1 Corinthians chapter 10, which our brother read. Verse
1 tells us who this is written to. It says, Moreover, brethren,
I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers
were under the cloud and so forth. He writes to the brethren or
those who profess faith in Christ. Back in the first chapter it
says to the church, to them that are sanctified in Christ, called
to be saints with all in every place that call upon the name
of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and hours, so. This is written to and directed
to professing believers. Paul did not know who they were,
but gave them the benefit of the doubt. God does. Down in
verse 14. He says, My dearly beloved, wherefore,
my dearly beloved brethren, fellow believers or seemingly fellow
And I wish that I could preach this in the manner that Paul
must have written it. With great heaviness, he says,
I have great heaviness. Over in Romans 9, he said, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel and my brethren is that they
might be saved. Some of these people, like the
Jews, missed Christ. And we would be greatly ignorant
if we thought that that won't happen to some of us. And so this is to this church, OK? No one else. No one else. told someone one time that we
would all do well to read this first part of 1 Corinthians 10
once a month. Once a month. He says in verse
11, verse 11, these things that happen to them, he's just going
to rehearse or bring to remembrance. the Israelites, what all they
went through, what all they saw and what all they heard, and
then many of them missed Christ. So, he says, these things, verse
eleven, happen unto them for example. They're written for
our admonition, upon which, upon whom the ends of the world are
come. This is the end of the world.
It really is. very clear about that the spirit
speak of expressly. Very clearly in the latter day.
And so on this these are the last of the last days is very
very clear to us anyway. Those that understand and these
things are written for our admonition. Admonition. Means a warning And
if you have children. How often do you warn them? If you did not love them, you
wouldn't want, right? You constantly warning them to
the point that they think. You warned them too much now.
But God's scripture, we've heard this before. But God's scriptures
are full of warnings. Verse 12. says let him therefore
these things are written let him that think that the stand
I think I stand don't you think I'm a believer I think I am.
I think I'm a believer don't you. Take him to what this. This admonition lest he fall
many of them did. And we need these warnings we
need these reminders don't like children. Quickly forget no. Children quickly forget. And
we come in here Sunday after Wednesday Sunday after Wednesday
to hear basically the same things don't. To be reminded I hope
until the day I die the Lord will keep reminding me don't
you. Because if I forget, it's hopeless, isn't it? Many
of them, verse five, look at this, with many of them. Our Lord, I quoted it earlier,
many that go the broad road, many. And it says in verse five,
they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now here's something we need
to understand. right away, that the wilderness
they went through, they were passing through, they were passing
through. Where were they headed? They were headed to a place that
God had promised them who could not lie, land that floweth with
milk and honey. They were passing through it.
that wasn't going to be, that wilderness was not going to be
their permanent dwelling place. They stayed in several places
for a length of time, but that's not their home. They looked for
a city whose builder and maker is God, that had foundation. But the wilderness, we need to
understand that the wilderness they passed through wasn't all
a desert. When you think of the wilderness,
you think they're passing through the deserts. They didn't walk
through the desert the whole time. But part of the wilderness
was cities and towns full of vanity fair. John Bunyan wrote
about vanity fair, didn't he? Places they wanted to stop and
settle, people they wanted to stay with, women they wanted
to marry, men they wanted to marry. The wilderness wasn't
always a desert. Wilderness means a place you're
passing through. It does mean barren. Well, a
city can be just as barren as a desert, can it? Barren of the
truth, the gospel, barren of God's people. Well, that's the
first thing we need to learn. And, you know, this is all a
reminder, a reminder. This story happened way back
in the beginning. And this is a reminder, an admonition,
a reminder. Someone once said, he who does
not study history will repeat it. In other words, we need to learn. We need to learn. Take heed.
A constant reminder. He says in verse one, Be not
ignorant, brethren, be not ignorant, how that all our fathers were
under the cloud and all passed through the sea. Be not ignorant,
What is the root word of ignorant? Ignore. Ignore. That means pay no attention.
And we're like that. We're human, aren't we? We hear
something. We keep hearing it until finally
it's just a noise and we ignore it. Like a train passing by the
house. First, it gets your attention.
After a while, you keep hearing it. And then you ignore it. Don't
do that. I'm dull of hearing. That's what
that means. The world reads this same Bible that we read. Well, they've made quite a few. Versions of it haven't that don't
resemble it, but many still read this same basic Bible that we
read, but choose to ignore it. Don't be ignorant. Don't ignore
it. These reproofs are meant to reproof. These rebukes are meant to rebuke. We don't like rebukes, do we?
