Our forefather's example

When writing to the Believers in Corinth, the apostle Paul turned back the pages of history and asked those who accepted the New Covenant if they had learned anything from the Torah of Moses: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).  In the above instructions, what is Paul referring to when pointing back to the forefathers and their testimony? What kind of witness were they, and why is it so important for us too to take note of their experiences and mistakes?

The apostle did not want his addressees (and us by inference) to be ignorant or unaware of possible parallels or similar situations in their/our lives, as iniquity can be passed on from generation to generation.  He explains the connection between his contemporaries and the old biblical events, but first makes mention of the presence of Messiah in those situations that the ancient Israelites faced in the wilderness: “They were all under the cloud and passed through the sea.  They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink, as they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Messiah” (ref. 1Cor 10:1-4). 

Yes, in spite of the (above described) spiritual realities, which met our ancestors in their circumstances, they failed to respond in accordance with faith. Thus YHVH was not pleased with them. Let us glean more details about their waywardness from Paul’s instructions to the Hebrews: “Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those, who came out of Egypt with Moses, who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?  And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey?  So we see that they could not enter in because of disobedience” (Hebrews 3:17-19 emphases added).  They turned a deaf ear to the Word of Elohim and to the instructions that were first uttered at Mount Sinai, and later imparted to them through Moses.  It seems that there was a major obstacle that hindered their hearing, seeing, and understanding and that was the ‘heart issue’ which was the core of the matter. Paul warns us as well: “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years.  Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways’” (Hebrews 3:8-10). 

As the above scripture tell us, our fathers saw YHVH’s “works” in the course of those forty years in the wilderness. Similarly, what are the works that YHVH accomplished through the “New Covenant” that we, by the obedience of faith, are to embrace and walk in? These works have been recorded by the apostles by means of the Spirit’s inspiration.  These messengers of YHVH warn us by comparing us with our ancestors.  It is not a ‘given’ that we will succeed in our attempt at obedience, because we face the same temptations by our own lusts, as well as from the kingdom of darkness as did they.  Hence we are addressed by the following warning: “Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness, of sin” (Hebrews 3:12).  Yeshua pointed out to His disciples the source of the problem: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mark 7:21-23).  Paul is referring to the same issue when describing our forefathers in the wilderness. Even in the presence of YHVH the latter were still overcome by their lusts, which is why they did not enter His rest. “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 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 play.’  Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;  nor let us tempt Elohim as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; [as we see in this Shabbat’s Parasha reading]  nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Cor. 10: 6-10). 

As for us, even though we have the Spirit of Messiah and have died to sin, nevertheless “lust” is still resident and operative in our hearts and minds.  Paul warns us that we are still able to serve sin.  If you noticed in Romans 6:12, it says: “Do not let sin reign, [rule or have dominion] in your mortal bodies” (emphasis added). It is therefore our choice, even though “the power of sin still works in me, it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells in me,” as Paul confessed in Romans 7:20.  We, who now possess “the light of the knowledge of Elohim in the face of Messiah” (2 Corinthians 4:6), which is the power of the Spirit of Holiness, have no excuse for not coming to rest by the obedience of faith.

“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1).