"For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices...make those who approach perfect." (Hebrews 10:1)
Perfection, by the way, is the objective of Father for you and me (Matthew 5:48). There are a lot of things which can make me "good." Only Jesus can, "make those who approach perfect."
If I want to put my arms around my grandchildren, I don't attempt to embrace their shadow; I find them. Shadows are not real. The dictionary describes a shadow as "a dark figure...cast on the ground or some surface by a body intercepting light-- shade of comparative darkness, as in an area." Oh, how the human race has been grasping for shadows since the Garden, "dark figure[s], comparative darkness."
The reason, "the law...can never with these same sacrifices...make those who approach perfect" is that shadows are, "not the very image...." This does not negate the Law; this does, however, emphasize, "the very image," Jesus. "He is the image of the invisible God...." (Colossians 1) Colossians 2 speaks of people embracing things which are, "a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ." Jesus Christ is, "the substance,..the very image," of the Godhead, of the Law and the Prophets. Jesus said the Bible testifies of Him (John 5).
Man's religious philosophy leads people to continue to grasp at shadows and keep them from, "the substance...Christ." The Church from the second century on began a shadow pursuit. Most of the challenges of the Reformers were to these shadow philosophies and reasonings. What such a pursuit did was to take people away from Jesus Christ, "the substance,..the very image." Mary, the saints, even "the Church," became shadows in Christendom. Catholics can debate this, but why is it that every Catholic I ever met who became a "Protestant" laments the lack of Biblical teaching and the centrality of Jesus Christ in Catholicism? It was the purpose of the Reformers to bring people "back" to the centrality of Jesus Christ. And let me say that it was not only the Catholic Church who pursued and still purues shadows. Evangelicals and Charismatics have their own shadows.
Hebrews is the great, "substance" and, "very image," Epistle. The declaration in Hebrews is that all contained in the Old Covenant is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Indeed, this is the proclamation of the Historic Church. Though clouded for centuries in shadows, "the very image," has always triumphed over, "a shadow."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I want no, "shadow of the good things to come," I want You. Amen.
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Read of Great Breakthrough for Netanyahu: www.jerberwash.blogspot.com
Unreached People Group: www.unreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
