A Shadow of Things to Come

A Shadow Of Things To Come

Colossians 2:16-17

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a 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.

The ceremonial law of the Old Testament was for the education of the church in its infancy, for it is written: “Now I say, that the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:1-7).  

The animal sacrifices which were offered under the ceremonial institutions of the law of Moses, taught those under the law that the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23); and that the currency of heaven in the matter of redemption from the curse of the law, is blood (Hebrews 9:18-22). Not the blood of bulls and of goats, but the blood of God, who purchased the church with His own blood in the person of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 26:28; 20:28; Hebrews 9:5; Acts 20:28; I Corinthians 6:20). Under the ceremonial law, the blood of bulls and goats, stayed sin for a season, but never put it away. “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 there unto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” (Hebrews 10:1-3).

A body in bright sun light casts a shadow, which will have similarities to the body, but the shadow is not the body. The Old Testament ceremonial law had similarities to Christ and justification through His blood and righteousness; but the blood of bulls and of goats has never finished the transgression, made an end of sins, made reconciliation for iniquity, brought in everlasting righteousness, nor, sealed up the vision and prophecy; but what the law did was to cast the shadow of  Him who would do, and has done, all those things. 

“For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer spinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:” (Hebrews 9:13). This is the most the law could do, it could sanctify to the purifying of the flesh, it could make the worshippers ceremonially clean, and fit for worship in a worldly sanctuary (Hebrews 9:1). Then the next year all had to be repeated, but sin was never taken away until God the Son, Jesus Christ, put sin away forever, not for all men, but for those who were set apart or sanctified, in the covenant of grace before the foundation of the world (Hebrews 10:14; Jude 1:1). The “elements of the world” (Galatians 4:3) could never justify in the sight of God. The elements of the world were appropriate for worship in a worldly sanctuary, as it is written: “  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 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; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.” (Hebrews 9:1-10).

The reformation was a change from worship through carnal ordinances of the ceremonial law, to the worship of God in spirit and truth, under the New Testament, as it is written: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am.” (John 4:23-26). The reformation was brought by a change of priesthood, from many priests, who were of the order of Aaron, under the law of Moses, to one Great High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, who was after the order of Melchizedec, but not of the order of Melchizedec. For this Melchizedec was a man (Hebrews 7:4) who was in the linage of Adam, Christ Jesus is the Son of God. The reformation was necessary in order that perfection in the sight of God could be established, as it is written: “If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should arise after order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” (Hebrews 7:11-12). The eternal priesthood of Christ, was established by the will of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,  from everlasting, and is manifest in these last days since the sufferings of Messiah Jesus, the change was fully implemented on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given to indwell and empower the people of God for their mission in this world. As it is written; “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:1-5).

Now since Christ is come, and since the God ordained way of worship is established, by the Holy Ghost, believers should never dishonor Christ Jesus by trying to worship God as though Christ had not Come. That is, it is a dishonor to Christ to seek to worship God, in the flesh (Galatians 3:1-9; Philippians 3:3), through carnal ordinances of the ceremonial law, for they are abolished by the death and resurrection of Christ (Ephesians 2:15). And it is equally dishonoring to Christ that men should seek to be justified by the works of the moral law, since none but Christ could ever perform all that is required under that law. No one but Jesus Christ has ever fulfilled the ten commandments, much less all the righteousness specified in all the word of God, it dishonors the law of God for any natural son of Adam to think it possible that he might be justified by his personal obedience to the law of God, for that is to diminish the law to that which natural man might obey, and if that were the case why has God sent His Son into the world to die for those who were able to fulfill the law by themselves? For as said the Apostle Paul: “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2:21). This is not to say that the moral law of God should be ignored by believers, it should not: the law of God declares the revealed will of God as a rule of life for men; but as acknowledged by Stephen at his stoning, and  Apostle Peter in the counsel of Jerusalem: none of the Jewish fathers, who were the natural branches (Romans 11:21),  were able to keep the law (Acts 7:53; 15:10). Believers should use the law, “lawfully”, (I Timothy 1:8), that is, in order that we may know the revealed will of God, according to the law of God , and as a goal, but never as a means of justification before God, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth.” (Romans 10:4) Christ Jesus is the substance that casts the shadow, Christ is the body, of which the shadow has similarities. Men should never cling to the shadow as though it were the body: “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17). Christ Jesus is the Word made flesh (John 1:14) the full expression of the mind and will of God, the revelation of God to men, by Him men know God: whom to know is life eternal (John 17:3; I John 5:20).

Our Lord Jesus Christ said: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30). The church of God is built on the solid foundation Jesus Christ and Him crucified, for through Him both Jews and Gentiles “have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18-22). The people of God rest upon the justifying righteousness of   Jesus Christ, and are “made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21): who is Himself “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6). Christ Jesus “is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)” (Genesis 49:24),“The Stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. (Psalm 118:22). And “this is the rest wherewith ye shall cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” (Isaiah 28:12). Christ Jesus is the rest of the people of God and He is the Christian’s Sabbath: no work of men will mix with His to bring salvation, those who suppose they are able work for their salvation have not understood that Christ Jesus actually saved His people from their sins, He finished the work the Father gave Him to do (John 17:4; 19:30). Those of free-will-works religion, who believe they have something to do to be saved from their sins, do not believe that Jesus Christ finished the work. For, there must be something left undone if they have something to do.  This religious world is in need of repentance from dead works, to turn from their works of righteousness which they have done to serve the living God. As it is written: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7).  

 AJ Ison

See the writers blog at www.hebrews915.blogspo.com hear the gospel truth preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.