The Shadows Still Teach

[manichunter]

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
(Col 2:16-17)

I see this Scripture repeated alot, but there has always been one thing that baffles me in all my years of conversing with believers. Most do not understand or comprehend the Shadows of things to come. Yes Jesus came and is coming back. But how can one understand the multiple things and aspects of Jesus without being made witness to the revelations the shadows reveal about the character and works of Jesus.

Relating to Jesus is no different than any other relationship. It is a relationship that takes time to learn and relate to a person. Jesus did not give us all the shadows for us to just throw away, but learn. What is a burnt offering and how is it applicable to Jesus and believers? What about the grades of the burnt offering? What does the bull, lamb, goat, and turtle dove teach me? Yahweh did not just give the grades without reason of purpose. I am to learn and know that the bull reveals my manner of work ethic on my mutual yoke with Yeshua.

For example-
Jesus is said to be our sin offering and yes He is. However, He is also our burnt, meat, peace, red heifer, and trepass offering as well. Each one of these offerings provided a different work in the Yahweh's satisfaction being met. They also set examples of what is expected of our conduct as we immitate Jesus in our service towards Yahweh and others.

It is not that we can be the shadows or accomplish anything with the ritual. It is the spiritual principles the shadows reveal that we have to come to know and immulate. We are told to deny ourselves, pick up our own cross, and follow Jesus. Learning the shadows is the only means forward.

Yes Jesus is the light, but a blinding light to those who have not yet learned their Lord.

How so much power has been lost from Christianity because the shadows have been stripped away. Now we have the light indeed, but do not comprehend it. What we are left with is religion without power.

[Tomlane]

manichunter, good explanation. That gave me a thought. For those who advocate in substituting a wafer or bread and wine for the real deal that hung on the cross, why don't they want to use a burnt wafer or burnt bread for the body? I beleive that is a very ligimate question. Personally, I would rather continue to stick with the real Christ and His spiritual baptism that put me in his church and continue to have Him as my sabbath. In other words instead of having any of the shadows for my life why settle for the temperary when we can have the real thing that is lasting? Isn't communion done once a week, a very temprary situation and evidendly one that doesn't have lasting vaule as the real thing that casts the shadows in the first place. If it had lasting value it wouldn't need doing every week would it?

Thanks again Manichunter, Tomlane

[-SEEKING-]

The only thing that I learn from shadows is that sooner or later, the actual object casting that shadow will be upon me. So the object is what is "real" not the shadow it casts. Just my 2 cents.

[manichunter]

The only thing that I learn from shadows is that sooner or later, the actual object casting that shadow will be upon me. So the object is what is "real" not the shadow it casts. Just my 2 cents.

Everything starts with learning the basics, building from the foundation, and who starts learning the principles of algebra without basic math being learned first.

We still know in part and look through a glass dimly. Well these things help with our limited vision and understanding concerning things so much greater than our capabilities to reason

How can you learn Jesus. Either in person, by experience, or by His word. Well these shadows are integrated into His word.

[Equipped_4_Love]

I know what you're saying here, and I agree. This is a good post.

Paul describes both the law, and everything to do with it, as a shadow of things to come in the book of Hebrews, too:

Heb. 8:4,5 For if He were here on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer up gifts according to the law, who serve the copy and the shadow of the heavenly things as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle.......

Heb. 10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they continually offer year by year, make those who approach perfect

I find the first verse particularly interesting -- the earthly priests served the shadow of heavenly things, while Jesus (our heavenly High Priest) served heavenly things themselves. We see that the shadow of heavenly things was the law.

Something I find really interesting -- the philosopher Plato used the analogy of shadows in his Republic. He gave an illustration about people who lived in caves, who spent their entire lives chained and watching shadows. This was the only reality they ever saw, so they mistook the shadows for reality, not knowing that they were merely figments of a greater reality. Plato makes this statement:

"To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images."

