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1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 
Day 
Day 122

"That Rock was Christ."

Text: 1 Corinthians 10:4

DEEP SPIRITUAL LESSONS

Paul obviously knew the Old Testament very well. This was in part due to his studies with the famous and learned Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). When he became a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, his perception of the Old Testament sharpened significantly.

“All ate the same spiritual food,
and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them,
and that Rock was Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:3-4

1. “All ate the same spiritual food”

a) This was a reference to “Manna” (Exodus 16).
b) Why was it called “spiritual food?”
i) It was actual physical food.
ii) There were spiritual lessons that could be learned from partaking of Manna.
iii) Their spirit could be strengthened significantly if they had understood the lessons God sought to teach them.

2. “All drank the same spiritual drink”

a) The reference was, of course, drawing water from a Rock (Numbers 20).
b) Water was a symbolic representation of life-giving water.
c) Why was it called “spiritual drink?”
i) It was more than water that was imbibed! The water given had spiritual significance!
ii) The spirit of Israel could have been that much stronger had they learned their lessons well.

3. “That Spiritual Rock that followed them”

a) This does not mean the actual Rock from which Moses drew water.
b) It simply means that Christ was with them throughout the Wilderness journey.
c) He would provide the necessities of life.
i) Jesus was the Bread of Life (John 6:32-33, 35).
ii) He was also the Living Water (John 7:37-38).

4. “That Rock was Christ”

This imagery was used effectively by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, as well as the Apostles Paul and Peter! It would be good if we reflected on the role of Jesus in our life, both in the Old and New Testaments!

a) The Apostle Paul certainly referred to the Lord Jesus as “that Spiritual Rock” (1 Corinthians 10:4).
b) Jesus spoke of His teachings as “Rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).
c) The Apostle Peter wrote of Jesus as the chief cornerstone (1 Peter 2:6).