A Way of Escape — TDW Kids

Run the race. Just before this, Paul wrote about running to win the prize (9:24). Now he shows what happened to people who started well and did not finish. Our fathers. “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea” (10:1). Paul was Jewish. He calls the people of Israel “our fathers,” his own family. His warning is for everyone, the believers in Corinth and us. Led and rescued. God led His people with a cloud, and He brought them through the sea on the way out of Egypt. Following Moses. They “were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (10:2). This means they all went through the sea together under God’s cloud and became one people following Moses. Christians are baptized to show they belong to Jesus, but baptism does not save anyone; trusting Jesus does. Food and drink. They “all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink” (10:3-4). In the desert God fed them and gave them water. That Rock was Christ. “For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (10:4). These are Paul’s own words. Jesus, God’s Son, was with His people and cared for them even then. A picture. Many Christians see the bread from heaven as a picture of Jesus, who called Himself the bread of life. What this means for you. God gives you good gifts too: His Word, a church and people who teach you about Jesus. But having good gifts is not the same as trusting the One who gives them.

Moreover (10:1). Paul has just said he disciplines his body so that he himself will not be disqualified (9:27). Now he shows a whole people who began well and fell: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea.” Our fathers. Paul, a Jew, writes to the church in Corinth and calls Israel “our fathers.” The warning is for the whole family of God, then and now. It is never a charge against one people. Cloud and sea. God guided Israel by the cloud and opened a way through the sea when He brought them out of Egypt. Baptized into Moses (10:2). “All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” Passing through the sea under the cloud joined them to Moses as their leader; they became one people under him. Christian baptism pictures belonging to Christ, but it does not save. Faith in Jesus saves. Spiritual food and drink (10:3-4). “All ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.” The bread and the water came from God, not from the desert. That Rock was Christ (10:4). “For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” Paul says plainly that the Son of God was present with Israel, caring for them on the road. A later picture. Many Christians see the bread from heaven as a picture of Jesus, who said He is the bread of life (John 6). Every one. Every Israelite, without exception, shared these blessings. Not one was left without the cloud, the sea, the bread or the water. Application. Blessings are not the same as faith. Being in church, knowing Bible stories and having believing parents are good gifts, but each person must trust Christ for himself.

Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. He reminded them of God’s people long ago. Paul calls them “our ancestors who followed Moses.” They were Paul’s own family line. God was very good to every one of them. His cloud was over them, and they all went through the sea. God gave them special food in the desert. He gave them special water to drink. Paul said, “That rock was Christ.” Jesus was with His people, even back then! Many Christians see that special food as a picture of Jesus. Jesus called Himself the bread of life. But having good gifts is not the same as trusting God.

God took care of His people long ago. He gave them food and a special drink. Paul said, “That rock was Christ.”

Not pleased. “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness” (10:5). They had all received God’s gifts, but most of them did not trust and obey Him. Many died in the desert before they reached the land God had promised. Examples. “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted” (10:6). To lust after evil things is to want wrong things very badly. Idols. “And do not become idolaters as were some of them” (10:7). Paul quotes the day the people made a golden calf: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” Sins of the body. Paul also warns against sexual sin (10:8). Testing Christ. “Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted” (10:9). To tempt or test God means pushing Him, as if daring Him to prove that He cares. Complaining. “Nor complain, as some of them also complained” (10:10). They grumbled about food, about water and about the way God was leading them. God is holy. Many of them died because of their sin. That shows how serious sin is to God. It also shows how patient He was: He kept feeding them and leading them for many years. What this means for you. An idol today can be anything you love more than God, like a game, money or being popular. Complaining is the opposite of trusting. When you feel like grumbling, thank God instead.

Most of them (10:5). “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” Every one of them had the same blessings, and most of them still fell. Privilege did not protect them. Examples (10:6). “Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.” The sins that follow all grow from one root: wanting what God has not given. Idolatry (10:7). “And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’” Paul quotes the day of the golden calf, when the people turned God’s gift of a feast into worship of an idol. Sexual sin (10:8). Paul names sexual immorality next, a sin God takes seriously. Testing Christ (10:9). “Nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted.” Paul says it was Christ whom they tested in the desert. To tempt God is to push Him and demand that He prove Himself, instead of trusting Him. Complaining (10:10). “Nor complain, as some of them also complained.” Grumbling against God accuses Him of not being good or not being wise. Holy and patient. Many died in the desert because of their sin. God is holy, and sin brings death. Yet He fed and led them for years, and He kept His promise to bring their children into the land. Application. Every idol begins as a desire. Ask God to show you anything you want more than Him, and practice thanking Him in the very places where you are tempted to grumble.

But God was not pleased with most of the people. Many of them died in the desert. These things are examples for us. They should stop us from wanting evil things. Some of the people bowed down to an idol. An idol is a fake god that people make. Paul said, “Do not worship idols, as some of them did.” Today an idol can be anything we love more than God. Others tested the Lord. Testing God means pushing Him, as if He does not care. Some of them complained against God again and again. Complaining says that God is not being good to us. God is holy, and sin is serious. Still, God was patient.