I think that anyone in Paul's Greek audience would have been familiar with Plato's allegory. Plato pretty much says that the one who comes out of the cave, after spending all of his life watching shadows, would naturally appreciate the truth more -- but with the Jews, that did not happen. They were more content to remain in the cave, watching the shadows, and convincing themselves that this was truth.

The shadow that Paul is talking about here is basically the law, and everything having to do with it -- Holy days, sacrifices, and priests. Everything in the Old Testament points to Christ. The Bible says that Christ is a fulfillment of the law -- of the shadow, because it was His image that was creating the shadows.

[manichunter]

I know what you're saying here, and I agree. This is a good post.

Paul describes both the law, and everything to do with it, as a shadow of things to come in the book of Hebrews, too:

The shadow that Paul is talking about here is basically the law, and everything having to do with it -- Holy days, sacrifices, and priests. Everything in the Old Testament points to Christ. The Bible says that Christ is a fulfillment of the law -- of the shadow, because it was His image that was creating the shadows.

So if people comprehend the LIGHT and have no more use for the shadows, then they would be able to answer these questions?

How was Jesus our drink offering? When was the drink offering fulfiilled by Jesus in the NC? When was the first prophetic shadow cast of the drink offering about Jesus in the OC? How did Paul follow the example of Jesus by being a drink offering? In what way is the drink offering applicable to believers today?

[BroRog]

Paul is not commending the shadow when he says the substance belongs to Christ. It's the substance, not the shadow that we need.

[manichunter]

Paul is not commending the shadow when he says the substance belongs to Christ. It's the substance, not the shadow that we need.

I agree whole heartily, but however, tell me what this particular shadow taught you about Jesus and what you need and gained from Him. Paul knew and understood what the shadows actually pointed to in Jesus. Each pointed to different things about Jesus and his continuous ministry. For example, Jesus as our sin offering is not the same thing as Jesus as our Burnt Offering. So, then how is Jesus our burnt offering.

[David2]

The sin offering was expiatory in nature while the burnt offering was consecratory. One should remember first that all offerings were for a "saved" people. Although the nation of Israel were not all saved people, the nation as such belonged to God and in a "saved" relationship to Him. The offering that brought salvation to the nation was of course the lamb that was slain in Egypt and commemorated once a year at passover. Al other offerings were not for "salvation" but rather the removal of sin, sanctification and consecration.

The burnt offering was to commit oneself to the Lord and to restore your relationship with Him. We know today that no sacrifice could actually perform this task. These burnt offerings were just a shadow of the real once and for all offering at calvary that would not only attone for our sins, but also reconcile us to God. I would say that reconcilliation as brought about on the cross, was the fulfillment of the burnt offering.

[manichunter]

The sin offering was expiatory in nature while the burnt offering was consecratory. One should remember first that all offerings were for a "saved" people. Although the nation of Israel were not all saved people, the nation as such belonged to God and in a "saved" relationship to Him. The offering that brought salvation to the nation was of course the lamb that was slain in Egypt and commemorated once a year at passover. Al other offerings were not for "salvation" but rather the removal of sin, sanctification and consecration.

The burnt offering was to commit oneself to the Lord and to restore your relationship with Him. We know today that no sacrifice could actually perform this task. These burnt offerings were just a shadow of the real once and for all offering at calvary that would not only attone for our sins, but also reconcile us to God. I would say that reconcilliation as brought about on the cross, was the fulfillment of the burnt offering.

The burnt offering, meat offering, and peace offering were called sweet offerings that actually pleased Yahweh. They were not done to atone for sin. Yahweh actually comsumed them in whole or part along with the offerer as a type of communion and fellowship along with the priest who administered the sacrifice.

They were made to symbolized three different things in regard to Yahweh, the people, and the individual. They were not done in offering for sin, but symbolic of service and love.


The sin and trespass offerings were non-sweet offerings. Each grade of these offerings symbolized specific emblems of Yeshau's ministry towards us and the future expections of the saints who would follow Him in ministry.

The sin offerings where not consumed by anyone. They were thrown away after the sacrifice was made outside of the camp.

