Verse 7 says, “Neither become idolaters, as some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.” The abusive eating of the children of Israel was related to their idolatry in worshipping the golden calf (Exo. 32:1-6). The apostle’s word here implies that the Corinthians’ eating of idol sacrifices without any consideration was also somewhat related to idolatry.
In verse 7 we have the biblical interpretation of idolatry. Idolatry is to eat, drink, and play. When the children of Israel worshipped the golden calf, they sat down to eat and drink, and they stood up to play. Here to play means to have entertainment. Eating, drinking, and playing are equal to worshipping idols. Today people everywhere are committing idolatry in this way. Whenever there is a holiday or a long weekend, they give themselves to play, to the pursuit of various kinds of entertainment. Furthermore, in many of today’s Christian services there is the practice of idolatry. In the sight of God, the music and the dramas found in certain services are idolatry. In many places Christians are not actually worshipping God—they are practicing idolatry. Their way of service is idolatrous in the eyes of God. We also must be careful in the way we use musical instruments in the meetings. Our singing should be for worship, not for fun. When we sing in the meetings, we need to have a genuine spirit of worship. If our singing becomes mere entertainment, that is idolatry. The singing in the meetings of the church must not be play; it must be genuine worship offered to God.
Verse 8 continues, “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed fornication, and there fell in one day twenty-three thousand.” Fornication accompanies idolatry (Num. 25:1-2). Hence, these two things are referred to together, as also in Acts 15:20, 29. Undoubtedly, the implication here is that these two evils also existed among the Corinthian believers. Hence, these are the main things dealt with in chapters five through ten.
In this verse Paul uses the word “fell.” This means to be strewn along, to be laid low on the ground by being slain. Those who fell in this way were not properly buried. Instead, they were scattered in the wilderness.
In verse 9 Paul goes on to say, “Neither let us tempt the Lord, as some of them tempted and were destroyed by the serpents.” Literally, the Greek word for tempt means to try to the uttermost, to “tempt out,” to tempt thoroughly. According to Numbers 21:6, those who tempted the Lord were destroyed by serpents.
Verse 10 says, “Neither murmur, as some of them murmured and perished by the destroyer.” The murmuring of the children of Israel (Num. 16:41) typified the negative speaking of the Corinthian believers against the apostle (1 Cor. 4:3; 9:3). The children of Israel who murmured perished; they were destroyed in death, laid low on the ground. The destroyer mentioned in verse 10 is God’s executing angel (Exo. 12:23; 2 Sam. 24:16-17). No doubt, by referring to the murmuring of the children of Israel Paul implies that the Corinthian believers should be careful about murmuring against him.
In verse 11 Paul explains, “Now these things happened to them as types, and were written for our admonition, unto whom the ends of the ages have come.” Again Paul says that the things that happened to the children of Israel in the wilderness are types. These types were written for our admonition. Admonition here implies a warning.
In verse 11 Paul speaks of the ends of the ages. The Greek word for ends also means fulfillment or consummation. The ends of the ages here refer to the New Testament age, from the Lord’s first coming to His second coming (Heb. 9:26). This implies that the New Testament age, in which we are, is the age of grace, when we may take the admonition concerning the history of the children of Israel. Following this age is the kingdom age, when these examples in the Old Testament age will no longer serve for our Christian race.
In this verse Paul seems to be saying, “This age, the age of grace, is the end of the ages. Brothers, you are all in the age of grace. What happened to the children of Israel is still a type as an admonition for you. If you do not heed the warning of this type and walk in the light of this warning, you will miss the opportunity. When this age is over, these types of the children of Israel will no longer serve you.”