A wise man will receive one, and he'll learn from it. We don't
like chastening, do we? Oh, it's not pleasant. Not at
all. But whom the Father loveth, he chasteneth. We don't like
this. Don't ignore. Don't conviction. We said this one time, if God's
word convicts us, good. Good, we feel guilt from hearing
God's good. That's so good. Maybe maybe we're
listening. Don't ignore. Don't ignore verse
two. He said verse one and two, they
were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all baptized
unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. Now go back with me
to this story, Exodus, book of Exodus, go back there, chapter
12. When I read this, I wanted to
deal with the first 14 verses, but I began to go back and read,
and these are the stories, people, The cloud passing through the
Red Sea, the cloud that went before them, behind them, the
smitten rock, the manna. And I thought, well, I just can't
just deal briefly with those. And I hope we're glad that we
don't. But we're going to look at a couple of things together,
two or three messages. I hope you'll be glad we did.
But back in Exodus chapter 12, This is the story of the children
of Israel. Israel is Jacob, sons of Jacob. Who were they? Who were the children
of Israel? They were God's elect, God's
chosen people. They called themselves God's
elect. They believed a sovereign electing God, didn't they? They
believed we're God's chosen elect people, not the world, us. God's elect. Who were the children
of Israel? They were called, they heard
God's word through a prophet. I mean a true prophet, not a
false prophet. They heard the truth through
Moses. The greatest of all, didn't they?
Oh, what a blessed people, huh? They heard of the true and living
God. Not an idol. that the rest of
the world, you know, didn't hear of this God. They did. A living and true God. Yes, they
did. They saw clearly the hand of
God, the judgments of God upon that land they were living, Egypt.
They saw it clearly. Does it always amaze you how
that the Egyptians could not believe those plagues being from
God? They couldn't see it. Flies,
locusts, darkness, thick darkness, hail, fire, huh? Couldn't see
it. What does Romans 1 say? It says,
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven. Clearly saying it.
The wrath of God revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and all unrighteousness. God's hand of judgment has been
upon this world and the inhabitants thereof from the beginning. Clearly
seen. Even a modern talk show host
recently made this comment. He said, floods and hurricanes
and earthquakes and tornadoes and famines and diseases and
all of this on the increase such as never before. He said, should
we take God's name out of the Pledge of Allegiance and out
of these things? Maybe we should not. Maybe we
should call on God. Maybe, no maybe about it. Clearly
revealed. the judgments of God. These things
are the judgments of God, the wrath of God. Well, they saw
this. Look down in chapter 12, verses 29 and 30. God promised this, that at midnight
He would pass through the death angel. The Lord smote all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh.
The king in the land was not immune to this. that sat on the
throne under the firstborn of the captive slave in the dungeon,
a prisoner. And all the cattle, even their
cattle died. Read on. Pharaoh rose up in the
night, he and his servants and all the Egyptians. There was
a great cry in Egypt. Why? There was not one house
where there was not one dead, not one house. And even today
there's not one house. In all this world, there's not
one dead. Death. That's the great eye opener. It should be, shouldn't it? Death. Something that the whole world
seeks to ignore. Their secret thought is that
they shall continue forever. The whole world wants to ignore.
It's something we'd rather not talk about. You'll notice we
travel by the funeral home daily and witness people going to a
visitation or funeral. And it's obvious they're not
talking about death out there in the parking lot. They're not
talking about what happened here. Where is this person? What happens
after we die and so forth? What's the truth? How is a man
going to approach a holy? They're not talking about that. But death is something that cannot
be ignored, is it? Something that we cannot avoid. And we all, everyone in here,
there's not a house in here that hadn't been affected by death,
is there? And buddy, when it happens, we
all get real serious. And we all, like Israel, everyone
in here, Israel in this same chapter, the Lord said, I will
by no means clear the guilty. The Lord said death is coming
upon all. But God, I'm merciful. I'm gracious. I've chosen you. I'm revealing to you how that
I will pass by. My wrath will not come upon you
and on your children. Here's how. The blood of a lamb. I'm revealing to you very clearly
that it's the blood that make up the tone. You're guilty. You're
no better than these Egyptians. I should be angry with you, but
I'm not. And here's how, you know, I've
got a substitute. My own Son, whom I will send
into this earth, the innocent. For you, the guilty. He's going
to take your place. I'm going to pour my wrath out
upon Him. I'm going to put your sin upon
Him and give you His righteousness. That's my Lamb. The Lamb of God
that will take away the sins of the world. Not only just Jews,
but of every tribe, kindred, nation, and tongue. I'm a merciful
and gracious, loving God. My love, though, is in Christ,
my Son. My love is in your substitute. And whatever house I find under
the blood, I will pass over you. I am not angry with you. Have
your children there. It's not cruel, it's mercy. Be
there. Remember, I should be angry. But I'm merciful and it's the
blood. Keep coming back this do in remembrance
of me. Oh my. A lamb haven't we all
heard that. How could it ever be a drudgery
to come. Here about God's mercy. And we do we all do. It says
they were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea.
