(1) Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (2) And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (3) And did all eat the same spiritual meat; (4) And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (5) But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. (6) Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. (7) Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. (8) Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. (9) Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. (10) Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. (11) Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. (12) Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
It is a very sure and blessed truth, that the Gospel was preached to the old Church, as well as unto the new. To our Father s in type and shadow; to us in sum and substance, Galatians 3:8. And very blessed it is, when under the Holy Ghost's teaching, we can read the one through the other. For, it not only thereby proves, that one uniform design runs through both Testaments of Scripture, from beginning to end, that Christ is both the end of the law for righteousness, to everyone that believeth, and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World; but that God the Holy Ghost hath presided as the Almighty Lord and Minister of his Church through all ages. He that called light out of darkness in the old creation, is the same that commandeth the light from darkness in the new creation of the soul, in every individual instance of his people, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, Romans 10:4; Revelation 13:8; Genesis 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:6
The Apostle opens this chapter to the Church, whom he calls brethren, to shew their right and interest in what he was about to deliver to them, as distinguished from the world, and calls upon them to be informed of what concerned them highly to know; namely, that the Gospel was very early preached to the Church, even from their first formation as a Church, on coming up out of Egypt. And, Reader! it is our mercy from this sweet scripture of the Holy Ghost to learn some very blessed things, which without it, we should not so plainly have understood. Who could have thought, but for this divine teaching, that the pillar of the cloud, which acted in a double capacity, both for light by day, and a screen by night, had an allusion to Christ, and the blessed leadings of his Holy Ghost graciously condescended to have given the Church his own illustration of the whole, to his glory and our joy? Very sweet and blessed, indeed, are those scriptures on those subjects, and we never can be sufficiently thankful to the Holy Ghost for them, since they not only serve to throw a light over the whole of the eventful Scriptures of the Old Testament, but most decidedly shew to us, that from the first dawn of revelation to the consummation of all things, one and the same dispensation of grace hath been uniformly carried on, in manifesting His blessed and Almighty Person Jesus Christ, who is the same, yesterday, and today, and forever.
But what I beg the Reader particularly to remark with me, is what the Apostle had in commission from the Holy Ghost to teach the Church, that all that came out of Egypt by Moses, were not alike interested, in those precious things. With many of them, this Scripture saith, God was not well pleased; and they were overthrown in the wilderness. And the reason is elsewhere explained. All are not Israel which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called, Romans 9:6-7. The visible Church then, as the visible Church now, which consisteth only of outward privileges, may be, and indeed are, common things, and enjoyed in common with those who have no real lot nor part in the matter. Thus we are told, that beside six hundred thousand on foot beside children, that went up out of Egypt, a mixed multitude went up also with them, Exodus 12:37-38
It should be well understood, therefore, to avoid all possible misapprehensions, that when God is speaking of his people, it is a distinction of character infinitely higher, than can be discovered by mere outward things. All the whole earth is the Lord's; and as the Creator, everything in it is his. But there is a title of property; and peculiarity, by which the Lord hath marked the people taken into Covenant in Christ concerning whom the Lord specially saith: This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise, Isaiah 43:21. I humbly conceive, it will form the best spiritual improvement of this sweet Scripture, under God the Spirit's teaching, if we look a little closer into those features of character, by which they are discoverable, from the mere outward visible Church, which all men possess in common, and which from having no real Covenant interest in Christ, are daily productive of the same consequences as are spoken of here, are overthrown in the wilderness.
And first, let the Reader observe, how the Lord's Israel are marked. The Lord saith, that he hath set them apart for himself. They were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 1:4. And during the time-state of the Church, they are called with an holy calling; not according to their works, but according to his own purpose and grace, given them in Christ Jesus before the world began, 2 Timothy 1:9. So that He who chose them before the world began as his Israel, appointed for them also the grace for an effectual calling of them in time; by giving them that grace in Christ, which therefore must be sure to all the seed, Romans 4:16. And hence Peter was taught by the Holy Ghost, to remind the Church, how they should judge of their interest and safety in Christ, by giving all diligence to make their calling and election sure. For if they could prove their calling, the certainty of their election must be proved also; for the one is included in the other : 2 Peter 1:10-11. See Deuteronomy 32:8-12. God's true Israel, therefore, are marked with these distinguishing features of character. They are set apart, called, awakened, regenerated, and manifested to be the children of God, by adoption, and grace: while the mere nominal Israel, though in the visible Church, and apparently enjoying the same privileges, remain in unbelief, darkness, and the shadow of death. The Lord's own account of them is: they do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in wrath; they shall not enter into my rest, Psalms 95:7; Hebrews 3:10-11
Secondly. The Lord's Israel of the present hour are as truly brought up out of spiritual Egypt, as the Lord's Israel were of old from the bondage of natural Egypt. They have felt, and do feel; the plague of their own heart; and the wormwood, and the gall, of a bondage state. The corruption of a fallen sinful state, both in original and actual transgression, drink up their spirits. And therefore, when the Lord speaks to them now, as he did to Moses of old : I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt; and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them, Acts 7:34. In every individual instance of a soul brought out of darkness and the shadow of death; and brought through the red sea of blood; the typical representation Egypt's history then furnished, is truly realized, and the design of God the Holy Ghost in that shadowy dispensation, through grace is seen.
Thirdly. The Lord's Israel are as truly known now, as was then, in the being brought into a wilderness state, and being distinguished from all other people; amidst their wilderness dispensations, in the pillar of the cloud going before them by day, and the pillar of fire surrounding them by night. Distinguishing grace marks the whole path, all the way through. everything around them, about them, in them, and by them; sets forth the manifestation of the Lord's care over them. The sun doth not smite them by day, neither the moon by night. So that every child of God may say now, as truly as Moses did then, when summing up their history : Happy art thou, 0 Israel: who is like unto thee, 0 people saved by the Lord! Deuteronomy 33:29
And what I beg the Reader in this view of the subject, is to mark the distinguishing properties of the grace bestowed upon Israel in the old Church in the Wilderness; and the Israel now, under the common mercies of the visible Church then, had the pillar the cloud, the manna, and the water, with all the other means and ordinances; it was only the true Israel of God which enjoyed the spiritual blessings. In like manner, in the present hour, the outward privileges nationally considered, are in common to all that are called Israel; but the spiritual seed of Jacob only, are blessed with the spiritual enjoyment of them. The whole camp of Israel was victualled from Heaven with the Manna, day by day; and all partook of the water which flowed from the Rock that followed them. But, none saw Christ in the Manna, nor in the Rock, but God's true Israel. So, in the present hour, the multitude receive the Gospel in all the outward ordinances of it, but behold not Jesus in his ordinances. They live in the use of them, not by faith on Christ, but on themselves and their duties, and their own improvements, as they call them; and in the midst of all, have no apprehension of Jesus. And, as the carcases of the unbelievers, as here described, fell in the wilderness; some by idolatry, some by fornication, some by murmuring: so now, who shall calculate what multitudes die, unawakened, unregenerated, unrenewed, in the very midst of ordinances, after the same example of unbelief, Hebrews 4:11
I detain the Reader one moment longer, just to observe, on that striking verse, of those who are said to have tempted Christ in the wilderness, that it becomes a most decided testimony in proof that Christ is He whom Stephen spake of which was in the Church in the Wilderness, Acts 7:38. And also, it as decidedly proves Christ to be God. For Moses, in relating this event, expressly called him so. Wherefore do ye (saith he) tempt the Lord? Exodus 17:2. Precious testimony by the way.