The sin offering was made in order for a person to appraoch Yahweh in the first place. One could not offer any other offering of a sweet nature unless he gave a sin offering first. The trespass offering was done in regard to specific offensives a person committed against others and Yahweh.

[Firstfruits]

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.
(Col 2:16-17)

I see this Scripture repeated a lot, but there has always been one thing that baffles me in all my years of conversing with believers. Most do not understand or comprehend the Shadows of things to come. Yes Jesus came and is coming back. But how can one understand the multiple things and aspects of Jesus without being made witness to the revelations the shadows reveal about the character and works of Jesus.

Relating to Jesus is no different than any other relationship. It is a relationship that takes time to learn and relate to a person. Jesus did not give us all the shadows for us to just throw away, but learn. What is a burnt offering and how is it applicable to Jesus and believers? What about the grades of the burnt offering? What does the bull, lamb, goat, and turtle dove teach me? Yahweh did not just give the grades without reason of purpose. I am to learn and know that the bull reveals my manner of work ethic on my mutual yoke with Yeshua.

For example-
Jesus is said to be our sin offering and yes He is. However, He is also our burnt, meat, peace, red heifer, and trespass offering as well. Each one of these offerings provided a different work in the Yahweh's satisfaction being met. They also set examples of what is expected of our conduct as we imitate Jesus in our service towards Yahweh and others.

It is not that we can be the shadows or accomplish anything with the ritual. It is the spiritual principles the shadows reveal that we have to come to know and emulate. We are told to deny ourselves, pick up our own cross, and follow Jesus. Learning the shadows is the only means forward.

Yes Jesus is the light, but a blinding light to those who have not yet learned their Lord.

How so much power has been lost from Christianity because the shadows have been stripped away. Now we have the light indeed, but do not comprehend it. What we are left with is religion without power.

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 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

What therefore is the better hope?

Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

1 Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

What therefore are you expecting the shadow to teach you since Christ has come?

Through the life of Christ according to the gospel of Christ do you not know Christ?

What is your hope?

God bless you!

Firstfruits

[Kahtar]

Those who see no value in studying the shadows and types seemingly see no value in this verse either:
All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
What scripture was Paul referring to here? Certainly not the new testament.
How many here can honestly say they have a complete understanding of Christ? If you believe that is the case, then you have stopped learning, and thus stopped growing.
The shadows and types are rich with instruction and understanding, relevent for THIS day, and even though we have the shadow caster, we still do not see Him perfectly, but rather through a glass, darkly.
Seriously, how many of the diciples who were with Christ when He was on the earth fully understood Him?
There is a lot of stuff that Paul wrote that we think we understand, but really don't, because we don't have an understanding of where he was coming from. And the same is especially true of John.

[BroRog]

I agree whole heartily, but however, tell me what this particular shadow taught you about Jesus and what you need and gained from Him. Paul knew and understood what the shadows actually pointed to in Jesus. Each pointed to different things about Jesus and his continuous ministry. For example, Jesus as our sin offering is not the same thing as Jesus as our Burnt Offering. So, then how is Jesus our burnt offering.

I'm not sure what you are asking me. We don't have shadows any more.

[Tomlane]

BroRog, you made a good point to Manichunter. One thing I'm curious about do you know of any differences between a burnt offering and a sin offering. I thought the burnt offering Christ made was to satisfy God's demand for justice and that offering paid for our sins. But I never knew there is such a thing a sin offering since we get to choose wither we want to accept it the free gift. We can't accept the burnt offering because that one was made to God just as the burnt offerings of bulls and goats temporarily turned justice aside for sin when it was offered to God. So since God's permanent offering for sin has been made how it possible to have a sin offering? I've never read that one in the scriptures have you? If you can't explain it to me perhaps manichunter can. Thanks or maybe both of you can. Duh! lol

Tomlane

[HisLeast]

If types and shadows don't teach then how do we prove Christ was the Messiah of prophecy?