Chapter 13 here in Exodus is the story of this cloud. Wonderful,
wonderful story. Look at the last two verses of
chapter 13. The Lord went before them by
day in a pillar of a cloud. Twenty two he took not away the
pillar of the cloud by day as long as the sun was shining there
was a cloud. And it says he led them verse
twenty one to lead them the way. What do you suppose that cloud
was they were all under it. With me. They were all under
it. You're hearing it right now.
The cloud is over this building. This cloud is Jesus Christ himself. The hope of salvation. The gospel
that leads us the way, the truth, the life. It says the Lord was
in the cloud. He himself was in the cloud.
This cloud was God's presence. God with them. This cloud, you
could have named this cloud Emmanuel. Couldn't you? God with us, leading
them, guiding them. We're all under it. Huh? The cloud is His presence, the
Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of Christ, leading, guiding,
protecting. Look at chapter 14. Oh, this
is wonderful. This cloud. It says He took it
not away, as long as it was daylight. Brother Ron, as long as Christ
is living, his gospel is going to be preached. There's hope. There's a blessed cloud of mercy
and grace and hope and protection and providence and leadership
and guidance and clouds. It won't rain unless you have
clouds. You can't have rain without clouds. Cloud is always the promise
of showers of blessing. As long as this gospel of Christ
is being preached, there's promise of a blessing. Don't you want
to be under the cloud? We've been under it a good while.
All of us. Fear not, ye saints, fresh courage
take. The clouds you often dread are
filled with mercy and shall break with blessings on your head. Oh, it's a dark cloud. No, not
if it's of the Lord. You'll see, there's light in
that cloud. Look at chapter 14, verse 19. It says the angel of God went
before the camp of Israel. That's Holy Spirit. He removed
and went behind them. This pillar of cloud went before
them and behind them. This pillar, this cloud. In other
words, by the stand they were, it was surrounded them. Hedged
about. Over them, around them, before
them, behind them. They were under the protection
of the leadership, the guidance. We believe God is God. Why would
anybody have another, any other God? Why would anybody believe
in a God that doesn't want things to happen if they do? God who
can't do anything about it, yet they do. A God who's a bystander
in the affairs of men. God who loves you so much, and
yet he can't do anything because you won't let him. He's standing
there, oh, I wish that hadn't happened. Why would you have
a God like that? Who wants a God like that? That's
not God at all. Hear, O Israel, thy God reigneth. Reigneth. The God in whose hands
your breath is. The God who's numbered all the
hairs of your head. The God who said, I've spoken
it. I'll bring it to pass. I've purposed
it. I'll do it. Known unto God are
all His works. Purpose before the world began.
Now that's God. There's comfort. There's hope.
sat behind him before. Job. Satan hath desired you,
Job. He can't touch you, Job. Even
Satan knew it. He said, you've hedged him about.
That's right. All his people are hedged about
because he's God. Aren't you glad? I kill, I make
alive, I wound, I heal, I raise up, I cast out. I am God. Beside
me there is none else. I am thy God. Yes, this God is
my God. Aren't you glad? Set behind,
behind and before. Aren't you glad? The cloud of
His presence, the Lord Himself. Well, look at verse 20. It says
he came between the camp of the Egyptian and the camp of Israel. It was a cloud in darkness to
Egypt that gave light by night to thee. It was darkness to Egypt, but
light to God's people. Isn't that wonderful? It says
it separated them. This cloud came between them,
children of Israel. It separated them from the Egyptians. It made the difference. They
weren't necessarily different in themselves. We're all sinners. But who separated them? Who made
the difference? This cloud. The Lord. The Lord with us. The Lord with
them. Separated them. The world believed
in these idols and all this. They believed in the living and
true God. Why? Because he revealed himself to
them. And this cloud was between them. Separated them. So it is
now who we believe. We worship a different God than
most people do. It's just the way it is. But
and when we say salvations of the Lord, that's exactly what
we believe. I mean, we believe 100 percent
from the choosing to the final consummation of It's of the Lord
100% and it's by grace 100% again without work. Without work, we
believe that by grace. Well, the world then and the
world now is in the dark about God. You know that? They're
in the dark. about his character. They're in the dark about his
character. They think God has one attribute, love. They think
that's it. They're in the dark about his
ways. They really don't believe that God has anything to do with
most things that happen in the world today. They don't. They're
ignorant about his way, ignorant certainly about his purpose.
