HAVING A SHADOW
Hebrews 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. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
It is not said that the law “is” a shadow, but that the law “has” a shadow! All of it is not a shadow. Thereby we know two things. First, there must be a light to originate and sustain this shadow. And the Lord Jesus Christ is that light! For all the scriptures refer to him. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Secondly, we know that all the law is not able to perfectly reveal types of the Lord Jesus. For even in the previous chapter of this book the apostle reveals that there were some things of which he was not allowed to presently speak. Hebrews 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. For he states that there was but one thing which the Holy Spirit was stating at that time. Hebrews 9:8 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:
Therefore our rule in studying the scriptures is to follow the revelation of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
Then we come to understand that even those “good things to come,” are shadowy! So even things which are types of New Testament gospel truths are themselves imperfect. For even they are “not the very image of the things.” And all in the law that condemns the believer was nailed to His cross, having been fulfilled in his perfect life and death! Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 16 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: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Under the law there were many priests with many sacrifices, but never any purification of those for whom they were offered. But in Christ there was but one priest with but one offering, and the transgression was finished, and sins were ended! Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Under the law there were but “comers thereunto,” which were never made perfect. And these “comers” are not without consciousness of their sins. Hebrews 9:9 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;
That Greek word, here translated, “comers,” is translated “ye take heed” in 2 Peter 1:19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: They need always “take heed” for with the remembrance of their sins, they could never stop sacrificing innocent victims.
For their sins, as well as those of all believers, in all times and places, can only be cleansed by the righteous blood of the lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ! Romans 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
But those who have come to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that fountain filled with blood have lost “all their guilty stains!” Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. He has changed those “comers thereunto,” now to be “worshippers.” (See verses 1 & 2, above). There is a world of difference in those just practicing religion from those forgiven and cleansed believers.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Revelation 5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
That Greek word, here translated, “the worshippers” is also translated “we may serve” in Hebrews 12:28. So, whereas the “comers thereunto” are conscious of their sins, these “worshippers once purged” are conscious of serving the living God! 1 John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
For if their sins are recalled, it causes them to think on their Advocate. 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Verses two and three, listed above in our context, reveal that those under the shadowy things of the law were never purged from their sins. For if they had been would they have kept offering? And then we read why, with all the slaughter of the thousands of animals, their sins were never purged. It was never possible that the lives of animals, given in the shedding of their blood could sustain the magnitude of cleansing required to purge even one sin! – And it never was intended to!
Their prophets preached this to them! Isaiah 1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
Isaiah 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog’s neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine’s blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
Amos 5:21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.
The very first recorded thought of the Incarnate Son of God was that the Father did never find any pleasure in that system. It was the Incarnation alone that would provide the worthy sacrifice. For it alone, offered for the redemption of sinners, could bring satisfaction to the Father! Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
How blessed we are to be afforded the privilege of reading the first thoughts of the Incarnate Son as he came into the world! Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, (Testament, or covenant), that he may establish the second (final and eternal covenant). 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And that is something the law could never do! Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: For it is only “the Lamb of God” who could actually “take away” sin! John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
The Lord God had no pleasure in the sacrificial system of the law. But he was very well pleased in His Lamb – the very Son of God! Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Matthew 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
By far, the majority of religion practiced in America is still trying to approach God by abiding under the spirit of the old covenant – salvation by man’s works! For they are only focusing on morality! Very few are they in the narrow way who are completely trusting wholly in Jesus Christ and his work on Calvary for their acceptance with God! These realize that the issue is righteousness – not just morality!
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
Titus 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5 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;
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. For the Lord God will glorify his grace in making sinners accepted, only in his Son’s righteousness! Ephesians 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
One future day every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Pastor Gene Breed
September 22, 2017