Warnings from Israel’s Past
(Numbers 16:41–50; Numbers 25:1–5)
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. Exo 14:29Neh 9:11-12Psa 78:13-14Psa 105:39Psa 106:7-11Exo 13:21-22Exo 14:19-221Co 14:38 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Heb 3:2-31Co 1:13-16Exo 14:31Rom 6:3Gal 3:27Jhn 9:28-29 They all ate the same spiritual food Deu 8:3Neh 9:15Exo 16:35Exo 16:4Neh 9:20Exo 16:15Psa 105:40Psa 78:23-25 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Exo 17:6Jhn 7:37Isa 48:21Jhn 4:14Psa 105:41Jhn 4:10Num 20:11Psa 78:15 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. Heb 3:17Jud 1:5Num 26:64-65Num 14:37Num 14:11-12Num 14:28-35Psa 106:26Psa 78:32-34
These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. Jud 1:71Co 10:112Pe 2:6Heb 4:11Num 11:4Zep 3:6-7Num 11:31-34Psa 106:14-15 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.” 1 Exo 32:6-8Psa 106:19-201Co 6:9Deu 9:121Co 10:14Deu 9:16-211Co 5:111Jn 5:21 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. Num 25:1-91Co 6:18Psa 106:291Co 6:9Rev 2:14 We should not test Christ, 2 as some of them did, and were killed by snakes. Num 21:5-6Psa 78:18Heb 3:8-11Exo 17:2Deu 6:16Exo 17:7Psa 78:56Exo 23:20-21 And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. 3 Num 14:2Num 16:41Num 14:37Php 2:141Ch 21:152Sa 24:16Psa 106:25Exo 12:23
Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. Rom 15:4Rom 13:111Co 9:101Jn 2:18Php 4:5Rom 4:23Heb 10:25Heb 10:37 So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall. Rom 11:202Pe 3:17Pro 16:181Co 8:2Mat 26:40-41Mat 26:33-34Pro 28:14Rev 3:17-18 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide an escape, so that you can stand up under it. 2Pe 2:92Ti 4:182Th 3:31Pe 5:8-9Heb 12:41Th 5:24Rom 8:28-392Co 12:8-10
Flee from Idolatry
(Exodus 20:22–26)
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. Rev 21:81Jn 5:211Pe 2:112Co 7:12Co 6:17Rev 22:15Rev 2:141Co 10:20-21 I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say. 1Th 5:211Co 8:11Co 11:131Co 14:201Co 4:101Co 6:5Job 34:2-3 Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Mat 26:26-281Co 11:23-29Act 2:42Heb 3:141Jn 1:7Jhn 6:53-58Luk 22:19-201Jn 1:3 Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. Rom 12:5Col 3:151Co 12:121Co 12:27Eph 4:12-13Eph 4:16Eph 4:25Eph 4:4
Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar? Eph 2:11-12Gal 6:16Lev 3:11Lev 7:6Php 3:3-51Co 9:132Co 11:18-22Lev 3:3-5 Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 1Co 8:41Co 1:281Co 13:21Co 3:7Deu 32:21Isa 40:17Isa 41:292Co 12:11 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. Rev 9:20Psa 106:37-39Deu 32:16-172Co 4:4Lev 17:72Ch 11:15 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too. Mat 6:241Ki 18:212Co 6:15-17Isa 65:111Co 10:16Deu 32:37-381Co 8:10 Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? Deu 32:21Deu 32:16Heb 10:31Deu 4:24Deu 6:15Ecc 6:10Exo 20:5Exo 34:14
All to God’s Glory
(1 Peter 4:1–11)
“Everything is permissible,” 4 but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is edifying. 1Co 6:121Co 8:9Eph 4:29Rom 14:19-201Th 5:11Rom 15:1-2Rom 14:151Co 14:17 No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. Rom 15:1-2Php 2:4-51Co 10:33Php 2:211Co 9:19-231Co 13:52Co 12:14
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 1Ti 4:41Co 8:7Tit 1:15Rom 14:141Co 10:27-29Act 10:15Rom 13:5 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 5 Psa 24:1Psa 50:12Exo 19:5Deu 10:14Job 41:111Ti 6:171Co 10:28
If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience. 1Co 10:25Luk 10:7-81Co 5:9-112Co 1:132Co 4:22Co 5:11Luk 15:23Luk 19:7 But if someone tells you, “This food was offered to idols,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience— 6 1Co 8:10-131Co 8:7Rom 14:151Co 10:26Jer 27:5-6Mat 6:31-32Psa 115:16Deu 10:14 the other one’s conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else’s conscience? 1Co 9:19Rom 14:15-211Co 8:9-131Co 10:322Co 8:211Th 5:22 If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? Rom 14:61Ti 4:3-4
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. Col 3:17Col 3:231Pe 4:11Deu 12:7Deu 12:18Zec 7:5-6Deu 12:12Luk 11:41 Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God— Act 20:281Co 10:33Rom 14:131Co 8:132Co 6:3Act 24:161Co 11:221Ti 3:15 as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved. 1Co 10:24Gal 1:101Co 9:19-23Rom 15:2-32Co 12:19Rom 11:142Co 11:28-29