They don't think God has a purpose. We're not in the dark. are we
even as you know the issues are cloudy. The issues are cloudy
to this world aren't cloudy to us. Here's the issue. What thank you Christ. Who is that. Here's the issue
and it's not cloudy. It's crystal clear. It's all
plain to him to understand. Who is that man that walked this
earth 2,000 years? Who is that? Is he just a man?
If he is, he can't save anybody. Well, is he God? If he is, then
he came for a purpose. If he's God, then he did what
he came to do. What did he do on Calvary's tree?
Well, he put away, he died for the sins. Did he do it? Did he actually pay the price,
the penalty? Did he actually redeem, pay for
their sin? Did he? Yes, he did. The issue's not cloudy, is it? What think you of Christ? Who
is he? Why'd he come? What'd he do? Where is he now? That's the issue, isn't it? If
he's just a man, he couldn't save anybody. If he's God, manifest
in the flesh, the God-man came with a purpose, hung on that
cross and said, I finished it, sat down at the right, went back
to, rose from the grave, only man ever, sat down at the right
hand of the majesty on high, God's well pleased, then he did
it. Then there's sure salvation for
all his people. Whoever he did that for, it's
certain. Their sins are gone. Issues not
clouded. Crystal clear, crystal clear
in Christ. What think ye of Christ? That's
it, cloud. Oh my, what think ye of Christ? Cloud is Christ, and as it separated
the world from his people, Christ said of his people, here's what
he said. I have manifested thy name unto
the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they
are. They are not of the world, even
as I am not of the world. I pray not that you should take
them out of the world, but keep them from it." Christ is the
one who separates His people and takes them the world out
of them and someday we'll take them out of the world. I mean,
I'm all under the cloud. We're so blessed, aren't we?
Oh, my. This preacher and the preachers
who stand in my place do not stand up here and give little
moral sermonettes. About civil issues and social
issues and so forth. Trying to get singles together
and marry one another and so forth and build gymnasiums and
have all they don't. That's there's a pressing issue. That we know this true God and
his true Christ. And every time we stand up, this
is the message every time. All under the cloud, verse back
in our text. Well, yeah, go back to the text. In 1 Corinthians 10, about didn't
leave enough time for this, but you see how that we need to take
each of these. It says they all went past, they
were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all
passed through the sea and all baptized unto Moses. in the cloud
and in the sea. Who was Moses? Moses was their
leader. Moses was the man God raised
up to be their Savior, to lead them out. Moses was the mediator
between God and them. Moses was the go-between. Moses
was the one whom God held up His hands and spared Israel.
Moses was God's Savior for these people, just a man though. He
didn't really save anybody's soul. But Moses represents Jesus
Christ, the one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Moses represents that prophet
who came and told us all things, Jesus Christ, of whom Moses wrote. of whom all the prophets gave
witness, Jesus Christ, that prophet, the daismon, the mediator, the
intercessor, the savior of God's people, his chosen, Moses, to
lead them out. God said, I have come down to
bring them out, to take them up. God was in Christ. He said, I
came down to bring them out. That's Christ, our Moses. And it says they were baptized,
they all passed through the sea, and baptized unto Moses in the
cloud and in the sea. What is this sea? Well, the sea is a wonderful
thing, isn't it? It's a thing that still today
is unfathomable. They'll say, how is that trouble
with that word? You try it. Unfathomable, meaning
it's so deep and so mysterious, it's still uncharted. There are
uncharted places. Unseen, unknown, mysterious,
deep, dark, yes, mysterious, full of life, teeming with life,
life more abundant. It's a place that's full of life,
yet it's a dangerous thing, isn't it? It's a deadly thing. Who could that represent? God. They all pass through the sea,
and in Him, God, we all live and move and have our being.
We're fellows in a ship passing through. Oh, the deep mysteriousness
of God. Moses is Christ. See that? Moses led them through the sea.
