These things occurred as examples.
—1 Corinthians 10:6
Paul cited Israel’s back-then wrongdoing to give a here-and-now warning.
“Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. . . . We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did. . . . do not grumble, as some of them did . . . These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us” (1 Cor 10:7–11).
They were idolaters, worshipping a golden calf while drinking and carousing.
They were brazenly immoral, bringing a pagan woman into their camp for sexual favors.
They were grumblers, whining that they would be better off dying in Egypt than risking their lives fighting in Canaan.
They were self-centered rather than God-centered. It didn’t work then, and it doesn’t work now.
Self-centeredness never ends well.