For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.
Paul here refers to the Israelites who came out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses. All of them were under the cloud, the glory of God that led them through the sea and wilderness. All of them passed through the sea on dry land when it opened. And all of them shared in the manna, quail, and water that God provided them.
Paul’s comment that they were baptized into Moses and the cloud is unique in Scripture. But he is likely drawing a similarity with being baptized into Christ. The exodus generation of Israel had membership in the people of God.
Paul’s identification of the rock that they drank from at the beginning and end of their journey with Christ, along with the spiritual nature of the food, water, and rock, is also unique. It is possible that Paul is simply identifying Christ, the second person of the triune God, as the one who accompanied them on their journey and provided for them.
But of the great multitude who left Egypt, how many entered the promised land? Among the adults who left, only two entered Canaan: Joshua and Caleb. The others died in the wilderness because of their disobedience and rebellion.
It’s Not Enough to Go Through the Motions
Why did Paul recount this bit of history? He went on to tell us that those things were recorded as examples for us, a warning not to follow their example. It is not enough to be baptized and join a local church. It is not enough to do a bunch of ‘Christian’ activities. Israel essentially did all of that.
What Israel failed at was trusting and obeying God. They went through the motions. But their hearts did not belong to God. Paul’s warning to the Corinthians, and to us today, is that going through the motions will, in the end, leave us on the outside looking in. Only those who are obedient to the will of the Father will enter his kingdom.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
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