以色列人历史的鉴戒
林前十章中保罗告诉我们，以色列子民中间，大多数是神不喜欢的人，他们倒毙在旷野。保罗说明了他们不讨神喜悦的原因：第一是因他们贪恋恶事；其次是他们拜偶像，坐下吃喝，起来玩耍，以属世的娱乐代替真正的敬拜。他们又多次试探神、向神发怨言。最终以色列人因着这些消极的事，而失去进入美地的福分。使徒保罗明白的告诉我们，这些发生在他们身上的事，都是鉴戒，并且写在经上，要警戒我们这生在诸世代终局的人，不再重蹈以色列人的覆辙。
进入美地的阻碍
神呼召以色列人的目标，乃是要他们进入应许之地，享受那地的丰富，以建立神的国，在地上成为神的彰显。但因着他们的恶行：背叛、不信的恶心、发怨言，以及与世界联合，以色列人几乎全数倒毙旷野，无法达成目标。这表征我们虽借着基督蒙了救赎，脱离撒但的辖制，也被带进神经纶的启示中，仍可能无法达到神的呼召。我们需要更多向主祷告，求主除去我们里面一切阻碍我们享受基督的因素，使我们对主有更丰富完满的享受。
进入并据有基督作我们的美地
虽然以色列人中大多数的人失败了，不讨神喜悦，而倒毙在旷野，未能进入美地。但神是永不失败的神。神仍然预备好第二代的以色列子民，能够进入美地，取得那地为业。日常生活中，我们常经历周遭满了试诱，如同诗歌所说：『撒但、世界、肉体，时常试探、欺凌。』若我们活在旧人里，我们就像第一代的以色列人，容易被罪迷惑而跌倒。但我们何时转回灵中，借信与主的话调和，我们就能实际的经历到进入并据有基督作我们的美地。
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Hindrance to Entry into the Good Land – 1 Cor. 10:5-8
Lessons from the Israelites’ History
In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul told us that most of Israel were people whom God did not like, and they died in the wilderness. Paul explained the reasons why they displeased God: first, because they coveted evil things; second, they worshiped idols, sitting down to eat and drink, rising up to play, and replacing true worship with worldly entertainment. They tested God many times and complained against Him. In the end, the Israelites lost the blessing of entering the good land because of these negative things. The apostle Paul clearly told us these things that happened to them. All these things are examples and written in the Bible to warn those who live in the end of the ages, not to make the same mistakes as the Israelites.
Hindrance to Entry into the Good Land
God’s goal in calling the Israelites was to have them enter the promised land, enjoy the riches of that land, establish the kingdom of God and become God’s manifestation on earth. But due to their evil deeds: rebellion, sinful and unbelieving heart, murmuring and union with the world, almost all the Israelites died in the wilderness, unable to fulfill their goal. This means that even though we have been redeemed through Christ, freed from the control of Satan and brought into the revelation of God’s economy, we may still be unable to reach God’s calling. We need to pray to the Lord more, asking Him to remove all the factors within us that hinder our enjoyment of Christ, so that we may have a richer and fuller enjoyment of the Lord.
Entering and Possessing Christ as Our Good Land
Although most of the Israelites failed and displeased God, they died in the wilderness and were unable to enter the good land. But God never fails. He still prepared the second generation of the Israelites to enter the good land and take possession of it. We often experience temptations all around us in our daily life. Just as the hymn says, “Satan, the world and the flesh are always tempting and bullying ” If we live in the old man, we will be like the first generation of Israelites, deceived easily by sin and stumbled. But when we turn to the spirit and mingle with the Lord’s word through faith, we can practically experience the entering and possessing Christ as our good land.