Most of God’s people did not trust Him. Some bowed to idols, and some complained. God wants us to love Him most of all.

Written for us. “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (10:11). An admonition is a warning from someone who cares about you. A warning sign. A sign that says a bridge is out is a gift. Someone put it there because they did not want you hurt. God’s warnings are like that. The ends of the ages. Paul is talking about the time we live in now, after Jesus came. These old stories still speak to us today. Take heed. “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (10:12). To take heed is to be careful and watch out. Who falls? The person in danger is the one who feels sure he could never fall. Pride makes us careless. Standing by grace. We do not stand because we are strong. We stand because God holds us up, and He is glad to help us. Not afraid. Paul is not trying to scare God’s children. He wants them to lean on God instead of on themselves. What this means for you. Never tell yourself that you could not do a certain wrong thing. Stay close to Jesus, listen to your parents and keep reading God’s Word.

Examples (10:11). “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition.” The events were real, and God had them recorded for later believers. Nouthesia. “Admonition” is nouthesia (say: noo-THEH-see-ah), literally putting something into the mind: a warning that aims to correct, given in love by someone who cares. The ends of the ages. Paul writes of those “upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” With the coming of Christ, the ages God planned have reached their turning point, and believers now live in that time. Take heed (10:12). “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” The one who trusts his own strength is the one most open to a fall. Confidence in self is the danger. A real risk. Believers who feel the most mature can become the most careless, because they stop watching and stop asking for help. Not fear but dependence. Paul’s warning is not meant to make a believer afraid that God will drop him. It is a call to depend on God instead of on ourselves. Kept by God. The next verse turns at once to God’s faithfulness. The believer who stands is the one God keeps. Application. Pride trusts itself; humility asks the Lord for help. Make the second kind of prayer part of every day.

These things happened as examples. They were written down to warn us. God wants us to learn from them. Then Paul gave a warning. A person may feel sure he would never do something wrong. That person should be careful not to fall. Feeling too sure can make us careless. Even strong believers need God’s help. We do not stand because we are strong. We stand because God holds us up. So stay close to Jesus every day. Read God’s Word and listen to your parents. Ask God to keep you standing.

God gave us these stories to help. Do you think you are strong? Ask God to help you stand.

Common to all. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man” (10:13). Temptation is a pull to do what is wrong. Everyone feels it, so you are not alone and you are not strange. Tempted is not sinning. Feeling a pull toward wrong is not a sin. Saying yes to it is. Jesus Himself was tempted, and He never sinned. God is faithful. “But God is faithful” (10:13). Faithful means God always keeps His word. You can count on Him every time. Not too much. He “will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” God knows how much you can bear, and He sets the limit. The way of escape. “But with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” God always makes a way out. Sometimes the way out is to walk away. Sometimes it is to say no, to pray, or to talk to a parent or another trusted grown-up. Safe, not alone. If someone asks you to do something wrong or to keep a secret from your parents, tell a parent or a trusted grown-up. If someone does something wrong to you, that is not your sin, and it is never your fault. If you fall. If you do give in, do not hide. Tell God you are sorry. He forgives everyone who trusts Jesus and helps them start again. What this means for you. The next time you are tempted, stop and ask God to show you His way out. Then take it.

Anthropinos (10:13). “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.” “Common to man” is anthropinos (say: an-throh-pee-NOS), belonging to human beings: the ordinary kind of testing every person meets. No believer is the only one. Tempted, not guilty. A temptation is a pull toward sin. It becomes sin when we say yes. Jesus was tempted and never sinned. God is faithful. “But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” Our hope rests on God’s character, not on our willpower. Ekbasis. “But with the temptation will also make the way of escape.” “Way of escape” is ekbasis (say: EK-bah-sis), a way out, like a path that leads out of a narrow valley. God makes the exit together with the test. To bear it. The goal is “that you may be able to bear it.” Sometimes the way out takes us away from the temptation; sometimes it gives us strength to stand under it. Practical exits. Walk away from the screen or the group. Say no plainly. Pray. Bring in a parent or trusted adult. Fill your mind with God’s Word. Safety. When someone else pressures you to do wrong or to keep secrets from your parents, telling a parent or a trusted adult is the way of escape. What someone does to you is not your sin. After a fall. A believer who gives in should tell God at once. He forgives and helps His child stand again. Application. Before the next temptation comes, decide what your way of escape will be.

Everyone gets tempted to do wrong. Being tempted is not the same as sinning. Jesus was tempted too, but He never sinned. Paul said, “But you can trust God.” God will not let a temptation be too strong for you. He will always give you a way out. You can walk away. You can say no. You can pray. Someone may ask you to do wrong or keep a secret. Tell a parent or a trusted grown-up. If someone hurts you, it is not your fault. If you do give in, tell God you are sorry. He will forgive you.

God always gives you a way out. Walk away, say no, and pray. If someone asks you to do wrong, tell a grown-up.