They were all baptized, John, into Moses in the sea. You're
dead, and your life is hid with God in Christ. How'd they get through this sea,
this great gulf? They can't pass through this
sea. It'd kill them. This sea that would be death
to them, how are they going to pass over? Moses. How are we going to get to God,
Christ? Would you go back quickly to
Exodus 15, in closing? Go back there again? Should have
had you hold your place. But Exodus 15, you'll love this.
Exodus 15, Moses is the one that held back the sea. Moses is the
one who kept the sea from falling in on them. Christ is our great
mediator, our great days, and the one who stays God's wrath.
Christ is the one who made the way. He is the way. He is the
way. It says in the story, they all
passed through that sea on dry ground. They all had to go through this
sea. We all got to go to God, live, move, and have our being
in God. Go to God someday. But they all
pass through on dry ground, solid rock, solid rock. In Christ, like that cloud, it's
not cloudy to us, it's clear. And like Christ that we go through,
it may not be in the muck and the mire, but on solid ground,
grounded and settled, rock solid. Down in verse, well, verse chapter
14. Chapter 14 says, they all passed
through the Red Sea, verse 22. Verse 21 and 22, Moses stretched
out his hand. Christ is the hand of God. Verse
22, and the children of Israel went in the midst of the sea
on dry ground, and the waters were to them a wall unto them
on the right hand and the left hand. What should have killed
them, It was their protection. If God
be for us, who or what can be hurt? Well,
why is God for us? In Christ. The love of God is
in Christ. If you're with Christ, God's
a wall to you. God's for you. God's your protector. God loves you. Smile. If you're
in Christ, you're with Christ. Smile. God loves you. You're
going through it. You're passing through it. Look, though, at chapter 15 here. Chapter 15. Well, chapter 14. Chapter 14, verse 25, though,
the Egyptians went after them, and God took off their chariot
wheel. They got mired up, didn't they? My, my, the wheels start
coming off in this world. That's what's happening. The
wheels are coming off. The wheels are coming off. But
verse 27 and 28, they went through, the people went through, and
it says, but the Egyptians were all killed. Verse 28, there wasn't
one of them left. Old-fashioned as this message
sounds, It's still true. The world is reserved under fire
for the day of perdition. You just don't hear anybody saying
that anymore, do you? The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand. That's the message. in Christ. There's salvation
in Christ. Well, tragically, though, all
of them, they were all there. They were all under the cloud.
They all went through the sea, but it says, with many of them,
God's not well with them. Why? What happened? They were overthrown in a wilderness.
They forgot they were passing through. Here's the reason this
story was written. Reminded. They forgot they were
passing through. They took a liking to where they
were and forgot God. Forgot his mercy. Forgot his
providence. Forgot all that. Forgot it all.
Forgot it all. In favor of the wilderness. Bad trade. And they perished
in the wilderness. overthrown. What who is he that
overcometh this world? Do you believe the things that
we've looked at this morning? I mean really with the heart
man believe. Do you believe? I told you from God's Word the
truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth Christ. Do you
believe this is that which overcometh the world? Christ said I come. He came. He left. He said, I'm
coming again. Surely I come quickly. He's coming
quickly. The time is short. We're passing
through. Sojourning. Be not overcome. Be not overcome. Be not faithless,
but believe. Behold, your redemption draws
nigh. Joshua and Caleb, they found
out. Oh, Caleb went in and he got
a foretaste of glory to thy. Caleb came back and said, It's
a land flowing with milk and honey just like God said. Oh,
my grapes big as watermelon. I'll come and go with it. Be
not overcome. Okay. Let's stand in closing
to sing a hymn number 517, is it, John, or 14? 517. John, come
up. Please and lead us. 517, I love
this hymn. On Jordan's stormy banks I stand. Children of Israel with Joshua
passed over Jordan, didn't they? That's another story. And on
Jordan's stormy banks I stand and cast a wistful eye. Oh, I
like to be over there. To Canaan's fair and happy land
where my possessions lie. Let's stand and sing. On Jordan's stormy banks I stand
and cast a wishful eye To Canaan's fair and happy land where my
possessions lie I am bound for the promised land I am bound
for the promised land Oh, who will come and go with me? I am bound for the promised land. All o'er these wide extended
plains shines one eternal day. There God the Son forever reigns
and scatters night away. I am bound for the promised land. I am bound for the promised land. Oh, who will come and go with
me? I am bound for the promised land. you