Verse 7
In 1 Corinthians 10:7-10 Paul cited four practices that got the Israelites into trouble with God. All of them were possibilities for the Corinthians as they fraternized with pagans by participating in their feasts. They are all possibilities for us too.
First, the Israelites participated in idolatry when they ate and played in the presence of the golden calf (Exodus 32:6). [Note: See Jerry Hwang, "Turning the Tables on Idol Feasts: Paul’s Use of Exodus 32:6 in 1 Corinthians 10:7," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 54:3 (September 2011):573-87.] It is possible that their "play" involved sexual immorality (cf. Genesis 26:8; Numbers 25:1-3). The scene on that occasion must have been similar to what happened at the feasts some of the Corinthians attended. There is a danger that we may compromise our commitment to God, as the Israelites did, when we participate in sinful pagan celebrations.
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