reason for his success. Dr. Sightler said: "I always tried to see which way God was going, and I got out of His way."
4. In other words, when God moved, he moved. He made sure that they were both going in the same direction.
5. The cloud seemed to move so easily, but nothing on earth could move it – they were all under it, and God was in it (vs.1; cf. Ex. 13:21).
6. The Holy Spirit was there to instruct them (Neh.9:20), but men cannot see the Holy Spirit. The pillar of cloud and fire was the visible emblem of God’s presence.
7. The way by which the pillar led seemed strange to the children of Israel, and when they found themselves hemmed in by the Red Sea in front and Pharaoh’s army behind, they thought they had been brought in a wrong direction.
8. Likewise today, some Christians lack faith in God; they are afraid to do things God’s way. We need to remember that "all these things happened unto them for examples" (I Cor.10:11).
9. Just as God parted the Red Sea for them, He will provide for us, of that we can be sure.
10. All through their pilgrim journey the Israelites were guided by the pillar of cloud and were never in the dark; and today those who are guided by the Holy Spirit "shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).
11. When God would talk with Moses we read that "the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD" (Ex.34:5).
12. "And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him.." (meaning Moses, Num.11:25).
13. They were all led by the cloud. Today we are led by the Holy Spirit. Today God speaks to us through His Word. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and makes it real to us.
14. For the Israelites to move without the cloud was to wander off into confusion and failure. And for Christians to move without the guidance of God’s Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit will likewise result in confusion and failure.
15. Much more could be said about the Israelites being under the cloud, but I would like to move on to the next verse – they "were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea" (I Cor.10:2).

II. THE BAPTISM UNTO MOSES (vs. 2).

1. They "were all baptized unto Moses" (vs. 2) because Moses was God’s appointed leader. Someone has said that when God wants to do something, He appoints a man. He certainly doesn’t appoint a committee. Men put together committees, God appoints leaders (Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Paul, et al).
2. The word "baptize" has different meanings. When referring to the ordinance of baptism, it can only mean immersion, not sprinkling.
3. However, the word is used in various ways (cf. Matt.20:22,23). The word "baptize" can mean to "identify." When we are baptized, we identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Rom.6:3,4).
4. But here the Israelites were "baptized unto Moses" (vs. 2). And yet they never got wet; they passed over dry ground when God parted the Red Sea for them. It was the Egyptians who got all wet!
5. By the way, the liberals teach that the correct reading should be the "Reed Sea" and they insist that the water was only a few inches deep. That would even be more of a miracle – the entire Egyptian army drowning in a few inches of water!
6. But the liberals are wrong (as usual). God says: "Now all these things happened" (vs. 11).
7. They were "baptized unto Moses" because they identified with Moses. And they were identified with Moses by his faith (Heb.11:27-29). They lacked faith but Moses did not.
8. They wanted to go back to Egypt, they murmured and complained, they blamed Moses for everything. But Moses had faith. And Moses went down to the water and smote the Red Sea as God commanded. Moses led the Israelites across the Red Sea on dry ground. They identified with Moses and his leadership (Ex.14:31).
9. Paul says: "Now these things were our examples" (vs. 6), or types. This is a beautiful picture of salvation. The Lord Jesus went through the waters of death for us. And now we are brought through by His death and resurrection.
10. Have you been brought through? Have you been saved?
11. And if you have been saved, have you obeyed the Lord and followed Him in believers’ baptism? When we are baptized, we identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. No other mode but immersion fits this beautiful picture. If you have never been Scripturally baptized, let me encourage you to do so.
12. As the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, they were "baptized unto Moses" – this speaks of unity. Soon they would be wandering through the wilderness and murmuring – this speaks of disunity.
13. Therefore, enjoyment of high privileges does not guarantee entry into final blessing. Remember only two of those original pilgrims made it to the Promised Land – Caleb and Joshua.

III. THE ROCK THAT FOLLOWED THEM (vss.3,4).

1. An old Jewish legend claims that a literal rock followed the Israelites through the wilderness, and some rabbis have taught this.
2. However, the apostle Paul tells us it was a "spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ" (vs. 4).
3. The manna from heaven was "spiritual meat" (vs. 3), i.e. "spiritual food" because it was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said: "I am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven" (John 6:48-51).
4. What does this mean for us? (cf. John 6:47).
5. And just as the manna from heaven was "spiritual meat," Christ is "that spiritual Rock that followed them" (vs. 4).
6. The Bible says that "they drank of that spiritual Rock" (vs. 4; cf. Ex.17:5-7). Like Christ, the Rock had to be smitten.
7. And like Christ, the Rock poured forth its hidden treasures (cf. John 4:14; 7:37,38). Because of Calvary, Christ gives us the Holy Spirit.
8. In the O.T., the Rock was Jehovah (Deut.32:15). The RC Douay-Rheims translation deliberately mistranslates this because they want their followers to think that Peter is the Rock. But the Bible teaches that Christ is the Rock (cf. 32:18,30,31,37).
9. Ps.18:2 says, "The LORD (Jehovah) is my Rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower."
10. Therefore, if "that Rock was Christ" (I Cor.10:4b), then Christ is Jehovah, our fortress, our deliverer, and our God. Is He your deliverer? Is He your God?

1. Let us turn now to verse 5: "But with many of them God was not well pleased…" Is God well pleased with you?
2. For the children of Israel, God’s displeasure meant premature death (vs. 5b). Those who rebel against God scarcely realize how they are cutting short their lives.
3. Although they all left Egypt, "many" (10:5, quite an understatement, only two entered the Promised Land) still had Egypt in their hearts.
4. Notice "all" (vss. 1,2,3,4), and "many."
5. "Overthrown in the wilderness" (vs. 5) means their bodies were scattered around the wilderness. Why were they overthrown? Lust, idolatry, tempting Christ (vss. 6-9).
6. How did they "tempt Christ" (vs. 9)? By speaking against God and against God’s appointed leader (cf. Numbers 21:5-9).