Verses 1 through 4 speak of the children of Israel in a positive way, but verses 5 through 11 picture them in a negative way. In verse 5, a strong word of warning, Paul says, “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn along in the wilderness.” Literally, this means that they were strewn down along the ground; that is, they were laid low on the ground by slaying. This refers to Numbers 14:16 and 29.
Of all the children of Israel who came out of Egypt, only two, Joshua and Caleb, entered the good land. This indicates that only a small number of the living Christians will be in the good land when the Lord Jesus comes back. Furthermore, the bodies of Joseph and Jacob were also brought into the land of Canaan. This indicates that a number of deceased Christians will be resurrected and as overcomers will enter into the coming kingdom.
In verse 5 Paul tells us that with most of the children of Israel God was not well pleased. Because He was not well pleased with them, they were strewn along in the wilderness. Their dead bodies were scattered in the wilderness without a proper burial or funeral. In one day alone, more than twenty thousand were slain and strewn along the ground, their bodies scattered in the wilderness. This should warn us not to listen to the superficial and superstitious teaching that as long as a person believes in the Lord Jesus and is saved, everything will be all right. This is equal to saying that simply because the children of Israel had experienced the Passover, everything concerning them was all right. However, the very ones who struck the blood of the Passover lamb, who made their exodus from Egypt, who crossed the Red Sea, and who even received God’s revelation at Mount Sinai and ate the manna and drank of the living water were strewn along in the wilderness. We cannot deny the fact that the children of Israel were redeemed and saved. Nevertheless, most of them fell in the wilderness.
Not even Moses and Aaron entered the good land. Aaron died because of his mistake, and Miriam died because of her rebellion. Even Moses died, not because of old age, but because he had done something serious against God’s government. He was allowed to see the land, but he was not permitted to enter into it. Deuteronomy 34:4 says, “And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.” The Lord loved Moses, regarding him as an intimate friend, but for the sake of His government He could not allow Moses to go into the land. Moses had done something against God’s government, and the Lord had to uphold His government. For this reason He could not permit Moses to enter the land. Here we see that Moses, one who was truly a man of God, was not allowed to enter the good land. Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, three leaders among the people, died in the wilderness. It surely is not good to die in this way.
In verse 6 Paul continues, “Now these things occurred as types of us, that we should not be lusters after evil things, as they also lusted.” Here Paul says that these things happened as types of us. Thus, he includes himself with all believers in the matter of running the Christian race. These types indicate that we should not be lusters after evil things, as the children of Israel lusted. The word “also” in verse 6 indicates that the Corinthians were lusting after evil things. Therefore, Paul warns them not to be those who lust.
Paul’s use of the word types is very significant. The Greek word also means examples, figures of facts of spiritual truths. We have seen that 1 Corinthians takes the history of the children of Israel in the Old Testament as a type of the New Testament believers. In chapters five, seven, and eight they have experienced Christ as their Passover and have begun to keep the feast of unleavened bread. Here in this chapter they have been baptized unto their Moses (Christ), passing through their Red Sea (the death of Christ). They are now eating the spiritual food and drinking the spiritual drink that they may take their journey (the Christian race) toward their good land (the all-inclusive Christ). They are also warned here (v. 11) not to repeat the history of the children of Israel in doing evil against God, as illustrated in verses 6 through 11.
The goal of God’s calling the children of Israel was to enter into the promised land to enjoy its riches that they might establish God’s kingdom and be God’s expression on earth. However, although all had been redeemed through the Passover, delivered out of the Egyptian tyranny, and brought to the mountain of God to receive the revelation of God’s dwelling place, the tabernacle, nearly all fell and died in the wilderness, failing to reach this goal (Heb. 3:7-19) because of their evil doings and unbelief. Only Caleb and Joshua made it into the good land (Num. 14:27-30). This signifies that although we have been redeemed through Christ, delivered out of Satan’s bondage, and brought into the revelation of God’s economy, we may yet fail to reach the goal of God’s calling, that is, to enter into the possession of our good land, Christ (Phil. 3:12-14), and enjoy His riches for the kingdom of God that we may be His expression in the present age and participate in the fullest enjoyment of Christ in the kingdom age (Matt. 25:21, 23). This should be a solemn warning to all New Testament believers, especially to the Corinthians, who were in danger of repeating the failure of the children of Israel in the wilderness.