Paul's statement in the tenth chapter of I Corinthians (verses 1–4) is a deeply interesting one, in that it shows how well the apostle understood the impersonal nature of the Christ. After referring to their "fathers" as having been "baptized unto Moses," as having eaten "the same spiritual meat" and having drunk "the same spiritual drink," he adds, "For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." Paul understood that the Christ had been with Moses and the children of Israel during their coming out of Egypt and in their wilderness experience, protecting, comforting, guarding them. He knew also that the Christ had inspired Moses to give, as from God, the moral law—the Ten Commandments—to his brethren and to all succeeding generations, to lead them in moral ways to spiritual heights.
It was the Christ that delivered Daniel, "servant of the living God" (Daniel 6:20), from the lions. This spiritually-minded man it was who said to King Darius, "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me." It was the Christ that protected the three Hebrews when they were thrown "into the burning fiery furnace." Did not Nebuchadnezzar, the king, say to his counselors, "Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God"?
Israelitish history shows that the Christ was with the patriarchs, preserving them, guiding them, and endowing them with prophetic power and spiritual fervor. Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, shared with Moses this priceless gift. And later, the prophets, stern, loving servants of the Most High, even while they uttered words of condemnation on the sins of the people, on their backsliding and idolatry, could look into the future and point to the coming of one of their race, who through his understanding of Truth and Love should bring salvation to the whole world. How beautifully Isaiah writes of the Messiah (61:1,2,3): "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, ... to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness"!
