Impressive Numbers
1 Corinthians 10:6-13
August 2, 2026 anno Domini
Remember these numbers: 3, 40, 603,550 and 2.
Those numbers are from the book of Numbers and Exodus.
Three Months after leaving Egypt, the Israelites were at Sinai. For 40 days Moses was up on the mountain and they made the Golden Calf. 3 months and 40 days after they were baptized into the Red Sea. 3 months and 40 days after their slavery to Pharoah ended, after God gave them the wealth of Egypt, after His glorious cloud protected them by day and lit their way by night — the Israelites had Aaron make a golden calf. The Israelites didn’t merely worship that calf as God, but worshipped like the pagans in vile perversion.
Forty years. Forty years God kept Israel alive in the wilderness. Their clothes did not wear out. He provided manna from heaven – which was probably about as exciting as cheerios. He gave them water from a rock, and Paul says that Rock was Christ. The whole Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, was with Israel throughout their forty-year journey through the wilderness.
After 40 years, they stood on the edge of the promised land. God delivered on His promises. It wasn’t exciting. It wasn’t entertaining, but they were alive. The Israelites stood where they had stood 38 years earlier when the spies returned from Canaan. Do you know what they did after 40 years? They complained about water. Their very first sin after leaving Egypt was complaining about water, and after 40 years of God giving them water from the rock – they still complained. This came right after they grumbled about God’s care and the Lord sent poisonous snakes. This is what Paul refers to when he says, “We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer.
603,550 and 2. 603,550 is how the book of Numbers begins. That’s the number of fighting men, ages 20 and older that left Egypt. 2 is how many of those men were alive 40 years later. Joshua and Caleb alone entered the promised land.
To quote Paul, these numbers were written down “as examples to us, that we do not desire evil as they did.” These numbers were written down “for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.”
We could speculate about how Israel fell into such grievous sin only 3 months and 40 days after witnessing the greatest act of salvation in the Old Testament. Or we could wonder why their first sin and last sin centered on water? We could ponder the statistical decline of Israel – a church that goes from 603,550 to 2 in forty years – why that makes the Missouri Synod’s and Redeemer’s decline look good by comparison.
But the Apostle Paul didn’t write these words down for our speculation. He says they are examples. The Greek word for example is type – if you’re old enough think of a typewriter. The letter strikes the ribbon and leaves an impression on the page. You not only see it; you can feel it.
What should these numbers impress upon you?
Fear. Not fear of God, but fear of losing Him. Be afraid of your sins. What are your idols? I doubt any of you have a golden calf hidden away in the closet, but you do have your idols. What do you fear, love, and trust above all things? What keeps you from God’s house, from prayer, or from God’s Word? Are your pleasures more important than your offerings? Are your novels or streaming episodes more important than reading God’s Word? Is your time more important than time with God? Behold your gods, O Redeemer. Do not be idolaters as some of them were.
Humility. The Israelites were not the greatest, grandest people on earth. Their father Abraham was an old impotent man married to a barren woman. They had no life in them, but to them and through them God brought Israel to life and gave them everything they had. But just months after they were baptized the Israelites became proud and presumed on God’s grace. They grumbled about His gifts. They thought they deserved better.
Remember what you confessed in today’s Psalm. “Behold I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Born sinful you are as impotent and barren of life as old Abraham and Sarah. You have no life in you. That’s humbling, but the good news we heard in today’s Old Testament reading is that God saves a humble people. He gave you life when you had none. He gave His Son as your Savior on the cross. He washed away your sins and drowned your enemies in baptism. For most of you, He has kept you in the faith longer than He kept the Israelites in the wilderness. He has forgiven you, freed you, given you eternal life, and promised you the land of the resurrection. Don’t not presume on the grace. Do not imagine you cannot fall. Do not think your sins don’t matter. Do not, grumble about His gifts. Learn from Israel’s example.
Eagerness. You should feel eager. Saint Paul says these things were “written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” He wrote those words almost 2000 years ago because when Christ died and rose again – He ushered in the last day. His death and resurrection put an end to the days of sin, death, and the Devil ruling our lives, and brought the dawn of that eternal day. Be eager for that day. Pray for the day. Give thanks at the end of every troublesome day that you’re one day closer to the resurrection. Better days, a better life, in a better land are coming. That is where God is leading you.
Confidence. St. Paul records this promise, “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Here is your comfort and confidence – God keeps the Devil on a leash. There are limits to the Devil’s temptations. God is God and the Devil is only a fallen angel. God not only limits temptations, He also provides a way out. He strengthens you to fight against sin. He forgives you when you repent. And on the last day, He will deliver us from the evil one and our sinful nature forever.
You may think you have it tougher than the Israelites. They were physically redeemed from slavery. They saw Pharaoh’s army drowned in their baptism. They ate bread from heaven, drank water from an actual rock, look up to a bronze serpent and were healed immediately. You have not seen or experienced any of that.
But God has given you something greater. You have Christ. You have seen God’s promises fulfilled. You don’t drink water from a rock; you have been washed in the water flowing from Christ’s side. Your bread from heaven may be no more exciting than a Cheerio, but under that bread and in the wine are the true body and blood of the crucified and risen Christ. That food doesn’t nourish you for the day, but for eternity.
That is what I want to impress upon you this morning with the numbers 3 , 40, 603,550, and 2. In the name of Jesus. Amen.