Yes, those events were examples for us, but Scripture itself tells us what the examples mean. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul applies them as warnings against lust, idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring. He does not turn the wilderness journey into a process of dying to self until believers become qualified to enter the kingdom.
The phrase “circumcise again the children of Israel the second time” in Joshua 5 refers to circumcising the nation again, not circumcising the same individuals twice. The text immediately explains that those born in the wilderness had never been circumcised.
A historical event may have spiritual application, but the application must come from Scripture, not from details being turned into an allegory that the text never gives.
I can't keep up here very well today but I'll try to answer this:
The Word made flesh (Jesus)..... speaks to us in parables and without a parable spake He not to them. That is an important key to understanding the word. That whole saga of the Israelites leaving Egypt, traversing through the wilderness and entering/possessing the Promised Land is a parable for us, the church, though it was literal for them. (I'm even convinced the bible is so chock full of parables (allegories/similitudes/ figures) that no one person could ever know them all in their lifetime. )
Hos 12:10
I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions,
and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
Gal 4:23-25
But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.
Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Heb 11:17-19
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead;
from whence also he received him in a figure.
Rom 5:14
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come.
Heb 9:6-9
Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Which
was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Col 2: 16-17
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Which
are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Heb 10:1
For the law having
a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Heb 8:4-5
For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Who
serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.