I Corinthians 10:5, "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness."

This morning, there is much to be displeased about. Many today are displeased with such varying things like 401K, the economy, war, social values, government, family, church, self, and the list goes on. However, when looking at the laundry list of things that man gets "down" and displeased about, most of the subjects (and especially the application of them) give little thought as to God's displeasure. Most that are upset and displeased about financial things today give little thought to God's displeasure, focusing rather on their own. Even matters of displeasure among some "church discussions" focus on what displeases them (the people) rather than what displeases God. While our list of displeasure can get rather lengthy, God's can be summed up quite succinctly: doing what I have commanded not and not doing what I have commanded.

As Paul labours in the midst of this passage, he brings a familiar story to the surface. Repeatedly, the Holy Scriptures use the children of Israel's journey from Egypt to Canaan to teach a lesson, and thereby the particulars of their journey are recorded in multiple places. Paul here uses this story to show a few things. The first thing he is attempting to show is that they are our examples that we should not do as they have done. (Verses 6 and 11) Furthermore, we have not encountered something unique in our lives, but through it all God is the same - faithful - and always provides a way of escape for us to bear our trials. (Verse 13) To get there, Paul has to show some things that are not wonderful to think about, but sometimes needful to contemplate. We should not lust as they lusted, commit fornication as they committed fornication, commit idolatry as some of them did, tempt Christ as they tempted Christ, nor murmur and complain as many of them did. (Verses 6-10)

Knowing that they are a picture of us, let us look at Paul's language in our verse to see a stark contrast to what he has just presented. The nature of Paul's language usage shifts in our verse from what he previously employed. Notice in the first four verses how many times the word "all" is used. The children of Israel all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea: for all were under the cloud and passed through the sea. They all ate the same spiritual meat, and they all drank the same spiritual drink from the Rock that is Christ. The first four verses show that this nation enjoyed certain blessings without distinction one from another. The smallest child to the oldest adult all came out of Egypt with a high hand. They all went under the cloud and through the Red Sea, and furthermore they were all fed with manna from heaven and water from the rock.

When it comes to God's nation - more specifically His family - we all enjoy the rich outcome of His salvation without distinction. What that means is that no child of God is more or less regenerated than another after that great change. In the resurrection, no one will be any more or less resurrected than another. Christ died for all of us and elevated us all together and altogether to the same standing before God the Father. No one is more elected and predestinated than another, and certainly God's love (as shown in these various parts) bears no distinction between the children of God. You are just as loved as Moses is, David, Abraham, Peter, Paul, or any other character from the Bible that we might consider on the "noble" side, and furthermore, you are just as loved by God as Lot, Samson, or King Saul on the "unsavoury" side. We have all passed through and enjoyed (and manifestly will enjoy) these things without distinction.

However, when it comes to the rich benefits of these things, we do not all share in them without distinction. In fact, Scripture records that God is the Saviour of all men (His family) but especially them that believe. (I Timothy 4:10) In His fellowship with His people, there are those that He is pleased with, and there are those that He is not pleased with. Paul's language in verse five marks the shift from "all" to "many." While many different avenues of thought can be pursued here, let us look at perhaps just one of them. What percentage would we figure of natural Israel that left Egypt actually entered into Canaan? Paul's language of those that displeased God as being "many." The opposite of "many" is "few."

Looking at a pie, if there is a complete pie, we might call it "all of the pie." Paul has been talking about all of Israel (at that time) which points to all of us: God's family. Then if I were to say "many pieces of the pie" one would conclude that at least more than half of the pie fit the bill that I am about to describe. If God was displeased with many in the wilderness, then few pleased Him by their actions. Looking simply at the number of spies that searched out Canaan, God was displeased with many of the spies, and only a few - Caleb and Joshua - pleased Him with their report. He was pleased with the two enough to declare that they would be the only ones that were above the age of 20 years that would enter into that land.

Transitioning our thought from them then to us today, which is Paul's exact point, what do we find when looking at the pages of history unto this very present hour? We find many displeasing God with their behaviour, but only a few that please Him in their efforts. Consider what should have been the grandest few days known to mankind. Have you ever left a rich, Spirit-filled meeting and floated for a couple of days or maybe a week? The fresh remembrance of that circumstance filled the days shortly thereafter with an almost dreamy air of contentment in the goodness and mercy of God. What about the disciples just days after the resurrection, having knowledge of it, having seen Him, and eaten with Him? What about the days shortly after His ascension in which they literally saw Him arise up to heaven and then out of sight from a cloud? Would not the remembrance of such a time be sweet and pleasant? How "many" or "few" thought fondly of this? When the disciples are gathered together at the beginning of Acts, a mere 120 of them are congregated to serve the Lord in well-pleasing fashion.

How many of Jerusalem at that time were regenerated? Certainly more than 120 as the next chapter shows a mighty outpouring of the Spirit and addition of 3,000 souls to the Lord's church manifestly by baptism. Yet, even still, that number is very few compared to the society at large. The simple point is that looking at Biblical history and church history, there have always been more of God's family that displeased Him than those that were pleasing Him well. As the example of the strait gate and broad way shows, many are headed to destruction while a few are headed into the abundant life (Canaan then - the church now). (Matthew 7:13-14)

On the flip side, however, this knowledge of a "little flock" that pleases God (Luke 12:32) is no excuse to revel in smallness of size. Just as there have been those that delighted in large numbers (for number's sake), so also will there be those that delight in small numbers (for number's sake). Simply put, numbers should not be our focus and concern, but like all things, they should be kept in their proper place. Do we delight when people are added to the Lord's church? Absolutely and amen! Do we look at numbers - whether many or few - as some blanket indicator of church health or being well pleasing to God? Nay verily!

So, ultimately, what is the point we are to make of this distinction? The point simply is this. Just as there will be more of His children displeasing God than pleasing Him, and just as we so easily fall victim and prey to displeasing Him, how much more should we focus on where and how we please Him? God has plainly told us what pleases Him: being thankful for what He has done, thereby showing it in what we do. (Hebrews 13:15-16) God is well pleased when we have a proper and focused view of His work in salvation, and He is further pleased when we act upon that knowledge by rendering Him the thanks and praise due to His name. As we speak often with our God and about our God, people should perceive in us a spirit that loves what He loves and is displeased with what He is displeased with.

Every child of Israel then could have pointed to the Red Sea incident and said, "The Lord has been so good to me." Every one of them could have pointed to their daily feeding and said, "The Lord has been so good to me." Instead, many of them murmured and complained. Today, every one of us should be able to groan and cry out to God, the Spirit helping with our infirmities, but rather many groan and cry out of selfish reasons (financial or otherwise). May our lips, hearts, minds, and bodies be attuned to Him. May we offer up well-pleasing sacrifices in His sight, for in so doing, we will avoid what He has said avoid and fulfill what He has said do.
 

In Hope,

Bro Philip